603 Diversity, Issue 5 (Winter 2022)

Dartmouth Health is committed to fostering a diverse workforce, creating an inclusive environment, and supporting a sense of belonging for all of our employees.

Dartmouth Health is committed to fostering a diverse workforce, creating an inclusive environment, and supporting a sense of belonging for all of our employees.

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The best, where it matters most.

The best, where it matters most.

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Alice Peck Day Memorial Hospital I Cheshire Medical Center I Dartmouth Hitchcock Clinics I Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center

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A healthy workplace is a welcoming, inclusive workplace.

A healthy workplace is a welcoming, inclusive workplace.

FROM PUBLISHER

FROM

BOTH THE HOLIDAYS AND POLITICS COME TO LIFE with participation

The hubbub of election season may be behind us as you pick up this winter’s issue of 603 Diversity, and so the selection of politics-related stories herein may give you pause. I promise, they’re perhaps even more relevant today than they would have been the week or month before the election, because we can now read them with the benefit of hindsight. And that hindsight (not that we really need it to make the following assertions) tells us, some candidates won, some lost, and wherever well-intentioned people took part in this democracy, all of us benefitted. Participation counts. And now, when the red, white and blue bunting has all come down and the “I Voted” stickers have peeled off everyone’s jackets, is a perfect time to think about how our engagement, not just for a few hours one day a year, but continuously, can help make our state the best, most just place it possibly can be.

As I’ve noted in this column in past issues, this isn’t meant to be a political publication. We’re not advocating parties or positions, just introducing people to their neighbors and highlighting the wonderful diversity of our state.

That said, I think it’s possible to cover the notion of diversity in politics without getting too political about it.

Our columnist James McKim tackles the challenge of representation in his piece on page 8. He points out that representative government is the “basis of our democratic republic.” I think most of us would agree that having representatives who know us, relate to us, understand our region, our cultures, our particular issues, is important.

And in New Hampshire right now, McKim writes, according to The National Coun cil of State Legislators, New Hampshire has a non-white population of 11.7%, the non-white membership in the Legislature is 2%, and while the male-female population of the state is approximately 50/50, the membership in the Legislature is 66% male and 34% female. These statistics represent disparities and opportunities.

And those opportunities are being em braced by the people featured in our stories on pages 10 and 14. In the first we hear from diverse candidates (Democrat and Republican) who are currently in office or ran for office in this election cycle.

They describe some of the unique chal lenges they faced, including having to fight to be seen for their political ideas versus their religious or ethnic identities.

In the second, we talk to a group of Latino politicians, again representing different political views, but who all feel that in order to be heard, Latinos need to engage.

And that’s true for all of us, regardless of our cultural or ethnic background, race, creed or gender. If we want a truly repre sentative democracy, it’s incumbent on us to be active in it, whether that means running for office yourself or getting involved in someone else’s campaign, or just staying engaged and informed, so when it comes time again to turn out and vote, you can do the job to the best of your ability.

I sincerely hope the stories, passion and faith in democracy of all the candidates in this issue will inspire folks to take that active role.

Contributing Writers

Rony Camille Beth Santos James McKim Carolina Valenti

Contributing Photographer Robert Ortiz

Contributing Artist Richard Haynes

Editor/Publisher Ernesto Burden x5117 ernestob@yankeepub.com

Managing Editor Rick Broussard x5119 editors@603diversity.com

Managing Editor, Custom Publishing Robert Cook x5128 editors@603diversity.com

Creative Services Director Jodie Hall x5122 jodieh@yankeepub.com

Senior Graphic Desinger Nancy Tichanuk x5126 nancyt@yankeepub.com

Advertising and Events Sales Director Jenna Pelech x5154 sales@603diversity.com

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Operations Manager Ren Chase x5114 renc@yankeepub.com

Digital Operations and Marketing Manager Morgen Connor x5149 morgenc@yankeepub.com

Billing Specialist/IT Coordinator Gail Bleakley x113 gailb@yankeepub.com NEW HAMPSHIRE

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250 Commercial Street, Suite 4014 Manchester, NH 03101 (603) 624-1442, fax (603) 624-1310 E-mail: editors@603diversity.com Advertising: sales@603diversity.com

To illustrate the mission of 603 Diversity, Seacoast artist Richard Haynes has provided one of his recent designs to accompany our motto “Live Free and Rise.” We are selliing T-shirts with Haynes’ design to benefit the Manchester Chapter of the NAACP Visit 603Diversity.com to buy one today.

Richard Hayne’s brilliant art has helped to raise nearly $2,000 for the Manchester NAACP. For the coming year, we’re hoping to add a new work of art to our T-shirt and motto (keeping this one available as well). If you are an artist or designer who would like to submit a work of T-shirt art that expresses the spirit of “Live Free and Rise,” send an example or a note of interest to editors@603diversity.com

The 603 Diversity underwriters provide a significant financial foundation for our mission, enabling us to provide representation to diverse communities and for diverse writers and photographers, ensuring the quality of journalistic storytelling and underwriting BIPOC-owned and other diverse business advertising in the publication at a fraction of the typical cost. We’re grateful for our underwriters’ commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion in this magazine, their businesses and their communities.

ARTBYRICHARDHAYNES

OUR CONTRIBUTORS

Beth Santos

A new writer for 603 Diversity comes with a background in international development, thoughtful community building and social enterprise. Beth Santos, who filed two stories for this issue, set out to change the landscape of travel for women worldwide by creating the first iteration of Wanderful — a travel blog aimed to explore the diverse and shared experiences of women traveling the world. Today, Wanderful has exploded to an international community and social network with the active participation of over 40,000 women and gender-diverse people of all ages and backgrounds.

James McKim

James McKim, who was involved in the original plannng of 603 Diversity and has written essays for past issues, serves as managing partner of Organizational Ignition. He is driven by an intense need to help organizations achieve their peak performance through the alignment of people, business processes and technology. He is recognized as a thought leader in organizational performance, the uses of neuroscience and program management.

Carolina Valenti

Carolina Valenti, who wrote our Diversity on the Slopes cover story, is a Colombian-born writer and finance professional. She has been a contributor for CNBC, CNN, MamásLatinas and El Diario NY, among others, on topics such as political elections, social issues, celebrities and culture. She is also a children’s book author and lives in New Hampshire with her husband, three kids and two dogs.

Robert Cook

Robert Cook works as managing editor of custom publications for Yankee Publishing New Hampshire Group, which produces both 603 Diversity and NH Magazine among other titles. Cook is an award-winning journalist who has worked for several newspapers, magazines and digital media companies in Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Maine for 30 years. He lives in Maine.

News reports and other journalism relevant to New Hampshire’s diverse communities is provided by a partnership with the Granite State News Collaborative, a collective of around 20 local media, education and community partners working together to produce and share news stories on the issues that most impact our state. The GSNC specializes in in-depth, investigative, solutions and accountability reporting on the issues that impact Granite Staters most.

Rony Camille

Our regular cuisine reporter (among other journalistic skills) for 603 Diversity is Rony Camille, a freelance journalist (and son of Haitian immigrants) based in Nashua. A media manager with a focus in digital editorial content and operations, Camille is currently the media program director for the Town of Tyngsborough, Massachusetts.

Robert Ortiz

Primary photographer for 603 Diversity is Robert Ortiz of Robert Ortiz Photography. Ortiz began his photographic career at 15 and has chronicled everything from local weddings and events to the lives of the native peoples of the Peruvian Amazon. He lives in Rochester with his wife and son and 15-year-old daughter, Isabella, who is currently in training as his photo assistant.

Richard Haynes

603 Diversity stories emphasize not only how things are, but how they might or even “ought” to be as we seek out and reveal our state’s diverse communities. When we needed a single image to summarize the mission of this magazine, we went to a man who has long been telling complex stories with bold strokes of color and universal symbols. Artist Richard Haynes provided a selection from his recent work for this purpose. See page 4 for how you can fashionably spread the good words.

ARTBYRICHARDHAYNES

Photo by Jeremy Gasowski/University of New Hampshire

Artwork by Richard Haynes: artistrichardhaynes.com Courtesy photos

Chef Chris Viaud

n BY BETH SANTOS

It’s a Saturday night and the Greenleaf, a seasonal farm-to-table fine dining restaurant in Milford, is bustling. Through a set of double doors, Chef Chris Viaud is managing a busy and exciting kitchen. He plates a dish of herb-crusted cod and sends it out into the dining room, the smells of basil and pancetta linger ing as it leaves. Food is Chris’s happy place, and serving his community with new tastes they might not have explored yet isn’t just fun for him, it’s how he’s creating the New Hampshire he wants to live in.

Viaud, who is a first-generation Haitian American, moved to New Hampshire when he was 15. “In the Haitian community, you’re typically assigned your professional roles — either you become an engineer or a nurse, a doctor or a lawyer,” Viaud explains. When he told his parents that he wanted to become a chef, they were very supportive. Still, mem bers of his family, especially his grandmother,

had concerns. “They had that same mindset of what I need to be,” he said. “And they would ask, ‘can you make a career out of this?’”

Viaud didn’t just build a career; he created a legacy. He enrolled at Johnson & Wales to study culinary arts, worked for a number of high-end restaurants in Boston, moved to New Hampshire where he opened a bakery at the age of 28, and after that launched Green

leaf. In 2021, he was invited to “Top Chef,” Bravo TV’s long-running culinary competition, where he made it through nine rounds.

