amherst-media-80974

Local Artist Profile: Gillian Haven

Thu, 16 Oct 2025 20:22:05 GMT

Hailing from the Amherst area, local artist Gillian Haven spent 20 years of her career living across the country. Now based in Pelham, Haven sat down with Amherst Media to discuss her creative process.

Local artist Gillian Haven says that birds don’t think about singing, they just do it. For her, the instinct to paint is just as innate.

Haven began painting here in the Amherst area when she was only a child, and has been pursuing it ever since. The place where she grew up has become a big part of who she is, though her career has brought her to far-reaching places across the country. Haven’s work has been featured in solo and group exhibitions here in New England, DC and California.

“I lived elsewhere for 20 years,” says Haven. Meaning Virginia, California, and Puerto Rico. “I didn’t realize how important [my hometown] was to me until I wasn’t there anymore… I really missed New England.”

Now based in Pelham, Amherst Media sat down with Haven in a collaboration with the Amherst Public Art Commission to talk about her creative process. She explained that in her work, she is often drawn to images of “openings” in something, like trees, water, sky holes; places where light comes through. Some paintings feature lit paths that slither between trees, or lone bodies of water– imagery that welcomes the viewer inside. “Something that’s a pathway out, or that leads me beyond,” says Haven.

Haven describes the challenge of painting as the act of starting from scratch over and over again, having to put one foot in front of the other until you are on your way. Though once you are over the initial hump of starting, Haven describes painting as a way to connect with the current moment. “You become a part of it instead of subject to it, overwhelmed by it. You get to contribute to it & it becomes joyful,” she says.

The challenge, as always, is how long she can stay in the present. Just like the birds outside her window.

The Sensory Inclusive Swim Program at Amherst Recreation

Thu, 25 Sep 2025 19:41:27 GMT

In the summer of 2024, Amherst Rec launched their adaptive swim program. Their goal to make the pool, a notoriously stressful setting for those with sensory difficulties, more inclusive for all.

As a parent, when you sign your child up for a swim lesson, you sign them up for safety and the skill-gain. Though in reality, you can expect them to face a choir of noise and splashes from the other children, and the natural push and pull of the pool's current.

For neurodivergent people, especially those who face sensory processing difficulties, such an environment can be highly stressful. Neurodivergent folks are significantly more likely to drown, and generally have a harder time in the water. Becky Demling, Outreach Director, is the parent of an adult son with autism who faces sensory difficulties. “Two of my kids could participate in some activities, and one of them couldn’t. And so when I came to [Amherst] Rec, it was really like, how are we gonna change this?”

So in the summer of 2024, Amherst Recreation launched an adaptive swim program tailored precisely to those individuals. The program was developed in collaboration with families of neurodivergent children and Kulture City, a non-profit whose goal is to expand accessibility for those with sensory needs.

Demling worked closely with the families to figure out strategies and sensory tools that were most beneficial to their children. Such as visual schedules and emotion scales, “We’re finding more ways to get them to where they’re comfortable and able to participate as fully as they are able to,” she says. Kulture City also provided staff with a training program for working with kids with sensory difficulty. Teaching them things like how to recognize a child with sensory needs, and how to handle a sensory overload situation. Lifeguards as well as the instructors are sensory inclusive trained.

Adaptive swim lessons are one-on-one and quieter, in contrast to a typical lesson that has more staff, more kids, and more noise. They are broken into blocks; 30 minutes of open pool time to get acclimated, followed by 30 minutes of adaptive swim curriculum tailored to the child, and 30 more of open swim to practice and ease out of the water. The program is run out of the Amherst Regional Middle School pool for a more controlled environment, so the pool remains a predictable and consistent space for the kids. Making it easier and more comfortable for them to learn. The lessons also utilize equipment that meets the standards of the Americans with Disabilities Act, such as stairs, chairlifts, walkers, and float systems.

“We’re able to impact a lot of kids,” says Demling. The summer the program launched, Amherst Recreation taught 49 adaptive swim lessons, indicative of a growing need to make essential swim and safety skills more accessible for neurodivergent members of the community.

The New Temporary Home of the Jones Library

Thu, 11 Sep 2025 20:53:58 GMT

With the original location closed for renovation, the Jones Library has been settling nicely into its new temporary location on University Drive.

Designed in 1927 to feel more like a home than a public space, the Jones Library closed its doors for renovations back in May. The historic fixture of the Amherst community began its new chapter exactly two months later in July at its new temporary home, and has been settling in nicely.

The staff at the library spent months preparing for the location switch. According to the head of Youth Services, Mia Cabana, they had been preparing mentally and emotionally for even longer. They took on the task of organizing the old building and preparing the new location in stride, “Librarians are a great demographic for when you need a big organizational task done,” says Cabana.

The new location offers a larger parking area than what has previously been available downtown. The library is now next-door neighbors to the Post Office and close to many local businesses, like Big Y. Settled in the heart of a busy area, their hope is that this will allow members of the community to include the library as a part of their routine.

Like any move, this one has required adjustment, due largely in part to the smaller space. Collaborative administrative spaces, like the Young Adult and Kids sections, have been separated. The library also no longer has the same capacity for programming. Events will primarily be held at different community spaces for the time being.

