>>> COMING UP, WE'RE CONNECTING YOU WITH THE CREATIVITY AND CULTURE IN YOUR COMMUNITY, INCLUDING A VISIT TO A SHOP THAT MAKES GUITAR LOVERS' DREAMS COME TRUE.

>> REPLACING PICK-UPS, HOTRODDING GUITARS, MAKING THEM A BETTER PLAYING GUITAR FOR THE SPECIFIC NEEDS OF A LOCAL MUSICIAN.

>> MUSIC AND EDUCATION MEET SOCIAL JUSTICE FOR SOME LOCAL STUDENTS.

>> THEY GET TO SEE THEIR KIDS PERFORMED AND IT JUST GIVES THEM HOPE AND IT LETS THEM CELEBRATE THEIR KIDS.

>> AND WE TAKE A LOOK BACK AT THE LEGACY OF AN ICONIC LOCAL SPORTSWRITER.

>> HE ENJOYED EVERYONE HE TALKED ABOUT.

HE WROTE ABOUT.

PEOPLE THAT HE SAW PLAY.

HE'S THAT TYPE OF PERSON.

>> JOIN US FOR THOSE STORIES AND MORE AS WE EXPLORE THE CREATIVITY, CULTURE, AND COMMUNITY THAT MAKE US WESTERN NEW ENGLAND, UP NEXT ON "CONNECTING POINT."

>>> SUPPORT FOR "CONNECTING POINT" IS PROVIDED BY OUR CONTRIBUTING VIEWERS.

¶ ¶ ¶ ¶ >>> WELCOME AND THANKS FOR JOINING US FOR "CONNECTING POINT," YOUR SOURCE FOR CREATIVITY, CULTURE, AND COMMUNITY.

I'M ZYDALIS BAUER.

THE STATION ERERE FACTOR, A RE-PURPOSED MILL IN DALTON, MASS, HOUSES SEVERAL BUSINESSES, AND AMONG THEM LIE A MECCA FOR GET YARISTS, THE MUSIC REPAIR SHOP, AN UMBRELLA UNDER WHICH YOU'LL FIND TWO CRAFTSMEN WHO TACKLE THE INSTRUMENT FOR TWO DIFFERENT ANGLES.

W.J.

HANDCRAFTED PROVIDES ALL YOUR LUTHIER NEEDS WHILE MOT JOBS WILLS HAVE OR HOTROD OF YOUR AMPLIFIER.

BRIAN SULLIVAN TAKES US TO BERKSHIRE COUNTY IN SEARCH OF SIX-STRING BLISS.

>> IT'S A SOLD SATURDAY NIGHT IN THE BERKSHIRES.

WELCOME MUSICIAN JACK IS PREPARING TO WARM UP THE CROWD WITH SOME TUNES.

ONCE THE MUSIC GETS GOING, IT SOUNDS LIKE THERE'S A LOT MORE THAN JUST ONE MUSICIAN UP THERE.

THE CASUAL OBSERVER MAY ASSUME THAT THERE'S A PRE-RECORDED BACKING TRACK.

THERE IS, IN A WAY, ONLY IT'S WALDHEIM RECORDING THE TRACKS AS THEY PLAYS THEM LOU A LOOPING SYSTEM.

THIS -- THROUGH A LOOPING SYSTEM.

IT'S NOT NEW BUT IT'S GAINED POPULARITY AMONG LOTS OF SOLO ACTS.

IT TAKES A REAL TECHNICIAN TO PULL IT OFF SEAMLESSLY AND IF ANYONE FITS THAT BILL, IT'S JAT.

HE'S -- JACK.

HE'S THE GUY PEOPLE GO TO IN ORDER TO GET THEIR GUITARS FIXED.

HIS OFFICE?

IT'S RIGHT HERE AT THE STATIONERY DPAKORY IN DAL -- FACTORY IN CALTON -- DALTON, MASSACHUSETTS, JUST TWO STORES UP FROM THE RESTAURANT HE PLAYS 8.

NOT A BAD COMMUTE.

AND ON TOP OF THAT, HIS BUSINESS PARTNER UP HERE IN THE SECOND FLOOR ALSO FIXES AMPLIFIERS.

WITH THEIR COMPANY NAMES EMBLAZENED ON THE DOOR, VISITORS MAY GET THE SENSE THAT THEY'RE COMING TO SEE REAL SPECIALISTS, LIKE JAMES BOND VISITING Q.

>> THERE AREN'T AS MANY INSTRUMENT REPAIR PEOPLE AS THERE USED TO BE PERHAPS.

WE HAVE PEOPLE COMING IN ALL SORTS OF DIFFERENT NEEDS WITH THEIR GUITARS, FROM BEGINNERS THAT DON'T KNOW HOW TO RESTRING THEM OR SOMEONE WHO JUST BOUGHT A GUITAR AND WANTS TO US LOOK AT IT TO MAKE SURE EVERYTHING IS OKAY WITH IT.

