Three Black members of the Downeast community recently came together to discuss living in white dominated spaces and the continuation of Dr. King’s work that still cries out to be done. Initially asked to present their discussion at a breakfast held to honor Dr. King’s birthday which was canceled due to an ice-storm, they were excited to be asked to share their panel discussion with the Jesup Library and its members.
Athena Witham expects to receive her Master's degree in Social Work in May of 2023 at the University of Maine. Athena’s academic and professional goals are anchored to her commitment to advocacy and social justice for underrepresented communities, ensuring that vulnerable, marginalized populations and diverse life experiences are at the center of her work.
Janine “JG” Georgette is an actor, singer, poet and educator who worked as a teaching artist for over 50 years. During the past several summers an obsession with sailing brought them to the beauty of the Maine coast where an unexpected connection to Ellsworth was fostered by work with the Juneteenth Downeast planning group.
Jacques H. Newell Taylor is an exercise design specialist keenly interested in elucidating and exploiting the relationships between physical performance, mental performance, and personal transformation. Jacques’s mission is to leverage physical and mental health to facilitate wise, compassionate action in our communities. He is a husband and father of two and is grateful to live in Passamaquoddy territory, also known as Southwest Harbor, Maine.
They note that we have had our first Black President. Segregation is no longer as blatant as a sign telling you where to sit, eat, or live. There are a growing number of Black millionaires. Rap, hip-hop, and R&B have taken over pop music - making the term "crossover artist" obsolete. So here we are. By many measures we, Black folk, are making it. Comfortable in our effort. Comfortable in what we perceive to be the fruit of our advocacy. Dr. King warned us about this. We invite you to join us in taking a closer look as we develop ways to work together on antidotes to the pervasive racism that continues to poison our society.