DUXBURY FOR ALL

We're committed to ensuring that Duxbury is a safe and welcoming community, one that embraces diversity, equity, and inclusion.

PROGRAMS

Periodically, the DfA Steering Committee considers which programs should form our primary focus.  In Spring 2022, we decided to concentrate on two principal issues through early 2023: Racism and LGBTQ+ issues. 

• Racism: A multi-session adult educational program considering The 1619 Project (Program Director, Karl Kunz)

• LGBTQ+ issues: A series of events and collaborations using the DfA rubric of “Listen-Reflect-Act-Share” (Program Director, Alex Carleton)

In addition, we are continuing and expanding our Challenging Conversations events and collaborations (Program Director, Tara Downes)

We will also continue our active support of an Afghan family in Duxbury through the Duxbury Afghan Resettlement Initiative (DARI) (Program Directors, The Rev. Dr. Catherine Cullen and Karl Kunz)

Our Collaboration Team develops connections within and without town to facilitate the Steering Committee’s response to issues, and how they impact on our program objectives (Team Leaders, Karen Wong and Caitlan Sheehan)

SUPPORTING FUNCTIONS

We have a Finance Committee to develop a budget, consider funding needs and oversee the cash position (Alex Gionfriddo and Maarten Hemsley).  Funds held by our Fiscal Agent, Duxbury Rotary Club, are segregated in a dedicated DfA account.

Communications Chair (Bruce Rutter)

Volunteer Development and Supporter Database Management (Alex Gionfriddo)

Scholarships Committee

In 2022 DfA presented scholarships to Duxbury High School seniors who had demonstrated active efforts to promote Diversity, Equity & Inclusion.  As we intend this to be a continuing program we have established a fcommittee to consider the scholarship applications. Karen Wong and Bruce Rutter are the current members of that committee. Applications are processed through the DHS Advisors Office.

A nation-wide cry for justiceWhen the Black Lives Matter movement took center stage in the U.S. in 2020, mainstream America began to awaken to a problem that it had brushed under the rug for generations—that African-Americans, as well as Asian-Americans, Jews, Latinos, LGBTQ, Native Americans, and recent immigrants from every country, are targets of discrimination—some of it subtle, some violent in the extreme.

While protests were held across the country, people began to speak out about what they’ve experienced. Local voices personalized the racism and prejudice that exist in even seemingly idyllic communities like Duxbury. Their pain—and the pain of millions across America—was brought home in a way it never had before.

Like so many Americans, members of Duxbury Rotary Club were deeply moved by what they heard. They felt their club, as a part of an international organization dedicated to serving all of mankind, should not only take a stand, but should do everything in its power to address this issue. They decided to publish a public manifesto of their resolve and work with like-minded individuals and organizations to end racism and all forms of prejudice in this community.

Our declaration, published in the Duxbury Clipper, was signed by every member of Duxbury Rotary Club:


What kind of town do you want to live in?

Imagine a community where everyone is accepted. Where no family is discouraged from buying a home because of their ethnicity. Where no one reports strangers to the police because of the color of their skin. Where swastikas aren’t painted in school bathrooms. Where LGBTQ kids aren’t harassed by their peers. Where women are never sexually intimidated by men. Imagine how nice it would be to live in such a safe, kind and welcoming place.

Does this sound like Duxbury?

You might (or might not) be surprised to learn that all of these unacceptable acts have happened in our beautiful little town.

At the Duxbury Rotary Club, we think it’s time to end prejudice here. To be the safe, kind and welcoming place we believe we are—for all.

As a part of a global organization dedicated to serving people—all people—we at Rotary would like to see our town become a prejudice-free community, and are prepared to work with town leaders, civic and religious groups, and concerned citizens to make this happen. To that end, our first step will be to organize discussions where we listen to each other, build trust, and find collaborative solutions we can all support.

How we've evolved

With that declaration a movement initially called "Prejudice Free Duxbury" was founded. Working in partnership with other local organizations such as the Duxbury Interfaith Council, the Duxbury Free Library and the Duxbury Senior Center, we hosted a series of educational meetings, book reads and workshops on the subject of racism and prejudice. These events attracted widespread attention and support from hundreds of concerned residents, including Town officials & administrators, and leaders of local business and non-profit organizations. 

With building a more diverse, equitable and inclusive community as our primary mission, we decided that the name Prejudice Free Duxbury focused too much on the negative. We brainstormed new names, asked our supporters to vote on their favorite, and agreed that Duxbury for All best represented the mission and spirit of our work.

Over the course of 2020 and 2021 our supporter base grew to more than four hundred concerned citizens.  In the Spring of 2021 we were asked by the Duxbury Select Board to draft a Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Proclamation, that was unanimously adopted by the Board, and led to plans for a Town Summit on DEI issues – expected to be held in early 2023.

In early 2022 we brought together eighteen local organizations to consider what had been accomplished in the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion arena.  This helped us plan our long-term strategy.

Steering Committee

The DfA Steering Committee includes many of the founders of the initiative, plus other community members who bring specific experience and connections to our programs.  The Committee meets monthly.