Norman Rockwell Museum’s Four Freedoms Forum to Look at The Power of Protest

Stockbridge, MA, February 6, 2018—Norman Rockwell Museum’s Four Freedoms Forum series returns on Thursday, February 8, at 5:30 p.m., with a look at the history and power of protest. The town hall-style conversation will explore whether group demonstrations impact policy and affect change. Featured speakers will include: Heather Bellow, reporter for The Berkshire Eagle; Drew Herzig, Chairman of the Pittsfield Human Rights Commission; and Will Singleton, Ed.D, former President of the Berkshire County Branch of the NAACP. Community conversation at the Four Freedoms Forums is free and open to the public. 

Heather Bellow is a writer for The Berkshire Eagle, covering a variety of local and regional issues including those that affect economic development and the environment. She covers local businesses, municipal hearings, and does investigative reporting on topics like broadband, pipelines and pollution. She previously served as a public school educator and administrator, and was the President of the Berkshire County Branch of the NAACP from 2013 to 2014.

Drew Herzig is currently the Chair of the Human Rights Commission for the City of Pittsfield.  In addition to hearing complaints concerning violations of human rights, the Human Rights Commission convenes community forums on human rights issues. Herzig is also Co-Chair of Indivisible Pittsfield, focusing on political action for equity and justice. He previously served on the City Council for the City of Astoria, Oregon, where he led efforts to improve the lives of low-income and homeless individuals in Astoria, and served as the Chair of the Lower Columbia Diversity Project, charged with promoting diversity in the Northwest region of the state, educating the public on the benefits of diversity, tolerance, and inclusion, and providing a forum through which diversity issues could be addressed in the community. 

Will Singleton, Ed.D currently serves on the advisory board of The Berkshire Eagle. A native of Pittsfield, Dr. Singleton revived the Berkshire branch native of the NAACP in 2012, serving until 2014. He previously served as a public school educator and administrator, including a job as superintendent of New York State schools. Singleton holds a doctor of education degree from New York University.

About Four Freedoms Forums:

Town Hall Meetings at the Norman Rockwell Museum 

Join us to share your thoughts on the most compelling issues of our day. This series of Town Hall conversations inspired by Norman Rockwell’s Four Freedoms paintings will explore aspects of our democracy and important social concerns in a rapidly changing and increasingly global world. Noted commentators will offer observations and inspire community discourse, with a reception to follow.

 The tradition of Town Hall meetings has it roots in the founding of our nation where small New England communities would gather to invite citizen opinion and vote on matters of importance to the town. A town meeting is a form of direct democratic rule, used primarily in portions of the United States since the 17th century, in which most or all the members of a community come together to legislate policy and budgets for local government. 

The Four Freedoms Forums are free and open to the public.