“Farmers in Berkshire County have prioritized land protection, recognizing that many individuals are looking for viewsheds,” said State Agricultural Commissioner Ashley Randle. “We want to make sure that land stays in active agricultural protection."
Written byShaw Israel Izikson

Campers from Multicultural BRIDGE’s summer program on Friday, Aug. 8, at the organization’s Solidarity Farm and Garden, located on the Great Barrington Fairgrounds property, right before state Agricultural Commissioner Ashley Randle toured the farm. Photo by Shaw Israel Izikson.Berkshire County -- State Agricultural Commissioner Ashley Randle, along with members of the Department of Agricultural Resources, visited three Berkshire County farms—Red Shirt Farm and Second Drop Farm in Lanesborough and Multicultural BRIDGE’s Solidarity Farm at the Great Barrington Fairgrounds—and the Sheffield Farmers’ Market on Friday, August 8. As part of her tour, Randle met with representatives from local agricultural and farm organizations.

From left: Berkshire Agricultural Ventures Executive Director Rebecca Busansky, State Agricultural Commissioner Ashley Randle, and Berkshire Grown Executive Director Margaret Moulton. Photo by Shaw Israel Izikson.“So far this year, farmers in the state have had a good season,” Randle told The Berkshire Edge. “We got a late start with the rain at the start of the season, and we certainly could have used a little more rain this summer. But from the farmers that we’ve been talking to, they have told us that it has been a good growing season. A lot of the fruit crops have done well, including the strawberry, blueberry, and raspberry crops.”
Randle said that one of the biggest challenges farmers faced this year is funding cuts to federal programs that have assisted farmers in the past. “We are mindful of the impacts of less grant opportunities at the federal level for farmers to be able to apply to,” Randle said. “We know that, at the state level, we can’t fill in all of these funding gaps. But prioritizing state grant programs in this year’s budget and maintaining level funding for these programs has been really important. Our grant programs are continuing this year at the same funding labor.”
When asked about the situation concerning migrant labor at farms, including raids and arrests by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Randle said, “We are making sure that these workers feel safe and protected.” “This is something that [Gov. Healey and Lt. Gov. Driscoll’s] administration has prioritized,” she said. “[Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell] is very mindful of this situation, and when we look at not only farms but also small businesses across the state, that is a priority.”
When asked about the continuing impact climate change is having on farms throughout the state, Randle explained that the state will soon compensate farmers for crop losses in 2023 and 2024 through a grant program. “In 2023, we had freeze, frost, and flood events all across the state,” she said. “Last year was a particularly dry year. Being able to compensate farms for those losses and also help with infrastructure that may have been lost is a priority for us.”
Randle said that farmland in Berkshire County is unique because “this county has the most land protected for agriculture in the state through preservation programs.” “Farmers in Berkshire County have prioritized land protection, recognizing that many individuals are looking for viewsheds,” she said. “We want to make sure that land stays in active agricultural protection. Farmers in Berkshire County have prioritized this, and they have worked together with other farmers to make sure that land is available for production.”
“I think that farmers here are so lucky to be in this state,” said Berkshire Grown Executive Director Margaret Moulton. “The state’s Department of Agricultural Resources works on so many fronts on behalf of the farmers. There has been a big loss in funding from the federal government for local food access, so a lot of farmers have had to pivot. But I think most of them have found other market channels, but it was very stressful and uncertain for a little bit.”

During Commissioner Randle’s tour of Berkshire County, she and representatives from local agricultural organizations met for lunch at Multicultural BRIDGE’s Solidarity Meeting House in Great Barrington. Attendees were served food grown from the organization’s Solidarity Farm and listened to a presentation on the farm by organization founder and CEO Gwendolyn VanSant (top, left). Photos by Shaw Israel Izikson.Multicultural BRIDGE founder and CEO Gwendolyn VanSant hosted a lunch for Commissioner Randle and agricultural organization representatives at the Solidarity Meeting House in Great Barrington. At the lunch, VanSant gave a presentation about Solidarity Farm, located on 1.75 acres on the Great Barrington Fairgrounds property. “It is great to see Commissioner Randle in Berkshire County to see the work that farmers have done,” VanSant said. “On our farm, we have plots for African Americans in our community to grow food that they want to grow for their family or for mutual aid in the community.”

Campers from Multicultural BRIDGE’s summer program touring the organization’s Solidarity Farm and Garden. Photos by Shaw Israel Izikson.

