The “Can We Talk” series began in 2016. This ongoing series is designed to engender productive and respectful discourse here in Concord. The goal is to create opportunities for the community to come together to discuss and learn from what is happening around us.
Since 2016, the CCACE Advisory Committee has promoted and hosted three community forums: Fake News: The Changing Landscape of Journalism in the 21st Century, Conversations in a Civil Society-Agreeing to Disagree, The Defamation Experience, and Unconscious Bias: Interrupting the Cycle.
CCACE covers the cost of bringing these talks to the community. We charge a fee to help defray these costs. If you would like, you may make a donation to help cover future “Can We Talk programs”.
October 2022:
Concord & Carlisle: Our Communities Through a Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Lens
Today, Concord and Carlisle face new challenges as we strive to be welcoming, inclusive communities. This series of four seminars will explore three critical areas:
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History: A Focus on Indigenous People and African Americans and their roles in the towns
When: Thursday, September 29th from 7:00-8:30pm
Where: Concord Main Library -
Education: Public & Private Education: How to ensure that all students feel welcome and included
When: Thursday, October 13th from 7:00-8:30pm
Where: Concord Main Library -
Housing: An understanding of the factors which influenced housing in these communities and how housing and land use has influenced social, economic and racial diversity in these towns
When: Thursday, October 27th from 7:00-8:30pm
Where: Trinitarian Congregational Church
Each of the three sessions will have three to five panelists with expertise in the area being addressed, both as to Concord and/or Carlisle specifically and as to how the issues have been handled elsewhere.
Our final session will begin with a summary of the first three seminars, followed by an opportunity to engage community members in a facilitated exploration and discussion of what steps should be taken to make Concord and Carlisle communities more diverse, equitable and inclusive. The last session will be followed by a reception which will allow for further information exchange and discussion.
When: Thursday, November 10th from 7:00-8:30pm
Where: Trinitarian Congregational Church
We anticipate that we will all come away with a better understanding of our own community’s history, and with recommendations for further study and action. It is our expectation that these four seminars will be just the first in a series of programs addressing DEI and moving our communities forward.
To encourage maximum participation, we are offering this 4-part series free to all participants. The League of Women Voters-Concord Carlisle is teaming up with many sponsors and donors to underwrite the cost of this and future programs.
If you would like to donate to support this program, please choose one of the following ways:
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Donate through the League of Women Voters of Concord Carlisle directly
(Please note that while convenient, this donation process is not tax deductible):
https://my.lwv.org/massachusetts/concord-carlisle/about/donate-lwvcc. -
For tax deductible donations, please make checks payable to:
LESF Local League Education Fund
With: “Concord-Carlisle” on the memo line.
Mail to: LWVCC, P.O. Box 34, Concord, MA 01742