Gathering Resilience
Moving from Woke to Woven
This community gathering offers a unique experience in quality conversation.
Participants will contribute to cultivating a network of diverse leaders on a range of issues relevant to various ethnic communities of western Massachusetts—and have fun!
This is an inaugural event, registration required. Attendance is limited. Please plan to attend the entire time.
May 18, 2019 2:00-6:30pm
followed by dinner and a social 6:30-10:30pm
Holyoke Rows, 25 Jones Ferry Rd, Holyoke, MA 01040
~ Connecticut River Valley, Massachusetts ~
*Location: Holyoke Rows, 25 Jones Ferry Rd, Holyoke, MA 01040
Social Justice Savvy Co-Moderation Team
Shanique Spaulding Organizer, Planned Parenthood Advocacy Fund Western & Central MA
Anna Rita Napoleone PhD Director UMass Writing Center
Opening Entertainment: debut performance of Lyrical Tomfoolery! featuring Lindsey Peterson and Tory Rosen
Panel and Small Group Conversations with young, local leaders on their most passionate issues and experienced experts from a select fields.
Selected Youth Leaders from The Performance Project and Pa’lante
Yaelisa Heredia People call me Lisa. I’m born and raised in Holyoke, MA. I’m serious about my education. I’ve been involved in theater both behind the scenes and also as a First Generation ensemble member. I like having the hard conversations about topics that are difficult to discuss in our current society. I think of myself as a problem solver and I like supporting others if they reach out for support.
Kaylee Bishop I value education, integrity and responsibility. I’m plan on studying criminal justice and so I can work to improve our criminal justice system because I’m aware of it’s roots in various forms of inequity and oppression. I plan to make our society a better place for people from all walks of life. I began a debate team at my school and I’m a member of The Performance Project’s First Generation ensemble.
Keiry Heath is from Holyoke MA. Keiry enjoys being outdoors and spending time in nature. She has a collection of house plants and over 50 crystals. She values deep and meaningful conversations around social justice that bring awareness to injustices in our society.
Laila Jenkins, member of Pa’lante,
Nicole Saucedo, member of Pa’lante.
Neftalí Duran, member of i-Collective, on the disconnect between food justice and hunger
Eileen Forestal PhD, world-renowned expert in ASL discourse and use of Deaf Interpreters
Nia Holley is an interdisciplinary artist whose work is deeply influenced by what survival and healing look like within Black and Indigenous communities. Her work ranges from printmaking, ceramics, metalsmithing, and traditional arts to bringing tribal communities together around food justice, agroecology, land, & history. She strives to cultivate relationships across tribal borders to rebuild a more inclusive and historical process of kinship and survival. She has worked as an outreach and project coordinator with a Native-led grassroots organization, and has been actively involved in Nipmuc programs since she could walk and talk. She currently works transcribing Native American petitions at the Radcliffe Institute at Harvard University.
Ambarish Karmalkar PhD, on Climate Modeling Predictions for New England
Shanique Spalding is a native of Kingston Jamaica and current resident of Springfield. She is the Planned Parenthood Advocacy Fund Western & Central MA Organizer. When she is not at work she wears many hats in her community, Vice Chair of the Hampden County Commission on the Status of Women, adviser on the Racial Justice and Equity Committee for the Attorney General Maura Healey, Secretary of the Ward 8 Democratic Committee of Springfield , Female Vice Chair for the Springfield Democratic City Committee, Board member of women’s international professional club Zonta Club of Quabog Valley. She is passionate about her community and she has spent the last five years committed to organizing around women’s, social and racial justice issues. She believes that a life well lived is one spent giving back and helping those who have no voice be heard. Topic: Reproductive Justice
Optional Brief Activities just to mix things up: try a 20-minute taichi lesson, a 20 minute barn dance lesson, and/or just schmooze and enjoy the snacks.
Social! All are welcome for dinner at 6:30 and dancing and more schmoozing until 10:30pm. Please indicate if you plan to join us on the Registration Form. You can also decide on the spot—it will just help us plan if we know you’re expecting to stay!)
*Childcare will be provided.
*Some snacks and beverages will be provided and please bring any favorites or specialty items that suit your own needs.
*All facilitators, moderators and others working the event are being compensated.
Remember, attendance is limited. Secure your spot now!