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Natick Artists Open Studios tour draws art lovers from all over—even Madrid

October 17, 2022 by Deborah Brown 1 Comment

Over 30 artists at a dozen locations in Natick either opened up their studios or set up tables in a group setting to display their offerings over the weekend at the annual two-day Natick Artist Open Studios event. The art-loving public came out in good numbers on a beautiful fall day to check out (and buy) the work of local silversmiths; painters, metal workers; ceramicists, fabric artists, woodworkers, photographers, jewelers; and more.

By the count of artist and record-keeper extraordinaire Jo LaFalce, by Saturday visitors from 14 cities and towns, including Madrid, had come through the 23 Adams Street studios alone. That’s not Madrid, Maine or Madrid, Kentucky, by the way. That’s as in Madrid, Spain. This event is getting quite a global feel to it.

Natick Artists Open Studios

 

Natick Artists Open Studios

 

 

Natick Artists Open Studios
Natick Artists Open Studios

 

Natick Artists Open Studios

 

Natick Artists Open Studios

 

Natick Artists Open Studios
Natick Artists Open Studios

 

Natick Artists Open Studios

 

Natick Artists Open Studios

Family Diversity Photo Show

New this year is a Family Diversity photo exhibit, on display upstairs in the sanctuary of the historical First Congregational Church through October 23. Sponsored by the Hanna family, the poignant exhibit features portraits of families who have grappled with the mental illness of one of their own. Each photo is combined with a compelling account of the family’s struggles and triumphs that show strength, courage, integrity, and accomplishment in the face of adversity and stigma. Stop by the Natick Center church and find out how people living with mental illness and their families have come out of the shadows and into the public eye.

Filed Under: Art, Community, Embracing diversity, Entertainment

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Natick celebrates Diwali on Saturday

October 11, 2022 by Bob Brown Leave a Comment

The public is invited to celebrate Diwali, a festival of lights celebrated by millions of Hindus, Sikhs and Jains across the world,  at the Morse Institute Library on Saturday, Oct. 15 from 2:30-4:00pm

Activities will include:

  • Paint diyas & make lanterns
  • Draw chalk art on sidewalks
  • Capture memories in the photo booth
  • Participate in the community Garba dance
  • Make Diwali cards in the children’s room

Starting Monday, Oct. 3 and while supplies last, you can also pick up a “Take & Make Rangoli kit” at the library.

The Morse Institute Library is located at 14 E Central St. in Natick


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Filed Under: Community, Embracing diversity, Morse Institute Library



Red Sox legend David Ortiz visits Natick Mall to promote good health

October 10, 2022 by Deborah Brown Leave a Comment

Boston Red Sox legend and 2022 baseball Hall of Famer David Ortiz stopped by the Natick Mall on Monday to participate in a panel discussion on the importance of maintaining good health through strong health care partnerships, followed by an “Intentional Walk.” Big Papi serves as a brand ambassador for eternalHealth, a Medicare Advantage health plan.

After a Q & A session, he and the crowd of about 75 stretched out near the infinity pool before embarking on a walk. Hanging out at the mall was a homecoming of sorts for Ortiz. “I used to come to this mall a lot because I used to live like ten minutes from here,” Big Papi said, referring to his Weston home that he sold in 2021 for $3.5 million.

In addition to living in Metrowest for over a decade, the slugger also at one time owned a restaurant in Framingham, Big Papi’s Grille, which closed in 2011.

David Ortiz, Natick Mall

 

David Ortiz, Natick Mall

 

David Ortiz, Natick Mall

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Bobbi Gibb, Natick Mall

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Filed Under: Boston Marathon, Embracing diversity, Health, Sports

Natick renewing search for director of equity, inclusion & outreach

September 15, 2022 by Bob Brown Leave a Comment

Natick Town Administrator Jamie Errickson told the Select Board in March that hiring  the town’s first chief diversity officer (CDO) wouldn’t be happening “right around the corner” despite the availability of funding and the board’s desire to make it happen.

“With all of our job positions we’re finding that the applicant pool is pretty slim. It’s not unique to the chief diversity officer…” Errickson said in March. “A lot of towns are finding for CDO-type positions, and they’re titled differently in every town, that it’s taken especially long for some towns to find applicants that are qualified for the job.”

Six months since that meeting, we figure we’re well past the corner Errickson mentioned and at a good time to check on the town’s search.

Summer of 2020

During the summer and fall of 2020 following George Floyd’s murder in Minneapolis and the protests that took place locally and across the country, Natick and other communities vowed to take steps toward ensuring diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in all they do.

Natick celebrated its selection for a coveted Racial Equity Municipal Action Plan (REMAP) grant from the Metropolitan Area Planning Council and its partners as a way to create a DEI roadmap. Separately, local clergy urged the town that June to form a DEI committee, and in July the Select Board indeed called for the creation of an 11-member Equity Task Force. There was no shortage of candidates, and Natick had momentum.

