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2019 Elinor Williams Hooker Tea Talk Series (February 3 – March 10 2019) [Portsmouth]
THAT WHICH DIVIDES, THAT WHICH UNITES
“We weaken our greatness when we confuse our patriotism with tribal rivalries that have sown resentment and hatred and violence in all the corners of the globe. We weaken it when we hide behind walls, rather than tear them down, when we doubt the power of our ideals, rather than trust them to be the great force for change they have always been.” — Senator John McCain (2018)
For many in the U.S., it feels as if the country has never been more fractured. The nation, it seems, has become irrevocably divided along political, ideological, and racial lines. One author suggests that this current view of divisiveness is inaccurate as our nation has never been one united nation. A recent PEW report, where nearly three-quarters of Black young Americans believe the nation is very divided over race, religion, wealth & income, appears to confirm this disunion.
Through shared stores and dialogue these Sunday afternoon dialogues will explore these conflicts and present ideas on how we as a nation could move beyond these tensions.
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, Levenson Room, 175 Parrot Avenue, Portsmouth, NH, other locations are noted below. All talks are from 2 – 4 pm. In case of inclement weather, a canceled talk will be rescheduled for, March 18 or March 25.
These events are Free and open to the public.
Made possible by a grant from New England Blacks in Philanthropy.
Sunday, February 3, 2019
Land, Wealth and Policies of Marginalization
Presenters Meghan Howey & Woullard Lett
Location: South Church, 292 State Street, Portsmouth NH
Despite improvements in education, social mobility and many other critical areas, large racial and ethnic disparities still exist in the U.S. Years of intentional government policies that removed lands and resources from Native Americans and restricted access for African Americans have created a significant wealth divide in the country that continues to create inequities faced today.
This panel will explore how policies and environmental issues disenfranchised the very groups they should equalize.
Sunday, February 10, 2019
Black Women Magic in New Hampshire
Presenters: Melanie Levesque, Yvonne Goldsberry, Nadine Thompson
Moderator: Robin Hackett
Location: Portsmouth Public Library, Levenson Room, 175 Parrot Avenue, Portsmouth NH
Black women have been leaders in this country for centuries as abolitionists, voting rights advocates, college founders, civil rights defenders, labor leaders, entrepreneurs and more. Often, their work to overcome race and gender stereotypes have been seen as unusual or magical serving to minimize their labor and talent.
Through shared stories and an exploration of the feminist movement, this panel will focus on some of New Hampshire’s most successful Black women and their journey to the powerful position they hold in white-centered environments.
Sunday, February 17, 2019
In the Beginning, There was the Word
Presenters: Rev. Robert Thompson, Rev. Gail Avery, Rev. Renee’ Rouse
Moderator: Claudia Maturell
Location: Portsmouth Public Library, Levenson Room, 175 Parrot Avenue, Portsmouth NH
The relationship between religion and race in American is complex. 20th-century scholars ranked world religions on an evolutionary scale. Not surprisingly, many of the religions deemed “primitive” were also those practiced by indigenous, non-White populations.
This evolutionary ranking plays a vital role in the construction, deconstruction, and transgression of racial identities and religious boundaries in the country today.
This panel of theologians will explore the relationship between church, race, and state and the role the church could play in healing the soul of the nation.
Sunday, February 24, 2019
Permit Patty, BBQ Becky & Coupon Carl
Presenters: Michele Holt-Shannon & Dottie Morris
Location: Portsmouth Public Library, Levenson Room, 175 Parrot Avenue, Portsmouth NH
From the rash of 911 calls targeting people of color to a racist jingle that turned a Christmas tune into a KKK theme song, there is no shortage of examples of how implicit bias impacts how we see the world and resulting actions that have lasting impacts.
Join us for an experiential talk to explore the role of implicit bias in our lives. Our behavior is influenced by unconscious assumptions, beliefs and attitudes we have about others based on their social identities (race, class, gender/gender expression, sexual orientation, religion, age, etc.). It is a manifestation of how we have been shaped and socialized in the world. It is a major contributor to racism. Is there anything we can do about it? The answers may surprise you.
