The Inside Press

Magazines serving the communities of Northern Westchester

Black History Month

“I Have a Dream”: In New Castle, a Poignant Celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Black History Month

by

A Welcoming Gathering, a Peace March of Hundreds, Bronx Bethany’s Chosen Choir and an Animated Panel of Esteemed Speakers Signify the Beginning of a Meaningful Conversation in New Castle and Beyond

On Sunday January 29th, residents of New Castle and neighboring communities joined for “I Have a Dream”: A Celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Black History Month, a peace march and program at the Chappaqua Library organized by the Town of New Castle Committee on Race, Equity, and Inclusion (CREI) in partnership with the Chappaqua PTA, the PTA Diversity, Race, and Belonging committee, the Chappaqua Library, the Horace Greeley High School BIPOC Student Union (BSU), and New Castle United for Youth.

The peace march and gathering beforehand allowed participants an opportunity to demonstrate community solidarity and connect with neighbors. Chappaqua PTA President Tara Ramirez kicked off the event with her remarks in front of Scattered Books bookstore, by the peace pole which bears the message ‘May Peace Prevail on Earth’ in several languages. Attendees of all ages also had the opportunity to share their messages of peace and hope on a peace board. High school students Mariam Cisse and Emma Ramirez joined to perform the Black National Anthem, “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” before more than a hundred participants walked together, some linked arm-in-arm, to the town library.

The program at the library featured a panel discussion based on excerpts of Dr. King’s ‘I Have a Dream’ speech, reckoning with our nation and community’s progress toward social justice in the intervening years since that speech was delivered. Panelists included local residents, students, and leaders. The discussion spanned the experience of discrimination by students of color at the high school, commentary on national and local political discourse around diversity and equity, and the importance of continuing to educate others on the realities and harm caused by racism in our own town.

Top photo:  CREI committee member Porfirio Gonzowitz at the lectern, and panelists (left to right): Joyce Chen, Horace Greeley Senior; Mariam Cisse, Horace Greeley Senior; Tonya Wilson, principal of Roaring Brook elementary school; Gavrie Elliott, graduate of Horace Greeley High School and current NYU Tisch School of the Arts student (’24); Ralph Carter, New Castle resident, parent, and lawyer; Mondaire Jones, CNN political commentator, a commissioner on the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, and former congressman representing New Castle’s district. Bottom photos: Supurna Banerjee, CREI co-chair (in yellow) delivering opening remarks. CREI committee member Kimberly Carey introducing members of the Bronx Bethany’s Chosen choir.

The purpose was to bring a discussion that often exists on the sidelines, sometimes steeped in presumptive assumptions from all sides, into the open, for residents to hear firsthand about the experience of Black residents and leaders and their insights on how to move forward and make progress toward greater equity and inclusion as a community. The program also included joyful performances from the Bronx Bethany’s Chosen choir, led by New Castle resident and former Council on Race and Equity co-chair Nichelle Maynard-Elliott, and speeches from CREI committee members and town board liaison Victoria Bayard-Tipp. The CREI will organize this event annually in partnership with other community groups to keep this conversation going and to grow and maintain strong and meaningful connections across the entire New Castle community.

Appearing on the panel were commentators including: Mondaire Jones, CNN political commentator and former Congressman who served as our Representative from 2021 to 2023, and who was recently appointed a Commissioner on the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights; Tonya Wilson, principal of Roaring Brook Elementary school since 2020, who has been an educator and administrator for 27 years; Ralph Carter, a New Castle resident, who is the parent of a multi-racial child in the Chappaqua Central School District. Ralph works as a lawyer, and advocates for greater diversity, equity and inclusion in the legal profession as an active member of several bar organizations, including the National Bar Association and the New York State Bar Association.; Gavrie Elliott, a Horace Greeley graduate who will complete his degree from the NYU Tisch School of the Arts in 2024. BSU was founded in 2018 by Elliott as the Black Student Union. Around a year and a half ago, it was renamed as the BIPOC Student Union by then co-presidents Nailah Elliott and Kyra Chung-Olagbaiye to reflect club membership.; and Horace Greeley seniors Joyce Chen and Mariam Cisse, who together lead the Horace Greeley BIPOC Student Union as co-chairs.

