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A letter from GTC’s Board Chair, Liz Wills-O’Gilvie
It's Black History month, American heart month and for those who celebrate Valentine's Day the month of love! By now, you may have attended a Black History month celebration or started a book written by a black person or about a black person. Maybe you watched a documentary or made some other effort to learn something other than a new use for the peanut, as is often presented when talking about agricultural hero, George Washington Carver. But knowing many of you, I understand that some of these efforts are already a part of the way that you live your life. I write to you and talk with you about race regularly so I didn't feel the need to send you a list of activities to do this month. Instead, I decided to end the month with a challenge to make Black History month last all year. I also want to ask a couple of questions about what what you might do for the rest of the year. Maybe you will ask and suggest questions that we might ask ourselves and use to govern the rest of our lives as we work to advance racial justice for any/all BIPOC (black indigenous people of color) communities. We began using the term BIPOC a few years ago when we felt it important to illuminate that the experiences of black and indigenous people are unique amongst people of color. For black people that includes the anti-blackness that we experience even from other people of color.
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Updates from Walnut Street
Thanks to your generosity, we have more than met our fall 2021 fundraising goals, and could not be more grateful to our community. On Giving Tuesday, you responded to calls from our youth, exceeding our ambitious $10,000 goal and raising $12,449 in 24 hours! Whether you read an email, shared a social media post, or spoke to a youth leader on the phone, we want to say thanks to all who supported us. We are honored to continue to serve Springfield as we look to 2022 and continue to support youth leadership, food access, and racial justice in Mason Square and beyond. GTC youth return this week from their winter break to participate in our winter leadership program. The January curriculum begins with an emphasis on public speaking and experiential storytelling as youth reflect on their goals as individuals and as a part of GTC for 2022. Youth will then begin learning about public health and GTC’s role in the public health landscape of their community. |
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