Campers from Multicultural BRIDGE’s summer camp touring the organization’s Solidarity Farm. Photos by Shaw Israel Izikson.VanSant emphasized the importance of showcasing to the commissioner inclusiveness when it comes to the agricultural community. “Today is an important day to showcase the work of our farmers in the community,” she said.

The grassroots organization has acquired a home base for continuing its legacy programs in the spirit of Elizabeth "Mumbett" Freeman, Frederick Douglass, and W.E. B. Du Bois. 
Written byRobbi Hartt

Multicultural BRIDGE founder and CEO Gwendolyn VanSant and Jacob’s Pillow Curriculum in Motion's Michael Richter and his spouse visit Solidarity Garden and Farm. Photo courtesy BRIDGE“Since 2007, our BRIDGE mission has been promoting mutual understanding and respect among diverse groups serving as a resource to both local institutions and the community at large. We serve as catalysts for change and integration through collaboration, education, training, dialogue, fellowship and advocacy.”
— Multicultural BRIDGE website
It’s hard to capture all that Multicultural BRIDGE (Berkshire Resources for Integration of Diverse Groups through Education) is and does. As the needs arise, the programs follow. This responsiveness is how founder and CEO Gwendolyn VanSant has operated since starting the nonprofit organization back in 2007, bringing her skills and passion as a community organizer and renowned thought leader on racial justice, reparations, gender equity, and anti-poverty work to the Berkshire community.
BRIDGE programs center around core values of empowerment, collaboration, learning, celebration, integration, safety, and justice. The most critical ingredients of all, however, are love and commitment—and you feel that the moment you walk through their doors. Known for her ability to integrate research-based positive psychology practices, VanSant brings moral courage and an affirming spirit to her work with diversity leadership, equity and inclusion, and strategic planning.
Just as Volunteers in Medicine (VIM Berkshires) takes a holistic approach to address clients’ health, BRIDGE is committed (per its website) to a “360-degree approach to community, civic participation, and public health.” Its stated mission is “to impact hearts, minds and behaviors that result in positive cultural shifts and systemic changes in policy, law and practice towards a more just, safe and equitable society.”
To grasp all that Multicultural BRIDGE is involved in, you need to envision the night sky with all its constellations, not just the eight planets. Their work is vast and encompassing, interconnected and luminous. VanSant is the force that drives this catalyst for change, but all who engage as partners are bright stars committed to similar goals, and it is the cosmic energy linking all of the efforts that makes it most inspiring.
New Solidarity Meeting House to facilitate programsAlthough Multicultural BRIDGE has facilitated programs for more than 15 years (working from an office space in Lee), they haven’t had a home base or meeting space until now. The Solidarity Meeting House and Library (located at 965 Main Street in Great Barrington) provides a long-anticipated healing space in the Berkshires.

The new space in Great Barrington. Photo by Robbi Hartt“The meeting house is a space for people of color, young and old, to come and feel welcome, a space to heal, think, and plan—a place to have conversations about what our civil rights look like now,” VanSant affirms. In addition, it houses a library with 500 books related to African-American history in its wellness room, as well as a queer library sponsored by Yellow House Books in the apartment upstairs. Youth are encouraged to learn about their history and explore today’s challenges “on the shoulders of ancestors” who were the first catalysts for change.
Many of BRIDGE’s Core Community Health Programs will now be held at the meeting house, including: Women to Women Empowerment & Learning (confidential services for women of Spanish-speaking descent and other women of color who are victims of crime and violence); Sister to Sister (support network for women of the African Diaspora and Trans* Community of Color); Happiness Toolbox (Positive Education, Youth Mentors, and Restorative Justice); BRIDGE Youth Corps (youth leadership, job readiness, mentorship, and civic engagement with a justice, identity and equity lens); and Towards Racial Justice (a Cross Sector Movement Building & Education).

Women’s programs in the new Solidarity Meeting House provide space for healing, gathering, and networking. Photo courtesy BRIDGEThe new space was christened with several recent programs, such as the BRIDGE Wellness Day on July 3rd, which included culturally specific services like Eastern medicine, acupuncture, facials, Zumba, and reiki. Another culturally specific healing service is the Mawu Hair Salon, providing healing, sisterhood, and care for women of the African diaspora.

