2nd Street Seeks Submissions for Literary Project

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — 2nd Street seeks submissions for Using Our Outside Voices, a literary project created in partnership with Berkshire Community College (BCC) that is designed to promote creativity, acceptance and inclusion for presently or formerly incarcerated men and women in Berkshire County. The deadline for submissions is June 15, 2024.
 
Authors whose work is selected will receive a cash award of $200, and winning submissions will be published in a journal. The initial run of 400 printed copies of the free journal will be distributed locally, and digital copies will be available online. In addition, public readings will be held at various venues in the Berkshires.
 
Any presently or formerly incarcerated resident of Berkshire County is invited to submit original poetry, short fiction, personal essays or other literary works. Those who need editorial help can bring their work to 2nd Street, located at 264 Second Street, Pittsfield.
 
For more details on how to submit a literary work, visit www.2nd-street.org and click Special Projects, or call (413) 443-7220, ext. 1275. 
 
Financial and in-kind support of Using Our Outside Voices is provided by Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation’s Arts Build Community initiative with funding from the Barr Foundation; by Berkshire United Way; by Berkshire Community College; and by Pittsfield Cultural Council, a local agency supported by Mass Cultural Council.
If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.

Berkshire Democrats Host Candidate Forum Friday

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Berkshire County Democratic town committees and political action groups will sponsor a countywide Democratic candidates forum this Friday, April 10. 
 
The forum will be held at 7 p.m. in the Common Room at Zion Lutheran Church located at 74 First St.  
 
The event will feature elected state and federal officials, especially those running for seats in the 2026 election. Challengers for those seats will also address attendees.
 
Working in coalition with the Berkshire Democratic Brigades, Berkshire Indivisible, Greylock Together, Indivisible Berkshires, and the Rural Freedom Network, the Democratic town committees of Adams, Dalton, Great Barrington, Sheffield, and Stockbridge anticipate that this event will educate voters about candidates' positions on political issues.  
 
In addition, the forum will give voters the opportunity to network and to meet candidates and discuss legislation that will improve Berkshire County's economy, promote environmental justice, and reduce economic disparity in the region.
 
Candidates committed to attend include District Attorney Timothy Shugrue, 1st Mass congressional candidate Jeromie Whalen, U.S. Senate candidate Alex Rikleen, and 1st Berkshire representative candidate Andrew Fitch.  
 
Also speaking will be representatives from the campaigns for Edward Markey for U.S. Senate and for Maural Healey and Kim Driscoll for governor and lieutenant governor, respectively. 
 
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