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Weekly Newsletter | 24 February 2024

<I like to move an issue from the background to the

foreground. To reveal things hidden in the shadows. To see
the unseen world of affinities and associations within all of
us.=

4 Curlee Raven Holton

Embracing Multiculturalism
Read our latest monthly column in The Westerly Sun.

"Equality is Not Enough. Equity is the

Goal."
by Geoff Serra

Click to Read
 ENGAGE

This Week

Our monthly poetry share will take place this Sunday, February 25.
Join us to share and/or listen to poems and other readings about
Black History Month. The discussions that follow each month9s
poetry share are always thought-provoking and memorable.

If you would like to share, please look for poems or short writings
from Black authors who inspire and challenge us. If you would like
to write something yourself, we urge you to keep Black History
Month in mind as a theme. See you on the downtown post office
steps from 11-1. We will start the poetry sharing at noon.

Last Week
The temperatures were frigid but the crowd on the post office steps
didn9t want to leave last Sunday. We enjoyed hearing Geoff Serra
discuss the latest installment of Westerly ARC9s monthly column in
the Westerly Sun. This month, Geoff wrote about equity vs. equality,
especially as it relates to the school systems9 Equity Audit.

The School Committee decided at its last meeting to include the

Equity Audit as a standing agenda item, recognizing that it will take
time, skill, and open minds to unpack the audit9s recommendations
and use them to create a more equitable school system. To that
end, it is important that we remain involved as the School
Committee continues this important work.

Town Councilor Kevin Lowther updated us on the Town Council9s

work, in particular the recent changes involving public comments.
He urged us to communicate with the Town Council
(MLeBlanc@westerlyri.gov) regarding this issue in the hopes of
ensuring that members of the public will be allowed to speak on
non-agenda items during the second public comment period of
each meeting.

Finally, we were pleased to share an email from a reader, Tom, who

wrote from Providence. He titled his email <Love following your
witness= and shared his six words from the Race Card Project:
<Sorry for hurt my race caused.= It9s great to know that our work is
meaningful beyond Westerly and for the many readers who cannot
join us on Sundays. Send us your news - we9d love to hear from
more of you!
 Final Week!
Conversations with African American Art
On exhibit through February 28

Westerly Artists9 Cooperative, Community Gallery, 44 Railroad

Avenue, Westerly, RI

Wednesday 3 Saturday, 11 a.m. 3 7 p.m., Sunday, 1-5 p.m.

On exhibition: A selection of pieces of the Bill and Paula Alice
Mitchell Collection of African-American Art, selected and
interpreted by ARC members April Dinwoodie, Leslie Dunn, and
Kevin Lowther. This is an event not to be missed.

Free and open to the public.

Looking Ahead

Coming Soon!

Westerly ARC will facilitate a discussion and screening of Origin, the

new film directed by Ava DuVernay based on the book Caste by
Isabel Wilkerson. Join us on Thursday, March 14 at 7 pm at the
United Theater for this special event. More details to follow.
 We meet every Sunday from 11:00-1:00 on the steps of the
Westerly Post Office on High Street. Join us anytime!

EMPOWER

Town Meetings

Get Involved
Westerly ARC encourages those who can to attend Westerly Town
Council and School Committee meetings. Your presence and
involvement are important ways to show our elected officials that
creating a more equitable and inclusive town and school system
must always be a priority.

Feb 26 Town Council Meeting, 5:30 pm

Mar 4 Town Council Meeting, 5:30 pm

Mar 6 School Committee Meeting, 5:00 pm

Click below for meeting and agendas and minutes:

Town Meetings

Take Action

Here are some specific actions you can take this week in support
of social justice:

1. Are you registered to vote? The Presidential Primary season is

upon us. Early voting runs from March 13 through April 1 at
Town Hall. The primary will be held on April 2.
2. Write a note to the Town Council (or speak at their meeting
Monday, Feb 26) in support of allowing citizens to comment on
non-agenda items.
3. Forward this email to someone who you think might benefit
from it.

EDUCATE

Notable Rhode Islanders – A Black History

Month Series
This Black History Month series focuses upon notable Rhode
Islanders who have contributed to our state's richness, diversity,
talent, and accomplishment. Learn more about the history of Black
History Month here.

2024's national theme for Black History celebrates the entire history
of African Americans and the arts. The Association for the Study of
African American Life and History chose this theme to place the
national spotlight on "the richness of the past and present with an
eye toward what the rest of the twenty-first century will bring."
Thank you to Geoff Serra for compiling this series.

