education

Join the Sawyer Free Library and the Gloucester Racial Justice Team for a Special Black History Month Event

~ Sawyer Free Library

View and Review: Watching and Discussing a Virtual Author Talk with Lee Hawkins

When: Thursday, February 20, 5:00 to 6:30 PM Where: Sawyer Free Library, 21 Main Street

Celebrate Black History Month by viewing a recently recorded conversation with journalist and author Lee Hawkins, whose memoir—I Am Nobody’s Slave: How Uncovering My Family’s History Set Me Free—examines his family’s post-enslavement legacy of trauma and resilience. Through genealogical research, Hawkins reveals how personal stories can foster understanding and healing for all Americans.

After the 60-minute screening, we’ll hold a 30-minute discussion to share key takeaways and reflections. Light refreshments will be provided. This program will be facilitated by Rosary Lalik, a member of the Gloucester Racial Justice Team, and Meg O’Neill, Community Librarian at the Sawyer Free Library.

Don’t miss this powerful opportunity to learn, reflect, and connect with others in our community. We hope to see you there! Registration is required at SawyerFreeLibrary.org. For questions, email: moneill@sawyerfreelibrary.org or 978-325-5500.

Economic Outlook Breakfast: Critical Role of Downtown Economic Vitality

~ Greater Cape Ann Chamber of Commerce
Download Flyer

Please join the Greater Cape Ann Chamber on Thursday, March 6 from 7:30 – 9 AM at the Magnolia Library & Community Center for our 2025 Economic Outlook Breakfast.

This year’s Economic Outlook Breakfast features expert panelists exploring the critical role of Downtown Economic Vitality and how it drives our local economy. The conversation will explore how a thriving business district can fuel economic growth and the importance of strategic planning to balance economic development with the growing need for affordable housing. We will explore strategies for how local businesses and municipalities can collaborate to drive positive change. Don’t miss this opportunity to gain valuable insights and connect with local leaders committed to a prosperous future for Greater Cape Ann.

Panelists Include:
Emmy Hahn – Program Coordinator of the Massachusetts Downtown Initiative
Clark Ziegler –  Executive Director of the Massachusetts Housing Partnership

Facilitator:
Representative Kristin Kassner – MA House of Representatives, 2nd Essex District

For tickets, visit https://bit.ly/EconomicOutlookBreakfast.

The cost is $20 for Chamber members and $30 for non-members.

Schedule:

  • 7:30 AM: Breakfast
  • 8:00 AM: Panel Discussion
  • 8:40 AM: Q & A

Speaker Bios

Emmy Hahn: As the Massachusetts Downtown Initiative Program Coordinator for the Executive Office Economic Development, Emmy Hahn is the state resource for technical assistance relating to all aspects of downtown/town center/commercial area revitalization. In addition to administrating the MDI Emmy is also the point of contact for communities interested in implementing a Business Improvement District and Parking Benefit District. In 2021, Emmy was also the Program Coordinator for the IDA Pinnacle award winning Local Rapid Recovery Program. The program was responsible for implementing $10 million worth of technical assistance of CARES funds in response to COVID-19. Recently Emmy was asked to oversee the MA Vacant Storefront Program and assisted with the redesign of the program.

Prior to working at DHCD, Emmy was the Project Manager for the Main Street Program in Lynn, MA and was the Executive Director of Downtown New Bedford, Inc. in New Bedford, MA.

Clark Ziegler: Clark Ziegler is Executive Director of the Massachusetts Housing Partnership, a public agency that finances affordable rental housing and home ownership, provides community technical assistance, and helps shape state housing policy. Under his leadership since 1990 MHP has delivered more than $7 billion in below-market financing for more than 58,000 housing units.
Mr. Ziegler chairs the nonprofit Housing Partnership Fund, which is a national, federally-certified community development financial institution and an affiliate of the Housing Partnership Network. He also serves on the board of the Massachusetts Community Economic Development Assistance Corporation (CEDAC). He previously served on the MBTA’s management team and spent six years in Washington where he was legislative assistant and chief of staff to Massachusetts Congressman Robert Drinan. Mr. Ziegler is a longtime Ipswich resident and served as chair and as a 15-year member of the town’s Finance Committee.

Representative Kristin Kassner: Kristin Kassner is the State Rep for the 2nd Essex District – Ipswich, Hamilton, Rowley, Newbury, Georgetown, and Topsfield precinct 1. She lives in Hamilton with her husband and son. As a planning professional with 20 years of local government experience, she has dedicated her career to improving the quality of life for people and their environments in her district and the Commonwealth.