“I came back from ‘Top Chef’ with a whole new outlook on how I wanted to view myself as a chef and as a person. And it just really opened my eyes that there’s so much more to this industry than you’re led to believe. You don’t need to focus on French cooking, or Italian cooking, or Spanish cooking. There’s this whole global market of cuisines that have not yet been explored. And those of us who have the ability and opportunity and know-how to be able to promote our own culture, we should jump on that and be the beacon for this new emergence of dining,” Viaud explained. It was with this new-found

Photos by Robert Ortiz

understanding that Viaud brought his family together for a completely new dining concept and his most personal restaurant venture yet, a Haitian restaurant called Ansanm that’s staffed by his own family.

“The original premise behind Ansanm was just bringing the family together and learning about the food that we grew up eating,” Viaud explained, citing that Ansanm is the Haitian Creole word for “together.” The restaurant truly is a family venture — his dad can often be found fixing and rebuilding things, his sister holds down the fort at Greenleaf managing marketing and administration, and at Ansanm, the person who runs the menu isn’t Viaud — it’s his mom. “She creates the menu, and then we scale the recipes she’s cooked at home for a larger quantity,” he explains.

chef coming in to do what I love to do and cook. Then most recently, with the George Floyd murder and the protests that were taking place, that’s when I really started using my voice and sharing similar stories that you’ve heard all across the world where Black men or women had felt marginalized or treated unfairly,” Viaud explains. We have the ability to use our voice to make some change or embark some action. Now that I have had this exposure, I do think more critically about how I’m using my voice, how I’m using my opportunities to help promote that there are different cultures there in New Hampshire, that can be kind of learned from and respected, and that everybody de serves the right to be treated equally. I’m not speaking up for us, then who is?”

For Viaud, speaking up is just part of the solution — it’s also about cultivating that next generation of changemakers. “I want to be able to groom that next generation of chefs in this area that can say, you know what, it’s okay to be different, it’s okay to take our inspirations from our past experiences, and morph that into what we want to become,” Viaud says.

Chris’s tips on what Haitian food to add to your holiday menu

Want to add a little bit of Haitian food culture to your menu? Here’s what Chris recommends that you’ll typically see on a Haitian holiday menu:

Of course, working with his family has been full of exciting twists and turns. “For our first dinner, my family had to remind me that they don’t work in kitchens, and sometimes they don’t know what I’m talking about. I’ve learned to be a little more calm and relaxed. I love seeing everybody excel and grow. And to be able to do this all together as a family is really the core of it always.”

Directing his culinary craft toward Haitian food is deeply personal, not just for Viaud, but for his whole family. “When my siblings and I were teenagers, we were sick of rice and beans and plantains and macaroni and cornmeal,” he laughs. “We’d say, ‘can we please just have pizza, grilled cheese and tomato soup?’ It wasn’t really until I started having these re flections of who I am that I realized that the best way to relate to somebody is through their upbringings. And part of that, of course, is the culinary history. Haitian food is so rich and diverse. Different regions and countries have brought so much to the table, and we’re just now finding those correlations between who brought what, at what time and how those flavors influenced the cuisine that we eat today.”

There was a time when Viaud shied away from the limelight, but he realizes that showing a deeper part of himself will give other chefs — and other people — the confidence to bring their whole selves into their work. “At first, I used to say I’m just another

Despite his own efforts to make New Hampshire a more diverse and inclusive place, Viaud recogniz es that there’s still a lot of work to be done. “Even reading the recent statistics, it’s kind of boggling to see where we stand. New Hampshire still has a long way to go in respecting everybody’s values, traditions and beliefs,” Viaud says. “But with more people that are willing to use their voice and their background to say, ‘We’re here, we’re part of your community. We’re not what you think we are,’ I think there’s a better opportunity for growth.”

It’s with that mindset that Viaud pushes forward, not just building new culinary creations, but inviting everyone to join him at the table and in a statewide dialogue. Change, he believes, first comes with ourselves.

“I would like to see a more diverse and inclusive New Hampshire. But that means that we need to have open hearts and minds to the possibility of other things and seeing what other cultures and other people are doing. Without anybody opening up and saying, ‘this is where what I hope the state becomes,’ then we have no opportunities for growth. It’s on people like me who are willing to make that jump and say, there is a chance for anybody to do anything. For me to say I own both an American restaurant and a Haitian restaurant, why can’t that be the dream?”

Baked macaroni. “It’s not a traditional baked maca roni that you would see in America. It has a mayonnaise and butter base with bell peppers, onions, Gouda and parmesan cheese. Then it’s cooked down with a Haitian spice blend called Epis, which is kind of like our base seasoning for a lot of things, as well as Adobo and garlic powder.”

Haitian-style turkey. “In Haitian culture, we don’t necessarily roast the whole turkey. We’ll have turkey that has been broken down and cooked in a Creole sauce with peppers, onions and tomato-based sauce. Then it’s cooked until it’s perfectly tender. All the flavors of the stew have really immersed themselves into the turkey. “

Griot, or fried pork shoulder, “would make a perfect staple dish on the table.”

Rice and beans, or rice and pigeon peas.

“I came back from ‘Top Chef’ with a whole new outlook on how I wanted to view myself as a chef and as a person.”

Supporting diversity in New Hampshire’s Legislature

The 2022-2023 Legislative session is upon us. With diversity being a major topic on the minds of voters, my purpose for this article is not to encourage you to support any particular legislation, but to encourage you to reflect on your potential impact on legislators as they consider bills that will allow the state to either embrace or restrict the actions of our citizens toward creating an equitable and inclusive society as described in the U.S. and New Hampshire Constitutions.

longtime activist Woullard Lett says, “Everyone is negatively affected by legislation that is intended to demean/control ‘marginalized groups.’”

The passing of the Act has spawned several bills in this 2022-2023 legislative session that can be turned into ways to further control what people can say about those protected classes. Examples include HB 35 relative to reproductive rights, HB 75 relative to teaching on discrimination in the public.

n BY JAMES MCKIM

During the 2021-2022 legislative session, HB 1544, referred to as the “Divisive Concepts” Act, was put forth. It did not pass. But the Act was incorporated into the House Budget trailer bill HB 2 — an action that, while legal, was very much out of the ordinary as the act had nothing to do with the state’s budget. But because it was part of the budget, renamed the “Right to Freedom from Discrimination” Act, it passed.

The basis of our democratic republic is that we have a representative form of government. We know that legislation is written and passed by legislators. Legislators are supposed to represent us. A question to ponder is, how can a group of people represent us if they are not representative of us?

Many feel this legislation is the result of fear of many across the state. Fear of having to discuss or having teachers and officials speak about mela nin-challenged people as being racists, sexist or discriminatory against those classes of people pro tected by the law. Yet, the legislation has caused fear and anger across the state in those protected classes and those trying to right the wrongs brought by the discrimination of the past.

People in those protected classes feel that diversity and our nation’s true history with respect to them is not being embraced by our legislators in a way that is beneficial. In fact, they feel legislators are trying to force everyone to ignore diversity and to ignore righting the wrongs of their ancestors who created systems that are discriminatory to this very day. As

The National Council of State Legislators (NCSL) produced the State Legislator Demographics Report on December 1, 2020. It reveals not only the lack of diversity in the NH Legislature, but a significant lack of representation of diverse people as legislators as compared to the current population as reported in the 2020 Census. The statistics show that while New Hampshire has a non-white population of 11.7%, the non-white membership in the Legislature is 2% (with 25% not reporting). While the male-female population of the state is approximately 50%/50%, the member ship in the Legislature is 66% male, 34% female.

Now, if you think a melanin-challenged person can truly represent the values and perspectives of a melanin-enhanced person, or that an older male can truly represent the values and perspectives of a younger female, or that an able-bodied person can truly represent the values and perspectives of a physically challenged person if they have not had sig nificant interaction with those people and not bend to the desire to enforce their own values, I invite you to view the 2000 movie “What Women Want.” Advertis ing executive Nick Marshall (Mel Gibson) is given the assignment to create a marketing pitch for a woman’s product. At first, his test pitches fail miserably. Then he has an accident that suddenly gives him the ability to hear women’s thoughts, to know what women want.

Courtesy photo

How do we ensure that legislators pass laws that appropriately support the values and needs of New Hampshire’s diverse population?

After this, his marketing pitches work like a charm. A person (or group of people) can only truly know what a person (or group of people) wants or thinks if the people are asked — or better, are made up of those people.

So, how do we respect the dignity of the office to which legislators have been elected and still ensure that legislators pass laws that appropriately support the values and needs of melanin-enhanced people or younger women? We must contact them. Ar ticulate our values and our desires. Express what laws we want passed or not passed. Hold them accountable. And encourage others to do the same.

Some will ask how we even know how to reach their representatives.

• Get contact information of you repre sentatives from the websites of the NH General Court (gencourt.state.nh.us/ house/) and the U.S. Congress (congress. gov/).

• Call or visit their offices.

• Watch the news for their appearances in your area and attend those events.

• Write them letters.

If you are a melanin-challenged person or young woman in NH, you may ask “Why bother contacting my legislators? They won’t listen to me.” The answer is, and it has been proven time and time again, if enough people contact a legislator or speak up at a hearing, it then feels to the legislator that the people have spoken. The legislator will then feel obligated to act as the people say. Not contacting your legislator is a certain recipe for not getting what you want. Noth ing ventured, nothing gained. You can’t win a lottery if you don’t buy a ticket.

