Press

PITTSFIELD — Delores Moore has been named iBerkshires’ Teacher of the Month in recognition of her more than 30 years of dedication to educating and supporting local students.

Recently retired from Pittsfield Public Schools, Moore continues to serve children through her role as a senior site coordinator with 18 Degrees’ after-school program at Conte Community School. Known for her hands-on approach to learning and deep connection with families, Moore has made a lasting impact through programs that promote science, social-emotional learning, and cultural awareness. Her recognition highlights the role of committed educators in creating safe, supportive environments that help students thrive.

NORTHAMPTON — Kenyan-born farmer Aoma Muma is bringing Bombeta Farms to Northampton with support from Grow Food Northampton and the Northeast Farmers of Color Land Trust, marking a new collaboration aimed at expanding equitable access to land and housing for farmers of color. Muma will become the first farmer in residence at Grow Food Northampton’s community farm, where the program pairs affordable housing with access to farmland.

Raised in Kisii, Kenya, Muma grows cultural crops alongside New England produce, serving communities seeking foods that reflect their traditions and nutritional needs. The initiative is intended to support sustainable farming while creating long-term opportunities for historically marginalized farmers in Western Massachusetts.

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Dottie’s Coffee Lounge is reopening with a familiar face at the counter.

Jessica Rufo closed Dottie’s July 6 to spend more time with her family after owning it for almost 20 years.

Loic Adandedjan, a former barista and shift lead at the cafe recently started sublisting the space with Rufo. He hopes to one day buy it.

HOUSATONIC — The Center for Peace through Culture hosted “Be Revolutionary,” an art exhibit by the Revolutionary Sweetheart Art Collective, that was on display through the fall until Saturday, October 11. The show featured work by four artists: Jannette Castellanos, Penny Bridges, Heyley Westcott, and curator and founder Regina East.

The collective, based in Poughkeepsie, was created to help small and emerging artists share their work without the usual barriers of gallery shows. This year’s exhibit highlights the creativity and voices of artists of color, offering pieces that reflect culture, community, and personal expression.

STOCKBRIDGE — Chesterwood recently wrapped up its summer residency with local painter Kasha Cooper, the first painter to take part in the program. Over three months, she created a new series of oil paintings inspired by the grounds, including pieces featuring Daniel Chester French’s Lincoln sculpture and views from the terrace.

The residency ended with a small celebration showcasing her work, where several paintings sold and Chesterwood expressed interest in future commissions. The program, run through the Berkshire Arts Center, continues to support local artists by giving them the space and time to grow.

WEST STOCKBRIDGE — The Foundry recently welcomed the Pluto String Ensemble for an intimate evening of music that blended heart, history, and harmony, showcasing the talent and shared roots of the group’s young musicians.

The performance highlighted the ensemble’s commitment to storytelling through classical music, featuring works that reflected both technical skill and emotional depth. Audience members enjoyed a warm, community-centered atmosphere as the Pluto String Ensemble continued its mission to uplift emerging artists and bring diverse musical perspectives to the Berkshires.

CHESTER — Chester Theatre Company recently wrapped its acclaimed production of Daniel Koa Beaty’s “Mr. Joy,” a moving solo show that explored the impact of a violent attack on a beloved Harlem shop owner. Performed by Godfrey Simmons and directed by Vernice Miller, the production earned praise for its emotional depth and Simmons’ seamless portrayal of nine interconnected characters.

The show was celebrated as a standout conclusion to the company’s first season under co-producing artistic directors Michelle Ong-Hendrick and Christopher Baker, highlighting Chester Theatre’s commitment to meaningful, community-centered storytelling.

GREAT BARRINGTON — A bronze statue of civil rights pioneer W.E.B. Du Bois was unveiled outside the Mason Public Library, honoring the scholar, author, and NAACP co-founder in his hometown.

The sculpture, featuring Du Bois with an open, outstretched hand, symbolizes an invitation to wisdom, solidarity, and reflection rather than conflict, celebrating his lasting impact on democracy, justice, and civil rights.

The unveiling brought together community members, artists, and leaders to recognize Du Bois’ legacy and reaffirm his enduring message of courage, knowledge, and belonging.

PITTSFIELD — The Blackshires Leadership Accelerator celebrated the graduation of its third cohort on June 26, honoring 14 fellows who spent 15 weeks building leadership skills and launching community-driven projects across Berkshire County.

Led by the Blackshires Community Empowerment Foundation, the program focuses on equity, healing, and empowerment, providing mentorship, workshops, and tools to create real-world impact. Each graduate received a $2,000 completion grant to support initiatives spanning housing, arts, wellness, youth development, and cultural preservation.