Additional members of the BSU participated as readers of excerpts from Dr. King’s speech, they are: Ava Herman (10th grade, BSU Vice President), Cindy Chen (9th grade), Adam Kamal (9th grade), Riona Datta (10th grade, BSU Secretary), and Asha Kalathil (9th grade).

The event kicked off with hundreds of residents gathered in front of Scattered Books. Speaking: Tamara Ramirez, Chappaqua PTA President, along with members of the BIPOC Student Union and town residents. Two Horace Greeley students Emma Ramirez and Mariam Cisse, singing, “Lift Every Voice and Sing”. Holding a sign: Kerry, 8, New Castle resident, Grafflin second-grader, son of co-chair Supurna Banerjee and resident Brendan Rudolph.

 

Inside Press Photos   News/Caption Info Courtesy of the New Castle Council for Race, Equity and Inclusion

 

 

 

 

Black History Month Events Taking Place in New Castle

by

New Castle’s Council on Race and Equity (CRE) has announced programming for Black History Month events in collaboration with the New Castle Historical Society and the Chappaqua Library.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Originally established by educator and historian Carter G. Woodson and the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History (ASNLH) in 1926, Black History Month as we currently know it began as Negro History Week, a week long celebration and opportunity to highlight the accomplishments and contributions of African Americans to our country as well as encouraging the study of African American history. 

In 1976, the celebratory week, anchored by the February birthdays of Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln, was extended to a full month and decreed to be observed nationally as Black History Month. 

This year, in continuing the 95 year tradition, the CRE states that it celebrates this year’s Black History Month theme of  “The Black Family: Representation, Identity, and Diversity”. The 2021 theme explores the rich and nuanced tapestry that is the Black family.

The CRE expressed its thanks to the Town of New Castle for the Black History Month proclamation, issued Tuesday, February 2, 2021., and shared the following events and programs, hosted by the Chappaqua Library and New Castle Historical Society, which will be occurring throughout the month of February.

The Chappaqua Library has several events planned celebrating Black History Month, including a teen lecture series on Mondays and an all ages concert featuring Karlus Trapp on Monday February 15. There is also a fantastic Art Lecture series occurring each Friday this month featuring Black artists. 

Details for all can be found on the Chappaqua Library events page. 

https://www.chappaqualibrary.org/events

The New Castle Historical Society is presenting African American Heritage Foodways in New York on Wednesday, February 10th 7PM –  Offering an opportunity to look at New York’s colonial period and ponder a different root to our food lineage, guided by culinary historian, Lavada Nahon.

Free. Registration is required. 

https://www.newcastlehs.org/event/online-lecture-african-american-foodways

CRE + Chappaqua Library program – Saturday, February 27th at 1PM, the CRE and Chappaqua Library will be presenting a co-sponsored Zoom presentation and discussion on exploring exploring racial issues in art in the Black and minority communities, featuring the work of Salman Toor from his first solo exhibition at the Whitney as well works on contemporary issues from the Whitney collection of Black artists. 

More information can be found on the Chappaqua Library events page. 

https://www.chappaqualibrary.org/events

Black History Month Read-Aloud with the CRE + Chappaqua Library Children’s room

The CRE has partnered with the Chappaqua Library Children’s room for a read-aloud series in honor of Black History Month! Every Thursday in February, both the CRE and the Chappaqua Library will be posting recordings of BIPoC New Castle community members (along with some of our very own CRE team leaders!) reading their favorite books aloud for a virtual storytime. 

A few of the titles you can expect to see (and hear!) throughout the month include Me & Mama written and illustrated by Cozbi A. Cabrer and Mae Among The Stars written by Roda Ahmed and illustrated by Stasia Burrington.

