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We just wrapped up our second fireside chat of the summer! It was a fantastic evening filled with thoughtful conversations, laughter and fireside snacks and drinks! It was especially nice to welcome new faces (as well as familiar faces).

Our topic was "How To Make Changes in Ourselves, Our Town and Our Country." Around the fire pit allies shared ideas on personal growth, community action and ended the evening discussing national progress. It was a reminder that change begins with conversations like this. The relaxed atmosphere made the night not only informative but fun and enjoyable.

We ended the evening watching Vice President Harris accept the presidential nomination at the Democratic Convention. Listening to a Black-Indian woman giving an inspirational speech about being the change you want to see in the world gave us all hope that there can be change for our nation's future.

If you missed this one, don't worry-we'll be hosting more in the future. Stay tuned for the next one which will be held in October (date TBD).

Click here for more information or email newtownallies@gmail.com

Congratulations to our youth member, Kenneth Miller, who was awarded the EmpowHER Male Ally Award for under 18-year-olds by the World Heritage Cultural Center. Kenneth consistently uses his voice and actions to advocate for his peers and make a positive impact in our community. He was nominated for this award by NAFC member Nerlande Foote and gave a moving speech in front of a crowd of winners, their friends, families and supporters. If you know Kenneth, you know that this award is well-deserved. We couldn't be prouder.

In July of this year it came to our attention that a local Legislative Council member publicly encouraged residents to join Moms for Liberty (MFL) both on her own personal Facebook page as well as a public facing state page. While elected officials are always entitled to their personal opinions, this was alarming. Newtown Allies For Change (NAFC) condemns community organizing by individuals whose goal it is to foster hate, deprive people of their civil rights, or demonize marginalized communities. For that reason we must condemn Newtown Legislative Council member, Jennifer Nicoletti, for publicly promoting the sabotage of expanded Title IX regulations designed to protect transgender students.

NAFC sent representatives to the Newtown Legislative Council meeting on August 7th to voice our concerns in person. We also sent emails to Chairperson Keith Alexander asking for clarification as to whether the Legislative Council as a body was in alignment with Ms. Nicoletti's publicly stated position. While he assured us it did not, there was no condemnation of Ms. Nicoletti or her public advocacy for discriminatory policies. In fact, when our correspondence was brought up during the August 7th meeting Ms. Nicoletti interjected quickly to defend her point of view. This was NOT noted in the official minutes of the meeting.

For those who are unaware, MFL is an anti-government organization that the Southern Poverty Law Center identifies as an extremist organization. While they deny their relationship with the Proud Boys, leaders and members from MFL have posed with them in photos, flashing the “white power” hand signal. One chapter was forced to apologize after quoting Adolf Hitler in the inaugural issue of their newsletter. In addition to their anti-LGBTQ+ agenda, MFL is well known for their public school book-banning campaigns, which include calling for the removal of educational materials that feature BIPOC characters, are written by BIPOC authors, or teach the history of non-white Americans.

This month, Our Faces of Change Ally, Don Lococo was honored with the EmpowHer Award for Male Ally, presented by the World Heritage Cultural Center. This is a much deserved award as Don is a tireless advocate of marginalized communities and has dedicated his life to doing important work which positively affects others.

Can you tell us a bit about yourself and how you got involved with NAFC?

