NAACP-Berkshire County Branch

“There’s no denying that Dulcé can make you laugh.” – Essence

Dulcé Sloan is one of the sharpest, fastest-rising voices in comedy. Most recently a correspondent on Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show” with Trevor Noah, she has been hailed by Variety, Rolling Stone, and Time Out LA as a Top Comedian To Watch. She has also been honored as the NBC Stand Up Showcase Winner, a Montreal Just For Laughs New Face, and as a Comedian to Watch on “The Steve Harvey Show”.

Dulcé has “a voice that doesn’t pander or bully but comes at you straight. With a chaser of Joy,” according to Ozy.com. She offers a fresh and honest perspective that speaks truth to power and eviscerates the status quo. She can currently be seen in the FOX animated series “Great North” alongside Jenny Slate and Will Forte. She can also be seen in the feature film, “Chick Fight,” alongside Malin Ackerman and Alec Baldwin, for which The Hollywood Reporter hailed her as “not just stealing the movie but making sure that no one else even comes close.” She has also appeared multiple times on the CNN New Year’s Eve Special with Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen, MTV’s “Acting Out”, Comedy Central’s “”, Tru’s “Comedy Knockout”, and TBS’ “Conan”, and has made multiple appearances as a correspondent on “E! News Daily”. Her signature point of view and confidence drive her hilarious views on everything from her personal relationships to the absurdities of society.”

Dulcé Sloan | MASS MoCA July 19 | Don’t miss one of the sharpest, fastest rising voices in comedy when Dulcé Sloan takes the stage in North Adams, MA.

Leading his pioneering father Fela’s legendary band Egypt 80, Seun Kuti brings Afrobeat — the mix of West African genres and American funk and jazz that exploded out of Nigeria in the 60s and 70s — to new heights. He prowls the stage with energy not seen since his dad’s heyday that will move your body and uplift your soul. Dancing shoes required; inhibitions optional.

Seun Kuti & Egypt 80 | MASS MoCA July 12 | Leading his pioneering father Fela’s legendary band Egypt 80, Seun Kuti brings Afrobeat to new heights.

Photos: Youth Alive Step Dance And Drum Coaches Serina Saunders, Cheyenne VanBramer, and Jerome Edgerton practice with the Youth Alive Step Dance And Drum team to get ready for the Fourth of July parade.

THIRD ANNUAL DU BOIS FORUM ROUNDTABLE & CELEBRATION AT JACOB’S PILLOW

Join us for the third annual gathering of the Du Bois Forum at Jacob’s Pillow. Writers and artists will again reflect upon the Black intellectual and artistic traditions that W.E.B. Du Bois shaped and the urgency of this work in our current moment. This multi-part event features a Du Bois-inspired menu under the stars, designed by James Beard award-winning chef Bryant Terry, author of Black Food and 30+ writers, scholars, and artists from across the country.

The Du Bois Forum is a retreat for writers, scholars, and artists founded by Tufts University historians Kerri Greenidge and Kendra Field, and Du Bois biographer David Levering Lewis. This year’s event is supported principally by Tufts University and the Mellon Foundation, alongside our partners: Great Barrington’s Du Bois Freedom Center, Jacob’s Pillow, Kripalu, and Troutbeck. The Forum aims to support Black thought, creative production, and social change.

Prior to dinner, attendees are encouraged to attend a Du Bois Forum Roundtable discussion at 3pm (free entry), as well as the 6pm performance by INSPIRIT on the outdoor Henry J. Leir Stage (tickets sold separately). Dinner reservations are required. For information and to inquire about dinner tickets, please contact [email protected].

Third Annual Du Bois Forum Roundtable & Celebration at Jacob's Pillow - Jacob's Pillow July 19, 2024Join us for the third annual gathering of the Du Bois Forum at Jacob's Pillow. This multi-part event features a Du Bois-inspired menu under the stars, designed by James Beard award-winning chef Bryant Terry, author of Black Food and 30+ writers, scholars, and artists from across the cou...

Juneteenth 2024 photos are here!

Tag who you know. Thank you again to our ever-talented photographer Courtney Rene Hamilton!

https://www.facebook.com/NAACPBerkshires/photos_albums

NAACP-Berkshire County Branch Our mission is to ensure the political, educational, social, & economic equality of rights of all per

The Du Bois Freedom Center presents the second conversation in their Reflections on Democracy series on July 11 at 6pm here at Saint James Place. The topic is Democracy and Philanthropy with Dr. Martin Carr, Chair, Council on Foundations and Director, Center for Racial Equity, Walmart, Inc. Get the details and RSVP. https://buff.ly/3zlOGIU

• We conclude this year’s celebration with the catalyst to our all-female lineup, 💐⁠
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Annnd we’re watching together as a family, tomorrow at noon ET on ’s YouTube. Tap the link in our bio to set your reminder⏰❗️⁠
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Photo: | Joshua Bryant/NPR