Despite these adjustments, the new location boasts a dedicated teen space– something the original lacked. This area is designed to give teenagers a new spot to hang out and do their homework, a preview of what the new building will offer. With the renovations, on top of the teen space, the library will be incorporating new spaces for ESL and children, and be more accessible for all community members. “We’re really able to think about the way that people in our community have been using the space… and design a building that is going to be more intuitive for people to navigate,” says Cabana.

At the original site, renovations will carefully preserve the library’s historic integrity, with design elements approved by the Amherst Historical Commission. 80% of the original mahogany woodwork will be retained, donating the remainder to an architectural salvage company to be reused. The synthetic slate roof will be replaced with natural slate and will be repurposed for the interior. In addition, areas of the library that were previously closed to the public will now be open with the redesign.

“Part of what we’re so glad we’re keeping is our location at Amity Street, because that’s always been a great anchor for downtown,” says Cabana. The Jones Library has stood tall in the community for almost a century, and will continue to do so upon its reopening in 2027.

The Committee Keeping Amherst's Trees Rooted in Community

Thu, 21 Aug 2025 19:48:14 GMT

On some Saturdays during the growing season, you can find the Amherst Public Shade Tree Committee with shovels in hand and their yellow town truck behind them, digging into the Earth in their effort to preserve and protect Amherst's trees.

On a dreary Saturday morning in June, a steady rainfall showers over the town and beads onto the shovels of the Amherst Public Shade Tree Committee. Through their rain-soaked resolve, they dig their shovels into rich brown soil, working to preserve and protect Amherst’s trees. “It’s a small group of people that make a big difference,” says Tree Warden Alan Snow.

The Amherst Public Shade Tree Committee (APSTC) maintains, promotes, and plants Amherst's street trees. Trees are integral to a healthy ecosystem; they improve air and water quality, add natural beauty to the townscape, and provide cooling shade in the summer heat. “It is well documented that urban spaces with ample trees are cooler, quieter, and more inviting… People are more likely to walk, shop, and spend time in areas with a tree canopy,” says Committee Chair Ellen Keiter.

So from March to November, on the second Saturday of each month, the APSTC sponsors a volunteer-driven program to put more trees in the ground.

Last year, they planted 55 trees across town, and 60 more at their new tree nursery at Slobody Farm. The nursery grows a diversity of species to eventually be planted through town. Among them is the red maple, which can produce 180 gallons of breathable oxygen annually– that’s nine times the size of the average car's gas tank– while absorbing rainwater to reduce runoff, and filtering carbon dioxide and other pollutants from the air.

Planting is only half the battle, however. Town street trees face an array of challenges to their survival. “The biggest threat to trees… are people,” Snow says with a slight laugh. Infrastructure projects such as sidewalks, roads, sewers, and communication lines can disturb the root zones of trees in confined urban areas. Cutting a tree’s roots – even just once – impairs its ability to take in water and nutrients, and eventually leads to its death. Many of the young trees that are dying are a direct result of landscapers, which Snow calls “landscaper disease.”

To combat these threats, the Committee schedules maintenance days to go out and care for Amherst’s 6,000 street trees. They mulch and water newly planted saplings to help them establish in the urban areas, and prune them so they do not interfere with town traffic or power lines.

Their efforts do not end with fieldwork. The Committee leads public tree tours and hands out free saplings at the annual Amherst Sustainability Festival. A point of major focus is ensuring that further development in town leaves adequate space for trees. To meet this goal, APSTC meets with town officials to talk about zoning and conservation. When buildings are too close to the roads, like on certain parts of Triangle Street downtown, there is not enough room for a healthy canopy to grow.

“Build with trees, pollinators, and people in mind. It is a smart investment in our town’s future and will ensure a sustainable economy that benefits everyone.” Says Keiter. “Please, always leave space for trees!”

Amherst Celebrates the Fifth Annual Odenong Powwow

Tue, 12 Aug 2025 17:24:08 GMT

The fifth annual Odenong Powwow took place this past May, bringing together community members for an ancient Native Cultural Celebration.

The fifth annual Odenong Powwow brought together Native people and other community members at Amherst-Pelham Regional High School May 24 and 25 to celebrate Native cultures from across the Americas, Caribbean, and Pacific Islands.

The Odenong Powwow is the only one of its kind in the area, bringing travelers from beyond the local area to culturally express themselves. This year's celebration featured top Native drum groups, dancers from different Nations, and hula performances. The event also hosted vendors selling items such as handcrafted jewelry, home decor, seeds, and other items.

Tribes such as Ojibwe, Odawa, and Mohawk, and others were all in attendance. The attendees, Native and non-Native alike were able to share in this cultural experience. “It is an opportunity to show non-Native people who we are, directly from us.” Says the event founder, Justin Beatty.

Beatty founded the Odenong Powwow in 2021, during the COVID-19 pandemic, with the intention of showcasing Native culture, and bringing the community together during a period of isolation. The inability to host Powwows had an impact on Native communities, and the turnout for the virtual Powwow prompted Beatty to turn it into a physical, annual event.

“TV and movies and books… are often well-meaning, but they usually only give a snapshot… It’s a much different experience when you can come.. and see for yourself, and talk to people and ask questions… It’s an opportunity for people to learn and hopefully have a good time.” Beatty says. Ultimately, his hope is that the event will get people interested in examining their own history, “We all come from indigenous people somewhere in the world.” The event aims to be a starting point for people on that path to connection.

