OLLI to host online discussion of religion and the Supreme Court
Pittsfield — Within 12 days this past summer, the U.S. Supreme Court decided three cases involving the relationship between government and religion. On Wednesday, Oct. 7, at 6 p.m., the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Berkshire Community College will host an online discussion of these cases featuring Walter Weber of the American Center for Law and Justice, and Richard Katskee of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, whose organizations filed opposing briefs in the cases. The conversation will be moderated by attorney and OLLI instructor Doug Mishkin.
The three cases to be discussed are: Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue (may a state forbid tax-supported scholarships to religious private schools?); Little Sisters of the Poor Saints Peter and Paul Home v. Pennsylvania (must organizations with religious objections to contraceptive insurance coverage under the Affordable Care Act give notice that they won’t provide that coverage if, as a result, the coverage would then be provided another way?); and Our Lady of Guadalupe School v. Morrissey-Berru (are private religious schools exempt from anti-discrimination laws in employing teachers with religious responsibilities?)
The event is free and open to the public. Registration is required. For more information or to register, see the Berkshire Edge calendar, or contact the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Berkshire Community College at (413) 236-2190 or olli@berkshirecc.edu.
–E.E.
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Schumacher Center to present Winona LaDuke, Leah Penniman in conversation
Great Barrington — In celebration of 40 years of the annual E. F. Schumacher Lectures, and in anticipation of the Oct. 25 lectures with Kali Akuno and George Monbiot, the Schumacher Center for a New Economics is highlighting the work of past speakers, asking for updates of their earlier remarks and inviting them to reflect on current conditions. On Thursday, Oct. 8, at 2 p.m., Winona LaDuke and Leah Penniman will engage in a live, virtual conversation on Zoom, moderated by Jodie Evans. They will reflect on their original talks given current political, economic, and social realities and will then comment on each other’s work.
LaDuke is an activist, community economist, author and member of the Anishinaabeg peoples. She is an advocate for community land stewardship, local food sovereignty and regenerative resource use.
Penniman saw in the history of Black farming cooperatives a way for Americans of color to reestablish a connection with the land and rebuild a culture disrupted by the systematic exclusion from land ownership. She and her husband established Soul Fire Farm in Grafton, New York, as a training center to introduce young people of color to farming. Much of the produce is distributed to families in the nearby city of Troy.
The event is free and open to the public; registration is required. A question-and-answer period will follow initial presentations. A recording of the event will be available for those who are unable to attend. For more information or to registers, see the Berkshire Edge calendar, or contact the Schumacher Center for a New Economics at (413) 528-1737 or schumacher@centerforneweconomics.org.
–E.E.
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‘Art of the Hills’ to open in-person, showcase local artists
Pittsfield — “Art of the Hills: Narrative,” a juried exhibition showcasing the work of local, contemporary artists, will open in the Berkshire Museum’s physical galleries Saturday, Oct. 10, 2020, and remain on view through Sunday, Jan. 10, 2021.
The exhibit, which was originally scheduled to open June 6, was first presented this summer in a 3D, virtual model of the museum’s galleries as part of Berkshire Museum@Home. The exhibit will fill more than 2,400 square feet of gallery space with 78 one-of-a-kind works by 64 artists. The exhibition was curated by New York-based artist Amy Myers and Seung Lee, director of fine arts and graduate studies at Long Island University, from more than 530 submissions.
The Oct. 10 opening marks the museum’s entrance into Phase 4 of its plan for a safe reopening. During Phase 4, visitors with advance reservations will enjoy a two-hour Berkshire Museum experience that includes “Art of the Hills: Narrative,” the museum’s first-floor galleries, and a private experience in the aquarium. Visitors will still be required to follow the COVID Code of Conduct, which includes social distancing, face coverings for all patrons ages 2 and older, sharing information for contact tracing, and more.
–E.E.