While it may seem like a bit of work and an uphill battle to be civically engaged and part of the democratic process after legislators have been elected into office, it is really not that difficult. And the rewards are well worth the effort. It is how we create the society we all pledge to create when we utter the words of our pledge of allegiance — with liberty and justice for all. 603

DO YOU KNOW SOMEONE BEHIND IN

MORTGAGE, PROPERTY TAXES, ASSOCIATION FEES, OR UTILITIES?

The NH Homeowner Assistance Fund provides assistance to eligible NH residents who have been affected in any way by an increase in expenses or a reduction in income as a result of the COVID-19 public health crisis.

HomeHelpNH.org

The NH Homeowner Assistance Fund program is funded through the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 and the Governor’s Office for Emergency Relief and Recovery (GOFERR). It is administered by New Hampshire Housing.

Going Deep: HOW TO FOR OFFICE IN NH

(BY THOSE WHO HAVE DONE IT)

When it comes to diversity in the State Legislature and the New Hampshire Congressional delegation, most would agree the Granite State has made some strides but has a way to go.

Running for office in New Hampshire is also a challenge for ethnically diverse candidates. The common thread for

those who serve and those who seek elected office is a genuine love for public service and our democratic system of government.

We reached out to three New Hampshire candidates to gain more insight into how they have met the challenges on the campaign trail and in elected office. > > >

SAFIYA WAZIR

House Rep., D-Concord

Q: As an Afghan-American woman, what are some of the biggest challenges you face at the State House to garner sufficient support for proposed legislation?

A: While running for election, I faced the challenge of being seen for my ideas and platform, rather than just as a Muslim. I heard that people saw me not as much as Afghan American but as a Muslim American. And maybe some of that carried over into my first year of office, but I’m nearing the end of my second term, and I think people see me for who I am more fully. I’ve been able to partner with many people, visit many groups and be a co-sponsor of much legislation. Sometimes I was sought out to testify on bills because of my background, not just as a former refugee but also as a young person and because of jobs I’ve held and my advocacy work. One example is when I worked with one of my mentors, the Honorable Rep. Ren ny Cushing, and testified on the bill to eliminate the death penalty. I brought a unique perspective, having been born in a place where state-sanctioned violence occurs and being opposed to that type of violence. My term is ending, and I’ve been so glad to be able to serve. And really, I am still serving the state of New Hampshire in other important ways.

Q: How do you best address those challenges in Concord?

A: I best address these challeng es through talking to people, going to events, talking through issues and chal lenges, and helping formulate legislation that makes life better for everyone.

Once a bill is drafted and we’ve found co-sponsors, we testify and show people why an issue is important. I address these challenges by being involved in the process from start to finish and getting others involved. I’m always respectful and polite, but I also want my voice to be heard and want people whose voices aren’t often heard in the State House to have their ideas shared, too. It’s hard for some people, those who are at work, for example, and caring for children and the elderly, to be able to find time to get to the State House. We have to find many ways to hear diverse people’s voices on

issues. I am always encouraging people to be part of the process. When someone emails me about an issue, I will respond and work on it, but I often tell them to go to the public hearing, too, and share what they’ve told me. The more voices we hear, the better legislators can be in responding to issues. And I encourage people to register to vote, to learn about the issues and to vote. I was just at the Multicultural Festival in Concord last week, one of the many places we can come together and talk about issues and celebrate our diversity.

Safiya Wazir, House Rep., D-Concord, said one of her biggest challenges when she ran for office was overcoming voter perception that she was a Muslim-American who would not properly represent them at the State House.

Photo by Robert Ortiz

DR. TRINIDAD TELLEZ

House Rep., D-Manchester

Q: What are some of the ways you have tried to dispel the notion that you represent just the Latino community instead of all New Hampshire citizens?

A: Like everyone, I have multiple identities — yes, I am Latina.  I am also a first-generation college student who grew up working class, as well as mother to a child with a learning disability, a caregiver daughter, wife, business owner, church-go er, musician, active community member, and 20-year resident of Manchester. Let’s remember that anyone can represent everyone! I bring over 20 years’ experience working to improve health and well-being for all people and communities — especially those who have been historically excluded and underserved — as a family physician, researcher, educator and public health practitioner. This includes 10 years of service in state government as director of the Office of Health Equity. Over the years, I’ve

learned that most of us want the same thing. We want to be able to raise our children, for them to thrive, and to have opportunities that we didn’t have. We want to be able to have good quality jobs that pay well and provide some security and peace of mind for our families. I hope to bring my lens as a person from very humble origins who’s had the privilege of higher education, to bring a voice to all working families’ needs and concerns in crafting our laws, and to assure oppor tunity for everyone to succeed — so that New Hampshire remains a vibrant and welcoming state. I will fight for the people of New Hampshire to assure access to quality jobs, quality schools and quality healthcare ... for all, to support the ability for all to succeed and thrive to ensure the New Hampshire advantage for genera tions to come.

Q: What do you believe prevents more ethnically diverse Granite Staters from seeking elected office?

A: A position that pays only $100 a year (the second lowest in the country) prevents people in most working families from being a part of the New Hampshire Legislature. There are plenty of people of color who would be excellent legis lators and who are civically engaged in ways that work for them, making change in community in different ways. Let’s remember that people are more likely to take a job if they have an existing connection or network. For me, I was asked to run, and was then strongly encouraged by people I know — people who have worked in, and around, the legislative system and could offer their wisdom and guidance. And as a small business owner, I have the flexibility to accommodate the job into my schedule, as well as a very supportive husband who is blessed with a good job. As a result, I was able to step up to serve, and bring my knowledge, skills and lived experience — my unique lens — to help the NH Legislature do a better job for all the people of New Hampshire.

Photo by Robert Ortiz

Dr. Trinidad Tellez, House Rep., D-Manchester, believes that more people of color would run for the State Legislature if the job paid more than just $100 per year, which is the second lowest in the country.

LILY TANG WILLIAMS

Republican 2nd Congressional District Candidate, Weare

Q: As a Chinese-American woman, what are some of the most difficult things about running for elected office in New Hampshire?

A: Although I lost the Republican Congressional primary on Sept. 13th in district 2, I won 25% of the vote, for a very strong 3rd place finish. The most difficult thing was that I ran out of time meeting voters; too many people didn’t know me. Once people knew me, they liked me, and voted for me, including in dependent voters. I think this is why I did much better than predicted. I immigrat ed to the U.S. as a very poor 24-year-old seeking freedom and speaking very little English. I think it was hard sometimes for the voters of New Hampshire to un derstand me if they were not used to my Sichuan-Chinese accent. Money was a big hurdle, too. I only raised money from individual grassroots supporters, which wasn’t much considering how much PACs and Super-PACs spent on or for my opponents. I only raised $170,000 by myself by doing interviews and public speaking, with most of my donations under $200. I had no budget for TV ads, so I only did mailers, radio ads and some inexpensive social media marketing. I was out-spent by at least 4 to 1 by my two major opponents.

Q: What did you do to prepare for your run for

A: I consulted with some friends and supporters locally, did some re search on how to file to run for U.S. Con gress and the time frame to file for the New Hampshire Primary. My husband and I interviewed and hired a small local marketing company to build my cam

paign website, and made a two-minute video as my campaign ad. My husband and I filed Lily4Congress Committee with the Federal Election Commission in January 2022, and applied for an EIN from the IRS, opened up a committee bank account, set up an online donation payment processor account, started a Facebook campaign page (Lily4Con gress), then announced publicly to get media interviews, speaking engage ments, raising money and recruiting vol

September GOP

unteers. Even though I ran and won an election as Supervisor of the Checklist in Weare, running for U.S. Congress was a totally different experience. It required an almost full-time commitment, lots of hard work and strong family support. I enjoyed it, though, especially meeting people from all walks of life in the Gran ite State. I am grateful for so many do nors and volunteers who supported me. I hope more minorities will get involved in politics and fight the good fight.

office?

Photo by Robert Ortiz

Former Republican 2nd Congressional Candidate Lily Tang Williams said that while she was pleased with capturing 25% of the vote in the

Primary, she believes her ethnicity made it harder for her to raise money for her campaign.

Latino candidates: ‘We are here to stay’

n BY ROBERT COOK

Aweek before the New Hampshire State Primary in September, a group of local and state candidates from the greater Manchester and greater Nashua areas gathered to share their re spective visions, if elected and re-elected.

The need for greater engagement and inclusion was the common thread that tied them together.

State Rep. Maria Perez, a Democrat who was seeking reelection in Hillsbor ough District 43 in Milford, promised to push legislation to increase access to mental health care for minorities and great access to abortions.

Jason Bonilla, 30, who is the son of Salvadoran immigrants, was running for reelection as Manchester’s Ward 5 School Board member. He expressed his interest in building more bridges for parents of English language learners to advocate for their kids. He also believes his position on the Manchester School Board sets a great example for Latino children who can see

how they can make a difference in their communities by getting involved.

Allisandra Murray and Dr. Trinidad Tellez were both seeking the Democratic nomination in the September primary to represent Hillsborough District 20 in the State House. Murray, who has Nicaraguan parents, and Tellez, who is of Cuban and Mexican descent, were also interested in creating greater inclusion to important healthcare services and generating more Latino engagement in the political process.

