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Date: 3/1/2023
LONGMEADOW — A program exploring women and women of color who fought for equality will be conducted at the Longmeadow Adult Community Center and will highlight both the themes of February’s Black History Month and March’s Women’s History Month.
The program will be March 8 with a reception starting at 5:30 p.m. and the program starting at 6 p.m. at the center at 211 Maple Rd. The event is free of charge but registrations are required. They can be made by calling 565-4150 or by email to mberge4527@aol.com.
Janine Fondon, a professor at Bay Path University and the curator of Voices of Resilience Museum exhibit, with project scholar Dr. Demetria Shabazz, explained to Reminder Publishing the origins of the program. The exhibit was created and seen initially at the Springfield Museums and then at the Center Church in South Hadley. It featured the stories of more than 70 women.
The Longmeadow program will feature several panels from the exhibition and will present stories about women through reenactors. Those stories range from the Salem Witch Trials to freedom fighters and will include local Longmeadow history. This year’s program will also feature a performance from singer Ethel Lee.
This year’s program “reaches communities in different ways. Sometimes an exhibit in a museum isn’t enough,” Shabazz said.
Shabazz said the program and exhibit is “bringing women’s history to life – women of color who have been hugely invisible.”
She added the program presents both “the joys and the triumphs” of women.
Fondon said one of the women featured is Springfield resident and acclaimed singer Carole Fredericks. The younger sister of roots and blues performer Taj Mahal, Fredericks made a name for herself as a singer in France. One of her albums is named “Springfield” after her hometown. She passed in 2001 at the age of 49.
“So many people don’t know that name,” Fondon said.
She added the program is “important for students and important for people in the community.”
Shabazz said the program is “thoroughly entertaining but people will learn.”
Janine McVay, of the Longmeadow Adult Community Center Fund, Inc., and executive director of Corporate and Foundation Relations at Bay Path University said, “This is the second year we’ve offered programming on International Women’s Day, and it is a terrific opportunity to recognize the accomplishments of women — from our region to across our nation and the globe — and to advance women’s equality and empowerment however we can.”