This week’s selection is A Gift for Amma written by Meera Sriram and illustrated by Mariona Cabassa is read by Johanna Nayyar!

 

 

Area Teens Head South Together for an Eye Opening Civil Rights Trip

by

A view of the Edmund Pettus Bridge: site of the “Bloody Sunday” march
Last month high school juniors and seniors from Temple Beth El of Northern Westchester in Chappaqua and Antioch Baptist Church in Bedford Hills went on a three-day trip to the south to learn more about the civil rights movement and social justice. The leadership of both Antioch, a predominately African-American church, and Temple Beth El decided to make this trip together with the hope of sharing experiences and creating more conversations about this country’s history on civil rights and continued need for equality and justice. This trip was the first of its kind for both congregations, as teens joined hand-in-hand to visit, explore, and develop an even deeper understanding of civil rights.

Trip participants in Alabama

Upon arriving in Atlanta, the teens were introduced to Mr. Billy Planer, the head of Etgar 36, the organization responsible for planning the details of the trip. Etgar 36’s mission is to empower trip participants “to get involved politically and socially to create change in the world.”

The first stop on the itinerary was  Montgomery, Alabama. There the teens met an attorney from the Equal Justice initiative (EJI) and learned about the injustice that exists for those on death row. Students were then invited to view the result of the EJI’s “Community Remembrance Project,” an archive and display that contains samples of dirt from different lynching sites. As a trip participant, I found this deeply moving and a wake up call that racism was widespread, had inflicted so much pain and touched the lives of so many.

An Emotional Journey

The trip had so many different layers of history and emotion. For lunch that day, trip participants ate at a local restaurant named Martha’s Place and dined on classic southern fare. The group later met Martha, the inspirational owner of the restaurant, who talked about how she bounced back from depression, suicide attempts and poverty, overcoming tremendous adversity and making a positive life for herself.

The next stop on the trip was the Rosa Parks Museum where the group learned about the bus boycotts and the use of nonviolence against violence. The group then headed to a nearby synagogue to spend Friday night Sabbath services with the local Jewish community.

Following in the Footsteps of the Bloody Sunday Marchers

The next day the group drove to Selma, where they learned about the historic march in which police and state troopers beat and used tear gas against peaceful marchers who were advocating against racial discrimination at the voting booth. Ms. Joanne Bland, an activist who marched across the Edmund Pettus Bridge on Bloody Sunday in 1965 met the group and talked about her experience. The group later walked towards the infamous bridge and suddenly, more than 30 students were following in the footsteps of the brave marchers who were attacked and beaten in their quest for freedom. The mood was somber and emotions were high at this pivotal moment of the trip.

Birmingham: A Hot Spot of the Civil Rights Movement

The journey continued to Birmingham, Alabama with a stop at the 16th Street Baptist Church, the site where four young girls were killed in a racially motivated bombing in 1963. After heading to the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, the group had the opportunity to meet Rev. Calvin Woods, a civil rights leader who was a close colleague to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Rev. Woods led the group in song and in words of healing.

The final stop of the trip was Atlanta where the group saw the AIDS Quilt and learned about the struggles of the LGBTQ+ community and the struggle for quality healthcare and education. The group then ventured to Dr. King’s resting place to pay their respects and concluded the trip with Sunday services at Dr. King’s historic Ebenezer Baptist Church.

An Eye Opening Experience

Max Brickman, a junior from Greeley and a member of Temple Beth El said, “The trip was a very eye-opening experience. I feel that the stories (that were told) really gave us a clear understanding of the severity and violence of segregation.” Josh Agee, a senior from Greeley who attends Antioch Baptist Church explained, “The reason I decided to go on this trip is because I felt that I needed to know more about my history. I felt that what we were learning at school did not really describe the struggles of African Americans during the civil rights era, and I thought that this trip would provide a greater insight into my history.