MAYBE THEY BOUGHT FROM IT A BIG BOX STORE AND THEY DON'T DO A QUALITY CHECK.

THEY BRING IT TO US AND WE DO THAT.

ALL THE WAY THROUGH REPLACING PICK-UPS, HOTRODDING GUITARS, MAKING THEM A BETTER PLAYING GUITAR FOR THE SPECIFIC NEEDS OF A LOCAL MUSICIAN.

ALL THE WAY DOWN TO REPLACING FRETS OR ANY OF THE DEEPER WORK THAT A GUITAR CAN NEED AFTER YEARS OF SERVICE TO GET IT TO BE PLAYABLE FOR YEARS MORE.

>> OF COURSE, THIS BUSINESS WASN'T JUST SOME OVERNIGHT IDEA THAT SOMEHOW CAME TO FRUITION.

WALDHEIM AND HIS BUSINESS PARTNER HAD ALREADY ESTABLISHED THEMSELVES AS REPAIR SPECIALISTS, WORKING SIDE BY SIDE AT A LOCAL MUSIC SHOP FOR OVER 20 YEARS.

WINNARD'S SIDE HUSTLE AND LASER WORK WAS BEGINNING TO TAKE OFF AND IT WAS THE NEW ECONOMIC LANDSCAPE OF 2020 THAT SERVED AS THE FINAL PUSH FOR THE TWO TO OFFICIALLY GO INTO BUSINESS TOGETHER.

>> BERKSHIRE LASER COMPANY WAS GROWING.

I WAS FINDING MYSELF, YOU KNOW, STAYING UP, YOU KNOW, SOME LATER NIGHTS IN MY SHOP THAT I HAD AT HOME.

YOU KNOW, WITH SOME OF THE ORDERS AND THINGS THAT WERE COMING IN.

SO WE HAD DISCUSSED A WORKSHOP SPACE FOR QUITE SOME TIME.

AND HAD ACTUALLY BEGUN THE PROCESS OF LOOKING FOR SOMETHING LIKE THIS WHEN COVID HAPPENED IN 2020.

SO AS KIND OF EVERYTHING WAS KIND OF SHUT DOWN, WE WERE BUILDING, YOU KNOW, THIS PROJECT.

>> IT WAS A PROJECT THAT THEY HAD NO PLANS OF ALLOWING TO FAIL.

WHILE MOST BUSINESSES WERE CLOSED DOWN DURING 2020, THEY CONTINUED TO OPERATE BEHIND THE SCENES BEFORE OPENING THEIR DOORS TO THE PUBLIC IN AUGUST OF THAT YEAR.

AND NEITHER OF THEM IS A ONE-TRICK PONY.

WALDHEIM NOT ONLY FIXES GUITARS.

HE CUSTOM BUILDS THEM AND MAKES SCRAPS AND CABLINGS.

WINNARD NOT ONLY FIXES AND MOED FIS TUBE AMPS, BUTKUS TOMORROW BUILDS THEM.

AND HIS LASER BUSINESS IS BECOMING VERY LUCRATIVE.

2020 TURNED OUT TO BE THEIR BEST CHANCE TO GET OUT OF RETAIL AND TURN THEIR HOBBIES INTO THEIR LIVELIHOODS.

>> AFTER 25 YEARS LOCALLY FIXING INSTRUMENTS, WE HAD A LOT OF CUSTOMERS THAT ALREADY KNEW ABOUT US.

AND WERE LOOKING TO FIND US WHEN WE MOVED HERE.

ALSO BEING PART OF THE LOCAL MUSIC SCENE, THERE'S A -- THERE'S A COMMUNITY OF MUSIC AROUND HERE THAT'S ALWAYS BEEN REALLY POSITIVE.

AND KNOWING EVERYBODY IN THAT COMMUNITY AS A MUSICIAN, THEY ALSO KNOW ME AS A REPAIR GUY FOR MY LONG TIME DOING IT.

AND THEY HAVE FOUND ME HERE.

>> I THINK THAT IT'S BEEN A DECISION THAT HAS BEEN EXCITING.

I MEAN, I'VE SEEN MORE GROWTH IN THIS YEAR WITH BOTH THE CUSTOM AMPLIFIER BUILDS THAT I'VE BEEN DOING T REPAIR BUSINESS AS WELL AS -- LASER ENGRAVING.

TO BE ABLE TO GUIDE THE GROWTH IN THOSE AREAS I THINK HAS BEEN THE BIGGEST THING, BECAUSE I KNOW -- THERE ARE THINGS THAT YOU KNOW, STARTED OFF JUST AS SOMETHING THAT I DID BECAUSE I LOVED TO DO IT.

