We were so excited to see so many friends – old and new! – at Suffield Garden Club’s May Market. Thanks to everyone who came by to contribute to our gratitude tree, paint kindness rocks, share your stories and learn more about us.
June brings more reasons for celebration, reflection, and connection. Most notably, ABAR Suffield will be hosting celebrations of both Juneteenth and Pride along with partners from local schools, churches and the Suffield Historical Society.
Juneteenth, also known as Freedom Day, is a holiday that celebrates the emancipation of the last remaining enslaved people in the United States. ABAR Suffield will host our area’s first Juneteenth celebration by honoring those enslaved in Suffield and throughout the country.
We will honor Tamer, a woman enslaved here in Suffield, with a commemorative plaque in her memory. Descendants of Venture Smith, a locally enslaved man who was also Tamer’s father-in-law, will be our featured guest speakers. And we’ll enjoy performances, demonstrations, and arts and crafts as well. This event will take place on the Town Green on Saturday, June 19.
Pride is a celebration of LGBTQ freedom and liberation which grew out of the resistance movements of the 1970s that followed the 1969 Stonewall Riots. Pride is celebrated worldwide in many different ways. We’re so excited to be hosting Suffield’s first public Pride celebration.
We’re actively planning a family-friendly event which promises to be both informative, supportive, festive, and a lot of fun. Also, in conjunction with Pride month, we’ll be announcing the winners of the “Love & Acceptance” youth art contest and hosting a virtual “Rainbow Run”. The Pride event is tentatively scheduled for Sunday, June 27, pending resolution of some logistical challenges. Watch our Facebook page for more information.
June also marks the first anniversary of ABAR Suffield. We were drawn together in solemnity as we marked the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Amhad Aubery and so many others on Wednesday, June 17, 2020. Together, we’ve discovered a newfound sense of community, learned a great deal, made important connections, and only just begun the work of eradicating racism and bias in our own hearts and minds, in our homes and in our beloved Suffield. We look forward to the growth and challenges our second year promises to bring as we move forward, working together for an anti-biased, antiracist Suffield.
To learn more about ABAR Suffield, please visit the Facebook page of the same name or email us at ABARSuffield@gmail.com.