Jacob’s Pillow Curriculum in Motion’s Celeste Miller and Kimberli Boyd visit Mawu Hair
Salon at Solidarity Meeting House with VanSant and a Senegalese stylist. Photo courtesy BRIDGESolidarity Garden and FarmIn addition, BRIDGE acquired Solidarity Garden and Farm—a 1.5-acre community plot across from Guido’s store in Great Barrington—focused on providing mutual aid and “strengthening the community of color through access to land; integration in farming; contributing to the economy, health, and well-being of families through food and nourishment; and helping to counteract environmental pollution.”
“I’ve always been passionate about food,” VanSant says, speaking as a granddaughter of a cotton, poultry, and vegetable farmer and landowner in the South. “During the pandemic, we provided mutual aid programs and worked to reduce health disparities for Black and brown communities,” she continues. They started with 30 families in March 2020, partnering with Greenagers and Woven Roots, and now distribute food to 196 families, partnering with lead farmers from Sweet Freedom, BRIDGE Solidarity growers, Three Sisters, MumBett Freedom Farm, and others.
“Now in our fifth season, we have a strong values-aligned farm network,” VanSant states. “We grow culturally relevant food and provide options for our families to harvest food from the garden for themselves or build their farm businesses and sell back for the mutual aid food distribution.” Building on their Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness Program collaboration with the town of Great Barrington, BRIDGE is also committed to climate resiliency work, bringing in voices of Black and brown immigrants to help diversify planting and farming methods during floods and droughts. They held their first regional BIPOC farm tour on the solstice on June 21; a second farm tour is scheduled for the autumnal equinox on September 21.

Home Farm/Sweet Freedom Farm tour stop with Jon Swanson, Cristian Matute, Saidiya Hartman, and Robin Tanenbaum. Photo courtesy BRIDGEYouth involved in their Happiness Toolbox Kit programs have partnered with Gideon’s Garden at Taft Farm for 15 years, and now they come to the farm for multicultural, intergenerational “work days.” At the Solidarity Farm and Garden, youth leaders engage with landscaping, creating a shade garden with willow trees that mitigates flooding with a neighbor farmer or caring for the indigenous-blessed mediation garden, crop planning, and leadership. “We also host summer educational programs there with Happiness Toolbox that allow youth to learn about native plants, foraging, cultural traditions of farming, and continuing tradition and legacy with culturally specific props.
Reading Frederick Douglass TogetherOn Saturday, July 6th, Multicultural BRIDGE hosted an event, “Reading Frederick Douglass Together,” to explore liberation and the important work of Frederick Douglass. The event featured guest speaker Ny Whitaker, executive director of the W. E. B. Du Bois Freedom Center, and was funded by a Reading Frederick Douglas Together grant from Mass Humanities. “Frederick Douglass’s words are so poignant right now,” VanSant says, “and hosting the Mass Humanities event at our Solidarity House was essential for me.”

Participants of the Reading Frederick Douglass Together event. Photo courtesy OnPointGrafixIn preparing for the event, VanSant consulted with Dr. Alexandria Russell (interim vice president of education and external engagement for the Boston Symphony Orchestra and non-resident W.E.B. Du Bois Research Institute Fellow at Harvard’s Hutchins Center for African and African-American Research) for advice on how to integrate history, with Whitaker on incorporating themes of democracy and liberation, and with Wesaline Gadson (BRIDGE board chair) as an educator and Black elder in the community. She employed a “text explosion” technique for studying text collectively in community settings learned during her tenure as founding director of Simon Rock’s Equity and Inclusion Department in 2016.
Whitaker referenced Du Bois and integrated themes of democracy and liberation in the group reading. Among the participants were professors, scholar-activists, artists, Black men, members of Diverse Otis (a local nonprofit), Simon’s Rock staff and faculty, and the queer community. Momma Lo’s provided the feast to follow, prepared in the Solidarity House kitchen. “We are mobilizing with intention and care around the upcoming election and also nourishing our souls and minds with wisdom,” she adds, noting the importance of fighting systemic racism at home, protecting civil rights, and providing access to Black history and Queer-centric books at a time when people are being denied access to a holistic education.