YOU KNOW.

THEY WERE HOBBIES THAT WERE SUPPORTING THEMSELVES.

AND THEN IT STARTED TO GROW INTO SOMETHING MORE.

¶ ¶ ¶ ¶ >>> EVERY WEEK "CONNECTING POINT" EXPLORES THE CREATIVITY, CULTURE, AND COMMUNITY THAT MAKE US WESTERN NEW ENGLAND, BUT IT DOESN'T STOP THERE.

YOU CAN FIND US ONLINE ANYTIME FOR EXCLUSIVE FEATURES AND CONTENT.

IN THIS WEEK'S DIGITAL EXCLUSIVE, THE OWNERS OF JW HANDCRAFTED LUTHIER SERVICES AND MOT JOBS AMPLIFIER REPAIR AND MODIFICATION COMPANY DISCUSS THEIR DECADES-LONG WORK RELATIONSHIP AND THE UNIQUE COMMUNITY OF THE BUILDING THAT HOUSES THEIR RESPECTIVE BUSINESSES, THE STATIONERRER FACT TORE IN DALTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

>> THE GUY WHO IS OPERATING SHIRE NOW USED TO BE INVOLVED AT THE LOCAL SKI RESORT WITH THEIR CULINARY SIDE AND I PLAYED SPIEWK FOR HIM THERE -- MUSIC FOR HIM THERE AND I USED TO PLAY AT THE OLD OWNERSHIP DOWNSTAIRS AS WELL.

SO THAT ALL TIED IN TO BE SOMETHING I DO REGULARLY DOWN THERE NOW.

>> YOU CAN FIND THAT DIGITAL EXCLUSIVE ONLINE RIGHT NOW AT NEPM.ORG/CONNECTINGPOINT.

>>> INSPIRED BY VENEZUELA'S ELSISEMA MUSIC EDUCATION PROGRAM, KIDS FOR HANNONY IS AN ENSEMBLE BATHE MUSIC PROGRAM FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE CHANGE.

THIS FREE, INTENSIVE CLASSICAL MUSIC PROGRAM CURRENTLY SERVES OVER 60 ELEMENTARY TO HIGH SCHOOL AGED STUDENTS IN PITTSFIELD AND NORTH ADAMS.

I SPOKE WITH COURTY CLARK, ARTISTIC DIRECTOR, AND SEAN SEAN ELLIGERS, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, TO HEAR MORE ABOUT THE IMPACT THAT REMARKABLE PROGRAM HAS HAD ON ITS STUDENTS.

>> PEOPLE COME IN WHEN THERE'S ALREADY A PROBLEM WITH SOCIAL SERVICES OR AN ISSUE IN THEIR LIVES AND WITH KIDS 4 HARMONY, WE'RE ESTABLISHING THOSE RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE STUDENTS AND THE FAMILIES EARLY ON.

SO THEN LATER ON, DOWN THE ROAD, IF SOMETHING DOES HAPPEN, THEY ALREADY HAVE THE SUPPORT SYSTEM THAT THEY'RE CONNECTED TO, WHICH MAKES IT A LOT EASIER ON FAMILIES.

IT'S NOT AS INTIMIDATING FOR THEM TO ACCESS DIFFERENT SERVICES WITHIN OUR AGENCY.

AND IT MAKES IT UNIQUE TO OUR STEM-INSPIRED PROGRAM THAT WE'RE IN THE SOCIAL SERVICE AGENCY.

>> THE PROGRAM CURRENTLY SERVES OVER 60 STUDENTS IN PITTSFIELD AND NORTH ADAMS IN THE BERKSHIRES.

HOW HAVE YOU BOTH WITNESSED THIS ART FORM IMPACT THE CHILDREN AND HOW HAVE YOU ALSO WITNESSED THIS ART FORM IN MUSIC IMPACT SOCIAL CHANGE?

>> I THINK EVERY DAY, I WITNESS SOMETHING REALLY NICE HAPPENING WITH OUR STUDENTS.

I THINK ONE OF OUR GOALS IN GENERAL IS TO GIVE THE STUDENTS AN OUTLET TO FEEL GOOD ABOUT THEMSELVES.

AND WE TRY TO DO THAT THROUGH A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT THINGS, WHETHER IT'S PERFORMANCE OR WE ACTUALLY OFFER COMPOSITION TO OUR STUDENTS AS WELL.

SO WHETHER A STUDENT IS PRACTICING REALLY HARD AND GETTING INTO AN AUDITION THAT HE WORKED REALLY HARD TO GET INTO AND MAKES HIM FEEL GOOD ABOUT THAT WAY OR JUST ACHIEVING.