My wife Donna and I moved to Newtown with our cats 30 years ago from the suburbs of Atlanta GA. We met at a small liberal arts college 18 years prior to that move, and have always held progressive beliefs. I volunteered for rallies and events related to Newtown Action Alliance and am a board member. I became active in Newtown politics during the 2016 election cycle, joining Newtown Forward, and meeting some wonderful activists. On 2/25/20, George Floyd was the latest black person murdered by police, and when details were revealed, rallies were held across the world. I attended the wonderful Newtown “Rally 4 Change” event in early June, 2020, discovered Newtown Allies For Change and have volunteered and eventually became a NAFC board member.
Can you share a memorable experience or highlight from your time with NAFC?
I have been grateful for the opportunity to explore real history by participating in book discussions, movie reviews, and to share in conversations about racism. I am learning to continue to educate myself through research and dialogue to build community and to be a better ally. One memorable experience was having conversations with many folks while teaming up with Nerlande Foote to lead the NAFC booth at the 2021 Newtown Arts Festival. These conversations about promoting Allyship in our community was definitely a highlight.
How do you balance your involvement with the group along with your other commitments, and what advice would you give other busy people who are thinking of joining our group?
I’m a full time occupational therapy assistant in a skilled nursing facility, a board member of Newtown Action Alliance, a member of the Newtown Democratic Town Committee since 2016 and a board member of NAFC. I also have a wonderful, understanding, supportive, powerful wife who keeps me grounded.
I have become more organized and focused on the mission of each of these organizations. I believe in engaging others with the concept of “yes, and.” I find when I focus on how can I Contribute to my commitments instead of pushing a personal agenda, I can be a more effective member.
What do you believe is the most important issue our group should focus on right now, and what are your hopes for the future of NAFC?
With our mission to center black people, Indigenous people and people of color (BIPOC) in Newtown. I feel that it’s imperative that, as allies, we continue the hard work of educating ourselves on antiracist, critical thinking concepts such as unconscious bias and gaslighting. This is an important election year, and it’s important for us to promote candidates that are aligned with our mission.
I am confident that NAFC will continue to improve the lives of BIPOC in our community. A couple ways of accomplishing this goal is to get out the vote, provide Bystander/Upstander training, and to look for opportunities to promote diversity, equity and inclusion in our community.

At the turn of the century in Philadelphia and NYC, Black women were forging new paths in life. These women, the first born post-emancipation America, were challenged with how to live, truly free. Rejecting labor conditions that were reminiscent of slavery, the women explored the meaning of freedom by creating unconventional forms of love and solidarity. They became the pioneers of free love, common-law and transient marriages. They leaned into queer identities and single motherhood, practices that were considered scandalous and even pathological for the times. They ultimately shaped the future because they dared to be more than what white society allowed them to be.

In Wayward Lives, Beautiful Experiments, a multi award winning book, Saidiya Hartman beautifully explores, with visionary intensity, the women's worlds, dilemmas, and defiant brilliance.

Four hundred years ago, in August 1619, a ship carrying more than 20 enslaved Africans arrived in the English colony of Virginia.

Nikole Hannah-Jones examines how slavery transformed America in this critically acclaimed series "1619," a podcast by The New York Times.

Last month, we highlighted Episode One: "The Fight For True Democracy," where Hannah-Jones discussed how the nation was founded on the ideal of democracy and how Black people began the fight to make this ideal a reality.

This month: We will move on to the next episode.

Episode 2: The Economy That Slavery Built

America's first booming business, the cotton plantation, is where the institution of slavery turned this nation into a financial powerhouse. Ownership of, power over, and violence toward other human beings was built into the very system which formed the foundation of American capitalism.

Listen here:

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/23/podcasts/1619-podcast.html

The concept of race is a modern idea that emerged in the 17th Century. In the ancient world, particularly in the Mediterranean and Middle East populations whose physical characteristics widely vary, they did not categorize themselves into distinct races. In the United States, the race ideology developed primarily as a means to enslave Africans and to exploit and conquer Indigenous People, using perceived natural differences to establish social ranking and inequities among groups.

Garrison Hayes breaks it down in this short video "When Did White People Become White?"

Is "woke" a dirty word? Often Republicans will throw this word out as an insult towards people who value and/or respect the feelings and experiences of those around them who do not look like them. In April 0f 2023 Alenda Calderbank wrote a blog article about the term "woke" and what is actually means.

Bridgeport Latino Fest

Get ready for an incredible celebration of Hispanic heritage at the 2nd Annual Bridgeport Latino Fest! Join this all day party on September 21, 2024, from 12pm to 6pm at the picturesque McLevy Green Park, as folks come together to honor and revel in the vibrant tapestry of Latino culture during Hispanic Heritage Month.

What's Coming Up:

• September 15th: Hispanic Heritage Month
• September 16th: Coffee with NAFC at 10:00am at Starbucks on Church Hill Road
• September 26: Book Discussion at Newtown Congregational Church/6:30 pm-8:30 pm
• September 28: Youth Voices: CH Booth-Maker's Space
• September 29th: All Hands Meeting for NAFC
• October 17: Wilmington's 1898 Coup:Lessons Learned & Modern Implications with Rachel Torres

Want to be more involved with NAFC?

Join our next "All Hands On" meeting on September 29th, at

Newtown Congregational Church

14 West Street

Newtown, CT 06470

Have a question about NAFC? Please reach out to us at: newtownallies@gmail.com