Dining in the Solidarity House (with the kitchen in the background) after the “Reading Frederick Douglass Together” event. Photo by Robbi HarttStarting with a juxtapositionWhitaker centered the conversation with a quote highlighting words taken from The World and Africa: An Inquiry into the Part Which Africa Has Played in World History, by W.E.B. Du Bois: “I dream of a world of infinitive and valuable variety; not in the laws of gravity or atomic weights, but in human variety in height and weight, color and skin, hair and nose and lip. But more especially and far above and beyond this, is a realm of true freedom: in thought and dream, fantasy and imagination; in gift, aptitude, and genius—all possible manner of difference, topped with freedom of soul to do and be, and freedom of thought to give to a world and build into it, all wealth of inborn individuality.”
She then juxtaposed DuBois’s vision for our democracy with the more realistic view of society Frederick Douglass shared in his speech——“What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?”—given in protest after the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850, did not mince words: “I will…dare to call in question and to denounce, with all the emphasis I can command, everything that serves to perpetuate slavery—the great sin and shame of America!” Answering his own question, he noted that “scorching irony,” not “convincing argument,” was needed on this day “that reveals to him [the American slave], more than all other days in the year, the gross injustice and cruelty to which he is the constant victim.”
Ending with hopeFollowing the reading and discussion, the group returned to Whitaker’s opening question: “What are we as ‘scholar-activists’ empowered to do?” Each participant shared personal reflections, many acknowledging that many of Douglass’s words, though written 172 years ago, were [alarmingly] still true today. Yet he ended with “I do not despair of this country,” but rather “leave off where I began, with hope”—something the group agreed was more essential than ever, given the lack of inspiration in many current political conversations.
Whitaker, who also worked for President Obama, noted that one great lesson she learned as a community organizer is that when you have a “a feeling of depression,” you can rearrange the letters to form the phrase, “I pressed on,” and transform your anxiety into action. When news broadcasts, election forecasts, and heightened fears conspire to make us apathetic, the leaders noted, we need the moral courage to press on—focusing on our own efforts to be inclusive, respect humanity, have the conversation, and stand up to injustice and the incremental “ripples of effect” they can create.
How do we kindle hope? By celebrating organizations such as these that serve our local community, as well as gatherings where a small, diverse group of people engage in honest discussions with respect and solidarity. How are we going to make a difference? By showing up daily through tiny acts of courage, including the one Whitaker witnessed on the train ride from Harlem to Wassaic when a young African-American man panicked, realizing his phone (which held the ticket) was out of battery power, and the whole train car rallied in support.
Additional community opportunities to reflect and discussParticipants expressed interest in identifying the next steps they could take to make the liberation, freedom, and democracy described by Douglass and Du Bois a reality. Whitaker invited all present (and our readers at large) to continue the conversation by registering to attend The Du Bois Freedom Center’s “Reflections on Democracy” series, public programming funded by a grant from the Mellon Foundation. The kick-off event on Juneteenth featured “An Evening with Congresswoman Nikema Williams” (chair of the Georgia Democratic Party who was sworn in to serve in the seat held by the late Congressman John Lewis just three days before January 6, 2021).
The next event—“Reflections on Democracy and Philanthropy”—is this Thursday (July 11) at 6 p.m. at Saint James Place in Great Barrington and will feature Dr. Marvin Carr, chair of the Council on Foundations, in a moderated conversation with The Du Bois Freedom Center’s Visiting Scholar on Democracy, Michael Blake, a former aide to President Obama and former Harvard Fellow. The event is free and open to the public (register in advance at duboisfreedomcenter.org).
The work “toward a more perfect union” continues through the efforts of these two groups and their collaborations, so as Douglass stated, “…I, therefore, leave off where I began, with hope.”

https://theberkshireedge.com/a-celebration-of-humanity-faith-and-the-power-of-community-multicultural-bridge-and-other-organizations-honor-martin-luther-king-jr/

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Great Barrington -- Multiple Berkshire County events celebrated the life and legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. from Friday, January 17, through Monday, January 20.

The majority of the events commemorating King were organized by Multicultural BRIDGE (Berkshire Resources for Integration of Diverse Groups through Education). Founded by Gwendolyn VanSant, who now serves as its CEO, the organization’s mission is to advance “equity and justice by promoting cultural competence, positive psychology, and mutual understanding and acceptance. The organization acts as a catalyst for change through collaboration, education, training, dialogue, fellowship, and advocacy.”
The events included a church service at Macedonia Baptist Church on Sunday, January 18.
On Monday, January 19, a public reading of King’s speech honoring W.E.B. Du Bois was held in front of the Du Bois sculpture at the Mason Library in Great Barrington.

Participants in the public reading of King’s speech honoring W.E.B. Du Bois held in front of the Du Bois sculpture at the Mason Library in Great Barrington on Jan. 19. Photos courtesy of Multicultural BRIDGE.BRIDGE also organized a Day of Service featuring multiple community projects in King’s honor throughout Great Barrington on January 19. In one such project, volunteers painted Macedonia Baptist Church.

