RSVP for “Equity Matters”
The Keene Family YMCA, in partnership with the Monadnock Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging Coalition invite you to “Equity Matters” – a discussion with Dr. Francois “Officer” Clemmons at the Keene Family YMCA on Monday, April 4, 2022, at 4:15 pm.
Listen as Dr. Clemmons shares his life experiences as a Black, gay man living and working at the height of the Civil Rights movement. Gain valuable insights into why equity matters, and how today’s business and community leaders can and should advance equity in the workplace, and throughout the community.
This event is free and open to the public. Donations are encouraged to support the work of the coalition and their efforts to advance equity for all in the Monadnock Region.
This event is free to attend, but donations are greatly appreciated. Your gift will support the work of the MDEIB Coalition and help to advance equity in the Monadnock Region.
About Francois
Dr. Clemmons is an Afro-American singer, actor, playwright and Professor Emeritus. He is perhaps best known for his appearance on the PBS television series, Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood throughout the 1970s and 1980s.
Dr. Clemmons made history as the first African American actor to have a recurring role on a children’s program. He holds a Bachelor of Music degree from Oberlin College and a Master of Fine Arts from Carnegie Mellon University. He also received an honorary Doctor of Arts degree from Middlebury College. In 1973 he won a Grammy Award for a recording of Porgy and Bess. In 1986 he founded and directed the Harlem Spiritual Ensemble. And from 1993 until his retirement in 201, Clemmons was the Alexander Twilight Artist in Residence and Director of the Martin Luther King Spiritual Choir at Middlebury College in Vermont, where he currently resides.
Learn more about the incredible life and accomplishments of Dr. Clemmons in “Officer Clemmons: A Memoir” available for purchase on Amazon.
The Monadnock Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging Coalition
The Monadnock Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging Coalition (MDEIB) was formed in the summer of 2021 through a joining together of two Keene centered groups working to address this long-standing issue. The City of Keene’s Racial Justice and Community Safety Committee Report issued March 18, 2021, provided a sound, actionable document as the centerpiece of the Coalition’s formation.
The purpose of the MDEIB Coalition is to bring together a multidisciplinary group of individuals and entities working together to promote and develop the Monadnock Region as a welcoming and inclusive place for all including Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) individuals who live, work and visit our community. Additionally, the MDEIB Coalition will partner with community members, other institutions and businesses to promote diversity, create meaningful community engagement, and build a diversity and inclusivity foundation for all races, sexual identities, genders and people with disabilities.