Five Towns: One Book – March/April 2023

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For the third year, CURE, in partnership with the five libraries of Harrison, Larchmont, Croton-on-Hudson, New Rochelle, and Rye, we focused on the multifaceted and brilliant Lorraine Hansberry with a biography of her life, Radical Vision by Soyica Diggs Colbert. This biography opens many entry points for discussion, reflection and learning as Ms. Hansberry was a writer, playwright, activist, feminist and part of the gay community at a time when it was not as accepted. She died of cancer at 35 years old but contributed more to the Freedom movement than most in her short life. The programming was made possible with generous funding from the Westchester County Board of Legislatures. In addition, we are proud to have partenered with The Lorraine Hansberry Coalition in Croton. Watch the complete series HERE.  More resources HERE.

The Anti-Racist Book Club for Young Families – June 2022

This past June 2022, in partnership with The Larchmont Library, parents and kids ages 3-6 (pre-K to 1st grade) attended a fun and engaging 5-week summer book club. Each session included story time, a short children's video, and accompanying activities, all facilitated by community leaders. The series was book-ended with affinity spaces for parents only, led by anti-racist facilitator Cyndi Carnaghi-Collins, totaling seven events. The focus was to learn together how to comfortably and consistently talk about race and racism at home. The material was curated by One Million Talks and Otilia Taylor-Tanner of The Humble Bumble.

The Lines Between Us  Video Series – January 2022 – In partnership with Community Resource Center and LMC Media

Race and immigration status are lines that divide or connect us. With greater understanding and information, those lines blur. LMC Media’s web series “Lines Between Us” used animation to educate, inspire, and create awareness about issues concerning racism and immigration. LMC Media worked with nonprofits that specialize in these issues to help identify voices that can speak out and tell individual stories. The videos are short stories told by an individual willing to speak on topics that have affected their lives.

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To see the January 25th panel discussion about The Train Story video and to get resources CLICK HERE.  To see all of the videos in the series, CLICK HERE.

Five Towns: One Book – March/April 2022

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For the second year, CURE, in partnership with the five libraries of Harrison, Larchmont, Mamaroneck, New Rochelle, and Rye, funded by The Westchester BOL, and inspired by Catherine Parker, engaged hundreds of Westchester County neighbors through five events around Heather McGhee's book, The Sum Of Us. Ms. McGhee joined us via zoom on March 28th in a hybrid event at the New Rochelle Public library with 5 leaders from our Westchester community, as moderators.  Her generosity, brilliance, and grace are just what we needed right now.  This year 20 additional county libraries added community programs to their rosters, inspired by Ms. McGhee's book.  WATCH HERE!

Five Towns: One Book – March/April 2021 – CASTE by Isabel Wilkerson:

CURE in partnership with the five local libraries of Harrison, Larchmont, Mamaroneck, New Rochelle a nd Rye and funded by the Westchester County BOL, hosted this virtual series to spark dialogue among communities on the Sound Shore and beyond about race and racism in the US inspired by CASTE by Pulitzer prize winner, Isabel Wilkerson. Five Towns: One Book included four smaller virtual community conversations conducted by experienced facilitators culminating in a virtual visit with Ms. Wilkerson where over 700 people attended. These conversations drew on individual chapters of ​Caste​ as the springboard for an exploration of topics ranging from American racism and The Third Reich, the burden of whiteness, the difference between race and caste, and the power of stories to forge healing.

Resources HERE.

Equity in Education – December 2020

CURE was honored to engage in a conversation with experts in Educational Equity, Congressman Elect Dr. Jamaal Bowman & Dr. Rosa Rivera-McCutchen, Associate Professor of Education Leadership, CUNY Lehman College. WATCH HERE!

Inequity in Our Towns: Four Part Panel Series – September to November 2020

As the Covid 19 pandemic brought racial injustice and inequities to a greater height CURE decided to look in our own backyards at the following issues and what we could do about them. We had local expert panelists join us on the topics of Digital Equity and Child Well-Being, Employment, Housing and Immigration. We ended the Inequity In Our Towns series with a "Bonus" Panel inviting leaders from our municipalities and in greater Westchester like Catherine Parker, Steve Otis, Nancy Seligson, Tom Murphy, and Shelley Mayer to address these issues and discuss what could be done about them in the future. 

Contemplating 400 Years of Inequality with Dr. Angel Acosta – July 2020

Dr.Angel Acosta guides us in an exploration of a graphic timeline documenting the complex history of the US. The timeline focuses on events related to issues of race, class, gender, sexuality and immigration from the time that enslaved Africans first were brought here in 1619 to the present. The experience combines deep learning, breath work, community building, and mindfulness. It is powerful whether you are new to this history, or familiar and want to take a deeper dive. In addition to viewing the timeline, participants journal and engage in small-group and whole-group discussions of their learning and reactions.