Murray said that if Latinos want to have more of an impact here in New Hamp shire, younger Latino voters have to get involved instead of just focusing on TikTok. “The more Latinos disengage, the less the things we want to happen will happen,” she said.

Perez also acknowledged that while Latinos continue to make gains by having more of a presence at the State House, there is much work to be done. In addition to representing their constituents, Perez

believes elected officials should attend events statewide to increase their public profile and demonstrate to New Hamp shire voters in the North Country, the Seacoast and Upper Valley they represent all of the people in the Granite State.

The Latino candidates also realize they are still fighting an uphill battle to gain more traction when it comes to the legislative initiatives. When it comes to the New Hampshire House, there is strength in numbers, and elected minority officials can feel isolated.

A look at the state’s demographics illustrates what they are up against. New Hampshire residents are 93.1% white, compared to 76.3% of the population nationally, according to the 2019 Census. New Hampshire has become more diverse since 1990, when 98% of the population identified as white. Hispanics and Latinos make up 4.4%, Asians account for 3% and African Americans are 1.8% of the total New Hampshire population. Approximate

ly 6% of New Hampshire residents are foreign born. Only 6% of New Hampshire elected representatives are minorities and 29% are female.

Still Carlos Gonzales, the first Latino elected to the New Hampshire House of Representatives in 2000 as a Republican, acknowledges the playing field in Concord is much better today than it was when he first entered office.

Gonzales, who is originally from the Do minican Republic, serves as the Manches ter School Board Ward 12 representative. He was running to capture the Hillsbor ough District 40 House seat. To better understand how they can help the Latino community, Gonzales said Democrats and Republicans need to do more than just court their vote at election time. They also need to be honest and realistic about how they could help the Latino community.

Gonzales made one thing abundantly clear:“We are here to stay, but we need to participate.” 603

“ THE MORE LATINOS DISENGAGE, THE LESS THE THINGS WE WANT TO HAPPEN WILL HAPPEN. ”

— Allisandra Murray

State House Democratic candidate Allisandra Murray and House Rep. Dr. Trinidad Tellez, D-Manchester, who were running for the same House seat, Jason Bonilla, Manchester Ward 5 School Board member, Carlos Gonzales, Manchester Ward 12 School Board member and Republican House Rep. candidate for Hillsborough County District 40, and State Rep. Maria Perez, D-Milford participated in a Latino candidates forum this fall where they discussed what members of their community must do to make their voices heard.

(Photo by Robert Cook )

SpiceyourUpholidays

n BY RONY CAMILLE / PHOTOS BY ROBERT ORTIZ

FOUR NH RESTAURANTS OFFER THEIR FAVORITE WINTER RECIPES

“Food, glorious food” is what the orphans sing in the musical “Oliver” based on Charles Dickens’ novel “Oliver Twist.” Food is also the quintessential element that brings families and com munities together when they celebrate their most important holidays or just want to enjoy some comfort food during

those cold Granite State winters.

Fortunately, New Hampshire is bless ed to have excellent ethnic and fusion restaurants in diverse locations ranging from the North Country to southern New Hampshire to the Seacoast. To bright en up your holiday meals and provide some warmth to your winter table, we

reached out to some of their chefs to get some cool recipes for you.

Don’t be daunted by ingredients or recipes that seem strange or challeng ing. Muster the courage to try some of these dishes at home with your family, expand your horizons and create new memories.

BAMEE | DURHAM

Pat Rassamee never imagined finding herself in a commercial kitchen, let alone running a restau rant in a bustling college town in New Hampshire.

Rassamee, who grew up in Thailand, is the co-vision ary behind Bamee, a Thai street food and Asian-fusion restaurant situated on Jenkins Court in Durham, just a stone’s throw away from the University of New Hamp shire campus.

Bamee means “egg noodle” in the official language of Thailand. It signifies an egg-based yellow noodle found in Thai street food. Rassamee says that Thai people cel ebrate their holidays differently. She recalls consuming lots of food from street vendors while growing up with her grandparents.

“It was really a convenience for us,” she says. “When it comes to big holidays like Thai New Year or universal New Year Day, for instance, we like to go out to fancy or special food restaurants (hot pot, sushi, barbecue, etc.) where we can get food that we don’t usually make at home,” she says.

Songkran, a national New Year’s holiday in Thailand, is celebrated April 13 to 15 each year. When it was time to cook, her grandfather did the honors in the kitchen, she says. One of those dishes, a buttercup squash with red curry, was a family favorite.

It wasn’t until her grandfather passed away that she and her mother picked up the kitchen utensils to recreate his beautiful dishes at home. “We learned how to cook from observing my grandfather in the kitchen,” she says.

Another of those creations is bao — a fluffy, steamed bun with shredded pork that melts in your mouth — and gaeng som, a sweet, spicy and sour fish soup with vegetables. Those dishes inspired the opening of Bamee in 2017. Rassamee is actively working on a new concept in downtown Portsmouth for 2023.

1 small buttercup squash

1 can Thai red curry paste (4 oz.)

2 cans Thai coconut milk (13.5 oz.)

2 tablespoons fish sauce 2 tablespoons sugar Chicken breast or thighs

Kaffir lime leaves (sliced or whole) Thai basil leaves  Red pepper

Peel, clean and cut squash into small cubes.

Use medium high heat to cook a little bit of cooking oil and curry paste. A stir-fry pan works well (or any non-stick pot if you don’t have a

pan). Stir until you get the curry aro ma or until you see a small change in the curry color.

Add the cream part of the coconut milk, stirring until combined. Con tinue to cook until boiling, then add squash and chicken. Add the rest of the coconut milk and continue to cook over medium heat for another 10-15 minutes or until squash is soft.

Add sugar and fish sauce (you can also add some chicken broth to enhance the flavor).

Add red pepper and Thai basil, then turn the heat off.

The dish is ready to serve!

Pro tips:

Pat Rassamee shared her moth er’s measurement ratios to make a good curry dish:

Curry paste: coconut milk = 1:2

Sugar: fish sauce = 1:1 They use Maesri brand for curry paste and Squid brand for the fish sauce.

She suggests using palm sugar, but adds that you can use granulat ed brown sugar or any other type of sugar. Adjust the sweetness to suit your preference.

Pat Rassamee, owner of Bamee Thai Street Food in Durham.

Buttercup Squash Red Curry

SHALIMAR RESTAURANT | PORTSMOUTH

Food is such an important cultural element for Harbhajan Singh, 63, and his daughter Kulbir Kaur, 34, that they dedicate themselves to ensuring everything goes right. So much so that Singh, a prac ticing Sikh, meditates and prays over the food as it is prepared and before it goes out for lunch or dinner service.

“We’re not serving customers,” he says. “We’re serving family.”

The father and daughter duo oversee the operations of Shalimar, nestled on downtown Portsmouth’s famous Hanover Street. It has been there since 1992, establishing itself as a culinary institution for locals and tourists.

Singh’s love for cooking came from his father, who owned restaurants in the northern Punjab state of India.

Diwali, known as the festival of lights, is one of the major holidays celebrated by the Sikhs, Hindu, Jains and Bud dhists worldwide. The holiday, celebrated in October this year, marks the start of the Hindu calendar and celebrates the victory of good over evil over

the course of five days.

According to Kaur, those who celebrate do so with ghee oil lamps, lights, fireworks — and of course, food.

“For us, fall and winter equal comfort foods,” Kaur says. “Desserts were always big in our house growing up,” she adds.

One of those desserts is gulgula, a sweet fried dough ball, and Kaju Katli, a cashew-based dessert. Golden milk, a warm milk-based tea composed of ginger, turmeric, cardamon, a pinch of saffron and honey, is an other staple during the holidays, according to Singh.

“Not only is it good, but it also has good health properties. You sleep well when you drink this in the evening,” he says.

Sikhs believe that everyone is equal before God. They also believe that people’s actions are important and everyone should try to lead a good life. One way the Singh-Kaur follow this belief is by treating everyone who walks in their door as family.

That practice, combined with a connection to meditation and spirituality, has kept Shalimar going for over 30 years.

Golden Milk

1½ cups water

1 cup dairy or dairy alternative

½ teaspoon turmeric

Small piece fresh ginger root Sweetener (sugar, honey, etc.)

Optional ingredients:

Pinch of saffron

½ teaspoon cardamom powder

Cloves to taste

¼ teaspoon cinnamon powder

Pinch of black pepper

Add water and milk to a pot. Grate the fresh ginger root into the water.

Add turmeric and optional ingredi ents as desired. Heat up for about 4 minutes until hot, but not boiling, whisking frequently.

Boil for 5 minutes, then add dairy.

Boil for and additional 5 minutes, then strain the milk.

Add sweetener if desired and serve.

Kaju Katli

2 cups cashews

½ cup water

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon ghee/clarified butter

1 teaspoon cardamom powder

In a food processor, grind the cashews to a fine powder (make sure they are smooth and not clumpy). Put them aside.

In a pan, add the water and sugar. Mix them until the sugar is dissolved. Then, boil for five min utes (it should look like syrup).

Add the powdered cashews to the water, stirring continuously until it’s a smooth paste.

Add the ghee and cardamom powder, continuing to stir. Do not overcook it — use a lower heat setting to avoid burning it.

Once the mixture is a smooth dough-like consistency, move it to a clean surface with a spatula.

Let it cool and then knead it like dough, using a rolling pin roll it out evenly.

