EVENTS

Mark Your Calendars for
 "Community Conversations"
November 2014

Whether you are new to the local conversations about race, or a long-time participant, please join the groups listed below in these opportunities. 
All events are free and open to the public.



Nov. 1--Saturday--Reparations Workshop-- Woullard H. Lett, chairman of the Manchester NAACP Legal Redress Committee.  10AM at The Greenfield 1st Congregational Church, 42 Silver St. Greenfield, MA. Sponsored by Mass Slavery Apology.

Nov. 2—Sunday--  A Day of Solidarity and Prayer  for Healing our World Community at the Leverett Peace Pagoda, 2PM. There is also a "Walk for Peace and Healing"  9:00AM-1:30PM, leaving from the Amherst Common, stopping at UMASS, North Amherst, Mt. Toby Meeting House, Leverett Center and on to the Peace Pagoda. Half of the mileage walkers will be transported. Light lunch for walkers provided at midday. Sponsored by the Leverett Peace Pagoda.

Nov. 6 – Thursday – film “White Like Me” – explains many misconceptions and confusions about race and racism today, how they developed and why they continue.  7PM at The Jones Library – co-sponsored by Coming Together and Jones Library.       

Nov. 14 – Friday - Community Conversation – supper provided – a unique opportunity for people of the global majority and white people caucus separately and together with expert facilitation.  5:30PM – at Unitarian Universalist Society, 121 N. Pleasant St., Amherst.  Co-sponsored by Amherst Human Rights Commission, NAACP, Coming Together, Mass Slavery Apology, Citizens for Race Amity Now! and Undoing Racism Organizing Collective (UROC).


Nov. 20 – Thursday – Debby Irving – the author of an outstanding new book “Waking Up White and Finding Myself in the Story of Race” – speaks and shares her sometimes cringe-worthy struggle to understand racism and racial tensions.  Discussion.  7PM at Grace Episcopal Church Social Hall, 14 Spring St., Amherst. Sponsored by Coming Together.

For information or related resources and readings contact:

 Coming Together   Amherst NAACP  Amherst Human Rights Commission  Mass Slavery Apology   Citizens for Racial Amity Now: Amherst Branch  Undoing Racism Organizing Collective (UROC)

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Friday to Sunday, October 10th to 12th

UROC LOGO.jpg Baystate Health


WE CAN DO SOMETHING ABOUT RACISM!

(UROC) Undoing Racism Organizing Collective of Western MA

in collaboration with BAYSTATE HEALTH SYSTEMS is pleased to bring you

“UNDOING RACISM”
A WORKSHOP BY THE PEOPLE’S INSTITUTE FOR SURVIVAL AND BEYOND
We invite you to be part of our movement to advance institutional change for racial equity. Workshop participants will engage in a comprehensive exploration of how racism shapes U.S. (United States) institutions, often without our conscious understanding that it is doing so.
The goal of this workshop is to strengthen the anti-racist analysis and foster local work groups that will continue the conversation and work toward institutional change.
WHAT IS THE PEOPLE’S INSTITUTE?
A national, multiracial, anti-racist network from New Orleans dedicated to building
a movement for justice and ending racism and other forms of institutional oppression. Now in its 25th year, the Institute has provided training, consultation, and leadership development to more than 110,000 people in organizations nationally and internationally.
WHEN AND WHERE

Location: In Amherst - TBA

Friday Oct. 10, 5:30 - 8:30
Saturday, Oct. 11, 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM
Sunday, Oct. 12 8:30 AM- 4 PM

TUITION: $300 INCLUDES FIVE MEALS and CHILDCARE
BAYSTATE HEALTH SYSTEMS TUITION ASSISTANCE AVAILABLE
Register online by Sept. 29th, 2014 at www.urocofwesternmass.org
or mail to: UROC of Western Mass, PO Box 81235 Springfield 01138

IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN OBTAINING CEU’S PLEASE GO TO www.urocofwesternmass.org
REGISTER NOW! THE WORKSHOP IS LIMITED TO 40 PARTICIPANTS
We will confirm workshop participants and tuition assistance by Friday Oct. 3, 2014
Make checks out to UROC of Western Mass. All payments are due by Wednesday Oct.8, 2014

For More Information Contact:

Ruthie Killough-Hill:  rkilloughhill@comcast.net or 413.256.1804

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2nd Annual "Summer Soiree" 

SUNDAY AUG. 3, 2014 Noon to 3:00 pm  

Groff Park Pavilion 

​Off West St./Rt 116
Amherst, MA​
​
Join ​the Amherst Area NAACP  for this exciting opportunity to join together to celebrate each other and our successes!  This is also an opportunity for every member of all anti-racism/social justice workers to come together to talk and review. 