For now, the Odenong Powwow relies on community spaces. But looking forward, the organizers aspire for Powwow grounds to be gifted back to Native communities. Much of Amherst and the surrounding area falls on the land of the Nipmuc people, whose history in the region dates back thousands of years.

LIBERATORY VISIONING SERIES WITH DR. BARBARA LOVE

yanna@amherstmedia.org (Yanna Ok) — Mon, 03 Mar 2025 19:20:06 GMT

Please register here and review flyer attached for more details. If you are unable to attend, please consider filling out this short survey and sharing within your networks. https://forms.office.com/r/cbzBXDfJ0h

Amherst Media's Raise Your Voice Gala

yanna@amherstmedia.org (Yanna Ok) — Sat, 09 Nov 2024 18:13:40 GMT

Join Us on Saturday, December 14th 2024, 5:30pm - 10pm

at the UMass Amherst Student Union Ballroom

This year we will be honoring Jacqui Wallace and the Amherst Gospel Choir with the Jean Haggerty Award for Community Engagement & Social Justice. Opening Remarks from Linda Ziegengein, UMass Amherst Assistant Vice Chancellor for Strategic Outreach & Engagement. Featuring Keynote speaker Celia Johnston Blue, President & CEO of Massachusetts Women of Color Coalition. The event will include dinner, our year in review, dancing with DJ Don, cash bar, and performances.

You can purchase a ticket or help sponsor the event HERE . You can either buy an Individual ticket or you can check out Our Sponsor Deck and see which level sponsorship you desire. All of the profits will go to Amherst Media and assist our organization in our mission to raise the voices of the Amherst community.

Letter from our Honorary Host Committee:

Join us for the 2nd Annual Amherst Media Raise Your Voice Gala on Saturday, December 14th from 5:30 pm to 10 pm at the University of Massachusetts Amherst Student Union Ballroom where we will present beloved community leader Jacqueline Wallace and The Amherst Area Gospel Choir with the 2024 Jean Haggerty Award for Community Engagement and Social Justice.

Early bird tickets are $75 when purchased by November 30th, and the last day to sponsor and purchase general tickets is December 8th. Ticket registration and sponsorship levels can be found Here .

At 48 years strong, Amherst Media is the longest serving local community access media organization in the country bringing public, educational and Amherst government happenings straight into your living room. Let’s gather and raise all our voices in community to that accomplishment and to our revered honorees.

With Hope and Gratitude,

Your Gala Organizers,

Fanny, Marita, Vira & Yanna

2024 Honorary Host Committee:

Andrea Battle, Lisa Baskin, Justin Beatty, Elsie Fetterman,

Victoria Morales, Michael Morgan, Ed Severance, Amilcar Shabazz,
Carlie and Gary Tartakov, Roger and Jacqui Wallace

"Cambodians in Amherst: A History of the Khmer Community"

Tue, 29 Oct 2024 00:05:16 GMT

Saturdays at the Amherst History Museum from 11am - 3pm until November 2, 2024

Living in a place like Amherst, Massachusetts, it’s easy to feel like you are bombarded by a constant history lesson of pilgrims and tea parties. With indigenous and colonial history right outside your front door, more contemporary stories can struggle to get the spotlight. The Amherst Historical Society is one of many resources for those looking for history that’s lesser known– including a different kind of pilgrimage.

Amherst Media partnered up with the Amherst Historical Society to create its very first “Cambodians in Amherst: The History of the Khmer Community” exhibit. It tells the story of Cambodian refugees, and the local volunteers who helped them during and after the Cambodian genocide of the late 1970s and 80s. Watch videos , hear stories, and interact with historical objects important to the people fortunate and brave enough to start a new life in Massachusetts.

Amherst Media has been proud to help curate and spread the word about this exhibit and its message. Cambodian Amherst Regional High School (ARHS) students were given camera training, allowing them to interview older members of the community about their experiences. Our very own Interim Executive Director, Yanna Ok, who is also a part of the Amherst Cambodian Exhibit Committee, oversaw the camera training, shooting, and editing of the oral histories , as well as the creation of the display boards found throughout the exhibit, featuring archival photos of refugees and their stories. Director of Production, Dave Sondrini has also been integral in producing promos to advertise the exhibit.

While many older immigrants struggled to learn English, face their first North American winter, and find jobs— locals then and now worked to establish a network of support. Today Cambodian Americans who benefit from the work done are using that network, across age and background, to tell their story. Amherst Media is proud to provide resources to help tell that story. We share many thanks to the ARHS students, and all the community volunteers, who made this exhibit as authentic and evocative as it is.

You can see “Cambodians in Amherst” exhibit at the Amherst History Museum, on view every Saturday through November 2nd.

Find out more about the exhibit from these article in the Massachusetts Daily Collegian , Daily Hampshire Gazette , or from the Amherst Historical Society .

The exhibit was made possible by:

Mass Humanities, The Amherst Historical Society, Asian American & Pacific Islanders Commission, Amherst Cultural Council, UMASS, and Amherst Media

A Push for Access

Mon, 18 Mar 2024 17:00:00 GMT

See how you can help give the gift of access to fellow residents...

Everyone deserves to understand the decision-making processes and conversations that will shape the future of the Town of Amherst.

