On Saturday, October 16th, the Cambridge Public Schools (CPS) Community Fair was held outdoors at the Peabody School. It was a free opportunity for Cantabridgians to explore the different departments of their city. “The purpose is to help build connections with CPS and the community. It’s an opportunity to share the wonderful resources we have in our city and bring people together,” Robin Harris, Director of Family Engagement for CPS, told the Register Forum (RF) in an interview. Harris also mentioned the fair’s relevance to the pandemic, stating, “People were going a little crazy not being able to go out, but this way, we can go outside and get together.”

Daniel Skeritt, one of the co-organizers of the fair and Family Liaison at the Fletcher Maynard Academy, expressed similar views as Harris, telling the RF, “We’ve been behind phones and Zoom all year, so this is a great opportunity to meet different agencies face-to-face and collect information pertaining to what children and their families might need.” The RF also spoke with Bernette Dawson, Emie Michaud-Weinstock, and Amara Donovan, co-founders of the Cambridge Families of Color Coalition. “We try to show up to these events as much as possible because we know that families of color have more needs than privileged families, and we try to build relationships,” they said. “Our coalition believes in the village mentality, and we want families of color to know that they’re not alone in this journey.”

Tina Lieu, one of three organizers of Cambridge Families of Asian Descent, was also running a table for her organization. “We’re an affinity space for parents and caregivers of Asian descent. Our purpose is to connect families,” she told the RF. “There’s a social component and an advocacy component, such as making Asian American history more prominent in the curriculum.”

The Cambridge Community Learning Center (CLC), which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, also participated in the event. According to an article from the City of Cambridge that was shared with the RF, “The CLC offers a variety of free classes and pro-grams that empower adult learners to transform their lives and realize their potential through education, skills development, and community participation.”

The CLC was at the fair to spread the word about these opportunities to help more people across the city. Attendees at the fair were grateful for the opportunity to not only learn about the various resources available to them, but also become familiar with fellow Cambridge residents. As Skeritt put it, “It’s an opportunity for families to connect with folks they would otherwise not see, and this is why we call it a school resource fair.”

This piece also appears in our November 2021 print edition.