Occupation: I am a documentary filmmaker. I support people and organizations working for social change and post my work on witnessforchange.org. Previously, I was with The Taunton Press as an editor, publisher, and ultimately as its president.

Family: I have two sons, Will, who is 23 years old, and Ben, who passed away in 2013. They were born in Guatemala where I adopted them as infants. My parents, Paul and Jan Roman, also live in Newtown.

How long have you lived in Newtown? I moved here with my family in 1973, then left when I went off to college in 1981, and then returned to live in 1993.

What do you like to do in your free time? I like to be out in nature hiking, kayaking, and bicycling. I’m learning how to draw so I can capture what I see in a nature journal.

What is your favorite book? I’ve been reading a lot about the Black experience in the United States. I’m currently reading Caste by Isabel Wilkerson. I also really liked So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo and found The Color of Law by Richard Rothstein about laws and practices that brought about housing segregation really eye-opening.

What is your favorite travel destination? When I was in college I lived with a family in Kathmandu, Nepal, and that experience changed the trajectory of my life. After college I lived in Cuernavaca, Mexico, for several years, and I travel there frequently to visit friends. I recently walked St Cuthbert’s Way on the border of Scotland and England and would like to walk more pilgrimage routes in Europe.

What is the best part about Newtown? I’ll never forget how supportive people in Newtown were to me and my family after my son, Ben, died. I also love how physically beautiful Newtown is. I feel very lucky to live on Taunton Lake where a great blue heron hangs out on my dock.

What organizations are you part of in Newtown? I’ve launched a project to research the racial history of Newtown called Why is Newtown So White? I am a member of Trinity Episcopal Church and a corporator for Newtown Savings Bank. I support the gun violence prevention work of Team 26 and Newtown Action Alliance.

Who has been the greatest influence in your life? My parents, Paul and Jan Roman, who started The Taunton Press when I was a kid. They’ve always worked as a great team and are very supportive of their five kids and all their grandchildren.

If you could spend the day with one person, who would you choose and why? I would spend it with the Rev Dr William Barber, who to me is the leading moral voice of my generation. His saying is that some issues are not left versus right, but right versus wrong. He brings together a wide coalition of people to fight for the rights and dignity of all.

What is the greatest piece of advice you have ever been given? Work hard to make things really good — but don’t waste time chasing perfection.

What is something you cannot live without? A camera. The world is such a beautiful and interesting place and things catch my eye that I want to remember. Right now, I am taking photos of the crazy ways that trees grow out of rocks.

What is your proudest accomplishment? Holding on to the belief that we can make the world a better place.