Reimagining Criminal Justice – June 2020

INN Founder and Executive Director is Dr. Baz Dreisinger, Professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, City University of New York; author of the critically acclaimed book Incarceration Nations: A Journey to Justice in Prisons Around the World; founder of John Jay’s groundbreaking Prison-to-College Pipeline program; 2018 Global Fulbright Scholar for her work promoting restorative justice and higher education in prisons internationally. Dr. Baz speaks regularly about justice issues on international media and in myriad settings around the world. www.incarcerationnationsnetwork.com  Facebook and Twitter: @bazdreisinger

Center For Racial Justice In Education Workshop:

Talking About Race For Parents  – March 2020

CURE and thirty community members spent a morning at the Community Resource Center with incredible trainers from CRJE where we started to understand why and how to talk to children so that they become racially just citizens. 

The 33rd Annual MLK Day Event – January 2020

All those who attended The Larchmont/Mamaroneck Human Rights Committee's MLK Commemoration on January 12, 2020 were inspired by the engaging stories of these two transformative lives: Elizabeth Saenger and Marlon Peterson. CURE follows up with ways to further your knowledge of mass incarceration. SEE MORE HERE!

Indivisible Westchester Podcast: UNDOING RACISM

Westchester’s own Rev. Kym McNair explains what “undoing racism” means and how that journey can change your life. Plus, the women of CURE and how they are helping their own local community start on that very journey. Find out more about Undoing Racism workshops at https://www.pisab.org

Dr. Shannon O'Grady – November 2019

CURE invited Dr. Shannon O’Grady to address the challenge of discussing race at home. Shannon brings a unique perspective as her own family is comprised of what she calls "a series of divine explanations." She has two white biological children and two adopted Haitian children. Dr. O'Grady, in the midst of writing her memoir, read her letter, "DEAR COLORBLIND WHITE PEOPLE!", which addresses some of the thorny issues around race and parenting.

Domestic Workers' Rights Workshop – November 2019

We discussed DOMESTIC WORKER’sS RIGHTS. In partnership with Mariana Alonso-Jusufaj of Hand in Hand - a domestic workers' advocacy group - and  Jirandy Martinez of Mamaroneck's Community Resource Center. We heard intimate stories of workplace challenges from local babysitters, cleaning women and more. We discussed how domestic employers could build a more equitable workspace for these essential members of our community’s ecosystem by offering paid vacation, sick days, etc. 

Screening of Cracking the Codes Documentary – October 2019

CURE showed the documentary, CRACKING THE CODES, a provocative film by Shakti Butler and The World Trust. This film asks America to talk about the causes and consequences of systemic inequity. There was a  facilitated discussion afterwards by David Peters of New Rochelle Against Racism (NewROAR), trained by the People’s Institute for Survival and Beyond.

Stories of Race and Bias in Our Town: A Three-Part Conversation – Part 1, May 19, 2019

We heard Jirandy Martinez of the Community Resource Center discuss what our Latinx Neighbors are Facing here in Mamaroneck.  Part 2, June 9th: We discussed REDLINING with facilitator, Jountel White. Our guest speaker was Keith Yizar. Part 3, July 19th: We dissected the repercussions of school segregation and desegregation and how it affects us today. We also considered the lived experiences of students from all ethnicities. Facilitated by Jountel White.

The 32nd Annual MLK Day Event – January 2019

CURE was honored to be asked by the Larchmont/Mamaroneck Human Rights Committee to partner for their 30th annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemoration. The local HRC honored 50-year veteran teacher at Mamaroneck High School, Mrs. Shannon Turner-Porter.  Our esteemed guests were John Beiwen and Dr. Chenjerai Kumanyika. They shared Episode 6 of the podcast, “Seeing White” on Scene on Radio. They were gracious, brilliant and inspiring! The event was held at the Hommocks Middle School and we are forever grateful for the partnership with both HRC and the Mamaroneck Union Free School District and their support of our work! The event was attended by 300 people and was a true success!

Not My Idea, A Book About Whiteness at The Voracious Reader – November 2019

Facilitated by Robin Alpern from the Center for the Study of White American Culture. For more resources for children, click here

Screening Of 13th, The Documentary By Ava Duvernay – October 2018

Dr. Baz Dreisinger was our keynote speaker after the screening of 13th, a documentary by Ava DuVernay. We discussed how America's prison system is an extension of Jim Crow. We were hosted by The Larchmont Avenue Church! It was an eye-opening evening for many of our community members who left the event ready to take action toward prison abolition.

Intimate Gathering: Screening An Episode of  America To Me – October 2018

At one of our Intimate Gatherings, we screened an episode of AMERICA TO ME, the Starz documentary about an integrated high school in Oak Park, Illinois.The episode we chose focused on race issues and the lived experiences of the students.