THEY PLAY A COUPLE MEASURES OF MUSIC REALLY WELL AND THEY FEEL GOOD OR THEY COMPOSE A PIECE OF MUSIC AND THEY'RE PEERS ARE TELLING THEM THAT WAS A GREAT PIECE, REALLY GREAT.

AND THAT JUST MAKES THEM FEEL GOOD AND YOU CAN TELL THAT MOTIVATES THEM TO KEEP GOING.

I DON'T KNOW.

THAT'S THE CHANGE THAT I SEE EVERY DAY AND IT'S REALLY, REALLY -- IT'S REALLY REWARDING.

>> I CAN IMAGINE THE CONFIDENCE BOOST THAT BEING PART OF THIS PROGRAM GIVES THE STUDENTS.

>> I'VE ALWAYS SEEN A CHANGE IN THE FAMILIES AS WELL, BECAUSE YOU KNOW, THEY GET TO SEE THEIR KIDS PERFORM AND IT JUST GIVES THEM HOPE AND IT LETS THEM CELEBRATE THEIR KIDS.

¶ ¶ ¶ ¶ >> THE GOAL OF OUR SOCIAL SERVICE AGENCY AND KIDS 4 HARMONY IS TO PROVIDE AS MUCH ACCESS AS WE CAN TO THE PROGRAM SO WE MEET IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS, SO WE ELIMINATE THE TRANSPORTATION NEED.

EVERYTHING IS AT NO COST.

SO A FAMILY DOESN'T PAY A PENNY FOR ANYTHING.

THE INSTRUMENT RENTALS ARE COVERED, THE LESSONS ARE COVERED, AND EVERYTHING.

SO THAT ACCESS TO THE PROGRAM IS A REALLY BIG PART OF THE SOCIAL CHANGE.

>> AND HAVING WORKED IN KIDS 4 HARMONY, WHAT HAS A MOMENT BEEN THAT HAS HAPPENED THAT AS HAS REALLY MADE YOU THINK TO YOURSELF, WOW, THAT IS EXAMINING I DO WHAT I -- EXACTLY WHY I DO WHAT I DID.

>> WE HAVE STUDENTS WHEN THEY GET A LITTLE BIT OLDER, THEY AUDITION FOR SUMMER MUSIC FESTIVALS.

AND ONE OF THOSE IS THE NATIONAL FESTIVAL OUT IN LOS ANGELES.

AND IF THEY'RE ABLE TO GET INTO THIS SPECIFICALLY, THEN IT'S AN ALL-EXPENSES PAID FLIGHT OUT THERE, ALL THE ROOM AND BOARD, AND EVERYTHING.

AND THEY PRACTICE MUSIC INTENSIVELY ALL DAY.

AND THEY GET TO CONNECT WITH OTHER KIDS FROM OTHER PROGRAMS AND OTHER TEACHERS.

AND THERE'S A LOT OF THE TEACHERS ALSO GO OUT FOR MUSIC EDUCATORS SYMPOSIUM, SO WE GET TO SEE OUR STUDENTS GET TOGETHER AND PERFORM TOGETHER AND THE KIDS ARE JUST SO EXCITED BY THAT OPPORTUNITY.

AND YOU KNOW, THOSE BIG TOURNAMENTS LIKE THAT ARE WHAT MAKE THE EVERYDAY LITTLE THINGS WORTH IT.

>> I RUN THE COMPOSITION PROGRAM, SO I'M REALLY CLOSE WITH THE KIDS AS THEY WORK ON CONSTRUCTING THEIR OWN PIECES.

AND RECENTLY ONE OF OUR STUDENTS DAVIS WAS ASKED TO WRITE A FULL SYMPHONY, WHICH HE -- WHICH HE DID.

AND WE PRINTED OUT THE SCORE TO GIVE TO HIM.

HE HAD TO MAKE SOME EDITS.

AND JUST HANDING HIM THE PRINTED-OUT SCORE, HE WAS LIKE RUNNING AROUND CELEBRATING, LIKE IT'S HERE, IT'S READY!

HE'S JUST OVER THE MOON AND HE'S SO EXCITED AND THAT'S JUST -- I DON'T KNOW.

JUST SO EXCITING TO SEE.

>> TALKING ABOUT LIKE WRITING A FULL SYMPHONY, THIS IS SOME HIGH-LEVEL MUSICAL EXCELLENCE AND SUCCESS THAT THE CHILDREN ACHIEVE.

I KNOW, COURTNEY, YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT THE LOS ANGELES TRIP.

TELL ME MORE ABOUT SOME OF THE AMAZING OPPORTUNITIES THAT HAVE COME ABOUT FOR THE STUDENTS THAT HAVE BEEN PART OF THIS PROGRAM.

