Generations of Struggle: Connecticut and Civil Rights

Join us for a cross-generational conversation about growing up during the Civil Rights era and today. Panelists who grew up during the 1960s and in the early twenty-first century will share their memories of challenges, their experiences of activism, and their vision of what the future holds for the next generation.

This event is free, but please let us know you will attend at (860) 236-5621 x238 or rsvp@chs.org.

Moderator: Dr. Stacey Close is Associate Vice President for Equity and Diversity at Eastern Connecticut State University (ECSU) in Willimantic. A professor of history, Close received his Ph.D. and M.A. from The Ohio State University and B.A. from Albany State College (Georgia), and is a member of the CMCH’s board of trustees.

Panelists:

Tenaya Taylor was born in Hartford and works at Hartford Food System. Growing up in the northern section of the city, she has always been active in bettering her community. While spending most of her time in the city she became very involved by attending events that included art, music, and social action. She currently advocates for Hartford citizens by utilizing social media, volunteering with organizations, and posting on her blog Hartford, ETC.

Bulaong Ramiz is an activist and social justice educator from Hartford. She continually finds inspiration in the experiences and stories of others and stands in solidarity with those sharing her mission. She has written for the Huffington Post and contributes to the blog Model Behaviors.

Retired Hartford Fire Department Chief Charles A. Teale, Sr., served as a firefighter in the city since 1982. He has long been active in the Hartford community, serving for two years as President of the Phoenix Society—a club of African-American firefighters—as well as on the Board of Trustees for the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Hartford, the United Way of the Capital Region and the CMCH.

Andrea Seldon, daughter of William “Bill” Brown, grew up watching her father establish the Urban League of Greater Hartford while he championed equal access to education, equal hiring practices and lent his leadership to the boards of many community organizations, including the Friends of the Community Renewal Team and the Sickle Cell Association of Connecticut.