Ukraine War forum at Forbes

NORTHAMPTON — A community forum on “The Ukraine War — Where Is It Heading?” will be held on Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. at Forbes Library, 20 West St.

Two speakers with different views on current U.S. policy will address the questions: Should the U.S. continue arming and supporting Ukraine to defend its sovereignty, protect its democracy and defeat Russia? Or should the U.S. urge Ukraine to negotiate a settlement before it loses even more soldiers, territory and critical infrastructure, and risks escalating the war into a direct confrontation between the U.S./NATO and Russia?

Speakers will be John Feffer, Amherst author and director of the Foreign Policy in Focus project of the Institute for Policy Studies in Washington, D.C.; and John Berkowitz, Northampton retired peace, racial justice, and environmental activist.

Questions and comments from the audience will follow. The program will also be livestreamed for remote viewing on Forbes Library’s YouTube channel.

The event is co-sponsored by Forbes Library and Massachusetts Peace Action Education Fund. More info: forbeslibrary.org/events; masspeaceaction.org.

 

Immigrant writing workshops with Restless Books

AMHERST — The Jones Library and Restless Books will bring two immigrant writing workshops to the community this summer, with support of the Amherst Cultural Council.

The “Immigrant Writing Workshop: Fiction” is a two-session, in-person workshop led by Ilan Stavans that will be held at the Jones Library’s Woodbury Room on Tuesdays, June 25 and July 2, from 7- to 8:30 p.m. This workshop is designed for emerging and established writers of all backgrounds who are immigrants or are focusing on writing fiction about immigration.

All participants receive a free copy of a Restless Books fiction title written by an immigrant writer. Exceptional pieces produced in the workshop are considered for publication by Restless Books. This workshop is for participants ages 17 and older. Registration is required and closes at noon on Monday, June 24. To learn more and register, please visit www.joneslibrary.org/fictionworkshop.

The “Immigrant Writing Workshop: Nonfiction” is a two-session virtual workshop led by Ilan Stavans that will be held via Zoom on Tuesdays, July 16 and 23, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. This workshop is designed for emerging and established writers of all backgrounds who are immigrants or are focusing on writing nonfiction about immigration. All participants receive a free copy of a Restless Books nonfiction title written by an immigrant writer. Exceptional pieces produced in the workshop are considered for publication by Restless Books.

This workshop is for participants ages 17 and older. Registration is required and closes at noon on Monday, July 15. To learn more and register, please visit www.joneslibrary.org/nonfictionworkshop.

Stavans is the co-founder and publisher of Restless Books, a consultant to the Oxford English Dictionary, and the Lewis-Sebring professor of Humanities and Latin American and Latino Culture at Amherst College.

 

Holyoke High School graduate nets new car

HOLYOKE — Jacqueline Rivera Burgos, a Holyoke High School student, received a new car earlier this month as part of a collaboration between the city’s two high schools — Holyoke High and Dean Technical High School — and Gary Rome Hyundai.

Gary Rome, president and CEO of Gary Rome Hyundai, handed the keys to a new Hyundai Venue to Burgos on May 30. Burgos was selected from a group of 20 finalists. Each one turned a key and the one with the lucky key was awarded the car.

The Gary Rome Academic Achievement Award began in 2010. One deserving junior or senior is awarded a new Hyundai vehicle each year. Rome works closely with the principal and guidance counselors to ensure this annual event is a success. The students that apply must maintain a minimum GPA of 3.0 or better, have fewer than six absences during the school year, and no major disciplinary infractions.

“It’s important to provide the youth of our city with something to strive for and be excited about,” said Rome. “This can be empowering, as they control meeting the qualifications for this award. And when they are inspired, there are no limits to what they can achieve.”