Rep. Kassner has a BA in Urban Planning and Geography from Miami University of Ohio; a Master’s degree in Urban & Environmental Policy from Tufts University, and completed the Supervisory Leadership Development Program from the University of Massachusetts. She was the Planning Director for the Town of Burlington, served as President of the Massachusetts Chapter of the American Planning Association and as Vice-Chair of the Hamilton Master Plan Committee. She is a member of the Associated Institute of Certified Planners, The Trustees, Massachusetts Audubon Society, Essex County Greenbelt, and Essex County Trails Association (ECTA).

Sawyer Free Library Receives $50,000 Grant from Essex County Community Foundation to Launch Digital Learning Lab and Inaugural Computer Basics Course

~ Sawyer Free Library

The Sawyer Free Library is pleased to announce that it has received a $50,000 Digital Equity Initiative Partnership Grant from the Essex County Community Foundation (ECCF). The grant will support the launch of the Library’s 2025 Digital Learning Lab—Gloucester’s first educational space dedicated to inclusive digital learning—and the Library’s inaugural Computer Basics Course, which will provide 15 hours of hands-on technology training. In addition, qualified participants will receive a free device and a one-year Internet service plan.

The Sawyer Free Library is one of 13 grantees to receive a 2025 ECCF Digital Partnership Grant. These grants, which total $627,000 and encourage cross-sector collaborations, are part of Advancing Digital Equity, ECCF’s multi-year, $3 million commitment to empower all Essex County residents with the access, education and equipment necessary to successfully navigate today’s increasingly digital world.

In total, this group of grants represents more than 60 local community partnerships and will positively impact residents from 26 Essex County communities. The Library’s $50,000 ECCF grant is allocated as follows: $18,520 for furnishings and audiovisual teaching equipment for the Digital Learning Lab, and $32,480 for program expenses associated with the Computer Basics Course.

“We are incredibly grateful to the Essex County Community Foundation for this generous support,” said Jenny Benedict, Sawyer Free Library Director. “By helping us establish the Digital Learning Lab and our first- ever Computer Basics Course, ECCF has demonstrated its commitment to ensuring equitable access to technology for all Gloucester residents. This partnership will transform how our greater community learns, connects, and grows in a digital world.”

The Digital Learning Lab, slated to open early this Fall as part of the Sawyer Free Library’s major renovation and expansion, will be an 800-square-foot publicly accessible space on the Library’s ground floor. Furnished with an interactive teaching display, Chromebooks, and classroom seating for 20 participants, the Lab is designed to address critical barriers to digital equity, such as broadband access, device access, and digital literacy.

Beginning in September 2025, the Computer Basics Course will introduce up to 50 participants—divided into four cohorts—to fundamental digital skills, including basic computer operations, productivity software, online safety, and communication tools such as email and video conferencing. Upon completion of the 15- hour training and demonstration of proficiency, participants will receive a free Chromebook and one year of Internet service.

The course is open to anyone who qualifies by demonstrating need or by identifying an educational, workforce, or personal well-being goal. Community partners such as Open Door, Action Inc., the Senior Center, and Wellspring House will refer participants, helping ensure the project’s success. Additionally, the Council on Aging/Rose Baker Senior Center, Gloucester Housing Authority, and the Gloucester Health Department will play a vital role in reaching those who benefit from the program and ensuring they remain engaged.

This initiative also includes valuable professional development for local high school and college student interns, who will help deliver the program through small-group tutoring and one-on-one support. Internships will be promoted in partnership with Gloucester Public Schools, leveraging channels such as the student newspaper, The Gillnetter.

UMass Lowell, which has played a crucial role in advancing digital equity throughout the region, will support the Library’s new educational program by providing additional funding for computer. The university is also embarking on a new college student intern program and anticipates a placement at Sawyer Free Library for the delivery and evaluation phases of the Computer Basics Course. The intern will assist with instructional activities, assessment tools, program promotion, and participant recruitment.

The Sawyer Free Library is a leader in advancing digital equity in Gloucester through partnerships, programs, and initiatives that foster a sense of belonging, community building, and continuous learning. Currently operating from its temporary location at 21 Main Street and online at sawyerfreelibrary.org, the Library looks forward to its grand reopening later this year. The renovated, expanded, and modernized space will bolster the Library’s central role in delivering innovative resources and opportunities to Gloucester’s diverse community.

To learn more about Advancing Digital Equity, please visit eccf.org/digital-equity/.

Saturday, February 15th: The Gloucester Meetinghouse Foundation Presents Kory Curcuru’s film series, “Timeline: Cape Ann.”