One of our missions is to bridge the digital divide in Amherst. We hope to accomplish this through providing access to training and technology, a goal that requires us to stay ahead in a technology landscape that is evolving rapidly. This effort aims to empower all community members, irrespective of language barriers, to be well-informed and actively involved. civically engaged.

With the thanks to growing technologies and capabilities available to us, we have the opportunity to provide our audience not only with live captions in English, but live and on demand translations in over 70 languages.

As our community continues to deliberate on its commitment to diversity and inclusion, and the role the town can play in this, it is crucial to consider those members who are non-English speakers or have hearing impairments. These individuals are integral to our community and should have equal access to all types of programming, be it governmental or otherwise, as their fellow community members.

How Can I Help?

Join us in being a catalyst for change by contributing to our initiative: the Closed Captions & Translations Campaign.

Donors have the opportunity to designate which program and language they wish to support through their donation. To acknowledge their generosity, we will include the following message at the start and conclusion of each program:

"Closed Captions for this program are provided by..."

Furthermore, donors can receive a 30-second Public Service Announcement (PSA) to express to the community the significance of supporting this cause.

Guide: Structuring Your Story

Mon, 11 Mar 2024 16:00:00 GMT

Amherst is full of important stories. We can help you to tell it...

The community of Amherst is a treasure trove of untold stories just waiting to be explored and shared. Whether you're inspired by real-life events or letting your imagination run wild with fiction, there are valuable tools at your disposal to help shape and refine your narratives.

For all Amherst Media members, we're excited to offer our comprehensive Storytelling Guide! This invaluable resource will be your companion in crafting your story from the initial spark of inspiration to the final punctuation mark. Dive into the art of storytelling and uncover the timeless structures that have made your favorite tales endure.

Discover how you can infuse your unique voice and preferences into the storytelling process, ensuring that your narratives resonate with authenticity and creativity. We've poured our hearts into creating this guide, and we hope it serves as a beacon of inspiration for the vibrant community of Amherst. Get ready to unleash your creativity and share your story with the world!

Black History Special Programming this Month

Thu, 01 Feb 2024 16:21:56 GMT

Check out the new programs we're featuring to kick off Black History Month.

Amherst Media is delighted to honor Black History Month by featuring local narratives, events, and stories that highlight the rich and diverse experiences of the Black community in Amherst. We believe that it is important to celebrate and amplify the voices and contributions of Black individuals, and we are committed to showcasing the resilience, creativity, and cultural heritage of the Black community through our programming and content. Join us as we recognize and honor the impact of Black history and culture in our community and beyond.

Reckoning with Racism in Nursing

Interviews with Nurses of Color and Their Allies

Channel 15 | 1pm on Tuesdays & Thursdays

In 2021, 40 interviews were conducted with nurses from across the United States. These interviews capture the wealth of professional and personal experiences of nurses of color, spanning decades and encompassing a wide array of topics and concerns.

My Voice, My Story

Black History Month Portrait Series

Channel 12 | 4:30pm on Tuesdays

The Black History Month Portrait Series, "My Voice, My Story", produced by Amherst Media member, Kim DeShields, returns with an interview with Tennis Professional and Black Tennis historian, Arthur "Art" Carrington. This fascinating interview dives into the racial consequences of club sports, high performance tennis with the likes of Arthur Ashe and Althea Gibson, and the building of the Multi-Sport Center at Hampshire College.

Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Community Reading

Town of Amherst MLK Day Celebration

Channel 12 | 7pm on Saturdays

The Town of Amherst hosts the Martin Luther King Day celebration with a community reading in the Bangs Center.

Rewind Magazine: Issue #3

Thu, 18 Jan 2024 22:50:14 GMT

Presenting the third edition of the 'Rewind', designed and written by our interns!

Please enjoy the third edition of the 'Rewind' digital magazine, produced by Amherst Media Journalism and Social Media interns.

The 'Rewind' was created to showcase intern works, highlighting their originality, creativity, and journalistic reporting. With Kristen Matul Toc, the News Coordinator and Editor, and Emily Tarinelli at the helm, the Broadcast Journalism and Production interns produced multiple episodes of the Amherst Weekly Report and either chose the pieces they felt the most proud of, or created a completely new piece to alter for print.

This issue featured stories from across the Five Colleges, including an exclusive opinion piece by Basil Pursley, who fled New College of Florida following political unrest to Hampshire College, and their subsequent culture shock when they began attending school in Amherst. Emily Tarinelli provides a guide to local indie bookshops. Emma Roths-Wells and Mia Guaetta both reported on the intensity and consequences of pro-Palestine student protests across the Five Colleges. And for the first time, Social Media intern Kalina Kornacki provided a story about the potential future of local journalism and the means by which the government may or may not intend to protect it.

Social Media interns Amanda DiPaola and Kalina Kornacki developed an 8-bit, retro theme for this issue, creating intricate graphics and scenery, giving it a sense of movement as the reader progresses through the magazine.

The magazine also showcases our Production interns, Shelby Smith, Kate Grundfast, and Damion Middleton, who all played a vital role in producing the Amherst Weekly Report.

Together, the team crafted a comprehensive piece that narrates the story of their work and achievements while interning with Amherst Media during the Fall 2023 semester.

Amherst Media thanks our interns for their dedicated efforts in continuing to produce locally-focused content, and we look forward to what they will create in the future. Please show our interns support and appreciation by reading and sharing our third issue of the Amherst Media 'Rewind'.

