From Seacoastonline.com article, Jan 20, 2019
The Black Heritage Trail of New Hampshire will hold its Elinor Williams Hooker Winter Tea Talk series on Sunday afternoons from Feb. 3 through March 10. The six sessions, presented in partnership with the Portsmouth Public Library, are free and open to the public.
PORTSMOUTH – For the sixth year, the Black Heritage Trail of New Hampshire will hold its Elinor Williams Hooker Winter Tea Talk Series from February through March 2019.
Presented by the Black Heritage Trail of New Hampshire in partnership with the Portsmouth Public Library, these Sunday afternoon “Tea Talks” will be held on six consecutive Sundays from Feb. 3 through March 10. The events run from 2 to 4 p.m. each Sunday afternoon. All events are free and open to the public.
BHTNH Executive Director JerriAnne Boggis explained the significance of this year’s theme, “That Which Divides, That Which Unites.”
“For many in the U.S., it feels as if the country has never been more fractured. For others, this divide along political, ideological, and racial lines feels like we have been here before,” Boggis said.
“This year’s Tea Talks will give us an opportunity to discuss topics that tend to divide us such as public policies, education and religion, and we will look at how these topics factor into race relations. Through shared stories, we will also present ideas on how we as a nation could move beyond these conflicts and build bridges that can unite.”
One of the exciting features of this year’s series is a discussion with blogger and activist Shay Stewart Bouley, founder of Black Girl in Maine, and Debby Irving, author of “Waking up White.” As they talk about racism’s impact on their lives, they will explore the common fears and pitfalls of cross-racial conversation that keeps people isolated in their own racial group. They will also help the audience understand how social patterns and good intentions can sometimes undermine reaching the ideal of diversity and cultural progress.
“The mission of the Tea Talks,” said Boggis, “is to share stories, create bonds of understanding and engage hearts and minds for stronger, more inclusive communities. Although it is our panelists who share their experiences, it is the participation of the audience in an open and safe dialogue that empowers those present.”
The Tea Talks are named in honor of Elinor Williams Hooker, a longtime New Hampshire resident, educator and activist, and the wife of Thomas L. Hooker, who served from 1966 to 1974 as Director of the New Hampshire Division of Welfare.
The Tea Talks are inspired by tea drinking as a communal event. Tea drinking is a world tradition and an important part of West African culture. Boggis explained, “When my colleague Valerie Cunningham and I started the Tea Talks six years ago, our main goal was to create an informal and safe space where people would feel comfortable discussing difficult topics. We didn’t want it to be a lecture, but a time of dialogue, sharing and understanding. In the Senegalese tradition, tea is always served to visitors. Guests are expected to express their opinion about the tea, saying whether they think it too strong, too weak or just right. These are truly open affairs, where just about any subject is up for discussion, and friendly argumentation is encouraged and appreciated.”
Boggis sees the Tea Talks as a way for those in the community to have an open and safe sharing of ideas. “It is this camaraderie and good cheer that accompanies each glass of African mint tea that Valerie and I had hoped to recreate in our Elinor Williams Hooker Winter Tea Talk Series. It is a time to reflect, to honor one another’s opinions, a place to learn and grow and in so doing move the needle a little closer to equality and justice for all.”
The Winter Tea Talk Series, presented by the Black Heritage Trail of New Hampshire in partnership with the Portsmouth Public Library, is a series of participatory lectures related to New Hampshire’s Black history and African American culture. Four of these Talks will be held at the Portsmouth Public Library, 175 Parrot Avenue, Portsmouth, in its Levenson Room. Other locations are noted in the tea talk descriptions. In case of inclement weather, a canceled talk will be rescheduled for March 18 or 25.
The series is sponsored by New England Blacks in Philanthropy.
