The Martha’s Vineyard Diversity Coalition (MVDC) presents its fifth annual Truth and Joy event, a free celebration of the Island and its diversity, on Saturday, June 27, from 5 to 7 pm at the Performing Arts Center. The public is invited to join the MVDC as it uplifts the Vineyard community with a variety of presentations and performances, including honoring Martha’s Vineyard Superintendent of Schools Richard (“Richie”) Smith as the 2026 recipient of the first annual Friend and Leader Award.
The Truth and Joy concept was launched in 2020, bringing the community together to share knowledge (truthtelling and storytelling) and joyful celebration of the community (cultural arts, music, and food). This year the MVDC will present the film premiere of its ongoing project, the Martha’s Vineyard Living Legends (MVLL): Black, Indigenous People of Color (BIPOC) and Immigrants Elders Oral History Project, as well as present the Marie B. Allen Creative Arts Award, open to Island students in grades 7 through 12.
“We work with so many people in the community, and felt it important now to formally acknowledge, with our Friend and Leader Award, those community members who truly make a difference,” says MVDC board chair Sandy Pimentel.
Dr. Richie Smith, who is retiring at the end of the school year, was chosen for his leadership and commitment to Martha’s Vineyard teachers and students. He has shown wisdom and courage during difficult times; demonstrated a consistent willingness to collaborate as a community partner; and worked diligently to promote understanding and a sense of safety and belonging among all students.
Premiering will be “Martha’s Vineyard Living Legends,” a 30-minute film focusing on ancestry, influences, and Island connections, featuring excerpts from interviews by local students of BIPOC and immigrant Island elders. The MVLL project, a collaboration of the MVDC Education Committee and the Association for the Study of African American Life and History, has been enthusiastically supported by Richie Smith. It is designed to connect generations and to preserve some of the rich voices and stories of elders, making them available for future generations.
The Truth and Joy agenda will also include a 10-minute film, “Change,” a fun, musical production written by students and teachers from two Martha’s Vineyard and Los Angeles schools, and a dance performance by the Steppers. The program will conclude with David Allen presenting Martha’s Vineyard student winners with the Marie B. Allen Creative Arts Award for creative work in reflecting the message of Juneteenth and the theme “What freedom looks like, yesterday, today, and tomorrow.” Allen established the arts contest in memory of his mother, one of the elders interviewed for the MVLL project and featured in the film.
The MVDC’s mission is to “lay the groundwork to eradicate racism.” The coalition focuses on health disparities, criminal justice, education, and arts and culture. With its community partners, it is building a community that embraces diversity, equity, and inclusion. MVDC’s work includes workshops, consultations, and projects that promote understanding, collaboration, unity, trust, and respect for all people.
Saturday, June 27, 5 to 7 pm. Performing Arts Center, 100 Edgartown Road, Oak Bluffs. Visit the MV Diversity Coalition website for more information or to donate to the organization.