High Schoolers Find Hub at Amherst Media

Wed, 17 Jan 2024 20:10:49 GMT

High Schoolers and Amherst Media enjoying the fruits of a budding relationship.

Amherst Media staff have worked over the past two years to strengthen the relationship between the organization and Amherst students, hosting field trips and visiting classes to spread awareness about our services and offerings.

The Amherst Regional High School newspaper, The Graphic, features multiple stories highlighting the impact on student artists.

Amherst Media gives back: internships a boon for high schoolers

By Ruben Candelaria de Jesus

Film Club members shooting an original flick

By Nate Mills

Yanna Ok, the Director of Programming at Amherst Media, plans to set aside a regular time slot on Channel 15 exclusively for student-produced content.

The impressive collaboration between Amherst Media and the students underscores the significance of broadening the availability of Amherst Media resources to students at Amherst Regional Middle and High School.

Amherst Media's Capital Campaign

director@amherstmedia.org (Rachel Figurasmith) — Mon, 11 Dec 2023 23:13:04 GMT

Join Us in Creating the Dr. Demetria Rougeaux Shabazz Center for Media Arts

At Amherst Media's 48th annual meeting, Executive Director Jim Lescault and Board President Vira Douangmany announced the Dr. Demetria Rougeaux Shabazz Center for Media Arts.

To be constructed at the corner of Main and Gray streets, the 1.5 story Greek Revival building has received approvals from various town boards, with fundraising for what had been projected to be a $1.3 million building.

Shabazz was considered a visionary leader at Amherst Media and for the town of Amherst.

"Dr. Shabazz was steadfast in her support for free speech and providing the venue for diverse community voices, dedicating herself to promoting and enhancing Amherst Media's presence in the Amherst area," Lescault said. "She saw the need to own our facility for sustainability. It is now up to us to pull through the last hurdle of building the new facility."

The new building, within walking distance of the middle and high schools, will have a television studio and podcasting studio and will serve as a media training site for youth and community members. Government transparency will continue and be enhanced by broadcasting and archiving all Amherst Town Council and School Committee meetings, and recording important town events.

"Brick by brick, dollar by dollar, we will accomplish it together and we will make history together to make real that Amherst will now have its first building to be named after a Black woman," President Douangmany said.

Amherst's Technology and Media Center since 1976

Amherst Media has been committed to supporting relevant values in order to bridge the digital divide and raise the voices of our community, such as:

Localism
Freedom of Expression
Media Literacy
Government Transparency
Venue for Civic Engagement & Participation

This Can Become a Reality with Your Help

Amherst Media is funded by donations, membership feed, and 5% of Comcast cable revenue. We are a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit. All donations are tax deductible.

Providing Venue for Media-Making and Creative Expression

This new hub for creative expression will provide training and access to the latest technology to any member of our diverse community, with an effort to create a welcoming environment to individuals and organizations working to unify community-building initiatives.

Amherst Media is committed to expanding local news coverage, keeping a spotlight on local government, and enabling community members of all ages and experience levels to develop new skills for a changing world.

Because We Believe in the Importance of Community-Led Media

Amherst Media's new facility at Main and Gray Street will provide the organization sustainability through ownership, and increase visibility and accessibility. It will be nearer to Downtown Amherst on a major traffic artery, walking distance from the High and Middle schools, with a bus stop in front of the building.

Press Coverage

Amherst Media to name new headquarters after Demetria Rougeaux Shabazz

Read Article on Daily Hampshire Gazette

Amherst Media's 48th Annual Gala

Tue, 17 Oct 2023 21:09:04 GMT

Find more information about this exciting event inside. We hope to see you there!

You're invited to our community gala for Amherst Media, kicking off our capital campaign to build the new Dr. Demetria Shabazz Center for Media Arts . We hope it will be a night to build unity in Amherst and celebrate the future of our town.

The party is on Saturday, November 18 at 7pm , at the 11th floor Banquet Hall of the UMass Campus Center. The evening will feature dinner, music, dancing, a program featuring renowned poet Martin Espada, and the presentation of our annual Jean Haggerty Award to Vladimir Morales (posthumous) and Victoria Silva: long-time leaders in Amherst.

The evening will also honor and remember Dr. Demetria Shabazz: a visionary leader in both our town and in Amherst Media, who passed just a month ago. As we prepare to break ground on building our headquarters on Gray St., we have decided to name the media center in her honor.

We have multiple sponsorship opportunities, and we hope you will consider joining us at this level. All sponsorships include tickets to the event, and also promotion for your organization. Please see our attached sponsorship information , and please call me if you have any questions!

Reserve Your Seat Now

View Sponsorship Opportunities

Now Accepting Board of Directors Nominations

All of our community members are welcome to attend our Annual Party, November 18th at UMass Campus Center.

We are accepting nominations for member elected candidates.

There are currently three open seats . Nominations close November 9.

You must be a member to nominate and to vote. To become a member choose from :

Become a Member

Renew a Lapsed Membership

Submit a Nomination

All current members and those new members enrolled by October 20 will be allowed to vote. However, you can become a member at any time through-out the calendar year.

Come on and join in “Raising Your Voice”!