Volunteers help to paint Macedonia Baptist Church as part of the Day of Service honoring Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday on Monday, Jan. 19. Photos courtesy of Multicultural BRIDGE.Meanwhile, student volunteers from Buxton School in Williamstown helped Multicultural BRIDGE sort books from the organization’s Solidarity Library. According to Multicultural BRIDGE CEO Gwendolyn VanSant, over 800 books, including many on historical civil rights leaders like Martin Luther King Jr. and W.E.B. Du Bois, have been donated to the organization’s library. Students also created posters based on King’s speeches.

Student volunteers from Buxton School in Williamstown help sort books donated to BRIDGE’s Solidarity Library and create posters based on King’s speeches. Photo by Shaw Israel Izikson.

Some of the posters created by student volunteers from Buxton School. Photo courtesy of Multicultural BRIDGE.“This is a really important weekend, because Dr. King talked about creating a ‘Beloved Community,’” VanSant told The Berkshire Edge. “BRIDGE is really about creating a beloved community through our solidarity projects. It’s really important to me, as a civil rights leader, to bring people together to have conversations about their freedoms and what it means to be safe in a community. It’s important for me to see young people feeling like they can be involved and make a difference in communities.”
VanSant said she hopes Dr. King’s work will continue to inspire future generations. “I am inspired by him to work hard, to work humbly, and to be a leader in whatever way that you can,” she said. “I am also inspired by him to fight injustice and to do what it takes in a way that doesn’t harm other people, and really stand for justice.”

State Rep. Leigh Davis (D – 3rd Berkshire District) speaking at the church service commemorating Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday on Sunday, Jan. 18. Photo courtesy of Multicultural BRIDGE.“On Martin Luther King’s birthday, I take a lot of pride in his work, but I also realize that his work has not finished,” said State Rep. Leigh Davis (D – 3rd Berkshire District). “We’ve come very far, but we have to remind ourselves that it’s really the strength of the community that will pull us through the hard times. This is a hard time, but the pendulum, I believe, will swing back in the right direction. We have to pull together as a community to help the most vulnerable and each other.”
Davis said she hopes people will learn about “humanity, faith, and the power of community” through King’s work.
BRIDGE Board member Veronica Fenton said she hopes King’s work will teach people about how to lift up marginalized voices, especially those voices fighting for justice and freedom. “We always are learning about how we need to learn about our true history,” she said. “We need to learn about the history of our leaders and education, along with the contributions of people from all walks of life. Unfortunately, we often have systems that are trying to silence these voices. In 2026, now more than ever, we need to keep fighting for justice and freedom.”

GREAT BARRINGTON — Multicultural Bridge is among 11 civil rights and community groups suing the U.S. Department of Justice to stop what they call the unlawful dismantling of a federal office that mediates racial and community conflicts.
The Trump administration has escalated efforts over the past year to roll back diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. These include breaking apart the Community Relations Service, which works with local governments, law enforcement agencies and community organizations to resolve racial conflicts and prevent hate-related violence, largely without publicity. 
Over the last 15 years, Berkshire Resources for Integration of Diverse Groups and Education, known as Bridge, has relied on the federal agency for different initiatives and training for conflict resolution, Gwendolyn VanSant, executive director of Multicultural Bridge, said.
At a ribbon-cutting at Multicultural Bridge's new Solidarity Meeting House in Great Barrington in May, co-founder and CEO Gwendolyn VanSant and Macedonia Baptist Church Pastor Mattie Conway celebrate with other guests. The organization joined 11 civil rights and community groups that are suing the U.S. Department of Justice.
THE BERKSHIRE EAGLEMost recently, Bridge partnered with CRS for a program at W.E.B. Du Bois Middle School. But when the organization requested support for a similar program in Stockbridge, the government agency declined because of the agency’s “winddown.”
“We've always partnered with the Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division,” VanSant said. “They've been our guides. They've trained us. Sometimes in a rural community, the relationships are too close, so it's good to have the objective outsider.”
THE PLAINTIFFSMulticultural Bridge is among 11 civil rights and community groups suing the U.S. Department of Justice. Here is a list of the plaintiffs:

• Ethical Society of Police
• NAACP St. Louis County
• Missionary Baptist State Convention of Missouri
• Two Wrasslin’ Cats Accord
• Out Accountability Project
• Berkshire Resources for Integration of Diverse Groups and Education (BRIDGE)
• NAACP State Conference Colorado-Montana-Wyoming
• Peacemakers Lodge
• Pikes Peak Southern Christian Leadership Conference 1
• Wellspring Health Access
• Haitian Community Help & Support Center