“The trip was far beyond my expectations. Traveling to the historic sites made me truly feel blessed. Experiencing the Edmund Pettus Bridge, Martin Luther King’s historic church and the Rosa Parks Museum were informational and eye opening experiences that I will never forget.”

Rabbi Jonathan Jaffe from Temple Beth El commented, “My expectations for this trip were easily surpassed. I was deeply impressed by the way in which our students integrated with their counterparts from Antioch Baptist Church and the seriousness and maturity they displayed throughout the trip. Our students posed thoughtful questions and took every opportunity to soak in the learning and meaning of each site and encounter. I was slightly worried that the trip would be overly scheduled and academic, but these fears were easily assuaged and I came away inspired by the students.”

A stop at the Equal Justice Initiative

January 28: Facing Racism Together: Bearing Witness and Bringing Hope | AJC

by

As Black History month approaches, a multi- faith community plans to come together “to learn, worship, sing and break bread in response to the racism that exists in our society.” The event will include feature remarks from Rev. Kymberly McNair, Rev. Stephen Pogue and Rabbi Jeffrey Sirkman, music, personal testimonies and social action tables presented by local anti-racist organizations.  When: Sunday January 28th, from 3-5 p.m., followed by a “Beloved Community Dinner.”

The program and dinner will take place at the Mt. Hope AM Zion Church in White Plains.

The event is co-sponsored by the following denominations, organizations and institutions:

Denominational Sponsors

AJC Westchester/Fairfield
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Westchester Stake
Hudson River Presbytery, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
Metropolitan NY Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
NY Annual Conference of the A.M.E. Zion Church
The NY Conference / The United Methodist Church
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of NY
Westchester Jewish Council
Westchester Board of Rabbis
Yonkers Islamic Center

Sponsoring Houses of Worship and Institutions

Antioch Baptist Church, Bedford Hills
Bedford Presbyterian Church
Bet Am Shalom, White Plains
Bet Torah, Mt. Kisco
Beth El Synagogue Center, New Rochelle
Calvary Baptist Church, White Plains
Church of St. Augustine, Larchmont
Church of the Holy Family, New Rochelle
Congregation B’nai Yisrael, Armonk
Congregation Emanuel of Westchester, Rye
Congregation Kneses Tifereth Israel, Port Chester
Congregation Kol Ami, White Plains
Congregation Sulam Yaakov, Larchmont
Community Synagogue of Rye
First Baptist Church, Mamaroneck, NY
First Baptist Church of White Plains
Greater Centennial A.M.E. Zion Church of Mt. Vernon
Greenburgh Hebrew Center
Iona College
Interfaith Connection
Interreligious Council of New Rochelle
Larchmont Avenue Church (Presbyterian)
Larchmont/Mamaroneck Human Rights Committee
Larchmont/Mamaroneck Interfaith Council
Larchmont Temple
Mamaroneck United Methodist Church
Manhattanville College
Mt Hope A.M.E. Zion Church, White Plains
Northern Westchester Interfaith Council
Pelham Jewish Center
Pleasantville Community Synagogue
Presbyterian Church of New Rochelle
Saint Augustine’s Church, Larchmont
Scarsdale Synagogue Temples Tremont and Emanu-El
Sinai Free Synagogue, Mount Vernon
St. Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church, White Plains
St. James Episcopal Church, North Salem
St. John’s Episcopal Church, Larchmont
St John’s Lutheran Church, Mamaroneck
St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Rye Brook
St. Thomas Episcopal Church, Mamaroneck
Temple Beth Abraham, Tarrytown
Temple Beth El of Northern Westchester, Chappaqua
Temple Beth Shalom, Mahopac
Temple Israel Center of White Plains
Temple Israel of Northern Westchester, Croton-on-Hudson
Temple Shaaray Tefila of Westchester, Bedford Corners
Trinity United Methodist Church, White Plains
Westchester Jewish Center, Mamaroneck
Westchester MLK Institute for Nonviolence

Tickets