As we look forward to warmer weather, longer days, and the safety and promise of COVID-19 vaccinations, ABAR (anti-bias, anti-racist) Suffield members have been busy reorganizing for the future and preparing for some exciting spring and summer events.
In February we kicked off our Living ABAR Values discussion series. Each week, we open up space for community members to gather (virtually, of course) to explore what it means to live ABAR values. These have been very successful and have helped us gain insight, share frustrations, strengthen our personal convictions, and grow together in community.
In late February, we hosted our first “Listening Session” in cooperation with Ellington Equality, Somers Advocates for Social Justice, and Stafford Springs Diversity Coalition. Listening sessions provide an opportunity for marginalized groups (in this case, BIPOC) to share their experiences and perspectives uninterrupted, while mainstream participants (in this case, white people) listen and learn. The event was well attended and the panelists were honest, vulnerable, and compassionate in their telling of their stories. The cross-town coalition looks forward to hosting many more in the months to come.
We were honored to contribute to Suffield Community Aid’s Easter Basket project in March. We’re looking forward to supporting many more of SCA’s wonderful efforts in the years ahead.
As the days grow longer and warmer, and more of us are vaccinated every day, we look forward to resuming our Wednesday rallies on the Green. We welcome anyone to come out and join us.
We are incredibly excited to announce that we are planning two significant firsts for Suffield. Both set to occur in June, ABAR Suffield – in cooperation with several partners (TBA) – will host Suffield’s first Juneteenth and PRIDE celebrations. Both are in the early planning stages, so be sure to check here for more next month!
And last, but certainly not least, ten months into our ABAR journey together, the co-founders have decided to file to become an official non-profit. At the same time, we have strategically reorganized our spirited and dedicated community into working groups to enable us to work more efficiently and deliver more value to the Suffield community.
To learn more about ABAR Suffield, please visit the Facebook page and/or group of the same name or email us at ABARSuffield@gmail.com.