Communities That Care Coalition
Promoting health, well-being, and equity among young people in Franklin County and the North Quabbin
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nyjah_Huston
Nyjah Imani Huston (born November 30, 1994) is an American professional skateboarder. With numerous sponsorships and competition prize winnings, Huston is one of the highest paid skateboarders in the world.[4][5]
https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2024/8/2/lauren-scruggs-gold-medal-team-usa-foil-fencing-olympics
In the end, Lauren S. Scruggs ‘25 was never leaving Paris without gold.
Scruggs propelled Team USA to victory in the 2024 Paris Olympics women’s team foil tournament on Thursday, holding off Italy’s three-time Olympian Arianna Errigo to give the United States its first-ever team gold medal in fencing.
https://www.npr.org/2024/08/03/g-s1-15238/julien-alfred-shacarri-st-lucia-paris-100m
Julien Alfred stuns Sha’Carri Richardson in 100m to win St. Lucia’s 1st Olympic gold
https://www.umass.edu/theater/about/directory/kyle-boatwright
Kyle Boatwright (she/her) is a director, actor, musician, and educator based in the Pioneer Valley.
Kyle is the co-founder of Rise Up Productions, a Valley collective of performing artists that produces shows to support social justice organizations.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lydia_R._Diamond
Lydia R. Diamond (born April 14, 1969, in Detroit, Michigan) is an American playwright and professor. Among her most popular plays are The Bluest Eye (2007), an adaptation of Toni Morrison‘s novel; Stick Fly (2008); Harriet Jacobs (2011); and Smart People (2016).
Smart People is being performed by Silverthorne Theater Company at Haws and Reed in Greenfield from August 2-10, 2024.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anne_Harris_(musician)
Anne Harris (born February 2, 1966) is an American singer, songwriter, violinist, recording artist and actress based in Chicago, Illinois.[1][2] She has independently produced and released six studio albums on her record label, Rugged Road Records: Anne Harris (2001), Open Your Doors (2003), Wine and Poetry (2005),[3] Gravity and Faith (2008), Come Hither (2015) and Roots (2019).
https://www.npr.org/sections/goats-and-soda/2024/07/29/g-s1-13359/music-toumani-diabate-mali-kora
Toumani Diabaté plucked the kora’s 21 strings. The world fell in love with his music
“He played those 21 strings with love.”
That’s the great American banjo player Bela Fleck talking about his duets with Toumani Diabaté of Mali — including the crowd-pleaser “Dueling Banjos.”
Fleck called him “one of the greatest accompanists I’ve ever played with.”
It’s one of many heartfelt tributes to Diabaté, who died of kidney failure on July. Diabaté was 58.
Corey Alston has been recognized at the local, state, and national levels, receiving numerous awards and proudly displaying his art across the United States. As a 5th generation Sweetgrass Weaver, Corey practices the art of Sweetgrass Basket Weaving from his home in Charleston, South Carolina.
https://www.npr.org/2011/04/13/135358034/otis-taylor-tiny-desk-concert
I’d never think that a banjo player could find my musical sweet spot, which falls somewhere between Mali and The Velvet Underground, but Otis Taylor hits it, spot on.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Otis_Taylor_(musician)
Otis Taylor (born July 30, 1948,[1] Chicago, Illinois, United States) is an American blues musician. He is a multi-instrumentalist whose talents include the guitar, banjo, mandolin, harmonica, and vocals. In 2001, he was awarded a fellowship to the Sundance Film Composers Laboratory.
https://www.npr.org/2024/07/29/nx-s1-5056291/erica-ash-dead
Comedian, actor, singer and model Erica Ash has died at age 46. She was best known for MadTV, the sitcom Survivor’s Remorse, Rosie O’Donnell’s The Big Gay Sketch Show and the Kevin Hart series Real Husbands of Hollywood.