Cut into little diamonds.

(Enjoy!)

Harbhajan Singh and his daughter, Kublir Kaur, owners of Shalimar Restaurant in Portsmouth.

Growing up in Staten Island, NY, the holidays for Angela Mojica meant family reunions and everything Colombian.

“You always looked forward to the holidays, because you knew your family would get together,” she says. “Every body would make something. I know my mom and my dad all would go all-out making everything Colombian that I could imagine,” she recalls.

For Colombians, the holiday season starts on December 1 and lasts through All Kings Day on January 6.

Noche Buena, which translates to “the night of goodness,” is the height of the holiday season, celebrated on

Christmas Eve, December 24, in Colom bia and most Latino Christian cultures. It marks the birth of Jesus Christ.

Mojica, 39, is a native of Cali, Colombia, and has operated Dulce’s Bakery at its present location on the corner of Amherst and Chestnut streets in Manchester since 2018. The bakery is located across from the city’s Victory Park, occupying what once was PO Diner Luncheonette.

Her goal is to offer products that other bakeries in the area may not have. “I want to offer Colombian culture to Manchester,” says Mojica.

One of these sweets is tres leches (milk cakes), which can only be de scribed as “heaven in a cup.” It’s a milk cake topped off with whipped cream, says Mojica. Various flavors are added such as vanilla, chocolate, pineapple, guava and coconut, to name a few.

Another dessert she offers in her shop was also one of her childhood holiday favorites. It is coquito’s macaron (coconut kiss) — not to be confused with the boozy milky coconut drink from Puerto Rico.

According to Afrogistmedia, coconut kisses date back to the 1700s, when dessert ingredients mostly consisted of wheat flour and coconut. The treat has Venezuelan roots, however, some sources claim that it originated in Puerto Rico.

“Many countries have tried to claim it as their own,“ Mojica muses.

5½ cups shredded coconut ²/³ cup all purpose flour

1 can condensed milk

Dash of vanilla extract

Pinch of salt

Start with dry ingredients and mix well. Add the wet ingredients, mixing well.

With an ice cream scooper or spoon, make round balls and bake at 350° for 10 minutes each side on a sheet pan, until golden.

Coquitos / Coconut Macarons

EL MIRADOR | BETHLEHEM

Brothers Juan and Andres Pu have always worked behind the grill serving others. However, it was this year they fulfilled their dreams and opened up not one but two busi nesses feeding the stomachs and souls of the North Country.

Originally from Guatemala, the family launched El Mira dor Restaurante — el mirador translates to “the view” — on the grounds of the Bethlehem Country Club over the summer. This was shortly after launching the “North Country’s Daddy’s Grill” food truck based in Lit tleton. Both venues offer Latino and American cuisine.

“It’s been my dream for a long time to open up a restaurant,” says Juan Pu. “I didn’t expect it to happen this fast.”

Sometimes success sneaks up on you. Juan Pu says he wasn’t planning to open up a brick-andmortar business initially. In April, he and his brother launched North Country Daddy’s Grill. The truck grew so popular that the Bethle hem Country Club approached the brothers to take over the space that once housed the Putter’s Club, and El Mirador was born.

One of the things they look for ward to is introducing the North Country this holiday season to hot Latino foods, such as tamales, a traditional Guatemalan dish ensconsed in masa, a corn-based dough. This comfort food will keep everyone warm during the coldest winter months.

Juan and Andres Pu, owners of El Mirador in Bethlehem, cook up wonderful Central American fare that will brighten any winter table.

Guatemalan Tamales

1 whole cooked chicken 6 ripe tomatoes, diced 3 red peppers, cut 3 Poblano peppers, cut Half an onion, minced 1 ounce sesame seeds 1 ounce pumpkin seeds 2 teaspoons cinnamon Salt and pepper (to taste) Two bay leaves ½ tsp of annatto (for color) 4 cups masa flour

Banana leaves for shaping tamales and corn husks for the pot

Debone and then cut the chicken into small pieces. Grill the tomatoes, red peppers, poblano and onions until seared and leave for about 5 to 8 minutes.

Saute the pumpkin seeds until brown. Process the chicken, tomatoes, red peppers, poblano peppers, onions, anatto and pumpkin seeds in a blender until well mixed.

Season with cinnamon, bay leaves, salt and pepper. (It will be hot so be careful.)

Make the tortilla masa (dough) by adding 3 cups of water and 4 cups of masa flour. Knead it until it’s hard enough to make a dough ball. Roll out a ball of the tortilla dough on a banana leaf until it’s flat and round, then place a dollop of the seasoned chicken mix in the middle.

Fold the the tortilla dough over the mix and press to seal.

Fold the banana leaf around the tamale and wrap it with aluminum foil. Repeat until all the mix or masa is used up.

Line the bottom of a large pot with the corn husks and add about four cups of water and set to boil (add water as needed — the corn husks add flavor and help protect the pot from scorching).

Place the tamales one at a time into the pot, cover and let it steam for 2.5 hours.

Disfrutar!

Photo by Kendall Bush

n BY BETH SANTOS

Highlightinghistory

Can history heal us?

About 28 years ago, Valerie Cunningham and a team of independent researchers installed a series of markers across the city of Portsmouth, telling the story of the 656 enslaved Africans through out the region. With it they formed the Portsmouth Black Heritage Trail, a self-guid ed tour that takes visitors to sites like the African Burial Ground and Prescott Park, uncovering stories that have been excluded from history. Now, the trail is extending: not just marking Black history around Ports mouth, but sharing stories across the state.

It’s called the Black Heritage Trail of New

Hampshire (BHTNH), and it’s a series of physical markers sharing Black history around the Granite State. BHTNH identified 18 towns to start, and four towns have markers already. Telling these stories is just the beginning of rewriting an important part of history that has been all but left out of the classroom.

“New Hampshire loves to talk about its firsts, but we also have a lot of firsts in Black history,” says JerriAnne Boggis, BHTNH’s executive director. Some of those firsts include Harriet Wilson of Milford, the first Black person to publish a novel in America, and Vance Coit, a formerly en slaved man who founded a small communi ty of free Black people at the base of what

THE BLACK HERITAGE TRAIL OF NH TELLS A NEW STORY ACROSS THE GRANITE STATE

is now Coit Mountain, near Newport.

“You look at Coit Mountain and never know that story,” Boggis explains. “But putting a marker there changes the landscape, and you’ll look at that landscape differently. You’ll start imagining the people there, how they lived, how they created lives, and the human ness of their story will come to mind.”

Boggis knows a thing or two about what visual representation does to a place. She formed an organization and unveiled a statue to Harriet Wilson in 2005 — the state’s first statue to honor a person of color. Her own process of learning about Harriet Wilson changed everything.

“Knowing that story changed how I saw the

Photos courtesy of the Black Heritage Trail of New Hampshire

town in which I was living,” Boggis, who was born in Jamaica, says. “It created a different feeling to be part of the town and not just a visitor, even though I’ve been there forever. It created that sense of roots. And for my kids, who were born and raised in New Hampshire, it created that sense of belonging. I needed something permanently in the state so no one could say, ‘Well, this didn’t happen here.’”

That absence of Black history has contributed to a lot of misconcep tions. Some visitors to the trail have admitted to not recognizing that there was any Black history in New Hampshire at all. And for Black New Hampshire residents, that lack of representation hurts.

“New Hampshire has always been talked about as one of the whitest states in the Union,” Boggis says. “But this changes the historical per ception of what New Hampshire is. Not only do we include the story of enslavement, but we also have towns where Black people were among the founding people in the town. A lot of research has shown that people are really interested in diverse communities. So highlighting this history, with visible markers, and a telling of locations of Black history, creates a much more complex image — but also a more welcoming image — and a sense of belonging for people of color.”

One of Boggis’ favorite modern nods to the power of imagery is the Positive Street Art installation in Nashua, which consists of a series of bold, colorful and inspirational murals featuring women and people of color. “It creates a whole different feel for the town to see these largerthan-life images, none of which have white people. It changes the mindset where it becomes normal. I think it enters the human psyche in a different way to see this visual representation of other people.” For Boggis, creating physical markers and visuals to tell the stories of Black history in New Hampshire is a critical step in broadening awareness of our state’s true heritage, even if a visitor isn’t actively looking for it. That, combined with ongoing programming and dialogue, can do wonders to create true representation for everyone — both residents and visitors alike.

“If we acknowledge this history for Black folks, for African Amer icans, we can acknowledge this history for Latinos, for Asians. As we highlight this, we’re also highlighting our Native American histo ry. It creates a much more complex view of New Hampshire — but

also a much more welcoming and inclusive view of our state.”

The expansion plans for the trail have already surpassed the initial 18 towns intended. This is because the more awareness it raises, the more towns dig into their own historical data and are surprised by what they find. A marker in Windham tells the story of a cemetery for local enslaved people. Nashua has asked for a marker, too. As these towns find evidence of their own Black history and heritage, they join the line of towns requesting markers. For Boggis and her team, it’s just a matter of meeting the demand.

In addition to the statewide marker installation, the Black Heritage Trail also hosts a number of events and activities to shed light on Black history in order to build more inclusive communities today. Those activities include walking tours led by guides called Sankofa Scholars who are trained and experienced in Black history as well as modern concepts and controversies in anti-racism, a series of “tea talk” lectures related to New Hampshire’s Black history and African American culture, an annual Juneteenth celebration, and statewide community readings of Frederick Douglass’ famous speech, “What to the Slave is your Fourth of July?” The Black Heritage Trail also hosts the two-day Black New England Conference — the 2022 theme focused on explor ing the racialized wealth gap.

