Black History Month

“Do not be afraid. This is your time in history. Keep your eyes on the prize. And at all costs, stay united.”

– Ruby Bridges

As an integral part of our work, Grace Farms is committed to creating and making space for inclusive, collaborative, and meaningful community building with engaging leaders and timely programming.

This year, we join with more than two dozen supporters to create a virtual conversation with American Civil Rights icon and leader, Ruby Bridges, present a series on Movement for Healing with wellness leader Pilin Anice, discuss the work of Afro-Indigenous centered community farming with Cheryl Whilby, Soul Fire Farm‘s Communications Director, as well as offer space for moderated discussions meant to foster inclusive communities.

We also invite you to discover a selection of recommended texts featured in our Library on-site at Grace Farms.

*Top Photo: The Problem We All Live With is a painting by Norman Rockwell that is considered an iconic image of the Civil Rights Movement in the United States. It depicts Ruby Bridges, as a six-year-old African-American girl, on her way to William Frantz Elementary School, on November 14, 1960 (Source: Wikipedia).

Screening and Discussion: A Conversation with Civil Rights Icon Ruby Bridges

Grace Farms Foundation’s Community Initiative Director Karen Kariuki spoke with Ruby Bridges about her life, experiences, and thoughts on fostering greater understanding, dialogue, and inclusivity in all of our communities.

The conversation was inspired by an 8 year old New Canaan resident who wrote a letter to Ms. Bridges and brought together an entire community to take action as a result of a racially-motivated incident that he experienced at Mead Park that made him sad. He looked for a way to make a positive change in this community. He started with reading a book about Ruby Bridges, and then he wrote a letter asking Ms. Bridges to come and speak to the kids and grownups in town.

Grace Farms is profoundly grateful to have had the opportunity to spearhead this pivotal moment for the community – fueled by the support of many individuals and institutions from across the nonprofit, educational, faith, business and private philanthropy sectors in New Canaan and beyond who made this program possible, including East School, South School, West School, NBC Sports, New Canaan Library, New Canaan Community Foundation, Ridgefield Alliance, First Congregational Church, Temple Sinai, Grace Community Church, Saint Aloysius Parish, St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, First Presbyterian Church of New Canaan, B Kind Foundation, and more.

Screening and Discussion: A Conversation with Civil Rights Icon Ruby Bridges

Movement and Meditation

In 2022, the Association for the Study of African American Life and History’s theme for Black History Month is “Black Health and Wellness”.

Movement and wellness leader Pilin Anice, accompanied by musician Kevin Makarewicz, guides us through Movement to Relax and Movement to Energize. By equipping us with tools to breathe, relax, and be in our bodies during this time, these programs are designed to heal us, inspire us, and create a sense of connection with our selves and our surroundings.

Pilin Anice also returns with an in-person meditation and movement course on Mar 05, 2022 for pre-teen and teen girls, ages 8 to 13. In this empowering interactive workshop, girls practice mindfulness and self-expression to discover the power of their voices and bodies.

Movement for Healing

Watch Now

Movement and Meditation for Girls

In this empowering in-person workshop, girls (ages 8-13) practice mindfulness and self-expression to discover the power of their voices and bodies.

Soul Fire Farm

Soul Fire Farm is an Afro-Indigenous centered community farm committed to uprooting racism and seeding sovereignty in the food system. We spoke with Cheryl Whilby, Soul Fire Farm‘s Communications Director, about their work and their mission.

Explore Programs:

Screening: A Conversation with Civil Rights Icon Ruby Bridges

The 45-minute interview with Ms. Bridges will be screened at Grace Farms at 11 am and 2 pm on February 1, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, and 16. On February 12, the screening will also include a moderated discussion with Community Initiative Director Karen Kariuki.

Fostering Inclusive Communities

Join Community Initiative Director, Karen Kariuki, for a conversation about Grace Farms’ work fostering inclusive communities, food equity, and sustainability in our local and global community.

Movement and Meditation for Girls

In this empowering in-person interactive workshop, girls practice mindfulness and self-expression to discover the power of their voices and bodies (ages 8 to 13).

The Work at Grace Farms | Addressing Systemic Racism

Fostering inclusive communities has been a part of Grace Farms Foundation’s work since opening. Inspirational performances, interactive events, and engaging programs have provided opportunities to engage partners and the public so that together we can advance good, pursue peace, and help create more equitable communities.

The work has included:

Books on Faith & Meaning | Jesus and the Disinherited by Howard Thurman, inaugural title (Public Book Group)
Books on Faith & Meaning | Cross and the Lynching Tree by James Cone (Public Book Group)
Community Conversations | Kevin Young presents Bunk (Public Program)
Mini Webinar with Dr. Reeves of Nextions on Inclusive Leadership (Leadership Staff Live Webinar)
Race & American Memory | The Unexpected Journey of an American Woman (Public Program)
Race & American Memory | Film Screening of 13th with Sona Okun of EXALT (Public Event)
Race & American Memory | Stamped from the Beginning with Dr. Ibram X. Kendi (Public Program)
Race & American Memory | The Langston Hughes Project (Public Program)
New Canaan The Start of Change: Addressing Racism series (Community Partner)
Letters from Birmingham Jail (Progressive Public Reading)
Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates (Public Book Group)
The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin (Public Book Group)
Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (Public Book Group)
The Color of Law: A Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated America by Richard Rothstein, with Connecticut Council of Philanthropy’s Fairfield County Funder Network in partnership with Open Communities Alliance (Non-profit Space Grant)