>> WE HAVE A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES THAT RANGE FROM SMALLER THINGS IN THE COMMUNITY TO BIGGER THINGS, LIKE THE TRIP TO LOS ANGELES.

WE'VE PERFORMED FOR A LOT OF DIFFERENT COMMUNITY EVENT, SO THE KIDS CAN GET CONNECTED TO THE COMMUNITY THAT WAY.

THERE'S ALSO THROUGH THAT NATIONAL FESTIVAL I WAS TALKING ABOUT, THEY HAVE A MORE INTENSIVE PROGRAM WHERE WE HAD A STUDENT ABLE TO TRAVEL TO SCOTLAND AND LONDON BEFORE THE PANDEMIC HAPPENED TO CONNECT WITH OTHER MUSICIANS MORE ON THE GLOBAL SCALE.

AND WE'VE ALSO BEEN VERY LUCKY TO PERFORM WITH WORLD RENOWNED PIANIST EMANUEL AXE FOR THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS.

AND BEING ABLE TO WATCH THE STUDENTS WORK WITH HIM IS ALSO ANOTHER LIKE REALLY FANTASTIC OPPORTUNITY FOR THE KIDS.

¶ ¶ ¶ ¶ >> NOW, AS ARTISTIC DIRECTOR AND ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT THE KIDS HAVE TAUGHT YOU ABOUT YOURSELVES DURING KIDS 4 HARMONY?

>> PATIENCE FOR SURE.

[LAUGHTER] >> AND JUST A CREATIVITY AND -- IT'S -- AS THE KIDS GET OLDER, IT'S JUST DEVELOPING THAT RELATIONSHIP WITH THEM, IS REALLY, REALLY NICE.

AND JUST BEING ABLE TO TALK WITH THEM, NOT JUST ABOUT MUSIC BUT ABOUT OTHER THINGS IN THEIR LIVES, TOO.

AND JUST BUILDING THAT RELATIONSHIP AND FEELING LIKE YOU'RE A MENTOR TO THEM, IS REALLY NICE.

IT -- REALLY MAKES THE WORK VERY VALUABLE.

>> WHAT DO YOU BOTH HOPE FOR THE FUTURE OF KIDS 4 HARMONY?

HOW WOULD YOU LOVE TO SEE THIS PROGRAM GROW?

>> I WOULD LIKE TO SEE US BE ABLE TO SHARE MORE KIDS AND FAMILIES THAN WE CURRENTLY ARE.

I WOULD LIKE TO BE ABLE TO SEE US TAKE ADVANTAGE OF EVEN MORE OPPORTUNITIES THAN WE ARE, BOTH AT LIKE THE STATE, COUNTRY, GLOBAL LEVEL.

>> I THINK ALSO, YOU KNOW, IN TERMS OF COLLABORATIONS WITH OTHER COMMUNITY PARTNERS IN THE BERKSHIRE AREA AND ALSO IN MASSACHUSETTS, WE ALREADY A GREAT ESTABLISHMENT WITH PARTNERSHIPS WITH BOSTON AND WILLIAMS DOWN THEATER FESTIVAL.

BUT I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THAT GROW AND CONNECT WITH MORE AND MORE COMMUNITIES IN OUR AREA.

¶ ¶ ¶ ¶ >>> BELOVED LONG-TIME LOCAL SPORTSWRITER GARRY BROWN PASSED AWAY RECENTLY AT THE AGE OF 90.

HIS LEGENDARY CAREER SPANS MORE THAN SEVEN DECADES, WITH HIS FIRST BYLINE APPEARING IN THE 1950 EDITION OF THE SPRINGFIELD UNION NEWS.

BROWN'S WORK TOUCHED THE LIVES OF MANY IN WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS OVER THE YEARS, AND "CONNECTING POINT'S" DAVE FRASER TAKES A LOOK BACK AT THE WRITER'S REMARK LIFE AND IMPACT THROUGH THE EYES OF SOME OF THOSE WHO KNEW HIM BEST.

>> WHEN YOU THINK OF -- THIS NEWSPAPER HAS BEEN AROUND FOR ALMOST 200 YEARS AND WHEN YOU THINK THAT GARRY WROTE FOR MORE THAN A THIRD OF THAT HISTORY, EVERY WEEK -- EVERY WEEK FOR 71 YEARS.

PRETTY SPECIAL.

¶ ¶ ¶ ¶ >> GARRY BROWN BEGAN COVERING SPORTS IN THIS REGION WHEN HE WAS 18 YEARS OLD FOR WHAT WAS THEN THE SPRINGFIELD MORNING UNION.

HIS COVERAGE OVER THE YEARS HAS RUN THE GAMUT FROM THE PEE WEES TO THE PROS AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN.

