African-American Leadership Caucus of the Berkshires
Pittsfield — On Saturday, October 31, from 8 a.m. – 4 p.m., Multicultural BRIDGE will present the African-American Leadership Caucus of the Berkshires at Greylock Insurance Agency at 5 Cheshire Rd.
Facilitators from across New England will assist in a meeting of the minds at which leaders of all ages of Berkshire County’s African-American heritage and identity will gather together toward the success of African-American communities and residents. The focus of the caucus is the reduction and eventual elimination of racial disparities in health, workforce, and education. The essential issues the meeting will address include the Berkshire experience for African-Americans and how leaders can further empower and support their communities.
The day’s speakers will include Staley B. Keith Social Justice Center founder Quintin Cross, UnityFirst.com founder and CEO Janine Fondon, Evolution LLC founder Joyce Shabazz, W.E.B. Du Bois scholar Dr. Homer “Skip” Meade, education researcher Dr. Maxine McKinney de Royston, poet and counselor Mulazimuddin S. Rasool, and community government and partnership activist Cheryl L. Dukes.
The cost to attend the caucus is $30 (lunch and snacks are included) and limited scholarships are available, as are certificates or completion, CEUs, and PDPs. For ore information or to register, email adminsupport@multiculturalbridge.org
–E.E.
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Hilton Als to inaugurate “Art of the Essay” lecture series
Williamstown — Hilton Als, writer for The New Yorker, will give a lecture at Williams College on Friday, October 30. Als’ lecture, “I Don’t Remember,” will be the first in the series “The Art of the Essay” and will take place at 3 p.m. in the Thompson Memorial Chapel.
Prior to joining the staff of The New Yorker in 1994, Als was a staff writer for The Village Voice and editor of Vibe magazine. His first book, The Women, is a meditation on gender, race, and personal identity. His most recent book, White Girls, continues to explore race and gender in a series of essays. Als received a Guggenheim Fellowship for creative writing in 2000 and the 2002-03 George Jean Nathan Award for Dramatic Criticism. In 2004 he won the Berlin Prize of the American Academy in Berlin.
–E.E.
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The Mount to offer Halloween events
Lenox — On Saturday, October 31, The Mount will celebrate Halloween with events and programs for all ages.
Plein Air Pumpkins, 11 a.m. – 2 p.m., on the terrace: Visitors of all ages are invited to grab a brush and a pumpkin and decorate for the season from the spectacular autumn view of Edith Wharton’s terrace. Little painters are welcome to decorate on paper or pumpkin. $3 material fee.
Harvest Spirits, 4:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m., reading in the drawing room and tasting/snacks on the terrace: Hard cider tasting with Hilltop Orchards and complimentary apple cider donuts with a cash bar for additional beverages. At 5:30 p.m. Shakespeare & Company’s artistic director, actress Ariel Bock, will perform a dramatic reading of Edith Wharton’s 1910 ghostly classic “Afterward.” $10 general public, $5 Mount members.
Halloween Ghost Tours, 7 p.m. – 8 :30 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. – midnight: A 90-minute guided tour of the most haunted parts of the estate on Halloween evening. The tour starts at the stable and ends at the main house and includes a half-mile walk with some steep areas. Reservations are required. $24 adults, $20 youth.
For more information see the Berkshire Edge calendar or call (413) 551-5100.
–E.E.
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Pittsfield police chief’s impressions of Israel’s security forces
Pittsfield — On Thursday, October 29 at 10:45 a.m., the Jewish Federation of the Berkshires will present Michael J. Wynn, Chief of Police of the Pittsfield Police Department (PPD), who will speak about his experience participating in the Anti-Defamation League’s Northeast Counterterrorism Seminar (NCTS). This free program at Congregation Knesset Israel is part of the Federation’s Connecting With Community series.
For NCTS, law enforcement executives from around the world are selected to spend eight days in an immersive program with their Israeli counterparts from the Israeli Defense Forces, Israeli National Police, and intelligence services. During the course of the program, participants are exposed to security, surveillance, investigative, and community outreach strategies. In addition to the operational briefings, participants are given the opportunity to participate in a wide variety of historical, cultural, and social experiences with their counterparts and Israeli citizens. Chief Wynn, who has been the PPD’s chief executive since December 2007, participated in the NCTS in January of 2013.
For more information call the Jewish Federation of the Berkshires at (413) 442-4360 x10.
–E.E.
