50th annual Mayor’s Community Breakfast brings Newton together

On May 22, leaders and members of a wide range of organizations in Newton gathered under one tent on the Mt. Ida Campus of UMass Amherst for the 50th annual Theodore D. Mann Mayor’s Community Breakfast.

Named in honor of the mayor who started this annual celebration of community spirit, the event raises funds for the Foundation for Racial, Ethnic and Religious Harmony. The Harmony Foundation organizes the Newton’s annual Martin Luther King Day celebration and makes grants to support “learning, interaction, understanding and respect across racial, ethnic and religious dimensions within the Newton community, [recognizing] diversity as a continuing and increasing source of community strength.”

Speakers

After a welcome by UMass Amherst Chancellor Javier Reyes, invocations by members of the Newton Interfaith Clergy Association, and songs by the Newton South HS Madrigals, Tony Logalbo, accompanied by other Harmony Foundation board members, expressed gratitude to the late Teddy Mann for creating this traditional celebration (now in its 50th year) and the Harmony Foundation (now in its 34th year). Referencing the musical performances as well as the mission of the Harmony Foundation, Logalbo said, “Harmony is hard work….It requires active, hard, and often difficult listening.” Noting that rising costs have constrained the net funds raised by the Breakfast, he asked attendees to consider making a separate donation to the foundation.

Mayor Ruthanne Fuller highlighted the variety of organizations present: Newton Public Schools, Newton Teachers Association, PTO Council, School Committee, Fire Department, Newton Firefighters Association, Newton Police, Newton Interfaith Clergy, Village Bank, Eastern Bank, Charles River Regional Chamber, Newton-Wellesley Hospital, Boylston Properties, Carpenters Union, John M. Barry Boys & Girls Club, West Suburban YMCA, Rotary Club of Newton, Family Access, Newton Food Pantry, Newton Community Development Foundation, Second Step, FORJ, Newton Community Pride, Green Newton, New Art Center, Fig City News, Newton Conservators, CAN-DO, and the Indian-American Community of Newton. She honored in particular retiring Commissioner of Health and Human Services Linda Walsh. Expressing concern that “the wars happening overseas are bringing real trauma to our villages here at home,” she urged all to “intentionally reach across our differences …to understand each other better.” She closed by quoting Newton North HS senior Gavi Berkman writing about the necessity of “communicating with honesty and care, with an open mind and a sense of curiosity, …mastering the skill of listening deeply.”

The event’s guest speaker was Newton resident and Acting U.S. Attorney Josh S. Levy, who talked about how his team is “acting on the front lines” of the issues addressed by the mission of the Harmony Foundation, including protecting civil rights and criminal justice reform.

• He explained that the 125 Federal prosecutors in his office prosecute all Federal crimes in the district (Massachusetts), and the office also represents the United States in court. The office works closely with 30 Federal agencies as well as Massachusetts District Attorneys, State Police, and local police.
• Levy said that the office’s three main priorities are upholding the rule of law without fear or favor, keeping the community safe, and protecting civil rights.
• Regarding diversity in the legal community, Levy spoke of the responsibility of all who have “grown up with opportunities and privilege to make sure we are bringing in people [of varied backgrounds, who may question where they belong] …and making sure they feel included.”
• He described his dream job as Assistant U.S. Attorney — being able to be “the voice of the voiceless” and advocate for victims — as well as his 12 years serving as a court-appointed lawyer for indigent defendants while he was in private practice.
• Levy enumerated his office’s areas of focus and where Massachusetts ranks: gun violence (lowest), opioid overdose (one of the highest), fraud (rising), national security, and human trafficking (the busiest U.S. Attorney’s office). He added, “We’d much rather prevent crime than prosecute.”
• Returning to the U.S. Attorney’s office after 17 years in private practice, he said he was struck by two things — “how vulnerable children are” and “how much hate there is in our society” — and noted how his office is educating the public in these areas.
• He closed by quoting Robert F. Kennedy (“ripple of hope”) and urged all to “do the best next thing in front of you and keep doing it.”

Newton Youth Commission member Grace Cai of Newton South HS delivered the Student Voice speech. She said, “How do you cope knowing that no matter how hard or passionately you fight, you may not see the ideal community you’re fighting for? …There are so many aspects of the world that I want to tackle and help fix, one of the most personal being the freedom and restoration of Tibetan culture as a Tibetan-American. But does that mean I can check it off my bucket list? …It’s highly unlikely, but I can think of my work as stepping stones to a larger goal. …Through that process, you can inspire others to carry on that goal and push the movement forward. …Choosing optimism and understanding that your contributions are immensely worthwhile, no matter how big or small, is essential to creating change.”

Honorees

Mayor Fuller presented this year’s Mayor Mann Community Service Awards to:

• Susan Paley, Senior Vice President of Community Relations at The Village Bank — “an exemplar of community service” in “the most generous corporation in the City of Newton”
• Karen Peirce, Associate Director of Special Needs at Newton Parks, Recreation & Culture — “for decades directed our special needs program … [with] extraordinary care and commitment to our athletes with disabilities and their families …helping our athletes on their journey of physical and personal growth.”

In addition, the Mayor, assisted by City Council President Marc Laredo and former City Council President Susan Albright, honored Newton’s two long-serving State Representatives, who are retiring at the end of this year: Representative Ruth Balser and Representative Kay Khan.

Superintendent of Schools Dr. Anna Nolin noted her pride in leading the Newton Public Schools (“the most exciting ten months of my career”), how schools are now “the crucible of geopolitical forces” and are “responsible for making sure that students can indeed lead the next generation,” and “what’s most important is how we hold each other in a community of care.” She added, “How we care for each other is how we must show our children how to lead for the future.” She thanked the Newton Teachers Association as “colleagues …who offer close care and co-leadership with our District.” With Rotary Club President Liz Tavares, she presented Rotary Club of Newton Tony Bibbo Scholarships to three Newton seniors, highlighting the qualities and achievements of each:

• Hibaq Ali (Newton North HS): “with a passion for the sciences, … a true leader, …educating her school community about her Muslim culture, …participating in the One-to-One mentoring program for elementary students”
• Jamen Goldberg (Newton North HS): “unwavering commitment to academic excellence, …a strong interest in business, …great resilience and determination in overcoming early hearing loss, …compassionate and empathetic, …dedicated to making a positive impact on the lives of others”
• Fabricio Gonzalez Estrella (Newton South HS): “moved to Newton from the Dominican Republic right before sophomore year, …a gentleman, good listener, and thinker, …with flexibility, thoughtfulness, and positive attitude, …a skilled and collaborative soccer player, …serving as a teaching assistant to the school’s Spanish program, …organized an annual soccer gear donation program for his home country”

The program ended with a closing reflection, prayer, and music.

See NewTV’s video of the entire program.

Tables

People