By David Fortier
Come Sunday morning, Mary and I will be sleeping in because we will have been out two nights in a row. On Friday night, we attended the NAACP Freedom Fund Dinner. On Saturday, it was a fundraiser for the New England Carousel Museum.
The local chapter of the NAACP does include Greater Bristol area in its title, so the dinner brings in a good bunch of people for an evening that celebrates its history. Nationally and locally, the NAACP–the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People–works for people of all backgrounds. It’s in their mission.
On this evening, the director of HRA (Human Resources Agency) based in New Britain with a branch in Bristol was the keynote speaker. Marlo Greponne focused on issues that most of us are aware of but rarely experience, and it just so happens that she herself has experienced. She was a child in one of HRA programs, as a young mother she was a participant, she ended up teaching in a program and now she is the executive director.
Olga Callendar, a lifetime member of the Bristol NAACP chapter, as well as the New Britain chapter, was recognized for her years of service. In her comments, she talked about graduating from teacher’s college in Massachusetts (in the 1950s), outside of Boston, and when it came time to find work, as a person of color, finding the door closed. Through a mutual friend, she ended up interviewing in New Britain, where she was hired immediately and made her career.
As with most volunteer organizations, the NAACP is always looking for new members. Check out their website for more information. Click here.
The annual Carousel Museum fundraiser had a James Bond theme, so people dressed up. I was a little out of sorts because I didn’t have a black bowtie (nor do I have a tuxedo hanging in my closet). I did the best we could, as did most people in attendance did—at least one guy wore a kilt, another did showed up as Bond nemesis Auric Goldfinge. People had fun and raised some money for the museum.
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On a completely different note, a musical one, a colleague of mine at Rocky Hill High School just dropped an album (I think that is what happens when a musician or musical group “publishes” their work. It’s a compilation of songs. It’s just that it is on a digital platform.) What was great about this album is that Doug Russell, my colleague, worked with a former student, Greg Fox. They heard each other’s work online, got in touch with each other and produced “41 Track Mind.” Here’s a link to a few of the songs. Click here.
I love hearing about people who pursue their passions. When it comes to music and passion, that reminds me of childhood friend and classmate Dave Watson, whom TBE reported on earlier. His band Rikki Aaron landed a contract with a London producer, who specializes in vinyl. I called Dave to check in, and it turns out that he was just headed out the door to record at a local rival studio. The rival studio, Siyufy, has just nudged out Dave’s own studio, The Blue Room, as No 1 in all of Marian County, Fla.
Dave said that his contract with Cordial Records ends this April. He is happy to have had the experience. He always wanted to get picked up by a label and see what would come out of it. Just for that alone, he is grateful, but it’s time to move on because the London label was interested in music he wrote years ago and now he is writing something new.
If you are interested in his work, and he said he hopes you are interested enough to check it out, try his YouTube channel. Click here. He is experimenting with the platform, so the offerings are limited. He said he will be adding some new work, one song in particular that he worked on with the person behind the rival studio. (Note: There are a few Rikki Aaron releases on YouTube, including some early work with a longtime associate under Rikki Aaron. The two have gone their separate ways, but Rikki Aaron, as a band, continues.)
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Quickly, this week’s listening is back to the Ezra Klein podcast and a particularly timely show, “These Political Scientists Surveyed 500,000 Voters. Here Are Their Unnerving Conclusions.” The guests, John Sides and Lynn Vavreck, political scientists at Vanderbilt and U.C.L.A., respectively, have just released a new book, “The Bitter End: The 2020 Presidential Campaign and the Challenge to American Democracy.” Set aside some time because it runs over an hour. Click here.
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And Halloween is here tomorrow. Enjoy!
“Come Sunday morning” is intended to be a weekly review, a recounting of the past week and an anticipation of week to come. Among its features will be reviews of old and new books, sharing of favorite podcasts, some family news, Bristol events and happenings and issues surrounding education, work and community journalism. He can be reached at dfortier@bristoledition.org.
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