“All I’m saying is simply this: that all life is interrelated, that somehow we’re caught in an inescapable network of mutuality tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly affects all indirectly. For some strange reason, I can never be what I ought to be until you are what you ought to be. You can never be what you ought to be until I am what I ought to be. This is the interrelated structure of reality.” –Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., commencement address, Oberlin College, June 1965
This past month, Natasha Osborne, a sister of my brother-in-law, was posting on her feed celebrations leading up to Delta Sigma Theta’s 110th anniversary. I love cheering her on, joining the chorus of support for her fellow sorority sisters, and realizing with a jolt that unlike the stereotypes of sororities from movies, these women take seriously cultivating the business of supporting one another. It was founded by 22 young women studying at Howard University on January 13, 1913, to “move forward with fortitude in the pursuit of sisterhood, scholarship, service, and social action.” To date, there are over 350,000 sisters initiated, and 1,000 chartered chapters worldwide. It was a pleasant surprise to make the connection that the keynote speaker for this year’s M.V. annual Collaborative Black History Month event, Carole Copeland Thomas, MBA, CDMP, CITM, and 2019 TEDx speaker, a renowned global thought leader, was the tri-state social action coordinator for Delta Sigma Theta Sorority. This year’s panel discussion features a historical perspective on Black resistance, with speakers from the Martha’s Vineyard chapters of the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH), NAACP, and the League of Women Voters (LWV), the M.V. Museum, and the Oak Bluffs Public Library, at a webinar on Saturday, Feb. 4, 10 am to 12 pm. Zoom registration required at bit.ly/MVBHM2023.
It is lovely to see that underneath the challenges and divisions that fill the airwaves, in reality, we are a community of communities cheering one another on.
Chilmark author Patti McCracken is busy designing swag for her book tour, and is delighted to report that the Tisbury Printer offers runs of custom bookmarks for at least half the price of others online. This week Patti’s book, “The Angel Makers,” received a coveted red star from Publishers Weekly, and a review that starts and ends, “Journalist McCracken debuts with a compulsively readable account of a group of women who operated a murder ring for years … This is a must for true-crime fans.”
Dana Nunes and her partner Ed Swenson, after a three-year hiatus, have returned to the South Island of New Zealand for a winter stay.
I know I am not alone in feeling both jealous and happy for them. Small world — in New Zealand, they crossed paths with Ted Wise, who along with his Kiwi wife managed the M.V. Youth Hostel 20 years ago. Ted is camp host at Marfells Beach.
Coming to Pathways: “Leaf Art” with the talented and creative Emily Davis, Saturday, Jan. 21, 10:30 am to noon. Sign up at pathwaysmv.org/workshop, or call 508-645-9098. Suggested donation is $20.
The Chilmark Tavern is hiring for the 2023 season (early May to early October): line cooks, prep cooks, dishwashers, and bussers. Housing is available for the right candidate(s). Email jenna@chilmarktavern.com. The Tavern is a partner of Island Eats waste-free takeaway program, and the early bird discount membership is available at islandeatsmv.com.
The USCG Auxiliary Boating Safety Course on Jan. 28 filled up so quickly that they are having to roll some applicants into their next course, scheduled for March 11.
I recently discovered that in addition to access to the NY Times and the Washington Post, a Chilmark library card gives you access to Kanopy, an on-demand video service that offers a wide variety of arthouse movies, documentaries, popular, classic, and international films and TV shows, and the Great Courses.
Our library continues to support artists and feed our curiosity. Wednesday, Jan. 18, at 6 pm, Janet Mandel discusses Suzanne Valadon, the first fabulous woman artist you probably never heard of. Also, Tuesday, Feb. 7, 6 pm: Florine Stettheimer; Wednesday, March 22, 6 pm: Augusta Savage; Wednesday, April 19: 6 pm: Ruth Asawa. Email tthorpe@clamsnet.org for Zoom access.
The libraries in Edgartown, Oak Bluffs, Vineyard Haven, West Tisbury, and Chilmark are sponsoring, “And That’s the Way It Is,” a look back at 70 years of TV news with Brian Rose on Tuesday, Jan. 24, at 7 pm online; it’s free. Email your local library for the Zoom access, or for more information.
If you have any Chilmark Town Column suggestions, email Claire Ganz, cganz@live.com.
