Pittsfield Man To Receive Black Excellence award

01:02PM / Monday, February 28, 2022Print Story | Email Story

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Kamaar Taliaferro of Pittsfield will recognized with the 2022 Black Excellence award as part of the Black Excellence on the Hill event.

This awards event, held annually by the Massachusetts Black and Latino Legislative Caucus (MBLLC), commemorates Black community leaders. The MBLLC seeks to highlight the heritage and work of those belonging to the Black diaspora through a virtual Black Excellence on the Hill celebration. L

Taliaferro was nominated by state Rep. Tricia Farley-Bouvier.

"Kamaar Taliaferro is a young man who is quietly working to support and enhance his community in a variety of ways. Often in the background, but very much a leader and team player, Kamaar is a member of the local chapter of NAACP serving as Housing Committee Chair and is a member of West Side Legends (WSL). WSL is group of People of Color (POC) that grew up on the west side of Pittsfield that are invested in helping the community," she wrote.

One of Taliaferro's friends and fellow members of NAACP, Shirley Edgerton, described Taliaferro as a "genius — no exaggeration, working tirelessly conducting research and advocating for change and equity where it's needed. He is passionate about promoting fair and affordable housing, particularly for POC. A community activist from a very young age, Kamaar helps people with housing evictions and assists with overcoming obstacles that prevent them from staying housed and getting housing. He is solution oriented."

Taliaferro has been working with a local financial institution on the history of redlining, a project to help address wealth gaps and inequities for POC to purchase homes.

Taliaferro has helped many Pittsfield residents understand the process of ARPA funding and other opportunities. Taliaferro has also been instrumental in working with the Berkshire Regional Planning Commission on the Healthy and Efficient Homes Pilot Project to address indoor environmental hazards and energy efficiency issues in homes in particular areas of Pittsfield with older homes.

Taliaferro has been teaching community members about the importance of farm to table eating and the value in supporting local agriculture. In addition, he is passionate about Biodynamic farming, using a broad fork vs machinery such as a rototiller.  The process he utilizes enhances soil fertility, protects crops and enhances overall plant health. He also contributes his home-grown vegetables to organizations that serve some of our most vulnerable communities.

Taliaferro will be recognized at a virtual celebration on Monday, Feb. 28, at 6 p.m. Jaykyri Simpson, executive director of Young Man with a Plan, will be the keynote speaker and the public is invited to register for the celebration at

https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZMkcO2orjwrGtGTCX_VlkgWIA0R6RnoatQN

Tags: people in the news, recognition event,

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Possible Measles Exposure at Boston, Logan

12:05PM / Wednesday, December 24, 2025

BOSTON — The Massachusetts Department of Public Health confirmed Wednesday that an out-of-state adult visitor who spent time in Boston and Westborough earlier this month was diagnosed with measles and was present in a number of locations.

This could have resulted in other people being exposed to measles virus.

The visitor arrived at Logan International Airport on American Airlines flight 2384 from Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas, on Dec. 11 at 2:39 p.m. They stayed at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Boston-Westborough in Westborough and departed the state on Dec. 12 via Logan at 9:19 p.m. on JetBlue flight 117 to Las Vegas.

DPH is working with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and local partners to identify and notify those who may have been exposed to measles from this individual.

"Measles is a highly contagious, airborne disease, which has increased significantly in the United States because of the unfortunate decrease in vaccination rates. It is also a preventable disease," said Public Health Commissioner Dr. Robbie Goldstein. "This current situation serves as an important reminder of the critical role vaccination plays in protecting our communities. While Massachusetts has not had a measles case this year, 2025 saw the highest number of nationwide cases in more than a decade — nearly 2,000 in 44 jurisdictions, and sadly, three deaths.

"Fifteen years ago, measles had been considered eliminated in the United States, but that tremendous progress is at risk. Vaccines are one of the most important public health interventions ever — they are safe, effective, and lifesaving."

Measles is very contagious. However, the risk to most people in Massachusetts is low because the vaccination rate in the state is high. People who are not immune and visited any of the locations on the following dates and times may be at risk for developing measles.

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