Gala Celebration of Youth Alive and ROPE Legacy

11:48AM / Thursday, November 06, 2025Print Story | Email Story

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — A gala celebration in honor of the impact and legacy of Youth Alive (YA) and the Rites of Passage & Empowerment (ROPE) program will be held on Saturday, Nov. 8 at the Berkshire Innovation Center, 45 Woodlawn Ave. in Pittsfield.

The ticketed program will begin at 6 p.m. and feature guest speaker the Rev. Nakeida Bethel-Smith. All proceeds will support the ROPE scholars, mentors and ambassadors global service trip to Ghana in West Africa. Tickets can be purchased here.

This year, Youth Alive marks its 30th anniversary, while ROPE is celebrating a 15-year milestone. YA is a multicultural community-based arts program providing arts and educational opportunities to young people 8-18 years of age with a focus on dance forms including Step, African and Hip-Hop. ROPE's mission is to celebrate and honor the entry of female adolescents into adulthood and provide them with skills and knowledge that they need to be successful, independent and responsible people.

"I'm eternally grateful for the support our community has shown over the life of Youth Alive and ROPE There has been a generation of young adults that benefited from the mentoring, guidance. leadership development and empowerment," said Shirley Edgerton, founder of both groups. "You're invited to celebrate and plant a financial seed to ensure the future of these impactful and transformative programs continue to thrive."

Gloria Williams of Pittsfield, 16, is a scholar in the ROPE program, and says ROPE has had a tremendous impact on her life.

"I was born and raised in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. I joined ROPE four years ago, and I am so glad that I did. For me, ROPE has provided limitless opportunities. Aside from the traveling and cultural aspect, it has allowed every single young woman here to make connections with so many people in so many different places that they never would have otherwise."

For more information, visit www.facebook.com/ROPEinGhana

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Pittsfield Council Revisiting DEI Office Restructure

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
04:11PM / Tuesday, October 13, 2026

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The conversation about the DEI office renaming that was halted by a charter objection will resume on Tuesday.

The City Council will discuss a request from Mayor Peter Marchetti to restructure the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.

It proposes to rename the DEI office to the Office of Equity, Access, and Opportunity and merge the Human Rights Commission and Affirmative Action Committee into an Equity, Access and Opportunity Commission.

The Ordinance and Rules Subcommittee supported the changes in August, and in September, Ward 2 Councilor Cameron Cunningham delayed the vote with a charter objection.

Pittsfield's City Code prohibits charter states that "if a single member present objects to the taking of the vote, the vote shall be postponed until the next meeting of the city council." It also stipulates that at least four members must object if it is an emergency measure.

Cunningham also submitted a petition, which was referred to O&R under Rule 27, to replace the DEI Office and the Human Rights Commission with an equity, access, and opportunity coordinator in the Department of Community Development, with formal complaints and Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action functions assigned to Human Resources.

At the last meeting, he spent more than an hour querying the mayor and chief diversity officer about functions and effectiveness of the department, wanting more quantitative data. Cunningham proposed an ordinance that he says keeps Pittsfield's commitment to equity, access, and opportunity, "refocuses it on measurable results for our residents, and delivers it at a fraction of the current cost."

Under this petition, the equity, access, and opportunity coordinator would be a $60,000 to $80,000 per year position.

The DEI Office's fiscal year 2027 budget was about $200,000 after cuts during budget season; $106,700 for the chief diversity officer and $58,000 for the administrative assistant. The coordinator would be appointed by the director of community development and the mayor.

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