These activities aren’t just about telling stories of history, but examining them with a modern lens and setting an example for future generations. That is the true vision for Boggis and her team.

“I had always looked at New Hampshire as a place where we could be an example of what it means to honor our history, even a history that we think is problematic,” Boggis explains. “If we continue to hide the stories and never face our history, we have no chance of healing. But we can have an honest dialogue on what it means if we can go through the pain of enslavement, of segregation. On both sides, we have a chance to heal. And if we can do it in one town, two towns, three towns across the state, across the country, there is hope.” 603

In communities like Andover and Kittery, Maine, which is just across the Piscataqua River from Portsmouth, Black Heritage Trail of New Hampshire markers tell the story about the Africans and African-Americans who lived and worked here for many generations.

Downhill diversity

As someone who never learned how to ski or to enjoy the snow in general, I knew I had two choices when I moved to New Hampshire: hiding six months inside the house hoping the few days of sum mer would arrive soon, or venturing

n BY CAROLINA VALENTI

outside and facing my fears.

The whole idea of putting on a pair of boots, gearing up for the frigid tempera tures and jumping into the unknown sounded terrifying, to say the least. I would quickly realize, though, that it was not just a matter of learning how to

ski or snowboard, but there is also a real financial cost that comes along with it.

For all the people who feel like I did once, there is a clear message the skiing in dustry wants us to know: “We are welcome, and the spaces for us are there.”

One of the resorts committed to bring diversity into the winter sports industry is Pat’s Peak, a family-friendly mountain located in Henniker, New Hampshire. Since 2005, the resort has been a Youth Enrichment Services (YES) Partner, a program that allows kids from any background to obtain sponsor tickets and purchase used rental equipment at a very discounted rate.

The resort offers signs in 28 different languages and even advertises through various Spanish media outlets. Through their partnership with WeForm, they also welcome families from Boston suburbs.

“We hire employees who speak different languages, including Mandarin, to work in our rental shop and as instructors,” says Lori Rowell, Pats Peak’s director of marketing and sales. They also run a Cultural Exchange and Diversity Program with students from South America.

By celebrating their Diversity Day during the Martin Luther King holiday, Pats Peak acknowledges the importance of attracting all types of skiers. The event celebrated 21 years last January. With just one entry ticket, attendees can access skiing, snowboarding, snowtubing, rentals and more. The next celebration will take place on January 16, 2023. “The event commemorates the importance of diversity, nondiscrimination and freedom,” explained Rowell.

A couple of years ago, I decided to take advantage of the resort’s Passport Program, a prepaid package that included four lessons and a pair of skis once you completed the required training. This offered me some savings, as well as a chance to encounter people with similar backgrounds to mine, many of them moth ers, eager to learn how to ski. Clearly, the efforts to attract a diverse crowd are working.

Making the impossible a reality

Even for those who face extremely chal lenging circumstances, there are alterna tives. Waterville Valley Resort, for example, has a well-established Adaptive Sports Pro gram that started in 1991. It grants access and instruction to people with disabilities and intellectual challenges.

“We deal with any disability there is; we try to accommodate whatever the needs of the individual are and we are doing a really good job at that. We have a great group, 60 to 70 volunteers, a lot of whom are high school-aged children,” explained James Waddell, a key figure involved with the program, who will be its manager this season.

By providing non-traditional skiing options, the resort has gained custom ers for life. “We have participants who

come every single solitary year. We have students who began with us as seven or eight-year-olds and now are 20-something year olds, and moving on,” he added.

There is a huge reward associated with such an initiative, but also, a heavy finan cial cost. Running the program requires special equipment, depending on the indi vidual’s needs, and most of the financing for these purchases is obtained through fundraising. One event, the Cold Turkey Plunge, is Waterville’s most successful gathering to secure funds; it takes place the Saturday after Thanksgiving. For the past couple of years, the resort has also celebrated Pirate Day, inviting everyone to do the most runs they can in a day, dressed as a pirate if they wish.

Thanks to the generosity of these events’ participants, Waterville keeps >>

Photo by Rob Bossi

extending its reach and impact. “Last year we got a brand-new ski which is called the TetraSki. Developed at the University of Utah, it can be used by an individual who is paralyzed from the neck down, who has no ability to use his or her limbs. This opens up the door for people who would have never been on skis,” says Waddell.

Fear of heights? No problem!

Skiing or snowboarding is not for everyone. It can be intim idating. However, sometimes all you need is to start easy and slow. Why not try cross-country skiing then? A discipline in which skiers use their own bodies to move around the snow, there is no need for slopes, just plain terrain. It can be prac ticed pretty much in any place where there is a decent amount of powder.

“We are exploring efforts to be more welcoming. We are looking for opportunities to be closer to urban areas. Snow making has become much more important in our sport to reach audiences that may not travel to more rural areas,” explained Heidi Lange, executive director of the New England Nordic Ski Association (NENSA), a group that promotes learning and development of the sport.

There is also an access that cross-country skiing offers in terms of equipment. “One of the things we appreciate about cross-country skiing is that our equipment is not quite as expen sive as alpine,” added Kait Miller, who serves as NENSA’s youth and introductory program director.

The Association currently runs an elementary school introduc tory ski program called Nordic Rocks, which provides instruc tion at no cost. The initiative targets students in more diverse

demographic regions, as well as kids hailing from lower-income families. The financial burden that buying or renting equipment can add to the youngsters’ families is also actively addressed by NENSA.

“We have new equipment this year that has a universal bind ing. Children can use it with their usual snow boots rather than

The New England Nordic Ski Association provides equipment and instruction to skiers who have physical or intellectual disabilities to help them get out on the slopes at New Hampshire ski resorts like Pat’s Peak in Henniker, Loon Mountain in Lincoln and Waterville Valley.

Photo by Dean Haymes

Women eager to try cross coun try-skiing can get a taste of the sport by participating in the Women’s XC Ski Day, a NENSA-sponsored event offered to anyone who identifies as a female and which includes a full day of introductory clinics, lunch and a raffle. A great opportunity to build a sports sisterhood!

“This would be our 22nd year of our women’s day, (an event) con ceived and started by an Olympian (Trina Hosmer). It’s been hugely successful; it has filled to capacity every year, and we are very proud of it,” concludes Lange. The next one for those interested will take place on January 22, 2023, in Jackson, NH.

The road ahead

Even though there are no clear statistics in New Hampshire related to participation in winter sports by gen der, race or disability, these examples prove there is an existing concern and efforts in place to attract a more diverse crowd to the snow.

Just last September, Vail Resorts, which operates Mount Sunapee, Crotched, Wildcat and Attitash, an nounced $560,000 in grants commit ted to increase youth access to outdoor recreation. “Each of the nonprofit part ners works to support youth of color in major metropolitan areas surrounding Vail Resorts’ locations, including Balti more, Boston, Chicago, Cleveland and New York, among others,” reads their press release.

Sometimes, the main obstacle is ourselves. After all, once you get on that lift and land on that hill (in my case, hopefully without falling), it’s only you and the snow. The powder is colorless, there is no referee, no limitations on how fast or slow you can go. It’s just fun and games out there. As James Waddell put it, “People may have challenges, but they are on a level playing field when they are on the mountain with all the other skiers.”

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Our Growing Diversity

IN ITS SECOND YEAR, NEW ENGLAND BIPOC FEST IS BIGGER AND BETTER THAN EVER

n BY ROBERT COOK PHOTOS BY ROBERT ORTIZ

Before 2022 gives way to a new year, it is good to look back and take note of exciting events that aim to celebrate New Hampshire’s growing diversity. Such an event was this fall’s New England BIPOC Fest in Portsmouth, which brought more than 1,000 people together.

Sponsored by Service Credit Union and JGroup, the festival’s organizers sought to make their celebration of the Seacoast’s Black and Indigenous People of Color a regional event at the parking lot of the Vida Cantina restaurant on Lafayette Road. The event was held on Sept. 25 and included more than 30 food vendors, entertainers and nonprofits from throughout New England.

The event was founded by David Vargas, owner of Vida Cantina in Portsmouth and O’Rell’s Barbecue on Badgers Island in Kittery, Maine, and Evan Mallett, owner of Black Trumpet Bistro in Portsmouth, in 2021. It was attended by more than 750 people that year.

As stated on the New England BIPOC Festival website, the mission is to foster a greater appreciation of the ethnic and cultural diversity that has been woven into the Granite’s State’s fabric.

“As long as Black and Brown people are marginalized, ignored, regarded as second-class citizens, or blocked from the same rights and privileges enjoyed by white folks, our democracy cannot succeed. By bringing our community together under one sky, we hope to initiate and perpetuate conversation about the important threads of equity and social justice that hold us all together. Through celebration and joy, BIPOC Fest unites a wide array of community members to enjoy some of the foods, art and music that highlight the rich and diverse histories that

The second annual New England BIPOC Fest in Portsmouth this fall brought more people together to celebrate the Seacoast region’s growing ethnic and cultural diversity.

make up this seacoast.”

This fall, festival-goers were enter tained by performers such as Zumba by Marienela, DJ Skooch, and the Seacoast West African Dance and Drum Group. Rose’s Spring Rolls, Sassy Biscuit, Habibi and Southern Girl Bakery were among the participating restaurants.