~ chasnaz

”Curcuru’s docuseries, “Timeline: Cape Ann”, produced for 1623 Studios, focuses on the history,culture and heritage of Cape Ann.  This event will present eight of Curcuru’s shorter videos,telling the story of Cape Ann’s unique history in jewel-like form, from the “first boss-lady,”Abigail Trask of Manchester-by-the-sea to Rockport’s long celebrated but little understood“Paper House,” actually a much more complicated tale than just a house of newspaper. Curcuru will be guiding the audience with his exciting style of storytelling.  The films will be shown on a big screen, in collaboration with the Cape Ann Community Cinema, in the Meetinghouse.  This will be a highly entertaining celebration of Cape Ann’s quirky, singular history.  

The film showing will be held on Saturday, February 15th at 7:30pm in the Gloucester Unitarian Universalist Church, located at the corner of Church and Middle Streets (GPS 50 Middle Street). Parking is available on the green. The admission for the event is $20 General, $5 Students (all ages), under 12 free.  An elevator is available from the side door at 10 Church Street. For more information please visit:  www.gloucestermeetinghouse.org

Sawyer Free Library to Host Local Author Kristin Czarnecki on Feb 6

~ Sawyer Free Library

The Sawyer Free Library will welcome Kristin Czarnecki, Executive Director of the Rockport Art Association & Museum, on Thursday, February 6 from 5:30 to 6:30 pm, for a special evening as she reads from her new memoir, Encounters with Inscriptions. The event will be at the Sawyer Free Library at 21 Main Street in downtown Gloucester. Registration is required at sawyerfreelibrary.org. 

When Kristin lost both her parents within nine months, she sought solace in books—but not just any books. In Encounters with Inscriptions (Legacy Book Press, October 2024), she reflects on the volumes her parents had inscribed and gifted her over the years, an array spanning novels, short stories, poetry, nature writing, cultural criticism, and even a cookbook. As Kristin revisits each cherished title, she explores her grief, the complexities of childhood and family, and the rewards of a life spent reading. She recalls falling in love with poetry, contemplates how the Troubles in Northern Ireland shaped her adolescence, reflects on the legacy of her mother’s feminism, and comes to know her father better through an author he loved. Ultimately, these pages reveal how the power of literature can inspire, confound, soothe, and surprise us.

Kristin Czarnecki is also the author of a memoir, The First Kristin: The Story of a Naming, and a chapbook, Sliced. Her creative nonfiction, poetry, literary criticism, and book reviews have appeared in numerous publications. Kristin holds a Ph.D. from the University of Cincinnati and was an English professor for many years at Georgetown College. From 2015 to 2020, she served as President of the International Virginia Woolf Society and remains on the Virginia Woolf Miscellany editorial board. She lives in Gloucester, Massachusetts.

This event will be moderated by Heather Atwood, an artist, a home cook, and a writer/producer who also lives here in Cape Ann. Additionally, The Bookstore of Gloucester will be on-site during the event to sell copies of Kristin’s books.

To register, go to the calendar page of sawyerfreelibrary.org. Space is limited. Questions, 978-325-5500.

Hawks, Owls & Eagles of MA with David Williams

~ Sawyer Free Library

How many different kinds of Hawks, Owls, and Eagles do you think frequent Cape Ann during the year? Join the Sawyer Free Library on Thursday, January 30 from 5:00 to 6:30 pm to find out!

Using interactive maps, photos, and more, David Williams‘ presentation will take a season by season approach to examine the more than 20 hawks, owls, and eagles that frequent our area. Some of these Raptors are common nesters in our area, some are Winter visitors, and some are rarities that cause excitement. Tips on identifying these birds of prey will be shared as well as how to respectfully find and view these special birds.

The event will take place at the Sawyer Free Library located at 21 Main Street in downtown Gloucester. All are welcome. Registration is requested at SawyerFreeLibrary.org For questions email jwilkins@sawyerfreelibrary.org or 978-325-5500.

Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday Event 2025

~ chasnaz

GLOUCESTER MEETINGHOUSE, MARTIN LUTHER KING Jr. BIRTHDAY EVENT 2025
The Gloucester Meetinghouse Foundation proudly presents its ninth annual
Martin Luther King, Jr. birthday event. It will be held on Monday, January 20th
at 2:00pm in the Gloucester Unitarian Universalist Church, located at the corner
of Church and Middle Streets (GPS 50 Middle Street). An elevator is available
from the side door at 10 Church Street. No charge for admission but freewill
donations are gratefully received. For more information please visit:
www.gloucestermeetinghouse.org


This year’s program will honor Dr. King by featuring the work being done by two
local groups to reckon with history. Afterward, there will be a discussion about
how vernacular history gets written, “how the word is passed.” The program
will open with a recording of Martin Luther King, Jr. reading segments of
“Letters from Birmingham Jail.”