In Remembrance of Dr. Demetria Rougeaux Shabazz: Former Amherst Media President

director@amherstmedia.org (Rachel Figurasmith) — Tue, 17 Oct 2023 21:05:54 GMT

With the recent passing of our long time member, producer and director, the Amherst Media community sends our deepest and heartfelt love and support to the Shabazz family.

With the recent passing of our long time member, producer and director, the Amherst Media community sends our deepest and heartfelt love and support to the Shabazz family:

My dear friend Dr. Demetria (Dee) Shabazz was a righteous and visionary thinker and consummate doer.

Her passion for and connection to community driven local access stations wherever she lived, led her to seek out membership at Amherst Media nearly fourteen years ago when she and her family moved to Amherst.

Dee had her boots on the ground. She was in the trenches for Amherst Media. Dee believed in us, in our ability to connect, uplift, and to be hand in hand telling the stories of our lives. She believed local access is a platform to share these truths and she led Amherst Media through and out of our toughest moments when we had to fight inch by inch, tooth and nail, for our right to build a new home on Main and Gray.

As we endeavor to continue to lead this organization, we remain proud that she led us here to this place of sustainability, possibility and envisioning again. Still, it does not relieve us from the pain of losing a great one.

Submitted by: Vira Douangmany Cage, Board President 2023-Presen t

My heart is broken hearing this sad news. Dee was my mentor, colleague, and dear friend. She set the bar high in so many areas in my life. She lived life with enthusiasm, compassion, zest, thoughtfulness for her family, friends, community, especially her students.

How blessed I was to be one of her many students at UMass in the communication department. She mentored me and encouraged me to intern at Amherst Media and go to graduate school. I can't count the many hours I spent working with her on projects, board meetings, and in community outreach.

Like so many others, I feel a hole in the fabric of life from her passing. However, I know the heavens are rejoicing welcoming Dee home. Sending prayers of peace, comfort, and love to the family and friends.

Submitted by: Patrice Crosby Wilson, Former Board President

Dr. Demetria Rougeaux Shabazz (Dee) was an extraordinary person. She believed in the power of storytelling and learning from other people's stories.She believed that all people should have the ability to be able to share their stories and that was one of the reasons she committed her time to Amherst Media. She wanted the community members to be able to tell their stories and how telling of the stories brings the community together.

Listening to Dee's stories always gave me the confidence to share my experiences. Dee always wanted to hear from the community and made sure that the town government heard from community members, not just the powerful in the town. Dee would lift up the voices of all the community members to the town government so that many people felt their voices were being heard. Thank you Dee for being a model of how to listen to others and how to raise the voices of all townspeople.

Dee also believed in government transparency and Amherst Media's ability to keep the townspeople engaged and aware of what was going on in town government. She was a consistent voice in advocacy that the town meetings be available for as many people as possible, especially those who couldn't attend the meetings in person, but still wanted to be informed of what the town government was doing. She constantly voiced support for the government transparency that Amherst Media provides so that town members may be informed and engaged in the governing process.

I know that Dee was a role model to whom I looked up to. Admiring the way she shared her strength, character, and sense of what is right. I will greatly miss the ability to continue to walk with Dee on this earth, but know that she is supporting us as we continue to work to build a better community here in Amherst.

Submitted by Artie McCollum, Board Vice President and Board President, 2021-22

When I reflect upon Dr. Demetria Shabazz, my friend and colleague, I feel her compassion, laugh at her humorous and sincere outlooks and admire her steadfastness. She was indeed an educator, a motivator and an activist. Trying to list all of the organizations and committees she was associated with can be daunting, and I am fearful of excluding any here. The same goes for the various Amherst Media programs where she hosted or was a panelist.

When it came to community media Dee always made herself available, sometimes demonstrating to others how they could host their own program. Dee herself was always willing to create new and engaging programming, where community residents told their stories, expressed their opinions and raised their voices. Archiving for Dee was in the now and present. Her mantra was tell and record your story or someone else will tell it for you.

How many lives did Demetria positively touch? We will never know, but those who listened, watched and followed her example will be recognizable. They will be the curious, engaging and thoughtful ones, entrenched in community dialogue, joining others in addressing issues of social justice, while being vocal agents for change.

Demetria wore her support for Amherst Media on her sleeve and told people wherever she was that Free Speech isn’t an abstract concept, but rather an organism, one that needs oxygen and constant vigil. Dee nurtured and practiced Free Speech and made Amherst a more dynamic community - one that questions injustice; advocates for programmatic changes and put forth policies to engage others to envision a Community/Society that met all of the people’s needs.

Dee’s Legacy within the community will be measured by how we move her work forward, collectively. Perhaps this adage can help us understand and emulate Dee’s path:

A person does as they must-in spite of personal consequences, in spite of obstacles and dangers and pressures- and that is the basis of all human morality.

Submitted by: Jim Lescault, Executive Director, Amherst Media. 2007-Present

Rewind Magazine: Issue #2

yanna@amherstmedia.org (Yanna Ok) — Tue, 17 Oct 2023 21:00:23 GMT

Enjoy our second edition of the 'Rewind', designed and written by our Social Media and Journalism interns!

Please enjoy the second edition of the 'Rewind' magazine.

The second issue of the 'Rewind' magazine was created to showcase intern works from the spring 2023 semester, highlighting their originality and journalistic talent.