Each family is asked to bring their own family's meal and a little to share. Cups, plates, utensils provided.

This date is ahead of the final Massachusetts voter registration deadline so, in keeping with our NAACP mission, there will be an opportunity for people to register and sign-up to help
​others
register. 





 “Slavery in Our Valley”
Amherst College Prof. Emeritus, Robert Romer to conduct this Sunday's service at the newly renovated Amherst Unitarian Church.
Sunday, July 13, 2014
10:00 am to 11:00 am
Amherst Unitarian Church
Corner of North Pleasant St and Kellogg Ave. (near the post-office.)   
All are welcome!  



 Saturday, July 19, 2014  10:00 A.M.  
Bob Romer  Walking tour of slave sites in Old Deerfield. 

Bob Romer has offered to lead a walking tour of slave sites on the main street of “Old Deerfield”, talking about some of the 25 black slaves who lived there in the mid-1700s.  He writes:  Slavery was ubiquitous in the valley in colonial times, but the main street of Deerfield in 1752 is the place and the moment which I know most about and which I use as the case study in my book.

   This walking tour is primarily for UU members and friends –  but feel free to invite others who might be interested in getting a new view of that street that most of you have probably seen before.  Participants get a free copy of my map of that street that is quite different from the usual tourist map.  Such a walking tour usually lasts about an hour  – depends on the questions you have.  But you can drop out at any time.

This walk & talk takes place on the public street.  We do not go into any of the houses operated by Historic Deerfield, Inc.  We’ll meet at 10:00 AM at the common about midway up that mile-long street (officially “Old Main Street”).  (Right in the midst of Deerfield Academy, on the west side of the street, near the Civil War monument.)  It’s about a 30-minute drive from the center of Amherst.
Rain or shine.  Bring your own umbrella and/or sun-screen.  Look for my Red Sox hat.    
Call or email Bob Romer for more information. (253-7748 rhromer@amherst.edu)      



Thursday, August 29, 2013
Amherst Fair Housing Now!
5:30 pm - 7:30 pm
Amherst Room of Jones Library, 43 Amity Street, Amherst

 A community celebration and discussion regarding the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington and the recent Housing Court decision dismissing the evictions at Echo Village.

 This event is free and open to the public
Refreshments will be served
Please come and support AFHN! at our first public event!
You’re invited to a Community Celebration

 JUSTICE FOR AYYUB August 23 and 28, 2013
From Michaelann Bewsee: "We have created an event for Ayyub which begins with court solidarity.  If you are on Facebook, please see: https://www.facebook.com/events/541017515952062/. 

 Dear concerned citizens:

My name is Ayyub Abdul-Alim.  I am a 35 year old African American and Puerto Rican US born citizen who was raised as a Muslim.  Additionally, I was born in Harlem hospital in New York City and I received my schooling in Amherst, MA from Crocker Farm Elementary, Amherst Junior High and Amherst Regional High School.   I have been a member of the Amherst Islamic Society Community as well as the Islamic Society of Western Massachusetts, which is located in West Springfield, for over 20 years.  Moreover, I am a father of two children: a five year old daughter and an eighteen year old son.

Prior to my arrest in December 2011, I was well on my way of transforming myself from a life of dependency to one of humility, compassion, piety/ spirituality, entrepreneurship, largess, philanthropy and concern for family and community.  It’s important to note that in 2007, I obtained full-time employment – on my own merit – in Springfield, MA as a building manager in which I serviced a housing unit (located at 683 State Street, 685 State Street, 691 State Street and 693 Street) of 23 apartments for low income families and 3 store fronts for approximately four years (2007 to 2011).  It’s also important to mention that the aforementioned housing units and store fronts that I was challenged with managing/ servicing and providing security services for was/ is a building unit that has historically been challenged with illegal drug activity, prostitution, violence and destitution.  

Nevertheless, I was not only in the vanguard of successfully facilitating a drug free building/ neighborhood (at the said housing unit in Springfield, MA) but I was also instrumental in building a successful rapport and collaborating with local Springfield, MA community residents, community leaders, clergy, Imams, Ministers, Jewish leaders, state representatives, law enforcement and local business entrepreneurs in order to permanently institute a drug free and harmonious community in my neighborhood.  Most importantly, I served as mentor, spiritual adviser and advocate for juvenile teens and local Springfield residents who desperately sought a way out of crime and violence.  In collaboration with the Phoenix House, the Light House, the Opportunity House and the After Incarceration Support System (AISS) in Springfield, I was additionally instrumental in providing direct support to ex-felons who were looking to better themselves (physically, mentally and spiritually) and become contributing members of society by essentially assisting them with job placement, housing assistance and a wide variety of human services.