June marks Immigrant Heritage Month, a time to honor our nation's diverse roots and shared dreams. Thanks to everyone who joined in celebrating the richness of our immigrant communities at events throughout the month, including our Beacon of Hope annual benefit,Berkshire Pride Pride Festival, and NAACP-Berkshire County Branch Juneteenth Celebration! 🌟

Junio marca el Mes de la Herencia Inmigrante, un tiempo para honrar las diversas raíces de nuestra nación y los sueños compartidos. Gracias a quienes se unieron a nosotros para celebrar la riqueza de nuestras comunidades de inmigrantes en los eventos de este mes, incluyendo nuestro beneficio anual Beacon of Hope, el Festival del Orgullo de Berkshire y la Celebración Juneteenth de la NAACP. 🌟

This year, the July Outdoor Concert Series celebrates the French Caribbean with some of best musicians from Guadeloupe and Haiti.

The Music on the Moltz concert series is presented in collaboration with Belltower Records, North Adams, Massachusetts.

All concerts are free unless otherwise noted. Bring a picnic and your own seating. Food will be available for purchase at select concerts; see individual event pages for more information.

Most shows will be held rain or shine. In the event of severe weather, the concert will be moved into the auditorium in the Manton Research Center. Seats will be available on a first-come, first-seated basis.

Summer Concert Series Information about planning your visit to The Clark.

DEMAND ACTION! Racial profiling at Big Y World Class Market in Northampton against the award-winning writer, founder, and co-director of the Ohketeau Cultural Center, Larry Spotted Crow Mann.

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"It was a warm sunny Thursday (6/13/24) afternoon in Western Mass. The Ohketeau Cultural Center was underway in planning for its annual Youth Talent Exhibition. This yearly event highlights Indigenous youth excellence in academia, creative arts, music, and culture and is a way to celebrate and uplift Indigenous youth, which is highly needed in marginalized communities like Native Peoples.

After the event, each youth is celebrated and given an award with a gift bag. The gift bag has several items, a water bottle, sweatpants, a t-shirt, a notebook, and a $200.00 gift card to support each young's persons creative and academic endeavors. The task of picking up those gift cards this year went to the award-winning writer, founder, and co-director of the Ohketeau Cultural Center, Larry Spotted Crow Mann. (Larry is also an enrolled citizen of the Hassanamisco Nipmuc Tribe and last year was spotlighted in Masslive.com as one of the Top Indigenous Leaders of 2023.)

Unfortunately, the simple endeavor of purchasing gift cards turned into another example of the systemic issues our nation continues to grapple with. Mann states, "I went to the counter with the gift cards at the Big Y Northampton store. The young employee at the desk asked for ID and credit card ID. I showed him both. He was very professional, polite, and affable. After examining my IDs he thanked me and proceeded. He was in the process of scanning the cards when a manager walked up and said to me, "What are you buying these gift cards for?" I had never been asked what my purchase was for before, but I told him nonetheless "A youth talent show."

He then asked for my ID, which I provided. He then said, "I don't feel comfortable serving you." I was shocked. I told him I'm a business owner. I told him about the Ohketeau Cultural Center. I even showed him my website and books to prove who I was. We went back and forth for about 20 minutes as a long line built up behind me. This was extremely humiliating and hurtful. This manager persisted in saying, " I don't feel comfortable selling these to you." So I left the store in dismay.

The harsh reality of traversing this country called America in a Black or Brown skin is always ever-present with brutal clarity. The ability to move about freely, take part in commerce, or converse in public spaces without fear of judgment or reprisal is not a reality we live in. To be able to exert power over individuals by a denial of service based on skin color, or other factors that do not reflect policies or law is still happening. Consider the extra amount of energy, resources, and emotional stress that goes into navigating the gauntlet of racism and hegemonic notions that consider anything non-white the "other."

And therefore should be watched closely at all times. Despite following the protocol that Big Y, Northampton put in place itself, they can still stridently say, "I don't feel comfortable serving you."

It’s been a decade-long passion project to elevate the historic contributions of a Black artist by preserving his writing cabin and, eventually, the land around it.

Now, it's actually happening.

It is the cabin where Harlem Renaissance poet and NAACP leader James Weldon Johnson did his writing when he was in the Berkshires. It was where he found peace nestled in a hemlock grove.

Now a $575,000 grant from the Mellon Foundation’s Humanities in Place program will support a three-year plan for a historic and meticulous restoration of the interior of the cabin, utilities and all its contents. The cabin sits above the Alford Brook off Alford Road, behind the main house and over a footbridge.