The James Beard Foundation, Occupy New Hampshire, the Cowasuck Band of the Pennacook-Abenaki People, Black Lives Matter Seacoast, and Indigenous New Hampshire were also represented.

This year’s festival was expected to raise as much as $25,000, a portion of which was directed to various business es and community groups.

New England BIPOC Fest leaders have helped to raise $25,000 for the event this year, a large sum of which will be directed back into the festival’s participating vendors, acts and organi zations.

Moving forward, the festival’s organizers plan to form a 501(c)(3) organization. They also hope to relocate the festival to the Bridge Street parking lot closer to downtown Portsmouth in 2023. 603

The Laconia Indian Historical Association held its 52nd annual Labor Day Weekend Pow Wow in Sanbornton. The three-day event gives visitors opportunities to learn about Native American culture and traditions, enjoy dancing, music and community feasting. They can also purchase handmade Native American wares. The Association was founded by Gerry Dulac in 1969 and brings thousands of New Hampshire residents with and without Native American lineage together in celebration and love.

603 Diversity Magazine photographer Robert Ortiz spent some time at the recent Pow Wow and captured these images that convey the spirit of New Hampshire’s original Indigenous people at a time when the Granite State has acknowledged and celebrated the traditions and culture of the Abenaki’s.

— Robert Cook, Photos by Robert Ortiz

The 52nd annual Laconia Indian Historical Association Pow Wow in Sanbornton this fall reaffirmed the pride and contributions made by New Hampshire’s Native American culture with music, dancing and ornate crafts throughout Labor Day Weekend. Photos by Robert Ortiz

In a tight market, housing experts see promise in resident-owned communities

Amid a significant shortage of affordable housing in the state, the Southwest Region Planning Commission and the NH Commu nity Loan Fund have partnered to highlight the value of resident-owned communities, which they say could help increase the area housing stock and, in turn, bolster the local workforce.

Todd Horner, a senior planner at SWRPC, explained that ROCs are collectives of manufactured homes on land cooperatively owned by residents. SWRPC posted a video explaining ROCs on its website in February.

Headquartered in Keene, SWRPC is one of nine regional planning agencies, serving 34 communities and promoting regional coordi nation across realms such as transportation

infrastructure, the labor force and housing, according to its website.

The Community Loan Fund is a Concord nonprofit that, per its website, provides loans and other capital assistance to people in the state who are underserved.

Representatives of SWRPC and the Community Loan Fund spoke about these communities and what they can bring to a scarce housing stock. The average manu factured home in the state costs $100,000, according to Tara Reardon, vice president of ROC-NH and external relations at the Community Loan Fund. The median home price in Cheshire County is $271,000. Reardon said these homes are built indoors in factories and have a steel frame.

Manufactured homes make up 7% of the single-family housing market in New Hamp shire, she added.

“This isn’t some kind of temporary hous ing,” she said. “It is a forever home. We think it’s a really smart housing choice for seniors, small families and workforce folk. It’s small, and it’s efficient.”

In ROCs, Reardon said, residents own their homes and pay the property taxes like any other New Hampshire household but pay rent for the land. These communities are governed by a residential board, which oversees the neighborhood and collects fees for maintaining the land.

— HUNTER OBERST, THE KEENE SENTINEL

NH students’ racist homecoming proposal draws community ire

A racist homecoming proposal posted by a Trinity High School senior on social media has stirred outrage, especially among the school’s and city’s Black community, according to Ronelle Tshiela, co-founder of Black Lives Matter Manchester.

She said the Black community is outraged after the student posted a photo of himself with a girl, who is not a Trinity student, holding a sign that said: “If I was Black I’d be picking cotton. But I’m white so I’m picking you.”

Tshiela took a screenshot of the posting from the student’s social media account before it was deleted and reposted it on the BLM Manchester Instagram page. The student is a member of the high school’s football team, she said.

Tshiela said the sister of her roommate, who is Black and a graduate of Trinity,

currently attends Trinity and told her of the posting. She said the school’s Black students are afraid to speak out publicly. However, she said her roommate’s sister told her, “All the Black kids are mad.”

She said BLM Manchester wants to ex press “our support for the Black commu nity that has been affected by the posting, especially the students at Trinity. This is disgusting, and appropriate action needs to be taken,” she said.

Trinity President Nathan Stanton apolo gized to all affected by the social media post. The statement he issued said, in part:

“We received a report this after noon that one of our students made an extremely inappropriate post on social media. Student disciplinary action is con fidential, but I can assure you that swift, appropriate action has been taken, as

this type of behavior does not reflect the teachings of the Catholic Church or the Mission of Trinity High School.”

The Manchester Mayor’s Multicultural Advisory Council’s leadership team, which includes Tshiela, as well as Arnold Mikolo and Sue Corby, issued the following joint statement:

“We call on the leadership of Trinity High School, the NH Archdiocese, and other community leaders to take swift actions to ensure Manchester students’ safety and well-being are protected. Further, we want to express our support for the Black students in our community affected by this. Finally, we will continue collaborating as a council to achieve our mission of becoming a safer, diverse and more welcoming community.”

— PAT GROSSMITH, MANCHESTER INK LINK

At Enterprise Bank, people and relationships come first. We encourage and foster a culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion, where everyone feels valued and respected. We are committed to a caring workplace that recognizes the importance of making a meaningful, positive difference in the lives of our team members, customers, and communities.

Some companies take on issues of inclusion and racial equity when it’s trendy or in the public eye, but Enterprise Bank leadership is continuous in our organization’s commitment as part of our shared values. Enterprise’s ongoing efforts come from a place of humility, empathy, and compassion, eager to learn and grow and affect positive change in the Bank and in the community.

Outpatient therapies now offered locally target treatment-resistant depression

Antidepressants and counseling are the most common ways for people to alleviate their depression symptoms. But for those who experience a form known as treatmentresistant depression (TRD), standard remedies provide little to no relief.

The Brattleboro Retreat and DartmouthHitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon have recently started offering alternative services to help manage depression symptoms.

The Retreat began providing transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to its established patients this spring. Recently — with the kinks of running a new program worked out — the psychiatric and substance-use treatment provider expanded the service to the general public.

TMS is a non-invasive outpatient proce dure that uses magnetic fields to stimulate nerve cells in the brain to improve depression symptoms. It was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 2008.

Using a magnetic plate on the side of the patient’s head, the treatment stimulates growth of new neural pathways in areas of the brain that are under- or overactive, ac cording to a news release from the Retreat.

TMS is applied five days per week for up to six weeks to strengthen these pathways, helping to improve brain function and mood. The treatment takes between a few minutes and a half hour, depending on the patient.

If needed, said Kurt White, vice president of outpatient services at the Retreat, patients

can be retreated for better results.

He noted there are little to no side effects, especially compared to other depression treatments, which can cause weight gain, insomnia, sexual problems and other complications.

Nineteen people have gone through the Retreat’s program, with more than 300 treatments done so far, according to White.

Studies have shown nearly two-thirds of TMS patients had either full remission of their depression symptoms or measurable improvement. White noted the treatment leads to a gradual improvement, typically taking a couple weeks to kick in.

— OLIVIA BELANGER, KEENE SENTINEL

New Center for Justice and Equity targets systemic racism in New Hampshire

A newly formed nonprofit, the NH Center for Justice and Equity, will be focusing on advancing issues of racial, economic justice and health equity in New Hampshire, its organizers say.

The Center, they say, will also seek to foster a greater dialogue among Granite Staters, including those in leadership positions, to find actionable solutions to systemic racism that will better reflect New Hampshire’s realities and values.

Anthony Poore, a former executive director of New Hampshire Humanities, is president and CEO of the new organization, said, “We envision a New Hampshire that offers fair opportunities for all Granite Staters, regardless of your age, gender, who you love, where you grew up or the language

of origin you speak.”

The NHG Center for Justice & Equity will focus on New Hampshire’s communities of color and similarly marginalized commu nities. Poore said the center will act as a convener across various stakeholders and sectors, building relationships and power, and will engage and encourage more people to take part in fostering human and capital resource sharing, particularly when similar efforts are often siloed, duplicative and under-resourced.

He said the Center will also encourage communication, coordination and collab oration across issues and opportunities, as well as operational support to current projects in areas that include law enforce ment/criminal justice, civic engagement,

government, education, health and eco nomic development.

“We will provide backbone support to those projects that are already underway, with the understanding these efforts must be aligned and focused on structural re forms, collaboration across sectors, and an understanding that social change requires a deep understanding of complex systems, power-sharing, trust and communication,” Poore said.

Poore eventually wants to see the Center become a community development finan cial institution (CDFI), moving real capital into communities in what he said would be uniquely beneficial and dem ocratic ways.

— STAFF REPORT, NH BUSINESS REVIEW

School district holds equity audit: Insight Education Group comes to Springfield

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The group intends to complete a multi-phase audit spanning from Sep tember until February. During this time they will determine what, if any, exam ples of systemic racism exists within the district, and offer recommenda tions about potential restructuring to offer equitable education, as well as a working environment in the district.

Representatives from IEG met with the school board in a recent meeting outlining the mission of the audit, as well as the four-phase plan that began earlier this month. Utilizing an equity framework, the group will be looking to find not only what opportunities are available to students and educators, but also determine the level of access to those opportunities everyone has readily available.