The design was led by this semester's Social Media Interns, Julia King, Cindy Ho, Kelsey Diggins, and Molly O'Regan, who developed a minimalistic and modern theme.

The stories in this edition captured the hot topics of what is happening in the Amherst area including an exclusive piece about the recent protests written by Lead Anchor & News Writer Ariana Gonzalez, and News Writer Morry Ajao. Other writers included Emily Tarinelli and Norah Tafuri of Mount Holyoke, and Rachael Dufault of Umass. You can find more of these interns' work by tuning into the Amherst Weekly Report episodes posted on YouTube and on Channel 12 where they frequently play.

The magazine also highlighted our production interns, Selene Bonafini, Dylan Shea, and Yang Yi Chen, who all collaborated effectively and efficiently in the production and post-production of the Amherst Weekly Report. Also, there's Tyler Beraldi, who has been with Amherst Media as our Sports Anchor & News Writer for several semesters, and Kristen Matul Toc who took on the new role of News Coordinator.

Together, the team created a variety of work that challenged them to learn new skills and take on new roles.

We genuinely thank our interns for their hard work this semester and look forward to what they will come up with in the future.

Unveiling the New Community Forum: 'CommonGround'!

Wed, 29 Mar 2023 00:18:59 GMT

We're ecstatic to invite you to join our new platform for civic engagement and community organizing!

View it here: amherst.publicinfrastructure.org

Amherst Media and the Initiative for Digital Public Infrastructure (iDPI) are excited to announce the launch of CommonGround, an online platform for local civic conversations. This partnership provides a new tool for community outreach to Amherst Media—a long-time advocate for civic engagement and a trusted local media organization—and a new way for Amherst residents to stay connected to the issues affecting their community.

CommonGround is an online “town common” guided by three crucial tenets: it is stewarded by the community that uses it, facilitates civic discussions via thoughtful moderation and iDPI’s own research, and is entirely non-commercial.

CommonGround was developed by the Initiative for Digital Public Infrastructure: a research center at UMass Amherst that studies the social and civic role of internet platforms. In an era where much of our online lives are spent using one-size-fits-all platforms, developed by a tiny handful of multi-billion dollar companies seeking to maximize growth by hooking users with addictive engagement, the tools proposed and developed by iDPI lay the groundwork for an internet that is built expressly for the public good, prioritizing vibrancy in our social and civic lives.

The platform itself is simple to use and feels like a town-sized version of Twitter, where community members write and reply to short-form text posts. In an ideal use case, CommonGround is the primary online space for residents to host civic discussions that are important to them, instead of places like Facebook Groups and Nextdoor where community members have much less input in how their discussion space is governed.

iDPI first launched CommonGround in November 2021 as “AmherstTalks" in a collaboration with the Town of Amherst. AmherstTalks hosted two discussions that directly contributed to the town’s policy decisions: one on traffic changes around Kendrick Park and another on design proposals for the Jones Library renovation project. iDPI is excited to expand the scope of the platform by partnering with Amherst Media to create an independent and local online space for discussing issues that matter to the community.

To start, CommonGround will be headed by Kevin Zheng, iDPI’s community manager, with content curation and moderation support from the staff at Amherst Media. Recognizing that the team managing the platform should change with the needs of the community, the governance of the platform will be an ongoing discussion towards creating a digital space that is driven and led by the community that it serves.

If you are a member of the Amherst community, you are invited to sign up for CommonGround at amherst.publicinfrastructure.org , where you can join our first conversation about rising housing costs and start your own conversations about the issues affecting you.

Rewind Magazine: Issue #1

Sat, 17 Dec 2022 01:47:27 GMT

Enjoy our first edition of the 'Rewind', designed and written by our Social Media and Journalism interns!

Please enjoy the first edition of the 'Rewind' magazine.

The 'Rewind' magazine was created to showcase intern works from the semester, highlighting their creativity and journalistic prowess.

The design was led by this semester's Social Media Interns, Kelsey Diggins and Parker Kiersten, who developed a graffiti or paint splatter style theme.

The stories in this edition were as diverse as they were thorough, including two exclusive opinion pieces written by Journalism Coordinator Intern Selene Bonafini, and veteran Sports News Anchor Tyler Beraldi. Other writers included Corinne Arel and Ariana Gonzalez from UMass, Jade Mosely of Smith College, and Asa Khalid of Hampshire College. These interns not only reported on these stories in the weekly episodes of the Amherst Weekly Report , but also recreated these works for print.

Last but not least, the magazine also highlighted our production interns, Regina Bian, Anna Whitney, Madison McGrath, and Charlotte Fishman, who all contributed to the production and post-production of the Amherst Weekly Report.

Together, the team created various works that pushed them to learn new skills and fulfill new roles.

We whole-heartedly thank our interns for their hard work this semester and look forward to what they will come up with in the Spring.

Intern Spotlight (2022)

Thu, 15 Dec 2022 02:05:01 GMT

Discover what's possible when you take advantage of the resources at Amherst Media.

We are so proud to share the accomplishments of the many interns that get to work with us. Anything is possible when you use the resources Amherst Media has to offer.

Here's two past Amherst Media interns who, after graduating, picked up where they left off after anchoring and directing the productions for the Amherst Weekly Report .