Sunday, March 3, 2019
Tell Me the Truth:
Exploring the Heart of Cross-Racial Conversations
Presenters: Shay Stewart-Bouley & Debby Irving
Location: Temple Israel, 200 State Street, Portsmouth NH
How can we speak openly and honestly in cross-racial conversations? What would such a conversation even sound like? Join Shay Stewart-Bouley (Black Girl in Maine) and author Debby Irving as they talk about racism’s impact on their lives and how conversation has been instrumental in their own understanding of 21st-century racial dynamics.
Shay and Debby will explore the common fears and pitfalls of cross-racial conversation that keep people isolated in their own racial groups, at the expense of personal, professional, and societal growth. They’ll also help audience members understand how interpersonal social patterns hinder organizations from living up to their own ideals for diversity and how good intentions can actually undermine collective progress.
Sunday, March 10, 2019
And Still We Rise
Presenters: Wildolfo Arvelo, Judy Dow & Brenda Lett
Moderator: Cait Vaughan
Location: Portsmouth Public Library, Levenson Room, 175 Parrot Avenue, Portsmouth NH
Can you really improve race relations in a country that is so divided? Through dialogue and story sharing this panel will present three innovative ways to build bridges.
We will hear from one organization that is working to strengthen the cultural knowledge and identity of New England Native American youth and families; discover new state initiatives for economic growth through diversity and inclusion; and begin the dialogue around reparation for the injuries of enslavement and its aftermath.
Biographies
Meghan C.L. Howey, Chair & Associate Professor, UNH Department of Anthropology, is an anthropological archaeologist specializing in Native North America. Her major research project has been on Native American regional organization in the Upper Great Lakes in the period preceding European Contact, exploring how tribal communities constructed and used ceremonial monument centers to facilitate economic, social, and ideological interaction in this period.
Woullard Lett is the Acting Regional Lead for the New England Region UUA. Prior to that, he was a nonprofit and community development consultant, a senior college administrator for Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) and adjunct faculty member for SNHU and Springfield College. During his career, Lett has provided technical assistance for government agencies, national community development intermediaries, and local community organizations.
Melanie Levesque, made history in 2018 when she won her district race and became the first African American member of the New Hampshire State Senate. She is an entrepreneur, a wife, mother, former state representative and a lifelong New Hampshire resident, who grew up in Nashua and has lived in Brookline for the past 28 years.
Yvonne Goldsberry, president of the Endowment for Health, is the first African American to preside over the largest private non-profit health foundation in New Hampshire.
Before joining the Endowment, Dr. Goldsberry served as Vice President of Population Health and Clinical Integration for Cheshire Medical Center/Dartmouth Hitchcock Keene. She is well known as the architect of the nationally recognized Healthy Monadnock initiative, where she engaged numerous community coalitions and over 2,000 community leaders, stakeholders and residents in a bold vision for community health.
Nadine Abraham Thompson, president of Bedroom Kandi Boutique Parties, is a social entrepreneur with a life-long commitment to empowering women and creating innovative entrepreneurial opportunities for people who want to improve the quality of their lives. She is the founder of Warm Spirits and Soul Purpose, health and beauty product companies. In 2006 Warm Spirit won the Emerging Company of the Year award from Black Enterprise magazine.
Robin Hackett is an Associate Professor of English and Women’s Studies at the University of New Hampshire in Durham.
The Reverend Robert H. Thompson, a longtime resident of the Seacoast, is an ordained Itinerant Elder in the African Methodist Episcopal Church. He is also the president of the Board of the Black Heritage Trail of New Hampshire, Inc.
Rev. Gail Avery is the Canon for Transition and Community Engagement in The Episcopal Church of New Hampshire.
Rev. Larry Brickner Wood (TBC)
Claudia Maturell serves as Community Outreach Coordinator at Green Acre Bahá’í Center of Learning, focusing on creating elevated discourse spaces for individuals and families that are action-oriented for the well-being of the community.”