Bridge is one of 11 plaintiffs for whom the Washington Litigation Group filed a motion for a preliminary injunction in the U.S. District Court in Massachusetts. It asked the court to force the government to reopen and staff the Community Relations Service agency while the case continues.
"This case concerns the Executive Branch's efforts to dismantle a congressionally-created civil rights agency and then rewrite history to hide the government's nakedly unlawful actions," the motion says.
The lawsuit states that every day the agency remains closed "directly undermines Bridge’s mission to reduce tension and promote constructive dialogue among youth." There are no alternative resources in Western Massachusetts that have the same experience and capacity to support Bridge's efforts, the lawsuit says.
The process to dissolve the agency started in March when Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche sent a memo that proposed eliminating the Community Relations Service and moving staff to the U.S. Attorney’s Offices. Throughout the spring, the agency stopped accepting new requests and withdrew from active mediation and conflict resolution services.
“All year, we have not been able to have that resource and they feel like Bridge is a trusted resource to them, too,” VanSant said. “But it's been a loss for us and for our community.”
In June, according to the lawsuit, the DOJ published a fiscal 2026 Budget and Performance Summary stating that the department would eliminate 56 positions and formally close all Community Relations Service offices by the end of the fiscal year, saying its peacekeeping mission did not align with the “Attorney General and Administration law enforcement and litigating priorities.”
In September, 14 of the 15 remaining active employees at the federal office received reduction-in-force notices that would go into effect Oct. 31. A continuing resolution was passed by Congress on Nov. 12 that funded the Community Relations Service through January and ordered that any reduction-in-force notices that went into effect after Oct. 1 be rescinded. But that didn’t happen and on Nov. 25, the motion for preliminary injunction was filed.
“By shutting down CRS unilaterally and unlawfully, the government has cut off critical support just when it is most needed,” Washington Litigation Group senior counsel Kyle R. Freeny said in a press release. “This motion is about restoring that support — and protecting the people who depend on it.”
Multicultural Bridge has lost significant funding because it is a civil rights organization focused on diversity, equity and inclusion — policies the Trump administration has said it does not support, VanSant said.
“It's been a really hard year,” Gwendolyn VanSant said of the Trump administration's attacks on diversity, equity and inclusion programs and funding. “This is a call for all of us to be conscious and connected.”
Ben Garver“We were really impacted, so we very much identify with our constituents that we try to serve, because our organization itself was really impacted this year,” VanSant said. “And I think what's been our saving grace has been really involved, passionate, caring community members.”
Throughout the partnership, Bridge and CRS have leaned on each other, VanSant said.
“For us, it's a major issue, because we don't do easy work,” VanSant said. “It's been nice to have that partnership, and then for the whole country, this is a big loss.

Great Barrington -- Local nonprofit organization Multicultural BRIDGE (Berkshire Resources for Integration of Diverse Groups and Education) capped off its year of programs and work with its Solstice Dinner on Saturday, December 20, at the organization’s Solidarity House.
Eighteen years after founder Gwendolyn VanSant started BRIDGE, the organization moved its programs to its new location at 965 Main Street. The nonprofit held a ribbon-cutting event in May.
The December 20 event included a dinner catered by Andre Lynch, owner and chef of Dre’s Global Kitchen in Pittsfield.
Andre Lynch, owner and chef of Dre’s Global Kitchen in Pittsfield, who catered Multicultural Bridge’s Solstice Dinner. Photo by Shaw Israel Izikson.At the event, storyteller and writer Amber Chand, who currently lives in Great Barrington, previewed stories from her forthcoming book “Tales of the Boatwoman” about her ancestors who came from India. “Through my storytelling, I am transporting people into a world that is based on my ancestors,” Chand told The Berkshire Edge before the event. “While my ancestors came from India, I was born in Africa. There was an entire journey that was taken by my family between coming from India to Africa.”
Chand clarified that while the first part of her book includes ancestral stories, “some of these stories are fictionalized in a sense, but they all have threads of fact.” “The power of my imagination took me into their past,” she said. “These are not memories because I wasn’t there in their lives, but I tried to imagine what their lives would be like.”

Amber Chand presents stories from her forthcoming book “Tales of the Boatwoman” at Multicultural BRIDGE’s Solidarity House. Photo by Shaw Israel Izikson.

