Black History Month is a time to celebrate and a time to remember sacrifices made as well as challenges overcome.
It has been said that when something bad happens, oftentimes something good can come out of that negative experience. No experience amplifies that point more clearly than the experience that John Excellent suffered. On February 8, Excellent gave opening remarks at the Tri-Towns Against Racism (TTAR) annual poster contest. His retelling of a brutal attack he suffered showed how it later helped him find TTAR. He shared that rather than dwell on that horror, he sought a venue to use his experience for positive change – enter Tri-Town Against Racism.
TTAR began with a group of mothers whose children had experienced racism. They strove towards bringing such issues to a wider audience in the hope that all people, all races, all genders, and gender identifications would have a voice. From their website, “Tri-Town Against Racism is dedicated to defending our community against racism through education, positive communication, and amplifying the voices of those impacted.”
One of the many programs developed by TTAR is an annual art contest where school aged children (from 1st grade to 12th grade) can share their vision of inclusivity, positivity, and the power of art. The Mattapoisett Free Public Library is hosting the exhibit which is marking its fifth year. Some 30 junior and senior students from Old Colony and Old Rochester Regional Jr. Sr. High School and (new this year are younger students) 70 elementary students from the Tri-town’s submitted poster art projects. Many of the young artists selected civil rights leaders focusing on the impact these leaders of what became a monumental movement for equality and inclusivity had had throughout our nation.
Excellent said that the motto of the TTAR organization is: “Start where you Live.” He said, “I humbly suggest that we all strive to live up to those words.” Bringing even more clarity to the motto was this point Excellent shared, “…this sort of gathering 60 years ago could have been seen as dangerous…”pointing out the many races that were present in the room who might have been seen as suspicious “…we could have been called communists.” But he also made it a point that not just people of color should be hailed for bringing down fences both real and of the mind. He asked the audience to consider the Caucasian men James Chaney, Michael Schwerner, and Andrew Goodman who were murdered by the Ku Klux Klan. Why? Voter registration activities.
Excellent beseeched the audience to, “… never waiver from your core believes that racism and discrimination are a disease to our humanity…”
The winners of the poster contest were Izzy Jezierski (first place), Kai Castelhjo (second place) and Lacey Sears (third place).
The exhibit featuring these many creative works may be viewed through March 1at the Mattapoisett Free Public Library. To learn more about TTAR, visit tritownagainstracism.org.
Tri-Towns Against Racism
By Marilou Newell