"Uniting Humanity in a Time of Crisis," a public talk exploring the reality underlying the oneness of humanity, will be held Tuesday, April 29, 7:30pm, in Weston Language Center, Room 10, at Williams College. The program is free and the public is welcome to attend.
Guest speaker Nathan Rutstein, retired professor from UMass-Amherst, is a writer, television documentarian, former journalist and news director, and co-founder of the Institute for the Healing of Racism. His talk will explore the reality underlying the oneness of humanity, helping the audience to gain an understanding of what a human being really is.
On the surface, this concept appears very simple, Rutstein states, but it is actually quite complex. Centuries of thoughts and ideas have had a cumulative effect in portraying a distorted view of the oneness of humanity and creating a fractured reality. Understanding that each of us, on this planet, is related to every other human being, helps us in recognizing our oneness.
Rutstein has written nineteen books, including "Coming of Age at the Millennium: Embracing the Oneness of Humankind," released in 1999. He's authored several books on racism, including "The Racial Conditioning of Our Children: Ending Genocide in Our Schools," published in 2001. Two of his books, "Healing Racism in America: A Prescription for the Disease" and "Healing Racism: Education's Role" (as co-editor) were named by the Gustavus Meyers Center for the Study of Human Rights as outstanding books in the field of Human Rights. "Coming of Age at the Millenium" will be available for purchase after the program.
He spent fifteen years as a journalist, most of that time serving as news editor at NBC News and ABC News. There were times when he acted as a reporter, including interviewing Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., four times. Rutstein spent 22 years as a college professor, and chaired the Education Media department at the UMass School of Education. He later created a Communications Department at Springfield Technical Community College, where he devised unorthodox teaching methods and learning environments that students of color found attractive.
Rutstein has served as a consultant to the White House Conference on Children, the Harlem preparatory school, and Brazil's Institute for Space Research's educational division, as well as being a Kellogg Foundation Lecturer in Residence on racism. He has produced and directed ten television documentaries, including "Finding a Solution" and "Black and White in Springfield." In 1987, Rutstein and other colleagues created the Institute for the Healing of Racism; there are now 200 Institutes in the United States, Britain, Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, and Canada.
The program is sponsored by the Bahá'à Club of Williams College. For more information, call (413) 458-8092.
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Berkshire County Homes Celebrating Holiday Cheer
By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff
There's holiday cheer throughout the Berkshires this winter.
Many homeowners are showing their holiday spirit by decorating their houses. We asked for submissions so those in the community can check out these fanciful lights and decor when they're out.
We asked the homeowners questions on their decorations and why they like to light up their houses.
In Great Barrington, Matt Pevzner has decorated his house with many lights and even has a Facebook page dedicated to making sure others can see the holiday joy.
Located at 93 Brush Hill Road, there's more than 61,000 lights strewn across the yard decorating trees and reindeer and even a polar bear.
The Pevzner family started decorating in September by testing their hundreds of boxes of lights. He builds all of his own decorations like the star 10-foot star that shines done from 80-feet up, 10 10-foot trees, nine 5-foot trees, and even the sleigh, and more that he also uses a lift to make sure are perfect each year.
"I always decorated but I went big during COVID. I felt that people needed something positive and to bring joy and happiness to everyone," he wrote. "I strive to bring as much joy and happiness as I can during the holidays. I love it when I get a message about how much people enjoy it. I've received cards thanking me how much they enjoyed it and made them smile. That means a lot."
Pevzner starts thinking about next year's display immediately after they take it down after New Year's. He gets his ideas by asking on his Facebook page for people's favorite decorations. The Pevzner family encourages you to take a drive and see their decorations, which are lighted every night from 5 to 10.
In North Adams, the Wilson family decorates their house with fun inflatables and even a big Santa waving to those who pass by.
The Wilsons start decorating before Thanksgiving and started decorating once their daughter was born and have grown their decorations each year as she has grown. They love to decorate as they used to drive around to look at decorations when they were younger and hope to spread the same joy.
"I have always loved driving around looking at Christmas lights and decorations. It's incredible what people can achieve these days with their displays," they wrote.
The Wilsons' invite you to come and look at their display at 432 Church St. that's lit from 4:30 to 10:30 every night, though if it's really windy, the inflatables might not be up as the weather will be too harsh.
In Pittsfield, Travis and Shannon Dozier decorated their house for the first time this Christmas as they recently purchased their home on Faucett Lane. The two started decorating in November, and hope to bring joy to the community.
"If we put a smile on one child's face driving by, then our mission was accomplished," they said.
Many homeowners are showing their holiday spirit by decorating their houses. We asked for submissions so those in the community can check out these fanciful lights and decor when they're out.
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