The audience at the Dec. 20 event appears captivated by Chand’s storytelling. Photo by Shaw Israel Izikson.One of the stories Chand shared with the audience was titled “Wife Number Two.” “My grandfather eloped with my grandmother, but then he brought another wife into the marriage,” she said. “This story is quite evocative and will take you on a journey.”
Chand said she was honored to be asked to speak at Multicultural BRIDGE’s event. “I call Gwendolyn the queen because, really, she has created something from nothing through persistence, vision, and courage,” Chand said. “In this time that we’re living in that is so bewildering, this organization is a lighthouse, not a fortress. A lighthouse spreads its light into the community, and it is very steady in its mission. A fortress tries to protect itself, especially at times when things are intense and difficult.”

Multicultural BRIDGE founder Gwendolyn VanSant (foreground). Photo by Shaw Israel Izikson.For more information about Multicultural BRIDGE and its programs, visit the organization’s website.
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GREAT BARRINGTON — Earlier this year, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers arrested several people in town, causing fear and outrage as masked and armed federal agents gave little information to those recording and questioned the officers.
The manner of the arrests and use of town property by ICE are prompting the Select Board to revisit the 2017 Trust Policy with the social justice group Multicultural Bridge to clarify protocols for interactions with federal agents and the use of town resources.
Select Board member Ben Elliott witnessed the May 6 arrest of two men in an apartment building and recorded what he was seeing. He said he would like clearly written policies to determine what town resources are available to federal agents and whether the town can legally prevent federal officers from using municipal property for staging operations, citing the use of Olympian Meadows field for staging a different raid in town.

BREAKINGMasked, armed ICE agents arrest two men in Great Barrington apartment building as witnesses taunt, shoot video

•  3 min to read

“It still lingers with me and that incident and the incidents that followed, as many feelings and as many fears as it raised, it also raised questions about exactly what is our policy and how we engage,” Elliott said.
The board voted to approve the review of the policy, with Garfield Reed voting as present, arguing he didn't see the need to do so.
The Trust Policy, a variation of a sanctuary town bylaw, bars the town from using resources to assist ICE without a warrant and aims to ensure residents are treated fairly.
“Given the political climate, there’s a need for a call for safety and trust building again,” Gwendolyn VanSant, executive director of Multicultural Bridge, said.
Unlike a largely symbolic sanctuary designation, the policy sets specific limits on cooperation with federal immigration authorities and is designed to build trust with immigrant residents by allowing victims and witnesses to report crimes without fear.
Though spotlighted this year by federal immigration actions, it is meant to protect all vulnerable populations, and VanSant hopes an updated version could serve as a model for other towns in the county.
“I’m very excited to be intentionally looking at the Trust Policy in these political times and updating it in general, because we have work that we wanted to continue, but also it’s what’s required right now because of the political climate,” VanSant said.
The policy is not meant to obstruct ICE when pursuing individuals with criminal charges, but the agency’s actions nationally and locally have left many feeling unsafe, VanSant said.“We’re not trying to obstruct the law in any way,” VanSant said. “We also feel like there’s a lot more safety at risk in the way that these things have gone down so far in our community.”
VanSant said residents have raised concerns about transparency and whether those targeted have criminal records.
“Many people feel like we are next? Where's the ‘law and order?’ and who's protecting us?” VanSant said.
Over the last few Select Board meetings, concerned citizens have spoken on behalf of Bridge to keep the conversation going and better inform the Select Board on the policy and what is being discussed during the Bridge meetings.
“The idea is it’s safer for everybody if the local police are doing what they’re intended to do. They're not enforcing immigration policy,” Erica Mielke said during a Nov. 17 Select Board meeting. “It’s about making it safer for everyone to feel that they can report being a witness to crimes. We hashed this all out in 2016 and at a town meeting in 2017.”
VanSant said she would like to bring back a citizen police academy, where residents learn about police work, decision-making and available resources.
“We always want people to develop mutual understanding and mutual respect,” VanSant said. “We can hold each other accountable. We don’t have to agree, but I do think everybody needs to understand where each person’s coming from and the Citizens Academy is really important to that.”
She said the academy would be one of the first steps in updating the Trust Policy.
“It's really an interesting course, and having an insight to what somebody else's job is, but especially one that can be under such scrutiny, it's important to be informed with what we're critiquing, what we're holding accountable and the baseline of real trust and relationships is the key,” VanSant said.
There were always things Bridge wanted to return to the policy for, but recent actions by the federal government have made it so that time is now.
“It's really important for people to understand that even people who are acting strange or sitting back or not engaging in programs, it's because of the fear of what feels unreasonable and unlawful and unsafe, not necessarily because there's some concern," VanSant said.
Bridge is a culturally specific public health organization concerned about rising fear among residents, VanSant said. It’s also concerning that the fear is causing families to be less trusting of the resources they need to be healthy.
“People that really don't even have any reason to feel scared, feel scared,” VanSant said. “People feel like 'they're coming after me next' or 'are they going to really take the time to understand who I am or what my situation is?' There’s just a lot of fear.”
VanSant hopes that the conversation will remain ongoing and adjust as the community needs.
“We’re taking a long, intentional road and building trust and rebuilding trust and safety, mutual understanding, partnerships that are respected and listening to community voices, but in ways that we don’t want to create more vulnerable members,” VanSant said.
Talia Lissauer can be reached at [email protected] and 413-496-6378.