BUT NO MATTER THE LEVEL OF THE ATHLETE, HE TREATED OF HE COVERED -- EVERYONE HE COVERED WITH THE SAME RESPECT.

>> A KIND, GENTLE, THOUGHTFUL PERSON.

AND I THINK YOU SAW THAT WHEN HE COVERED HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS AND YOUTH BASEBALL, THAT THE PEOPLE ON THAT -- WHETHER IT WAS WALLABY COURT OR THE BASEBALL DIAMOND, THEY WERE THE MOST IMPORTANT PERSON.

>> BROWN CAME FROM AN ERA WHEN PEOPLE GOT THEIR NEWS AND SPORTS FROM THE DAILY PAPER.

FOR MANY YEARS HE WAS THE RED SOX BEAT WRITER, COVERING THE 1967 IMPOSSIBLE DREAM TEAM, AS WELL AS THE 19 STEVEN 5 AND 1986 WORLD SERIES TEAMS.

AND ALONG WITH COLLEAGUE RON, HE COVERED THE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP TITLES IN 2004 AND 2007.

>> WE DID THAT TOGETHER.

HE ED PLEADED ME -- HE PROCEEDED ME BY A FEW DECADES.

BUT THE WORLD SERIES, WE WORKED TOGETHER.

HIS ATTENTION TO DETAIL WAS REMARKABLE AND I THINK THAT'S A GREAT MESSAGE.

IT'S EASY TO GET SLOPPY WHEN YOU'RE ON DEADLINE, WHEN YOU'RE RUNNING -- IT'S EASY TO MAKE EXCUSES FOR THAT, BUT THERE IS NO EXCUSE FOR THAT.

GARRY NEVER, AND I MEAN NEVER ONCE ALLOWED HIMSELF TO GET CARELESS.

HE CARED ABOUT SYNTAX.

HE CARED ABOUT BEING ELOQUENT.

HE CARED ABOUT MAKING IT INTERESTING.

AND TO DO IT FOR AS LONG AS HE DID, REALLY SHOWED HIS PROFESSIONALISM TO ME.

>> BROWN SHOWED THAT PROFESSIONALISM ON THE LOCAL LEVEL AS WELL.

COVERING HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS.

DAN COACHED BASEBALL FOR 50 YEARS AND RECALLS THE NUMEROUS CONVERSATIONS THE TWO HAD DURING HIS CAREER.

>> OUTSTANDING PERSON.

HE'S -- ONE OF THE TOP INDIVIDUALS THAT I HAVE MET IN MY LIFE, BECAUSE OF HOW HE TREAT PEOPLE, HOW HE WRITES ABOUT THEM.

HE ENJOYED OF EVERYONE HE TALKED ABOUT.

HE WROTE ABOUT.

PEOPLE THAT HE SAW PLAY.

HE'S THAT TYPE OF PERSON.

>> IN 1973, BROWN BEGAN A WEEKLY COLUMN CONSISTING OF A HODGEPODGE OF THOUGHTS, RANDOM ONE-LINERS, AND OPINIONS FROM THEST SPOKING WORLD AND EVERYDAY LIFE.

HE CALLED IT "HITTING TO ALL FIELDS."

>> I WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL IN 1973.

AND THE FACT THAT IT SURVIVED THESE MANY ITERATIONS OF THE NEWSPAPER AND MEDIA AND OF TEAMS, AND STILL REMAINED INTERESTING, PEOPLE REALLY WERE HONORED TO BE MENTIONED IN -- THAT WAS A BIG DEAL.

>> THERE WAS SOMETHING THERE FOR EVERYBODY RIGHT DOWN TO VENUS, THE LABRADOR RETEACHER, OR -- RETEACHER, HONK IF YOU LOVE THAT, WHO REMEMBERS THIS.

EVERYBODY COULD FIND SOMETHING TO SMILE OR JOKE ABOUT IN THAT COLUMN.

>> BROWN'S FINAL STORY FOR THE REPUBLICAN INCLUDING THOUGHTS FROM HIS FRIEND AND FORMER BIG LEAGUE PITCHER MIKE TROMBLEY, ON THE ELECTION OF DAVID ORTIZ INTO THE BASEBALL HALL OF FAME.

>> I LEARNED THAT HE WROTE THAT ARTICLE FROM THE HOSPITAL.

BUT I SPOKE TO HIM AND JUST KIND OF SHARED SOME SHOTS LIKE WE USUALLY DO, SOME FOLKS, FUN THOUGHTS.

AND VERY CANDID WITH ME.

AND I LOOKED TO HIM AS LIKE A SECOND FATHER AND I REALLY, REALLY ENJOYED GARRY BROWN.

JUST A GUY HIGHLY MISS AND JUST MAKES YOU -- A GUY I'LL MISS AND MAKES YOU FEEL GOOD ABOUT YOURSELF.