Michele Holt-Shannon is director and co-founder for New Hampshire Listens at the University of New Hampshire Carsey School of Public Policy. Her work on and off campus is focused on inclusive civic engagement, community problem-solving, and building coalitions for community-initiated change efforts.
As the Associate Vice President for Institutional Diversity and Equity, Dr. Dottie Morris is a member of the Keene State College President’s Cabinet. Her main foci are providing support and direction to the Executive, Academic, Student Affairs, Advancement and Finance and Planning divisions of the college as the institution works to fulfill its commitment to diversity and multiculturalism.
Shay Stewart-Bouley is the executive director of Community Change Inc., a nearly 50-year-old anti-racism organization based in Boston that organizes and educates for racial equity with a specific focus on working with white people. Shay has been blogging since 2008, frequently on matters of social justice and systemic racism, through her Black Girl In Maine website and, in 2011, she won a New England Press Association Award for her writing on race and diversity for the Portland Phoenix. Her writing also has been featured in a variety of Maine and national publications as well as several anthologies.
Debby Irving, a bestselling author, is an emerging voice in the national racial justice community. Combining her organization development skills, classroom teaching experience, and understanding of systemic racism, Irving educates and consults with individuals and organizations seeking to create racial equity at both the personal and institutional level. Her book, Waking Up White is the book Irving wishes someone had handed her decades ago. By sharing her sometimes cringe-worthy struggle to understand racism and racial tensions, she offers a fresh perspective on bias, stereotypes, manners, and tolerance.
Wildolfo (Will) Arvelo is the director for the Division of Economic Development for New Hampshire where he is charged with developing a comprehensive economic development strategy for the state. Will has over 30 years-experience within higher education and dealing with workforce development issues. As the former president of Great Bay Community College, he worked tirelessly to bridge higher education and business and industry to meet their workforce needs.
Judy Dow, (Winooski Abenaki), is the Executive Director of Gedakina, Inc. a Native American Experiential Outdoor Education and Leadership Development organization. Dow is also an educator who teaches science, history and math through art. Through a National Science Foundation grant and a collaboration with the University of New Hampshire, Dow has been documenting sustainable land use practices with Indigenous youth in New England.
Brenda Bailey Lett has a Masters in Community Mental Health and Community Economic Development from Southern NH University and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of Dubuque. She is the National Secretary of the National Coalition of Blacks for Reparations in America (N’COBRA), Board Chair of NH Black Women Health Project, Board Member, of the Greater Manchester Black Scholarship Foundation and Former President, NAACP Manchester Branch. Brenda is a community activist and social justice advocate.
Cait Vaughan is a white, queer New England femme who organizes from a place of deep love for poor people. She was blessed early in her adulthood by mentor relationships with New Hampshire’s fierce community of Black cultural workers & educators, and what she does in the world is an attempt to honor their labor & vision for a world that loves Black folks. Cait is currently the community organizer for Maine Family Planning, where she educates & advocates for everyone to have the rights & resources to build the families of their dreams. She also serves as an active board member & volunteer for Survivor Speak USA, a survivor-led grassroots organization working to end sex trafficking & sexual exploitation.
Elinor Williams Hooker
Elinor Williams Hooker (July 10, 1933 -January 27, 2012), a longtime New Hampshire resident and community activist, was born July 10, 1933 in Pittsburgh, PA, daughter of the late Dr. Ulysses Williams and Louise G. Williams. The family’s Pittsburgh home was near Wylie Avenue an active community of black businesses, jazz music and churches, a location that would shape her lifelong interest in multicultural activities.
Mrs. Hooker was a graduate of Ohio Wesleyan University where she majored in French and English. She taught English in Junior and Senior High Schools in Pittsburgh and Harrisburg, PA, Brockton and Quincy, MA and Concord, NH and served as a tutor in the English as a Second Language Program at Nashua’s Pennichuck Junior High.
Elinor was the wife of Thomas L. Hooker, who served from 1966 to 1974 as Director of the New Hampshire Division of Welfare.