PITTSFIELD — The Rites of Passage and Empowerment (R.O.P.E.) program recently hosted a portrait experience for local scholars, offering professional photography, hairstyling, and makeup services to support confidence, self-expression, and leadership development.

The event brought together artists, mentors, and community partners to create a space centered on creativity and personal growth. The portraits will serve both practical and inspirational purposes as scholars continue exploring academic and professional pathways.

NEW YORK — In the worlds created by Nick Cave, beauty and pain are so intertwined, it becomes impossible to see one without the other; to look away.

Best known for his “Soundsuits,” a direct response to the 1991 beating of Rodney King by police, Cave’s wearable art is part high fashion, part sculpture, all statement. The suits are a commentary on safety and vulnerability. On one hand, they are armor, on another, a disguise that hides gender, race and identity.

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Berkshire Community College (BCC) will host graphic novelist, filmmaker, and tattoo artist James Spooner for a free talk on Wednesday, April 30, at 2 p.m.

The event, titled “The Ripple Effect Is Wild: How Small Projects Can Have Huge Unexpected Impacts,” will be held in the Connector on BCC’s main campus at 1350 West Street.

PITTSFIELD — Lauren Jones, the commonwealth’s labor and workforce development secretary, joined local officials and members of the business community in Pittsfield on Monday to kickstart a tour of the state’s 16 MassHire workforce boards.

Jones started her day in the Berkshires at Interprint, a company that designs and prints decorative laminate and overlays. The company employs nearly 200 people in Pittsfield, and is celebrating its 40th year in Massachusetts.

Dion Brown has found a new basketball home.

The Great Barrington native who played at Monument Mountain High School and Vermont Academy before heading off to college, will play this coming season for Saint Louis of the Atlantic 10 Conference.

ADAMS — Co-owners and partners Martin Davis Jr. and Sasha Solomon have turned their health issues into a positive for the community.

Davis, who has Type 2 diabetes, and Solomon, who has dealt with asthma, have brought their vision of a healthy smoothie shop to life with We Got The Juice. The shop, located at 50 Summer St. in Adams, recently opened on March 11.

“A lot of people have developed these diseases, so it’s just trying to figure out a way to help people,” Davis said. “We like to boost immunity in the community.”

For Davis and Solomon, who have been together for 13 years, the location feels just right.

GREAT BARRINGTON — After nearly a decade of work to bring a sculpture of W.E.B. Du Bois to downtown, a life-size statue of the civil rights architect is set to be unveiled this summer.

The unveiling event, which will be held in a new plaza at the Mason Public Library, is scheduled for noon on Saturday, July 19, according to a press release from the W.E.B. Du Bois Sculpture Project. 

PITTSFIELD — The Pittsfield CityJazz Festival recently lit up downtown with a standout performance by the 18-time Grammy-winning Count Basie Orchestra at the Colonial Theatre. Fresh off a 2024 Grammy win, the legendary ensemble delivered a powerful, joy-filled evening that honored jazz tradition while energizing the community.

With supporting performances from local youth musicians and events throughout the city, this year’s festival strengthened Pittsfield’s cultural vibrancy and brought listeners together through the enduring spirit of jazz.

GREAT BARRINGTON — On Saturday afternoon, about 30 people, working in pairs, were gathered at the First Congregational Church on Main Street practicing a “welcoming dance.”

With choreographer and facilitator Gesel Mason calling out the steps on an eight count, the dancers, facing each other, progressed through a series of shared movements: bumping elbows, playing peekaboo through a heart shaped with both hands, touching foreheads together and placing their hands on their hearts.

PITTSFIELD — What started as a dream between two childhood friends has transformed into a community program empowering youth through art and creativity.

Talya Taliaferro and Genesis Rivera, co-founders of TG’s Clubhouse, a free art enrichment program, are on a mission to provide a safe space for children and teens to explore their artistic talents and passions and build confidence.

“We’re trying to help gain their social skills, to become a leader using [their] ideas and bringing them to life,” said Taliaferro. “It gets the children out of their shell.”

The program offers a variety of art forms moving beyond traditional coloring to include visual art such as drawing and painting, digital art on iPads and laptops, challenge art and photography. Taliaferro and Rivera hope to soon incorporate music production.

PITTSFIELD — For over 25 years, Vanessa Guess-Slaughter and Manny Slaughter have been giving back to the children in their community.

Starting with after-school dance classes run by Guess-Slaughter and a sports program run by Slaughter, the couple added the After School Homework and Mentorship Program under their 501(c)(3) nonprofit, Focus is Our Children, in October 2022, which has an ongoing need for volunteers.

“The children in school aren’t getting too much homework,” Guess-Slaughter said. “So what we want to do is teach at level, where they’re supposed to be at.”