Meet Mahlon Van Horne, educator,

minister, public servant
Mahlon Van Horne was born March 4, 1840, in Princeton, NJ, to
Mathias Van Horne and Diana Oakham Van Horne. In 1854, at
nineteen, the oldest of the three surviving Van Horne children,
Mahlon attended the Ashmun Collegiate Institute for Colored Youth
in Pennsylvania. Ashmun, whose mission was to train African
American students for missionary work, in 1866 became Lincoln
University, an institution dedicated to higher education for African
American men and women. Van Horne studied education and
theology, Latin, Greek, and Hebrew. He was ordained a minister, and
he earned a bachelor's degree.

Having married Rachel Ann Huston while he was still a student, in

1867, Van Horne first taught briefly in upstate New York and then
became principal of the Zion School for Colored Children in
Charleston, S.C., a school of 900 students and 18 teachers. Within a
year, he accepted the pastorate of the historic Union
Congregational Church in Newport. He remained there for 28 years.

In Newport, the African American community had centered in the

African Union Society, a place of educational and civic life that
soon evolved into the Free African Benevolent Society. By 1824, that
group was chartered as the Union Colored Congregational Church
on Division Street. It had a solely black administration, operational
charter, and congregation.

By all accounts, Van Horne was eloquent and charismatic. He used

his pulpit to advance social justice and racial and civic causes. He
was involved in the Colored Masons, African American mutual aid
societies, the Colored National Labor Union, and the Republican
Party.

Van Horne's descendant, Keith Stokes, in a 2021 Providence Journal

article, asserts that "For all Van Horne's accomplishments, one
important document that survives to this day is a sermon that he
composed in 1887.
image: The Rev. Mahlon Van Horne, Courtesy of RI Black Heritage Society.

Read the Rest of the Article Here

Community Events
 Irish in America

Irish Coastal Club

Feb 24, 2024, 1:00 PM 3 2:00 PM

Westerly Library

Come join us for a musical journey, celebrating 8the Irish in

America9, with Cathy Clasper-Torch, Dan Lanier and Mary King. Irish
immigrants captured the heart of the nation with their mix of Irish
jigs, folk songs, storytelling, and humor. Their Celtic traditions were
infused with new styles & instruments, creating a new voice to the
culture along with the old. Get your green on, warm up your voices
and enjoy the warmth, spirit and hilarity of the Irish in America!

Free. No tickets necessary.

See More Events Here

 National Day of Mass Poor People's and
Low-Wage Workers' Statehouse
Assemblies
Rhode Island will be joining over 30 states holding simultaneous
days of action at statehouses across the country. This will be in the
middle of the legislative session, one week ahead of national Super
Tuesday and 35 weeks ahead of the 2024 national general election.

Click for More Information

One More Thing

 Curlee Raven Holton
Artist Curlee Raven Holton was the final speaker in our series
<Conversations about African American Art= at the Westerly Library.
Curlee shared stories and profound wisdom from his decades of
work as painter, printmaker, professor, and director of the David C.
Driskell Center for the Study of the Visual Arts and Culture of African
Americans and the African Diaspora at University of Maryland,
College Park.

The audience was moved by Curlee9s thoughts on defining oneself,

race, humanity, and the power of art as a metaphor. We are so
grateful for the time he took to inspire us through his words and
work.

Thank you also to the Washington Trust Company for their

generous grant which made this series possible.
Calendar

Calendar of Events

Conversations with African

American Art , Artists9
Jan 5 - Feb 28
Cooperative Gallery of
Westerly

Town Council Meeting,

Feb 26
Westerly Town Hall, 5:30 pm

Town Council Meeting,

March 4
Westerly Town Hall, 5:30 pm

School Committee Meeting,

March 6
Westerly Town Hall, 5:00 pm

Origins film screening and

March 14 discussion, United Theater,
7:00 pm

Online Calendar
 Westerly Anti-Racism Coalition

This Newsletter is a publication of the Westerly Anti-Racism Coalition. ARC is

a community coalition unaffiliated with any state, national, or international
organization. ARC embraces multiculturalism to address racism.
Join our weekly gatherings, Sundays, 11am-1pm, the Westerly Post Office
steps, downtown
CONTACT US: westerlyarc@gmail.com
Visit Our Website: westerlyarc.weebly.com Website Manager: Tim Flanagan
Weekly Writers: Tim Flanagan, Madeline Labriola, Geoff Serra
Editors: April Dinwoodie, Tim Flanagan, Madeline Labriola, Anne Pearce, Geoff
Serra

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