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Chelmsford DEI Committee allocates $500 for Pride dance party, readies Juneteenth screening
Summary
The Chelmsford Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee on May 11 confirmed plans for Pride Month events including a June 12 dance party funded with $500, reviewed a low-turnout June 6 Pride booth, and planned a free Juneteenth film screening on June 27.
The Chelmsford Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee confirmed event plans and a small budget allocation for Pride Month at its May 11 meeting at Town Hall.
Chair Bill Campbell and committee members said the June 6 Pride booth had lower attendance than expected, which members attributed to conflicts with the Chelmsford High School graduation and Boston Pride events. The committee confirmed a Pride Month dance party on June 12 and agreed to use $500 from committee funds to support the event. Tina Kempner will lead planning; Linda Morel and Meg Riley volunteered to help, and Sophy Theam will handle ticket sales at $15 apiece. Carly Reim reported she had met with Gary Hannigan, the town’s new police chief, to discuss logistics.
The committee also planned a free Juneteenth film screening on June 27 of "Sarah’s Oil." Linda Morel will order food as the date approaches and the group discussed opening the program with a video from a prominent Black speaker; Carly Reim and Linda Morel will search for a suitable clip. Members agreed to prepare a summary of event spending to include in the town’s FY27 budget materials.
Committee members praised recent community outreach at the Rice Festival, reporting approximately 120 attendees and strong participation by middle- and high-school volunteers, and recommended repeating the Rice Festival next year at McCarthy. The committee discussed staffing a July 3/4 booth (Bill Campbell will staff July 3) and asked whether Lorena or Chelmsford Connect could assist with additional coverage.
The committee set a summer meeting cadence, noting it will not meet during portions of the summer and will reconvene on Sept. 8; the committee also listed a working meeting on June 9. The meeting adjourned at 8:10 p.m.