>> GARRY DIED TWO DAYS AFTER HIS FINAL COLUMN APPEARED IN THE REPUBLICAN.

>> HE WAS A LOCAL ICON.

THERE WAS NOBODY LIKE GARY.

-- GARRY.

I DON'T THINK THERE WILL BE AGAIN.

>>> HOLYOKE COMMUNITY COLLEGE PROFESSOR OF ANTHROPOLOGY, VANESSA MARTINEZ, HAS BEEN AWARDED THE 2022 THOMAS AIR-LICK CIVILICALLY ENGAGED FACULTY APART FROM CAMPUS COMPACT, A NATIONAL COALITION OF COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES.

MARTINEZ WAS RECOGNIZED FOR HER OUTSTANDING WORK AND TEACHING WHICH HAS INSPIRED HER STUDENTS TO TAKE ON COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP ROLES.

SHE JOINS ME TO DISCUSS BOTH THE IMPORTANCE OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND THE STRATEGIES NECESSARY TO MAKE AN IMPACT.

>> I'VE ALWAYS BEEN YOU KNOW, SAVE THE WORLD, CARE ABOUT YOUR NEIGHBOR, LIKE, YOU KNOW, TAKE CARE OF OTHER PEOPLE KIND OF PERSON.

SO FOR ME, TEACHING IS ABOUT REALLY GETTING STUDENTS TO SEE THEMSELVES AS CHANGE-MAKERS.

AND WHAT BETTER WAY TO DO THAT THAN IN THEIR OWN COMMUNITIES.

AND SO THAT FOR ME SAYS IT ALL.

LIKE IF I CAN GET THEM THINKING ABOUT HOW TO SEE THE -- THE LEARNING THAT THEY'RE DOING AND WAYS TO HELP THEIR COMMUNITY, I'VE DONE MY JOB.

>> WESTERN NEW ENGLAND IS VERY CULTURALLY DIVERSE AND YOUR ACADEMIC WORK FOCUSES ON STORYTELLING, CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE INSTRUCTION AND HUMILITY.

WHY ARE THESE IMPORTANT IN COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND ARE THEY RELEVANT REGARDLESS OF THE COMMUNITY YOU CHOOSE TO BE ACTIVE IN?

>> YES, THEY'RE ABSOLUTELY RELEVANT IN EVERY COMMUNITY.

BUT HOW THEY -- THOUSAND THEY -- HOW THEY WORK IN THOSE COMMUNITIES MAY LOOK DIFFERENT.

SO SOME OF THE FOUNDATIONS OF LIKE CULTURAL HUMILITY, FOR EXAMPLE, CULTURAL HUMILITY COMES FROM THE WORK OF DOCTORS MELANIE TURVOLON AND JAN MARIE GARCIA.

AND REALLY, THE -- THE FOUNDATION OF CULTURAL HUMILITY IS, YOU KNOW, SELF-REFLECTION, LIFELONG LEARNING, MITIGATING POWER IMBALANCES, MAKING SURE TO HAVE MUTUAL BENEFICIAL COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS, RELATIONSHIPS, AND INSTITUTIONAL ACCOUNTABILITY.

RIGHT?

AND ALL OF THOSE THINGS REALLY CAN HELP TO CHANGE THINGS FOR THE BETTER.

CULTURAL RESPONSIVE -- IS REALLY ABOUT RECOGNIZING SIMILAR TO CULTURAL HUMILITY, THAT YOU ARE ALWAYS LEARNING, THAT THERE'S ALWAYS -- YOU KNOW, THERE'S SHIFTS THAT NEED TO HAPPEN DEPENDING ON THE STUDENTS, THE POPULATION, THE NEEDS.

AND SO YOU KNOW, I OFTEN TIE THAT TO ANTIRACIST PEDIGOGY AS WELL AND UNDERSTANDING THAT THE WAY THAT WE CURRENTLY EXIST IN THE WORLD ISN'T EQUITABLE BUT WE CAN WORK TOWARDS THAT.

SO FOR ME, ALL OF THOSE STRATEGIES THAT I EMPLOY REALLY GO HAND IN HAND TOGETHER.

>> WHAT ARE SOME EXAMPLES OF COMMUNITY RESEARCH ENGAGEMENT OR ADVOCACY THAT STUDENTS HAVE PARTICIPATED IN THE CLASSROOM WITH YOU?

>> WE'VE HAD STUDENTS DO A READING GROUP WITH COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, WHERE SOME OF THEIR PARTICIPANTS ARE CLIENTS -- OR CLIENTS PARTICIPATE IN THE CLASS READINGS, DISMFT CLASS READINGS -- SOME OF THE CLASS READINGS WITH US, AND THERE'S GOOD DISCUSSION THAT HAPPENS.