Shaw Israel Izikson | Berkshire Edge

Great Barrington -- Multicultural BRIDGE (Berkshire Resources for Integration of Diverse Groups and Education) celebrated its recent move to new headquarters on Thursday, May 22, with a ribbon-cutting event.

For much of its 18 years of operation, the organization, founded by Gwendolyn VanSant, operated from offices in Lee. For the past two years, the organization rented out a building at 965 Main Street.

In February, BRIDGE announced that it would move its programs to the building it calls the Solidarity House.

According to the organization’s website, Multicultural BRIDGE “connects vulnerable community members with key resources and networks, while also providing education to local institutions and the community at large.” The nonprofit organization offers multiple programs and community services.
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“I’m very excited that we have this building, and it feels like this event is important for BRIDGE,” organization founder and CEO VanSant told The Berkshire Edge. “I’m happy for people seeing how the project has developed. We’ve had about three and a half months to be in this space and build out the different programs. For Multicultural BRIDGE, this building gives us a sense of stability and sustainability. It helps us provide services for our community and fulfill our mission.”

Heather Bellow | The Berkshire Eagle

GREAT BARRINGTON — A sanctuary and support headquarters for people of color and the vulnerable has taken root here off South Main Street.
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Multicultural BRIDGE, a nonprofit whose first office was an attic, now has a 10,000-square-foot permanent home, called Solidarity Meeting House. It's outfitted with a commercial kitchen, a retreat and residence space, meeting areas and more office space.

At a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Thursday, 75 attendees celebrated not just the new two-story space, but also lauded BRIDGE co-founder and CEO Gwendolyn VanSant. She was praised for her vision and ability to grow a nonprofit that works to heal the impact of racial inequities, trauma and poverty in the community and beyond.

With a stable place to call home at the edge of farm fields and a view of East Mountain, BRIDGE’s intention is that a healthy and strong community will be forged here.

“May this place be filled with peace, productivity, creativity and compassion,” said the Rev. Mattie Conway, pastor of Macedonia Baptist Church, in prayer.  “Let it stand as a beacon of hope.”

Originally published in the Berkshire Eagle | By Matt Martinez, The Berkshire Eagle Jan 10, 2025

BECKET — Pamela Tatge, creative and executive director of Jacob’s Pillow, has received a national award for making the arts more accessible to Berkshire County residents.
Tatge was awarded the 2025 Fan Taylor Distinguished Service Award by the Association of Performing Arts Professionals, recognizing her contributions to equity and accessibility at the famed dance center and her achievements in curation and programming throughout her career. That includes her time at Wesleyan University prior to joining Jacob's Pillow in 2016.

Originally published on the Berkshire EDGE | Written by Shaw Israel Izikson February 3, 2025

Great Barrington -- After nearly 18 years of operation, local organization Multicultural BRIDGE (Berkshire Resources for Integration of Diverse Groups and Education) has purchased a building for its programs at 965 Main Street.
According to the organization’s website, Multicultural BRIDGE “connects vulnerable community members with key resources and networks, while also providing education to local institutions and the community at large.” The nonprofit organization offers multiple programs and community services.
Organization founder and CEO Gwendolyn VanSant told The Berkshire Edge that the organization has operated from its administrative offices in Lee for many years. It has also rented the 965 Main Street location for its programs for the past two years. “For a long time, we did not ever have a central spot for all of our programs,” said VanSant. “We traveled throughout Berkshire County with our programs for many years. It was fun because we developed relationships and partnerships with churches, arts institutions, and other nonprofits.” However, VanSant added the organization wanted a central location to operate its programs.