Pittsfield Man To Receive Black Excellence award

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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
 

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Companion Corner: Fox at Berkshire Humane Society

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — There's a sweet and energetic dog at the Berkshire Humane Society waiting for his new family.

iBerkshire's Companion Corner is a weekly series spotlighting an animal in our local shelters that is ready to find a home.

Fox is a 3-year-old Pomeranian who has been at the shelter for about a month.

Canine caregiver and adoption counselor Simone Olivieri told us about Fox. 

"He's a bundle of joy. He would love a family who's home with him a lot, because he's just, he's very social and wants to be with his people a lot. And he would be fun to bring out and about, bring a lot of places, because he's very happy to go anywhere," she said.

When Fox enters the room he is immediately a puffball of energy that goes around and around the room.

He came to the shelter after his former owner could not take care of him anymore. 

"The owner was just not able to care for him anymore. Had he came in with another dog, Wolf, and she already did find her forever home just last week," said Olivieri. "The two of them were left with a friend of the original owner, and the owner did not come back to pick them up, and the friend had too many animals in the house, and too much going on, and she just couldn't continue to look after them, so they did end up coming to us."

Fox can go home with cats and children but is not recommended to go home with other dogs as he gets too excited.

"He would love a home where people are home quite a bit to give him all the attention that he so desires. He loves kids. He absolutely adores children. So he would like a home with kids to play with. He could live with cats. We are saying that he should not live with other dogs. The only reason is that he gets very humpy, and he does not leave the other dogs alone," she said.

With his energy it is recommended he goes to a home that can keep him active whether walks or hikes and even fetch in the yard.

Fox does need to learn more about walking on a leash and has a tendency to mark in the house but he was recently neutered. Olivieri said belly bands will be sent home with whoever adopts him to help prevent marking and managing it.

"He would like an active home. He really does like to go for walks daily. He likes to run around in the yard. He does need a little work on leash walking. He sometimes gets a little tangled still under your feet, and he's learning how to walk on a leash," she said. "So, someone who's got some patience and some time to work on some training with him."

"He also is not fully potty trained, so he does know to go potty outside. However, he will still mark, urinate in the house sometimes, and he might poop here and there in the house."

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