Community Events and Projects

Spoken Word and Song Writing for Social Change ​engages youth in telling stories of our culture’s racism and invites envisioning a neighborhood, workplace, and school without racism. 

Building on their awareness of inequitable systems and actions that contradict our pledge of “liberty and justice for all”, participants will create a set of peaceful protest lyrics, hip hop, or spoken world poem. 

This 8-session project begins in the second week of February, and we’ll work on hosting a live performance – pending COVID status – for the afternoon of Sunday, June 27 at Exeter’s Swasey Park Pavilion.

The project is funded in part by a grant from New Hampshire Council for the Arts and sponsor Kennebunk Savings. 

Project Title: It’s More Than Skin Deep: Skin Color and Its Impact on Children.

The symposium will be an examination of how our collective history as well as societal and parental influence have made an impact on children’s perception of themselves and others based solely on skin color; how that perception affects children’s well-being and eventual role in our changing society.  Funded in part by a grant from New Hampshire Humanities and our event sponsor Kennebunk Savings.

This four part series brought to you by Racial Unity Team and Robinwood Center aims to provide an understanding of racist language and definitions, a basic understanding of what systemic racism is and what it looks like, and how NH fits into this. Please join us through zoom.

Press Release: Racial Unity Poetry & Art Contest Winners Announced

Students, parents, and area residents have been anxiously waiting for the Racial Unity Team to announce the winners of the Second Annual Art & Poetry Contest. This year’s themes were Racial Justice and Racial Identity. Entrants ranged in age from elementary school children to adults. Each first-place winner will receive a $100 award. The prize money was made possible by our Art and Poetry sponsor Cambridge Trust located at 17 Portsmouth Avenue, Stratham NH. 

The Racial Unity Team invites you to walk in the footsteps of Exeter’s earlier generations and explore the racial history of our town—the conflicts, concessions and changes that have taken place over time.  

This tour will explore how race has affected Exeter’s place in history.

For more information email racialunityteam1@gmail.com or call us at 603-263-6511.

Description of the services:

Curriculum Building for Curriculum Planners and Social Studies Teachers.

Address and prevent racially motivated issues for school principals, SAU superintendents, administrative staff, and teachers.

Field trips and guided tours of historical sites in Exeter for students, teachers, parents and community groups.

Support Extended Learning Opportunities (ELO) for students and teachers. Build understanding by taking the classroom into the community. 

SAU 16 Anti-Discriminatory Task Force (ADTF). This is a wide-ranging group  with the clear focus of eliminating discriminatory practices within the system as well as overseeing the development, maintenance, and execution of the plan under SB263. 

Concerned about possible omissions of racial inclusion in the NH Curriculum Framework for Social Studies, the Racial Unity Team launched a project to get involved with the State Board of Education.  The Racial Unity Team is helping to draft an inclusive and diverse NH Curriculum Framework for K-12 Social Studies. If you are interested in learning more or wish to get involved in the curriculum redrafting effort, contact the Racial Unity Team. To learn more click on the button below.

 This virtual Fireside Chat will feature personal experiences of four public school  teachers’ responses to how they are addressing racial justice, equity, and inclusion in our SAU 16. Superintendent of Schools, Dr. David Ryan, will discuss building an anti-bias and anti-racist school system. Community participation will be encouraged.

Panelists: 

Katie Gallo, Curriculum Coordinator K-5, Swasey Elementary School Brentwood.

Caroline Siecke, Social Studies, Cooperative Middle School Exeter.

Adam Krauss, History the ELI Teacher, Exeter High School.
Cynthia Young, Social Studies, Portsmouth High  School.
Moderator: Barbara Rimkunas, Historian, Exeter Historical Society
 

In our role as community change agents, we are increasingly aware of the importance of racial diversity and ethnic inclusion in decisions made in New Hampshire during the COVID-19 pandemic.  We are focusing on the ongoing need of the community while honoring New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu's stay-at-home  order.  We have taken steps to keep you informed  via our scheduled Fireside Chat. The first  event using a ZOOM meeting room is titled COVID-19  and Racial Equity. This event took place on April 29, 2020.  Click on See Video button 

 In light of the recent national events, we will have use this Fireside Chat to discuss recent events and spend time healing. The goal of the night is to allow our community a sacred space to share thoughts and to perhaps become enlightened by new thoughts, and to at best we can spark the minds of the community to unite and lift each other up. 

When: June 3, 2020.  Click on See Video button