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Dear BRIDGE community:
It has been an exciting time for us at BRIDGE as we launch in to funding our projects that are recognized culturally centric with new funding partners who are joining the choir of those embracing the equity approach with centering the experience and voices of those we intend to serve! We are proud recipients of MOVA VOCA Funding at $200,000 for two years for victims of crime and violence that provides fresh and healthy food, access to wellness and culturally specific counseling, emergency and crisis support and more! (See announcement.) We are also proud recipients of a Community Development Block Grant - CARES Act to build out the infrastructure of our mutual aid program at $200,000. Our mutual aid program is in its third year of consecutive universal basic income at a nominal amount that supports gas, pharmacy and grocery monthly at local vendors, emergency grant assistance when available, access to garden and farming space, business development, farm shares of fresh veggies and chicken, COVID Resources and information. We continue to support COVID education, access to tests, PPE equipment through our HRiA grant. Have fun scrolling through photos, our new Happiness Toolbox video and news clips that capture our last month. At Happiness Toolbox and Real Talk with our BRIDGE youth, our youth had fun enriching opportunities advocating for and celebrating the Crown Act to prevent discrimination against African American Hair Styles as a Massachusetts policy. We celebrated with our second Mawu Hair Salon and our summer program youth reflected in interviews in the evening news! Also, we celebrated the installation of the Elizabeth Freeman Monument and our youth voices at the table to speak of its impact! Please read the powerful essay winners on the Sheffield Historical Site! It was a privilege to contribute to the essay launch with representatives from our entire BRIDGE community of youth leaders, board, donors, volunteers and staff! Next month keep an eye out for our Racial Justice Schedule and our Women to Women meetings. We also have a few Social Justice in Action events for you including one this Labor Day weekend! Serving it Forward in Community, Gwendolyn Happiness TOolbox 2022Toolbox Promo from Gwendolyn VanSant on Vimeo. We seek to provide leadership opportunities for them while providing healing spaces filled with joy, peer support, and also tools/strategies to recognize their internal strengths, affirm their cultural identity and pride, and develop their own pathways to success and thriving. Elizabeth Freeman
BRIDGE unveils a new vision of equity, inclusion, and justice for the Berkshires | Hannah Van Sickle | Berkshire Edge
Congrats to the winners! Winners: 1st prize Anouk Bizalion 2nd prize Kota Rinaldi 3rd prize Jessica Yauri Cambi BRIDGE Honorable Mentions & Speakers: Armando Bautista Cruz Jaziyah Forte (Read Her Remarks Here) Thanks to our essay committee Committee chair: Gwendolyn VanSant and Jesse Carpenter, Principal of Mt. Everett Committee Reviewers: Florence Afanukoe Sonali Anderson Dr. Gail Bouknight-Davis Tessa Climo Maya Hampton VanSant Julianne Harwood Dr. John Horan Rev. Sloan Letman IV Jeff Lowenstein Dr. Dan Nielson Ashni Sunder Stephanie Wright Click here to read Gwendolyn's remarks Meet Elizabeth Freeman | A play by Teresa Miller, starring Wanda Houston The Monument Unveiling The CROWN Act
Solidarity Garden & Farm
Despite the drought and heat, the Solidarity Garden and Farm is a beautiful and thriving place to be this summer. As summer turns towards fall, we are enjoying a wild abundance of tomatoes, potatoes, beans, gladiolus, and nicotiana. We are growing in all 27 garden beds this summer and 4 farm plots and are looking to build more beds next spring. Let us know if you're interested in getting involved! [email protected]
New volunteers are welcome; please take a moment to complete the BRIDGE Volunteer Form if you haven't already.
DA AND SHERIFF FORUM
Racial Justice mtg Schedule
TRJ meeting postponed to September 29th.
September 12 Race Task Force | Housing Presentation By Construct 12:30pm - 2pm Zoom or in-Person at the Ralph Froio Center September 29 TRJ: White Accomplices for Racial Justice Accountability Forum Social Justice in Action
We have deployed $5800 in to our mutual aid families to use at farmers markets, farms and local vendors.
BRIDGE & BerkShares: David Fix Article–on Berkshire Edge 
Women-To-Women September dates
09/01/22 | ZOOM
Topic: Domestic Violence in children Guest: Estervina Davis 09/08/22 | ZOOM Topic: Bicultural Benefits Guest: Carmen Baker 09/15/22 | Zoom Topic: Community Support Option Guest: Maria Mejia 09/22/22 | ZOOM Topic: Dreaming your future Guest: Silvia Soria and Estervina Davis |
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