SOME MULTI-CULTURAL SERVICES -- [INAUDIBLE] ONE OF OUR PARTNERS WORKED WITH THE DUAL LANGUAGE PROGRAM AT TAFT SCHOOL HERE IN HOLYOKE TO GIVE -- HAVE STUDENTS CREATE WORKSHOPS ON IMMIGRATION FOR FIRST GRADERS.

BOTH IN ENGLISH AND IN SPANISH.

I HAVE STUDENTS WORKING ON MAMA'S VOICE, WHICH IS A COMMUNITY-BASED RESEARCH PROJECT, LOOKING AT WOMEN OF COLOR, MOMS OF COLOR'S MATERNAL WELLNESS.

I HAVE STUDENTS WHO ARE DOING ADVOCACY-BASED PROJECTS.

LAST SEMESTER MY HEALTH EQUITY CLASS ACTUALLY STARTED THE PROCESS -- I SAY STARTED THE PROCESS, BECAUSE ACTUALLY GOING FROM BEGINNING TO END WE NEED A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN THREE MONTHS.

SO STARTED THE PROCESS TO DEVELOP AN ADVOCACY PLAN FOR MY ORGANIZATION FOR THE WOMEN OF COLOR HEALTH EQUITY COLLECTIVE.

>> WE'RE ALL PART OF A COMMUNITY.

SOME OF US SEVERAL COMMUNITIES.

WHAT MESSAGE WOULD YOU SHARE ABOUT ENGAGEMENT AND LEADERSHIP WITHIN THOSE -- THAT WE ALL CAN HAVE WITHIN THE COMMUNITIES WE RESIDE IN?

>> START SMALL, FIND PEOPLE THAT ARE DOING THE WORK THAT MIGHT BE ABLE TO MENTOR YOU.

AND ALSO RECOGNIZE THAT IT IS LIKELY THAT YOU'RE GONNA MAKE MISTAKES.

WHEN I FIRST DEVELOPED THE COMMUNITY ENGAGED SOCIAL ACTION PROJECT THAT I DID MY FIRST FEW YEARS OF TEACHING, I DIDN'T HAVE -- I DIDN'T HAVE AS MUCH EXPERIENCE.

AND SO I -- I TRIED TO GIVE STUDENTS SORT OF AS MUCH FRAMEWORK BEFORE THEY ENTERED THE COMMUNITY AS POSSIBLE.

BUT NOW I'M LIKE, MY GOSH, I -- YOU KNOW, I DIDN'T DO THIS, THIS, AND THIS BEFORE THAT, RIGHT?

AND SO YOU KNOW, RECOGNIZING THAT YOU'RE ALWAYS LEARNING AND IF YOU SORT OF TAKE IT AS THAT AND -- AND TO APOLOGIZE WHEN A MISTAKE IS MADE.

YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU'RE WORKING IN COMMUNITY, YOU'RE NOT GONNA KNOW EVERYTHING.

RIGHT?

THAT'S THE PART ABOUT BEING HUMBLE, RIGHT, THE PART IN CULTURAL HUMILITY.

THAT'S ABOUT HUMBLE, BEING HUMBLE, IS THAT YOU DON'T KNOW EVERYTHING.

AND YOU CAN ANSWER A QUESTION WITH, "I DON'T KNOW BUT I CAN FIND OUT."

¶ ¶ ¶ ¶ >>> IF YOU'D LIKE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT PROFESSOR MARTINEZ'S CIVICALLY ENGAGED WORK, HEAD OVER TO OUR WEB PAGE RIGHT NOW FOR A DIGITAL EXTRA IN WHICH THEY -- SHE DISCUSSES THE COLLEGE'S NEW COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP CERTIFICATE PROGRAM, AND WHY IT'S SO IMPORTANT FOR COMMUNITIES IN OUR REGION.

AND REMEMBER, YOU CAN ALWAYS FIND ALL OF THE STORIES THAT YOU SAW IN THIS EPISODE, AS WELL AS QLIEWF FEATURES, DIGITAL-ONLY CONTENT, AND SO MUCH MORE ONLINE ANYTIME AT NBC.

THAT DOES IT FOR THIS EDITION OF "CONNECTING POINT."

PLEASE BE SURE TO JOIN US AGAIN EVERY WEEK RIGHT HERE FOR MORE STORIES OF THE CREATIVITY, CULTURE, AND COMMUNITY THAT MAKE US WESTERN NEW ENGLAND.

I'M ZYDALIS BAUER.

THANKS FOR WATCHING AND HAVE A GOOD NIGHT!

>>> SUPPORT FOR "CONNECTING POINT" IS PROVIDED BY OUR CONTRIBUTING VIEWERS.