The project to preserve NAACP leader and Harlem Renaissance poet James Weldon Johnson’s Great Barrington writing cabin gets a $575,000 boost It is the cabin where Harlem Renaissance poet and NAACP leader James Weldon Johnson did his writing in the summer months. It was where he found peace nestled in a

Persip Park, 175 North Street, will feature a variety of interactive performances presented by the Wandering Dance Society as part of the July 5 First Fridays at Five and the free Downtown Pittsfield Summer Music Series. Performances will be 30-45 minutes each. At 5 pm, enjoy an African Dance Lesson with Noel Staples-Freeman. At 5:45 pm, Olawale “Wale” Oladehin will lead a Salsa lesson. From 6:30 to 7:15 pm, the Berkshire Rhythm Keepers will perform led by Aimee Gelinas; and the night will conclude with more Salsa dancing from 7:15 to 8 pm. Dancers of all ages and abilities are encouraged to participate throughout the evening.

Noel Staples-Freeman is a resident of Pittsfield and a graduate of Emerson College, holding a B.S. in Children's Theatre/Performing Arts and Dance. Noel has dedicated over five decades to teaching and the performing arts, both locally and internationally. Her formal training started at age 11 at The Billie Pope School of Dance in Roxbury followed by The Boston Conservatory of Music, The Elma Lewis School of Fine Arts, The Art of Black Dance and Music, and Koumpo West African Dance Company. Noel's illustrious career includes notable performances such as Nelson Mandela's visit to Boston in 1990, participation in Dance Africa at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, and appearances at Jacob's Pillow. As the Founder and Director of Uprising Dance Theatre since 1983, Noel leads an intergenerational group celebrating the African Diaspora's traditional and contemporary dance, music, and theater.

Olawale “Wale” Oladehin trained in Salsa and Afro Cuban dance with several Boston companies, including Salsa Y Control, MetaMovements, and Masacote. After several years of training, Wale joined Masacote as an instructor and performer in their professional Salsa company. Masacote’s emphasis on musicality and culture helped Wale better appreciate the interconnectedness of music and dance. With Masacote, Wale has had the opportunity to perform in Canada, London, Istanbul, and across the US.

The Berkshire Rhythm Keepers are an intergenerational, multi-level community drum and song group founded and led by Aimee Gelinas M.Ed, Director of the Tamarack Hollow Nature and Cultural Center and co-founder of Gaia Roots and Trio Candela. BRK participants attend Aimee’s weekly Monday evening drum and song classes at the Lichtenstein Center for the Arts in Pittsfield, which is open to beginners and advanced drummers. The group performs traditional music on folkloric instruments from West Africa and the Caribbean, as well as on original creations. Members of BRK have been studying and performing together for 15+ years.

The BRK performance on July 5th will feature stories and the cultural context of the rhythms, audience participation, and may include guest dancers!

DEMAND ACTION! Local award-winning writer and Indigenous leader racially profiled at Northampton Big Y World Class Market supermarket!

______________

"It was a warm sunny Thursday (6/13/24) afternoon in Western Mass. The Ohketeau Cultural Center was underway in planning for its annual Youth Talent Exhibition. This yearly event highlights Indigenous youth excellence in academia, creative arts, music, and culture and is a way to celebrate and uplift Indigenous youth, which is highly needed in marginalized communities like Native Peoples.

After the event, each youth is celebrated and given an award with a gift bag. The gift bag has several items, a water bottle, sweatpants, a t-shirt, a notebook, and a $200.00 gift card to support each young's persons creative and academic endeavors. The task of picking up those gift cards this year went to the award-winning writer, founder, and co-director of the Ohketeau Cultural Center, Larry Spotted Crow Mann. (Larry is also an enrolled citizen of the Hassanamisco Nipmuc Tribe and last year was spotlighted in Masslive.com as one of the Top Indigenous Leaders of 2023.)

Unfortunately, the simple endeavor of purchasing gift cards turned into another example of the systemic issues our nation continues to grapple with. Mann states, "I went to the counter with the gift cards at the Big Y Northampton store. The young employee at the desk asked for ID and credit card ID. I showed him both. He was very professional, polite, and affable. After examining my IDs he thanked me and proceeded. He was in the process of scanning the cards when a manager walked up and said to me, "What are you buying these gift cards for?" I had never been asked what my purchase was for before, but I told him nonetheless "A youth talent show."

He then asked for my ID, which I provided. He then said, "I don't feel comfortable serving you." I was shocked. I told him I'm a business owner. I told him about the Ohketeau Cultural Center. I even showed him my website and books to prove who I was. We went back and forth for about 20 minutes as a long line built up behind me. This was extremely humiliating and hurtful. This manager persisted in saying, " I don't feel comfortable selling these to you." So I left the store in dismay.

The harsh reality of traversing this country called America in a Black or Brown skin is always ever-present with brutal clarity. The ability to move about freely, take part in commerce, or converse in public spaces without fear of judgment or reprisal is not a reality we live in. To be able to exert power over individuals by a denial of service based on skin color, or other factors that do not reflect policies or law is still happening. Consider the extra amount of energy, resources, and emotional stress that goes into navigating the gauntlet of racism and hegemonic notions that consider anything non-white the "other."

And therefore should be watched closely at all times. Despite following the protocol that Big Y, Northampton put in place itself, they can still stridently say, "I don't feel comfortable serving you."

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