— DYLAN MARSH, THE EAGLE TIMES

These articles were adapted from stories shared by and with partners in The Granite State News Collaborative as part of our race and equity project.

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603 HAPPENINGS Events

THAT MAKE A DIFFERENCE

To submit multicultural or changemaker events for the next issue, send them to editors@603diversity.com.

DECEMBER 4

MANCHESTER HOLIDAY PARADE

The Queen City’s annual Holiday Parade will be held on Sunday, Dec. 5 to usher in the holiday season. The Memorial, West and Central High School marching bands will perform and The National Association of Letter Carriers Branch 44 will be on hand to collect letters to Santa. The Palace Theatre, the Manchester Fire Department and the Manchester Police Depart ment, UNH Manchester, the New Hampshire Fisher Cats, Manchester Transit Authority and many other local businesses will be part of the festivities before Santa Claus arrives in style.

DECEMBER 3

12TH ANNUAL FESTIVAL OF TREES

The Festival of Trees will feature over 35 trees elabo rately decorated by local businesses and organizations to be auctioned and raffled off. 4-8 p.m. Rivermill at Dover Landing • 2 Washington St., Dover • dovernh.org/festival-of-trees

DECEMBER 3–DECEMBER 5

ENJOY THE NUTCRACKER AT LACONIA’S COLONIAL THEATRE

Safe Haven Ballet of Portsmouth will perform the full-length ballet of The Nutcracker at The Colonial Theatre from Dec. 3 to Dec. 5. This dynamic perfor mance includes all of your favorite characters including a strong-minded Clara to the eccentric Drosselmeyer, the spooky Rats, as well as our beloved Sugarplum Fairy danced by artistic director, Lissa Curtis. In the Land of Sweets, you will be introduced to a variation unique to Safe Haven Ballet called The Brave American. Come sing and clap along to this spirited, patriotic piece!

The Colonial Theatre, Portsmouth

AKWAABA ENSEMBLE TRADITIONAL AFRICAN DRUM AND DANCE ENSEMBLE

On the same day as the Manchester Holiday Parade, the Akwaaba Ensemble Traditional African Drum and Dance Ensemble will perform a concert inside the Rex Theatre from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Come in from the cold and celebrate the holidays with this electrifying of African music and culture.

Rex Theatre, Manchester

Photo by Brett Walker

DECEMBER 11

BOSTON POPS HOLIDAY CONCERT

Capturing the magic of the holiday season and the winter charms of New England, the Boston Pops will perform their signature “Sleigh Ride,” as well as other holiday classics and new arrangements of sea sonal favorites. They’ll be joined by the Metropolitan Chorale, known as one of Metro Boston’s premier choral ensembles. Santa Claus will make a guest appearance during the concert’s finale followed by the tradi tional Boston Pops holiday singalong to bring this special performance to a close. 7:30 p.m.

SNUH Arena • 555 Elm St., Manchester • snhuarena.com

JANUARY 16

CELEBRATE DIVERSITY DAY ON THE SLOPES

Diversity Day at Pat’s Peak in Henniker celebrates the work, spirit and vision of Martin Luther King by hosting a special winter fun event at the Peak. This winter fun event commemorates the importance of diversity, nondiscrimination and freedom. We want to make the message loud and clear that the opportunity to come to the slopes of New Hampshire is not decided by a person’s ethnicity, social or economic background. POP (payone-price) tickets include:

• All Mountain Lift Ticket from 1 – 9 p.m.

• Rental Equipment

• Snowtubing Ticket: 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. All snowtubers must be at least 5 years of age and over 44 inches in height. Patspeak.com

FEBRUARY 11

MARDI GRAS LIVE AND IN-PERSON CELEBRATION RETURNS

DECEMBER 31

ROCK IN 2023 AT FIRST NIGHT PORTSMOUTH

The streets of Portsmouth will be filled with New Year’s Eve revelers who will be able to enjoy ice sculptures in Market Square, musical performances and fireworks over the South Mill Pond. Visit proportsmouth.org to purchase First Night buttons and review parking information about the city.

Portsmouth

Catholic Charities New Hampshire will hold its annual Mardi Gras celebration at the DoubleTree by Hilton in Manchester on Saturday, Feb. 11. Last year the event raised more than $180,000 to support New Hampshire residents seeking to overcome obstacles and build more stable lives. Please visit cc-nh.org for more information.

DoubleTree by Hilton, Manchester

THROUGH SPRING 2023

MEMOIRS OF A GHOST GIRLHOOD: A BLACK GIRL’S WINDOW

The Currier Art Museum exhibit created by Artist Alexandria Smith and accompanied by an original site-specific composition, “//windowed//” by Liz Gre utilizes an immersive multimedia environment using wallpaper, paint ings on wood, found objects and sculpture. Smith’s work explores Black identity through the interweaving of collective memory, autobiography and history. Her bold paintings merge figure and abstraction. The artist ex plores the question, “How can one imagine oneself in the future of a past in which one has been invisible?” Smith and Gre researched Black history in New Hampshire and various sites, including the Portsmouth African Burial Ground. Gre also composed a sound piece that recreates the site-specific environments of Manchester and Portsmouth. It also includes recordings from visitors which catalogues their response to the exhibit. It is on display through the Spring 2023. currier.org

HAPPENINGS

CIRQUE DU SOLEIL

Cirque du Soleil will bring its produc tion “Corteo” to Manchester and New Hampshire for the first time when it is performed at the Southern New Hamp shire University Arena from Jan. 19 to Jan. 22, 2023.

According to the Corteo website, Cor teo, which means “cortege” in Italian, is a joyous procession, a festive parade imag ined by a clown. The show brings together the passion of the actor with the grace and power of the acrobat to plunge the audi ence into a theatrical world of fun, comedy and spontaneity situated in a mysterious space between heaven and Earth.

Based in Montreal, Cirque du Soleil is a global leader in live entertainment with the creation of world-class immersive and iconic experiences. Cirque du Soleil connects with audiences by being genuine, human and inclusive. Privileged to work with artists from 90 countries to bring

their creativity to life on stages around the world, the company aims to make a positive impact on people, communities and the planet with its most important tools: creativity and art. Over the years, more than 215 million people have been inspired, in over 70 different countries.

Daniel Lamarre, the president and CEO of Cirque du Soleil, told the website, Masters in International Arts Manage ment.com, that his company has always been about celebrating cultural diversity. Cast members and the people behind the scenes hail from multiple countries.

“At Cirque, we don’t talk about diversity; we LIVE diversity. In any given show, we have at least 20 nationalities represented, which over our 35 years of existence have contributed towards de veloping artistic content that is relevant on an international level,” Lamarre said.

Courtesy photos

Southern New Hampshire University Arena, Manchester

Local servicing means a more personal experience.

Ryan Campbell Stacey Gagnon

Alex Rey Habla Español

Hanny Ortiz Habla Español

Ruby Shabazz

OUR QUEEN OF NH HIP HOP AND R&B

n BY ROBERT COOK / PHOTO BY ROBERT ORTIZ

After performing and creating scores of music in New Hamp shire for more than 20 years, Ruby Shabazz has claimed her place as the Queen of NH hip hop and R&B. She also uses her talents to promote DEI throughout the Granite State to bring people together.

Chances are that you will see Ruby performing at any number of events that promote diversity, equity and inclusion as she did this year at the Concord Multi-Cultural Festival and the We Are One Festival in Manchester that returned after a two-year hiatus from the pandemic. She also performs a regular gig at the Taste of Africa in Nashua to celebrate African culture and cuisine.

At 44, Ruby and her life partner, Bill Feehan, a fellow hip hop artist, plan to keep on making music and promoting the Granite State’s growing hip hop scene.

“We just always want to grow and do things better and work with more people,” Ruby says.

Since she first began her musical journey as a student at the Uni versity of Massachusetts at Lowell 25 years ago, the Roxbury, Mass., native has worked on more than 20 albums either as a solo artist or with fellow hip hop and R&B artists. She is working on a new album to capture her pandemic experience tentatively titled, “In My Feelings.”

She says the album will be very soulful and includes a song writ ten for her father, William Shabazz, called “The Light of the Moon.” Ruby said she lost her father, who was 82, during the pandemic.

When asked how she feels when people refer to her as the Queen of NH Hip Hop and R&B, Ruby replies, “I feel honored and I feel humbled, and I would always feel like I have more work to do and more progress to make. But I can’t lie. I like that title.” 603

New Hampshire’s North Star for Advancing Justice & Equity

The N.H. Center for Justice & Equity is a newly formed non-profit focused on advancing issues of racial, eco nomic justice and health equity in New Hampshire. The Center works to foster greater dialogue among Granite Staters, including those in leadership posi tions, to find actionable solutions to systemic racism and longstanding inequities that better reflect New

Hampshire’s realities and values. The Center will fo cus on New Hampshire’s communities of color and similarly marginalized communities. The Center will act as a Convener across various stakeholders and sectors, building relationships and power, by engaging and encouraging more people to take part in fostering human and capital resource sharing.

The New Hampshire Charitable Foundation is proud to underwrite 603 Diversity and to devote this advertising space to promote nonprofit organizations working to advance diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging in New Hampshire.

“We envision a New Hampshire that offers fair opportunities for all Granite Staters, regardless of your age, gender, who you love, where you grew up, or your language of origin”

— Anthony Poore, President/CEO, NHCJE