Joe Rukeyser from the Cape Ann Slavery and Abolition Project will present
recent research on abolition. Melissa Dimond of Wellspring House will follow
with that organization’s work on the Freeman Family, the prominent Black
family who called the Wellspring House home for over 100 years. Then Michea
McCaffrey, co-chair of the Gloucester Racial Justice Team, and Dick Prouty,
founder of TownGreen and board member of the Gloucester Meetinghouse
Foundation, will lead a discussion on critical points made by author Clint Smith
in his book How the Word is Passed. (It is not necessary to have read the book.)
The Paul Revere Bell in the Meetinghouse tower will be rung at the end as
people disperse onto the newly restored green.

ABOUT THE GMF: The mission of the Gloucester Meetinghouse Foundation is to preserve the historic
1806 Meetinghouse, home of the Gloucester Unitarian Universalist Church, as a civic hub,
entertainment venue and community gathering center. The GMF is a 501(c)(3) corporation modeled on
a similar nonprofit that preserves Boston’s famous Old North Church.

Inspiring Author Talk on Writing with Wayne Soini at the Sawyer Free Library 

~ Sawyer Free Library

On Saturday, December 14 from 11am to 12 pm the Sawyer Free Library on Main Street will welcome local author and historian Wayne Soini.  He will share invaluable tips and recommend trusted resources to help you refine and publish your own book. Whether you’re dreaming of crafting fiction or nonfiction, this session will provide the guidance and motivation you need to get started this winter!

During his talk, Soini will explore Laurie Gwen Shapiro’s first published work, “The Ghost”—written when she was just a second grader—as a relatable example to inspire your writing journey. A Q&A session will follow, giving you the chance to ask questions and delve deeper into the writing and publishing process.

About Wayne Soini: A passionate historian, Soini holds a Master’s degree in History from UMass Boston. He is the author of two historical novels, Nixon in Love and Germany Surrenders! (2015), and coauthored Judge Fuchs and the Boston Braves (1998). His other works include Gloucester’s Sea Serpent (2010) and Porter’s Secret: Fitz John Porter’s Monument Decoded (2011).

No registration is required—just come ready to be inspired to the Sawyer Free Library at 21 Main Street in Gloucester. Visit sawyerfreelibrary.org for more information.

Family Author Talk with Mark Parisi!

~ Sawyer Free Library

Come to the Sawyer Free Library on Thursday, November 21 from 5:00 to 6:30 pm for an engaging evening with award-winning cartoonist, author, and Gloucester native Mark Parisi.

Mark will share insights into his creative process, discussing his new book The Truth About 5th Grade, his Marty Pants middle-grade series, and his long-running Off the Mark comic panel. The event will also feature a live drawing demonstration by Mark himself. 

Be sure to register for this fun family event at sawyerfreelibrary.org! Questions? 978-325-5500.

Gloucester Meetinghouse Symposium, Saturday, November 16th 2-4:00pm: “U.S. Democracy in Crisis. How did we get here and what can we do about it?”

~ chasnaz

The Gloucester Meetinghouse Foundation is proud to present author and journalist Colin Woodard speaking on the future of democracy. His book, “American Nations,” explains how our country’s regional, cultural and ideological differences can be largely explained by patterns set by early settlers, where they emigrated from, and what kind of societies they established.

Woodard will be referencing this work regarding the polarization we have experienced in the last ten years, the threat that holds to democracy, and the rise of groups trending towards authoritarianism. Following Woodard’s presentation, a panel of local educators and activists will join him, discussing ways that our republic, governed by the people, has been threatened and what can be done to preserve it.

● Kerry Herrmann, Rockport Middle School Civics and History Teacher.

● Steve Mott, Professor of Sociology at Massasoit Community College-Brockton Campus, MA.

● Michea McCaffrey, Co-Chair of the Gloucester Racial Justice Team, Gloucester Human Rights Committee Member, Activist

We invite the community to attend this free civic event in the Gloucester Unitarian Universalist Church, located on the green at the corner of Church & Middle Street (GPS 50 Middle Street). Event parking is available on the Green and also in the parking area behind Trinity Church. An accessible side entrance with an elevator is at 10 Church Street. Please join us for an incredibly relevant and important conversation, no matter what are the results of the current election.