Bob Greiwe’s Post

The arts are fundamental to our humanity. They ennoble and inspire us—fostering creativity, empathy, and beauty. The arts also strengthen our communities socially, educationally, and economically. In Massachusetts, arts and culture is a $27.2 billion industry—4.2% of the state economy—and supports 135,181 jobs (bigger than construction, education, and transportation). The arts accelerate economic recovery: a growth in arts employment has a positive and causal effect on overall employment (U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis). Springfield’s nonprofit arts industry alone generates $82.4 million in economic activity annually—spending by organizations and their audiences—which supports 1,483 jobs and generates $15.3 million in local, state, and federal government revenue (Americans for the Arts AEP6 study) Randy Cohen MASSCreative Mass Cultural Council Tiffany Allecia M.Ed.

Check out the new programming from SolidairtyIs Building Movement Project! Lots of ways to engage in both public and in depth ways. More in the post below from UyenThi T.!

Join us in navigating the Points of Light Civic Circle, a powerful framework of 9 circles breaking down ways to make an impact through civic engagement. We begin by diving into our first circle, Listen and Learn. From actively understanding perspectives beyond our own to bridging gaps across communities, this journey is about more than just conversations. Join us as we challenge ourselves to grow, learn, and take action. Swipe left to learn more ▶

I've been reflecting the past few days on the Race Table Talks session I attended on Saturday facilitated by Laurabel Mba Consulting. Most of us didn't know each other. We came together, as a group of white women, nervous yet eager to participate in a conversation that challenged our inner biases and opened our minds to the racism that persists within ourselves and our communities. Although uncomfortable at times, it was an incredible experience and I strongly recommend all white folx attend. I'm committed to continuing the work to make myself a better ally to the racialized people in my community. We are each born color blind, our stereotypes and biases are learned and deeply engrained. We cannot call ourselves DEI advocates, if we are not intentional about interrupting the cycle in ourselves, our workplaces and most importantly our children. Laurabel will tell you that her son is what inspired her to take on this work, she has inspired me to do better for my son. How do I react when a family member says something racist? I learned the questions to ask myself on if, when and how I should address this with them. What pre-conceived assumptions do I carry that are incorrect? I learned that being racist is not the worst thing. It is an opportunity for acknowledgment and learning, so that tomorrow I will do better. As a business leader, how do I ensure I am fostering a safe an inclusive workplace for our racialized team members? It requires intentional, consistent and continuous effort to make DEI an expected and demonstrable value of our organization. As the mother a Inuk child, I think often about the racism my child will face throughout his life. I will never fully understand his experience or be able to protect him from the injustices he will face. He is a different color than me, when people learn he is adopted, people most commonly say, "He is so lucky". They carry preconceived assumptions and biases about the life he might have had in his Inuit community. I carried them too before his adoption. I know now how wrong they are and am committed to advocating for the empowerment, fair treatment and reconciliation of Indigenous peoples. Follow Laurabel Mba Consulting for enlightenment, education and updates on future events.

Democracy is about we, not me - and action civics is how we bring young people into the process and collectively grow stronger. Einhorn Collaborative featured Generation Citizen's work with young people and educators in their recent video. Watch and hear directly from students about what they're learning and how we're building together! https://lnkd.in/emxVujFu

Do you want to know how to make your events more inclusive? The Trans Dimension Guide to Inclusive Events is here for you! (We also have pin badges) As a trans and disabled-led studio, we're acutely aware of the large intersection between trans and disabled communities. We worked with the Greater Manchester Coalition of Disabled People and Gendered Intelligence to make a resource for event organisers who want to consider access as an intersectional, multi-faceted issue. You can read The Trans Dimension Guide to Inclusive Events on our website (https://lnkd.in/egV9_M43), or if you prefer a hard copy you can grab one from Pen Fight (https://lnkd.in/egBemiF7)!

Time flies when you are having fun! I can't believe it has been 10 years!! P.A.I.N.T. is an acronym for Promoting Arts, Individuals and Natural Talents. Viewing disabilities as "hidden abilities" that simply need to be unlocked reframes the conversation around potential and capabilities. It emphasizes the importance of recognizing and nurturing the unique talents and strengths of individuals, regardless of any challenges they may face. By focusing on uncovering and fostering these hidden abilities, we can create a more inclusive and supportive environment where everyone has the opportunity to thrive and make meaningful contributions.

"We all need another chance" by Matt-Q https://lnkd.in/gJurTjUd We talk about making our community a more truly inclusive society and that means giving those we have not regarded as 'equals' even all this time a decent chance that they can do a good job, integrate and be productive members of of society who can develop meaningful and lasting relationships. Yet, in fact, even in sectors that are supposed to be in the 'business' of helping those who are disadvantaged, is very discouraging as many still fall through the cracks but since many of these have no voice that can be heard loudly enough, their plights are dismissed and quietly forgotten whilst discrimination and malpractice still continue unabated behind closed doors. Those with invisible disabilities may have very specific talents that institutions may want to utilise for themselves as and when it suits their interests. Because these individuals have been trying to find a place where they could belong, they contribute greatly in whatever is they're given because they really thought that others did value them as individuals of intrinsic worth. Then the bomb is dropped on them where they are told no one cares about their disabilities. Good attitude does not count and they would always be considered 'underperforming' compared to abled peers. No institution would want to be seen 'firing' the disabled for statistical purposes, but the ways of getting them to leave of 'their own accord' is then utilised instead. That means disabled individuals have to start from scratch again career wise. How then are we TRULY practicing the principle of inclusivity when we essentially write off those who are different from us not through any conscious moral choice of their own, and yet still try their best to fit in, work hard and just want....to....belong.. Are we really giving another chance in practice or just pretending to do so appearance wise? #bts #weallneedanotherchance #weallneedhelp #matthewqueksingapore #arealchance #gaslighting #inclusivitymatters

The Boxser Diversity Initiative is concerned about the #Sarasota County Commission's recent funding decisions, particularly regarding the exclusion of important community programs like the Embracing Our Differences, Inc. exhibition, the Chalk Festival, and WSLR+Fogartyville. These programs play a vital role in cultural enrichment and community engagement in Sarasota County. While we appreciate the Commission's support for arts and cultural initiatives with $2.1 million in #tourist tax dollars, we believe excluding funding for these programs may overlook their significant impact. Embracing Our Differences, for instance, attracts hundreds of thousands of #visitors and promotes #humanrights and diversity through artistic expression. We urge the Commission to reconsider these decisions and ensure equitable support for all community programs that foster #dialogue and celebrate #diversity. Cultural diversity and artistic expression are essential to our community's fabric, and inclusive funding decisions will better reflect our shared values of tolerance and cultural vibrancy. Please read the op-ed from Embracing Our Differences, Inc.'s Executive Director Sarah Wertheimer: https://lnkd.in/e6rPdG2e The Boxser Diversity Initiative remains committed to advocating for fair and inclusive funding practices in Sarasota County.

📢 Announcement 📢 It’s been 6 months since the launch of Move Together, Kent and Medway’s strategy for sport and physical activity. There’s already so much going on across the county to get more people, more active, more often. Here's what you, our supporting partners, have told us how you're contributing to increase activity across Kent and Medway 👇 Together we are… Connecting Communities Pledge your support to the Strategy 🔗 https://lnkd.in/e3uT4VQ6