Community Events and Projects

 A  living, breathing proof of the power of the arts.  This annual competition sponsored by the Racial Unity Team is the largest of its kind in the area. We will award up to a total of $2,000 in prize money to artists of all ages (elementary, middle school, high school, and adult).  The competition is designed to infuse into communities new energy, creativity, growth and understanding as to the true meaning of Racial Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice as seen by our youth and experienced by our adults. 

For contest guidelines visit Contest Rules. 

Prize money is made possible by our Art and Poetry Challenge sponsors and donors like you.  Please donate.

When EHS freshman Ingrid Janicki presented her research paper, Schools Need To Reexamine The Common English Curriculum, her teachers were blown away. Her essay is a powerful reminder that teachers “can change a student’s life by taking an active stance in adding healthy diversity to [their] classroom bookshelf.” This project seeks to do just that - aid teachers in adding diverse books to their classroom libraries by supplying the teacher with the winning entry a box of diverse novels geared toward their grade level. 

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 word poetry. 

This eight-session project begins the second week of February 2021, 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. 

On Saturday July 3, 2021 readers delivered the famous speech "What to the American Slaves is Your Fourth of July." You can watch the video and the message it delivers by clicking on the link provided.

You can also read the USA Today Network Article  by clicking on the link.

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

The 2020 symposium was 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.

Summer Reading lists are everywhere!. The Racial Unity Team's summer reading list is out.  Discuss how books by authors of color expand our racial perspective. Invite your book group and select a list of titles to add to your list. Form a small group conversation with your own favorite book and questions!

Reach out to the Racial Unity Team if you need help with forming a small group or wish to learn more about how to start a small group.

This four-part series was brought to you in 2020 by the Racial Unity Team and Robinwood Center. It provided 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. You can view these videos below.

The Racial Unity Team invites you to walk in the footsteps of Exeter’s earlier generations and explore the racial history of this 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 in 2018 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 ongoing curriculum redrafting effort, contact the Racial Unity Team. To learn more click on the button below.