Gina Coleman Chosen as the Recipient of the 2025 Peacemaker Award

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NORTH ADAMS, Mass.— This year the MLK Jr. Day of Service Committee announced that Gina Coleman has been selected and will be honored during the luncheon with the 2025 Peacemaker Award at this month's annual Northern Berkshire MLK Jr. Day of Service, on Monday, Jan. 20, 2025. 
 
The Peacemaker Award is given annually to an individual or group in Northern Berkshire. 
 
The award, which originated as part of the annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service, is made to persons who have contributed substantially to peace in our region. In general, the Peacemaker Award recognizes persons who have a history of working with people and/or neighborhoods and communities to provide for greater tolerance, understanding, and caring, stated a press release. 
 
Coleman is the Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging at the Brien Center, where she provides training to local organizations on addressing bias and bigotry. She serves on the boards of MCLA, BArT, and the Berkshire Music School and organizes the annual Juneteenth Celebration Concert. Coleman is also a founding member of the Williamstown Diversity, Inclusion, and Racial Equity Committee.
 
Coleman contributed her musical talents to the Black Legacy Project in 2021, a collaboration among local musicians to record songs significant to the Black community. The project is part of Music in Common, a nonprofit fostering unity and understanding through music collaboration.
 
The MLK Day of Service begins at 8:30 a.m. at MCLA's Venable Gym with check-in and registration, coffee and pastries. At 9 a.m. there will be a brief welcome and opening remarks before volunteers depart the center to service sites or can stay on site to work on activities at the gym. Participants will choose from local sites to provide service to the community, including: Louison House, Goodwill Industries of the Berkshires, weatherization for homes, ROOTS Teen Center, food collection sites, and meal deliveries. There will be projects suitable for all ages and abilities. 
 
Participants will return to the gym at 12:30 p.m. to share a free luncheon and community celebration, enjoy local entertainment and hear uplifting words in the spirit of Martin Luther King Jr. The annual Peacemaker Award will be presented during this celebration.
 
Those wishing to participate in the day of service can register the morning of the event or pre-register in one of three ways:
 
Call: 413-663-7588
 
 

Tags: MLK Day,   NBCC,   peacemaker,   

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North Adams Arts Commission OKs 'Hatchlings' Installations for Downtown

By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff

Vanessa Hooper of Studio HHH gives a presentation on the light structures to the Public Arts Commission on Thursday. 
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — A light installation that's graced the Esplanade and Greenway in Boston the last couple years will spend the spring, and likely the summer, in North Adams. 
 
The Public Arts Commission last week enthusiastically approved a proposal by Studio HHH to set up the "Hatchlings," six lighted half shells, at points around the downtown. 
 
The studio has offices in Greylock Works, where the Hatchlings were built. The half shells are a metal framework strung with LED lights that can be programmed. Two are solar-powered and the others require electricity. 
 
"They really just generally attract a lot of attention and people wanting to come ... they just sort of flock to it and want to take photos," said Vanessa Hooper, director of Studio HHH. 
 
She gave a presentation on their construction and showed pictures of people interacting with them during their time in Boston.
 
"I included these photos because we were actually really surprised that a lot of people come during the day and still like to take photographs in them as they are, this sort of like basket-woven black structure is also just really beautiful, and people love that, too."
 
They spent a year on the Esplanade, playing off the iconic Hatch Shell, and the Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway, until all nine were moved to the Greenway last November.
 
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