Tune in Monday, February 7, 6 to 7:30, pm to a Zoom community conversation on issues and challenges concerning race in the school and community settings.

The “Race: More Than A Conversation” event is cohosted by C.H. Booth Library and the Newtown Board of Education.

As announced in the January 28 print edition of The Newtown Bee, the event will feature community leaders as panelists: Newtown Public Schools Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Coordinator Wesley A. Johnson II; First Selectman Dan Rosenthal; Board of Education Chair Deborra Zukowski; Editor John Voket of The Newtown Bee; C.H. Booth Library Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Special Committee Chair Dana Flynn; Newtown Savings Bank President Ken Weinstein; and Newtown Congregational Church Reverend Kristen M.E. Provost Switzer.

Panelists will respond to questions from moderators as well as take questions from the audience, according to an announcement from the library. The session will have two facilitators using a model steeped in respect for the audience and the panelists. Former Commissioner of Education Dr George A. Coleman, and Newtown Public Schools Project Challenge Teacher of the Gifted Dr Sherry Earle, PhD, will use techniques that expand the range of choices available for solving problems by broadening thinking and helping participants articulate issues.

Johnson explained in a recent phone interview that the partnership between Newtown Public Schools and C.H. Booth Library will include more community conversations in the series. The conversations will be “inspiration and action” oriented, he explained.

A large virtual attendance is anticipated, according to Johnson.

The event is free, and registration is required. People can register on the library’s event calendar or by using this specific website https://bit.ly/3rPu6sZ.

Library Director Douglas Lord, in a recent phone interview, said an event like the community conversation has been “a long time coming” for Newtown, as other communities have hosted similar events. He wants Monday’s conversation to be the first of many.

“My hope is that we will have this going on forever,” said Lord.

Lord said Newtown is a strong and smart community with deeply devoted residents. Events like the “Race: More Than A Conversation” event will offer a chance for people to share insights without being disagreeable.

The first conversation will offer an opportunity to focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion, and Lord said he hopes future conversations will focus on political or religious topics too. He sees the event as an opportunity for community members to engage and learn from one another.

“Learning from each other is really powerful in my opinion,” said Lord.

According to an announcement for the event, future plans for the Community Conversations series include focusing on a wide range of social issues in Newtown. The community will have the opportunity to weigh in on important topics, such as education, youth opportunities, housing, business development, health and safety, environment, infrastructure, resilience, and more.

Lord hopes the events will be held in person, as soon as possible, and will be held monthly at the library.

The intent, Johnson said in an announcement for the event, is for the series of community conversations to be about more than leaving the room with a list of to-dos and ‘answers to all the questions.’ Rather, they are about discussing topics and issues in an inclusive and uninhibited environment with community representatives and stakeholders.

Future events will be announced on the library’s website, chboothlibrary.org, when scheduled.

Education Reporter Eliza Hallabeck can be reached at eliza@thebee.com.