COMMUNITY ACTION

A native of Springfield, Massachusetts, is building what she says is the region's first alumni organization for Historically Black Colleges and Universities or HBCUs.

We talk to organizers of We the Land, a conference joining Black and Brown farmers across the region, visit newly opened cafe Violet in South Hadley, and talk with interim Word Nerd Peter Sokolowski about the origins of jazz.

We speak to Peaceful Ensemble and Abby Kingsman of Mountain River Taiko, tour Jericho in Holyoke, have a summer white thunderdome with Mary and Ben Daire, and hear about a BIPOC maker's market in Florence.

The Easthampton City Council passed a resolution on Wednesday calling for Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell and the Northwestern district attorney to investigate and charge federal ICE agents when they violate state law.

The forum is organized by 40 nonprofit organizations in the region and would be an opportunity for U.S. Rep. Richard Neal and his two opponents, Jeromie Whalen and Nadia Milleron to speak with residents.

We find out what Double Edge Theatre has in store for their annual summer spectacle, speak with Mount Holyoke professor Patricia Dawson about her great aunt's book, "A History of the Cherokee Nation," and visit The Triplex Cinema for their "FREE AIR CONDITIONING" series.

We check out the needs of the surrounding towns of the Quabbin Reservoir, talk about how to talk about the 250th with guest Word Nerd Peter Sokolowski, and talk to Historic Deerfield about their Plays in Place series.

We visit the Hilltown 6 pottery studios before their workshops and open house, take a tour of the Amherst Survival Center, and explore the difference between "wrack" and "rack" with the Word Nerd.

We check out what the Valley Arts Mentors have in store for their new exhibit "Revolution Artstories," and learn about the movement to book more women at music festivals.

We take a tour of Pomeroy's Vegetable Farm, check in with the 2026 Battle of the Botanicals fundraiser at the Hitchcock Center, and check out the newest editions to the slang dictionary with the Word Nerd.