Eesha Williams's Blog
July 4, 2025
Reggae Singer from Jamaica to Play in Brattleboro
When N.L. Dennis was singing in a recording studio with Toots and the Maytals, Bob Marley stopped by to listen. Marley praised Dennis's delivery. Today, Dennis lives in his native Jamaica and joins hundreds of Jamaicans who come to Vermont every summer in search of better paying work. Most of them work on vegetable farms and at apple orchards. Dennis works as a reggae musician.
On July 19 at 11 a.m. Dennis and the Thunderballs will play the Brattleboro farmers' market.
200 at Greenfield Rally
In Greenfield on June 28, about 200 people were at an immigrant rights rally, organizer Pixie Holbrook told the Valley Post. The organizers have a web site at https://fccpr.us.
June 27, 2025
Reggae Singer from Jamaica to Play in Brattleboro
When N.L. Dennis was singing in a recording studio with Toots and the Maytals, Bob Marley stopped by to listen. Marley praised Dennis's delivery. Today, Dennis lives in his native Jamaica and joins hundreds of Jamaicans who come to Vermont every summer in search of better paying work. Most of them work on vegetable farms and at apple orchards. Dennis works as a reggae musician.
On July 19 at 11 a.m. Dennis and the Thunderballs will play the Brattleboro farmers' market.
Rally is Set for July 17 in Pioneer Valley
There will be a rally to protest Trump on July 17 at 4 p.m. at the gazebo in Park Square in the Pioneer Valley town of Westfield, which borders Holyoke. One of the groups that's promoting the event is the Women's March. In 2017, the group organized what, at the time, was the biggest one-day protest in US history. About 1 million people marched in Washington, DC and another 2 million marched in cities like LA and New York and in small towns like Brattleboro, and towns and cities throughout the Pi...
June 25, 2025
By Some of the 520 Workers at Brattleboro Memorial Hospital
The following article is by some of the 520 workers at Brattleboro Memorial Hospital; they e-mailed this article to the Valley Post on June 25: Earlier this year, the 325 ancillary staff at Brattleboro Memorial Hospital (BMH) proudly voted to form our union, Brattleboro Healthcare United.
June 20, 2025
12,000 in Valley Turned Out to Protest Trump on June 14
On June 14, about 4,500 people rallied in Springfield, about 3,500 marched in Brattleboro, about 2,500 marched in Greenfield, and about 1,000 people rallied in Northampton in the morning rain. It didn't rain at the Springfield, Brattleboro or Greenfield afternoon protests. There were smaller protests in Keene and in towns around the Pioneer Valley. All of these people were protesting Trump.
June 13, 2025
Farmland Saved
In Northampton, 122 acres of farmland has been saved. The USA is losing 6,000 acres of open space to development every day. Europe offers a model on how to protect open space. Details on the Northampton deal are at:
https://www.kestreltrust.org/vollinger-farm-in-northampton-conserved-for...
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June 6, 2025
450 March, Rally
On June 3 outside the hospital in Northampton about 200 nurses and their supporters held a union rally for justice, a union spokesperson told the Valley Post. The workers have a web site at www.MassNurses.org.
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In Northampton and the neighboring town of Easthampton on June 1, workers at River Valley Co-op held a rally for justice. About 150 people were there, despite rain. Details are available by contacting the workers via their web site www.ufcw1459.com.
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May 30, 2025
Rallies for Palestine
About 80 people were at a pro-democracy rally in the Pioneer Valley town of Northfield on May 24, Al Norman told the Valley Post. Norman has lived in Greenfield for decades. He led a successful movement to keep Walmart out of Greenfield. He runs a group that has a web site at https://sprawl-busters.com.
May 23, 2025
Pro-Democracy Marches Set for June 14 in Valley
On June 14 in Springfield, Northampton, Greenfield, and Brattleboro, there will be marches and rallies to protest Trump. Details are at www.NoKings.org.
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On May 13 in the Pioneer Valley town of South Hadley, about 100 janitors, dishwashers, other workers, and supporters held a rally. “This is my second year working at Mount Holyoke college," Philip Bernashe told the Valley Post in a voice phone interview on May 21. He is one of 170 workers at the college who are members of a union, SEIU...