Rae Whitley

WWLP-TV22

UMass, BA in Communication, TV and Film Production

Interned 2021-2022

Rae Whitley is a Production Assistant and Camera Operator at WWLP 22News in Springfield. She studied video production at the University of Massachusetts and interned as a Production Intern at Amherst Media, where she was quick to move into the role of Director of the weekly news program, 'The Amherst Weekly Report'. Rae's cinematography and leadership skills have helped her move into positions at various video production companies, and she is sure to move onto even greater ventures.

Karan Chaudhary

National Public Radio (NPR)

UMass, BA in Journalism

Interned 2022

Karan Chaudhary is a Morning Edition and Content Operations Intern at NPR, where he has already begun creating content and sharing his stories with the nation. Karan worked as a News Anchor and News Writer intern for Amherst Media, both at the studio desk and in the field, before he took his charismatic delivery and story-telling prowess to a national stage and beyond.

You can listen to his first story here:

https://www.npr.org/2022/12/09/1141820358/after-53-years-the-last-boeing-manufactures-its-last-747

If you're interested in beginning your or your student's internship at Amherst Media, please reach out to intern@amherstmedia.org .

Amherst Media's 47th Annual Meeting

Tue, 25 Oct 2022 01:10:24 GMT

We invite you to be a part of Amherst Media’s celebration by attending the 47th Annual Meeting on Wednesday, November 30, 2022, 6:30-8:30 PM.

Dear Amherst Media Members and Friends, thank you for your ongoing support!

We invite you to be a part of Amherst Media’s celebration by attending the 47th Annual Meeting on Wednesday, November 30, 2022, 6:30-8:30 PM at the New Africa House, UMass . This Annual Meeting will be in-person for the first time in a few years.

The accessible entrance is in the back of the building.

Hopefully you have been able to follow Amherst Media’s latest happenings from our newsletters but if you haven’t then here is a real quick overview:

We have moved to a temporary location, vacating our former facility of 31 years.
We currently have two women who went through the Amherst Schools working as full-time staff at Amherst Media.
The Amherst Weekly Report news program is growing in popularity.
The Amherst Regional Public Schools Film Club is filming out of AM.

As a member, a non-member, or an affiliated organization, you know how important community media is for informing and inspiring civic engagement in our town, especially by recording and archiving public meetings and preserving history through-out the Greater Amherst Area.

No other public access center has served their community for as long as we have, and with your help we can continue to make things happen in Amherst, but we need your input and support to continue.

The Annual meeting is open to all and is an opportunity for new and old members to reconnect with the board of directors, elect new members only members can nominate and vote see the enclosed nomination papers and to celebrate a deserving person or organization in Amherst that represents a commitment to community engagement to obtain social change, like Jean Haggerty.

Named in honor of our beloved former producer and board member, Haggerty was a well-known community activist for many years in Amherst and the award is in honor of Jean’s lifetime dedication to advocacy, free speech, social justice, and service. This year’s award will be announced prior to the event, and bestowed that evening, along with results of the member elected Board of Directors.

So please take a minute and renew your membership, or become a member for the first time.

Members should nominate a person you feel would bring energy and conviction to Amherst Media’s mission and mark November 30, in your calendars!

Nominations can be made here:

https://amherstmedia.app.neoncrm.com/np/clients/amherstmedia/survey.jsp?surveyId=2&

I look forward to seeing you at the annual meeting.

Sincerely,

Artie McCoullum
President of Board of Directors
Amherst Media
101 University Drive
Amherst, MA 01002
413-259-3300

Affordable Housing in Amherst

Fri, 09 Sep 2022 01:13:15 GMT

September 13 | Channel 17 | 6:30pm - 9pm: Join us for a Zoom meeting about the Affordable Housing in Amherst, live on Channel 17.

The Trust's mission, as an instrument of town government, is to promote the town's affordable housing priorities as determined through the most recent town housing plan, particularly to create safe, decent, and affordable housing for our most vulnerable populations.

The Amherst Municipal Affordable Housing Trust presents a LIVE Zoom meeting covering AMAHT goals and accomplishments that will take place Tuesday, September 13, 2022 from 6:30pm to 9pm.

The webinar will be available to watch Live on Channel 17, live on the Amherst Media YouTube channel , and live on our Live Stream page.

Speakers include:

AMAHT Erica Piedade , Co-Chair
AMAHT Carol Lewis , Co-Chair
Keith Fairey, Way Finders President and CEO
Diane Smith, Way Finders Chief Real Estate Officer
Architect, Narrow Gate
Faith Williams, Way Finders Senior Vice President, Property and Asset Management

Hampshire County Sheriff Candidate Forum Now Online

Thu, 01 Sep 2022 02:26:03 GMT

A Candidate Forum highlighting the Primary Election race for Sheriff of Hampshire County, sponsored by the Amherst and Northampton Leagues of Women Voters.

The Amherst and Northampton Leagues of Women Voters hosted the Candidate Forum for Sheriff of Hampshire County on Thursday, August 25 at 7:00pm.

The candidates presented their views and answered questions in-person at the new Northampton Center for the Arts, 33 Hawley Street in Northampton. Online simulcasting was also provided. Amherst Media and Northampton Open Media teamed up to record the forum.

The entirety of the Candidate Forum is available to watch below.

The MA League of Women Voters website provides their reasoning for hosting such an event, stating, "As one of the few contested county offices in this year’s Primaries, the race for Sheriff brings to light the importance of this arm of local law enforcement."