The Task Force did its work throughout the end of 2020 and into 2021, when it requested a consultant to help with its research and to no one’s surprise, recommended formation of a standing DEI committee. Task force member Guimel DeCarvalho said during the Select Board meeting at which the recommendation was delivered that the committee would not be tasked with doing it all—that the Council on Aging, Sustainability Committee, and other groups would also be natural partners “by default.” She added: “Equity encompasses everything.”

The recommendation for a committee followed the Select Board’s assertion over the summer of 2021 that it would sponsor a Fall Town Meeting article that would pave the way for Natick to hire its first chief diversity officer. Board member Paul Joseph said “If we want to demonstrate our sincerity about addressing this issue there’s no greater way to make a statement than hire somebody at that level.” (The Board wound up recommending no action at Town Meeting because American Rescue Plan money had become available to fund the position.)

The challenges begin

While Natick appeared well positioned heading into this year to take the steps its leaders and many in the community supported, challenges have surfaced.

Finding enough good candidates for the standing 7-member committee that the task force recommended proved to be a tough task. The Select Board decided in March to hold off filling out the committee—the roster page on the town website remains blank— until after a chief diversity officer was in place or in three months, whichever happened first. The thinking was that having such a leader in place might attract a strong pool of committee candidates.

Meanwhile, the job description for Natick’s chief diversity officer, dated March 2022, has since been revised to a director of equity, inclusion & outreach, based on community input and that from partner organizations. Errickson said the revised title would better describe the scope of the job, and have a more proactive and inclusive feel to it.

In an email to Natick Report this week, Errickson says Natick has not yet listed the position, but expects to do so “in coming weeks.”

He cites a number of reasons for the delay, including the town’s overall hiring challenges. “[W]e have needed to work through an unusually greater number of job openings this past year, many that we have had to post multiple times to fill.  The capacity of our HR staff is limited so our entire recruitment and hiring processes for all positions has been delayed,” he wrote.

Back in March, when the prospects of hiring a full-time CDO anytime soon looked bleak, Select Board member Joseph raised the idea of the town possibly hiring a contractor to fill the role temporarily, in order to address the “urgency” of matters such a town official would handle.

Challenges continue

Natick is not unique in struggling to find strong candidates, especially in fields where the private sector can pay more and offer benefits beyond those municipalities can provide.

A quick search for local jobs featuring terms such as “diversity” and “equity” bring up openings at communities such as Boston and Falmouth, big companies like Takeda Pharmaceutical, tech firms, health care outfits, colleges, K-12 schools, and more.

“Nearly all parts of the Town government have been impacted by the increasingly competitive job market and trends, including Police, Fire, DPW, Libraries, Community/Economic Development, Finance, Facilities, Rec & Parks, and others – all of which have open positions at the moment.  As is the current experience throughout the economy, there are limited interested/qualified candidates to fill open positions,” Errickson says.

While it remains unclear how long it will take for Natick to hire a director of equity, inclusion & outreach, Errickson points to multiple efforts that will address DEI issues. These include hiring a communications director to help the town better reach the community and eventually work closely with the diversity director (that hiring has been years in the making). The Select Board has also appointed a Town Governance Study Committee to review Natick’s current organizational structure, which Errickson asserts “will have a focus on equity.”

One possible silver lining to Natick’s delay is that it can learn from the experiences other communities have had on their first (or second or third…) go-arounds hiring chief diversity officers. As GBH News reported last month, many communities have had a rough go of it, with rapid turnover and a lack of impact.

A group dubbed the Massachusetts Municipal DEI Coalition has formed to address just such issues and to help municipalities and their DEI administrators share best practices and learn from each other. The coalition has a launch event scheduled for later this month to formally introduce a 2022 DEI Guide.

Natick officials no doubt hope they’ll soon have a dedicated DEI colleague who can join right in.


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Filed Under: Embracing diversity, Government

Multicultural Day brought food, fun, and celebration to Natick

August 29, 2022 by Deborah Brown 1 Comment

A celebration of the many cultures within Natick brought dance, music, and dramatic performances, food, and a spirit of camaraderie to the Common Street Spiritual Center and Natick Common on Saturday. Multicultural Day 2022, presented by the Natick Center Cultural District, showcased the song and dance talents of the Natick India Group; traditional Irish dancing; a classical Chinese dance and story presentation by the Minghui Academy Boston; and more.

The free event brought Natick residents and visitors from beyond the town to enjoy a day of education, entertainment, and fun.

Natick Multicultural Day

 

Natick Multicultural Day

 

Natick Multicultural Day

 

Natick Multicultural Day

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Filed Under: Art, Community, Education, Embracing diversity

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