Furthermore, I had successfully transformed two of the aforementioned store fronts that are attached to the aforementioned building units (in Springfield, MA) into a religious house of worship, which I titled “The Quran and Sunnah Islamic Community Center,” and one store front into a registered business (called “Nature’s Garden”) in which I sold organic spa/ body care products, religious items and employed local Springfield, MA residents.  Please be advised, the aforementioned community center I founded offered mentoring services, job leads, housing assistance, after school tutoring services, free martial arts classes and a free food program in which I–in collaboration with 
family and friends – prepared and served hot and cold meals to anyone in the Springfield community that was within proximity to my community center and who was hungry over the weekend.  

It’s also important to note that as my “Nature’s Garden” business began to thrive, I rented a kiosk in the Holyoke Mall and leased a store front in Amherst center to sell my spa/ body care products and religious items.  As a small business owner and entrepreneur, I understood the importance of networking and hard work, in order to be competitive and remain above water financially.  I therefore participated in a wide variety of community events (i.e., the Dumbar Job Fair, the back to school events at Magazine Park, the Farmers Market, the Jazz Festival, Saint Johns’ Church events, Saint Peters Church events, Bishop Nailer events, Rebecca Johnson Elementary School events, etc.) in which I engaged in vending services and activities in order to generate additional revenue.  

With revenue generated from the aforementioned business ventures, I went on to spearhead my own unique transportation company titled, “Connections Transportation,” in which I dedicated my time and services to solely providing commuter services to-and-from state prisons within Massachusetts to families in need in order to bridge the gap of those incarcerated with their family and loved ones as part of a successful transition back into society for those in need.  I completely understand the vital role my family continues to play in my overall development and therefore empathize and dedicated my life to helping buffer the struggles and challenges of those in/ out the penitentiary system, particularly those of whom have no family to turn to.  Additionally, I am very familiar with the grave injustices concerning stop and frisk, racial profiling, the prison industrial complex, social Darwinism,  institutionalized racism, Xenophobia, religious discrimination and ethnocentrism that’s prevalent in American society – all of which is putting undue strain on my 
community in Springfield – particularly Black and Brown youth – and throughout our country as a whole.  

Please be advised, in December of 2011, I was targeted and arrested on a fabricated weapons charge less than five minutes after closing my store, “Natures Garden,” by the Springfield Police Department in collaboration with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).  I have been incarcerated against my will at the Hampden House of Corrections for approximately two years pending trial – despite the fact that I have police recordings revealing I was searched and cleared of any weapons and then forcibly strip searched and probed sexually in view of the public.  Most importantly, I have been offered exoneration of the aforementioned fabricated charges, prior to being arraigned in Springfield Court, at the Springfield police station (by the FBI and Springfield police) – only if I agreed to become an informant against my will to spy on the Muslim community.  

My arrest is just another example of the length of injustice our government is willing to inflict on innocent American citizens in the name of the war on terror, essentially undermining a productive and influential member of society.  In my defense, I have gained the support of the ACLU, the NAACP, “Justice for Pioneer Valley” and “Arise for Social Justice.”  I have also gained the support of my family and the Amherst and Springfield community. Furthermore, I have been interviewed by reporters from National Public Radio (NPR) regarding the systemic nature of Muslims being targeted, harassed and compromised by government agencies in the their attempts to police local Muslim communities.  

Unfortunately, unless I agree to becoming an informant – against my will – the prosecutor’s office, first assistant to Mark Mastrionni, has offered me 10 years of jail time as a plea of guilty to the aforementioned fabricated charge against me.  It is critically important for conscience and moral American citizens to stand together and address this very important issues that is subject to all American citizens by contacting your local and state representatives.  If not, innocent Americans will continue to be at the mercy of local, state and government agencies whose actions are unconstitutional.  
Yesterday it was Dr. Martin Luther King and Nelson Mandela – Mandela in particular who for 60 years was listed as a dangerous terrorist by the United States government until his name was finally removed from the list in 2008.  

Today it is me, Ayyub Abdul-Alim, tomorrow it could potentially be you and in the very near future, it may very well be your children or loved ones.  Unless of course, we act in support of “Justice for Ayyub,” and stand in solidarity and Arise for Social Justice.
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