Inviting More Voices to the Conversation
Nov 08, 2024
Our speaker series welcomed nearly 600 people to discuss critical issues involving inequity, poverty, and race.
Forget invite only. All were welcomed at this year’s “In Community” speaker series.
The three-event series drew nearly 600 guests representing a cross section of Fairfield County’s vibrant and diverse community. They brought high energy and thoughtful discussion to events featuring some of the brightest and buzziest thinkers of our time.
In October, Pulitzer Prize-winning author Matthew Desmond discussed the challenges of persistent poverty in America and rallied the audience to be “poverty abolitionists.”
In February, physician and author Dr. Uché Blackstock shared an inside view of the systemic barriers Black patients and physicians face, and led a discussion on addressing inequities in health care.
In May, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones discussed her work of covering racial injustice and her powerful 1619 Project, which explores the legacy of the Trans-Atlantic slave trade on our culture, politics, economy, and institutions.
“The series was meant to be a resource for the whole community, to spark conversation and get people active – and it did just that,” said Elaine Mintz, the Community Foundation’s Vice President of Strategy & External Relations. “Our goal was to provide opportunities for as many people as possible to take part.”
“Webster Bank values equity in our communities, so we were excited to support the ‘In Community’ speaker series. By welcoming everyone in our community to hear from experts focused on creating equitable access, we can take a positive step toward building stronger communities where all are able to thrive.”
Marissa Weidner
Chief Corporate Responsibility
Officer, Webster Bank
Removing Barriers to Engagement
That meant offering a no-cost option to attend, ensuring that the price of a ticket was not a barrier. The no-cost option was made possible in large part through the support of key sponsors: Webster Bank; the Carmody, Torrance, Sandak & Hennessey law firm; and series partner Connecticut Public. “Poverty, healthcare disparities, and our nation’s legacy of slavery resonate in the lives of everyday residents,” said Lucy Nalpathanchil, Vice President of Community Engagement at Connecticut Public. “As the statewide NPR and PBS station, Connecticut Public works to inform with conversations and events like these.”
Learning from Thought Leaders
Featured speakers Matthew Desmond, Dr. Uché Blackstock, and Nikole Hannah-Jones brought deep expertise to conversations that explored some of the most challenging and persistent issues facing our community and nation: from poverty and inequities in healthcare, to the historic roots of racial injustice. Feedback on the inaugural series was overwhelmingly positive. As one attendee of the Nikole Hannah-Jones event shared: “I am confident that the participants, and Nikole herself, are forever changed by this conversation. I know that I am!”
Help fuel more community conversations: FCCFoundation.org/SupportEquity
