‘Voices of Young Peacemakers’ event in Greenfield shares stories of courage, kinship

GREENFIELD — The chair of the Greenfield Human Rights Commission and a former candidate for state representative served as keynote speakers for a gathering at the Greenfield Public Library last week that sought to inspire attendees through stories of courage and kinship.

Nate Woodard and Corinne Coryat headlined an event billed as “Voices of Young Peacemakers,” organized by author, interfaith minister and women’s leadership activist Sarah Pirtle, and sponsored by the Interfaith Council of Franklin County and the Traprock Center for Peace & Justice, which organize the Peacemaker Awards each spring.

Woodard and Coryat both spoke about their life experiences and what they have learned before guests broke into groups for three workshops led by Pirtle, Woodard and Coryat.

Pirtle started the event, held the day after the Nov. 3 midterms, by paraphrasing Senator-elect Abdul El-Sayed, the first Muslim American elected to the U.S. Senate, who said in his victory speech that his name and faith are not the reason many Americans cannot afford gas or groceries. Pirtle also shared remarks that Senator-elect Annie Andrews made about refusing to bow down to billionaires, special interest groups and insiders.

“I wanted to begin with some of those inspiring words and also say that we, today, will be catching courage from each other,” Pirtle explained. “It’s a really important concept: that every person here has an equal light.”

Woodard mentioned he is originally from Connecticut and moved to Greenfield 11 years ago, following two years of homelessness in Holyoke. He graduated from Greenfield High School in May and, over the summer, was appointed as a student advisor to the Massachusetts Board of Higher Education and joined its Student Advisory Council.

Woodard mentioned he looks up to his 86-year-old grandfather, who was born into segregation and intensely followed the recent midterm elections.

“He’s from Florida. Florida didn’t really go the way he wanted,” he said, referring to Republican Byron Donalds’ election as governor. “When he saw the other states, he called me up at midnight. He said, ‘I’m so excited.’ And he’s typically sleeping by 6.

“So to have somebody like him, of his generation, be so inspired by the people that we have in our [political] offices now is incredible.”

Woodard said he is also inspired by Martin Luther King Jr.

“I don’t think I would be here without him,” he said. “I wouldn’t be able to vote. I wouldn’t be able to speak.”

Coryat, who narrowly lost the Democratic nomination for the 1st Franklin District’s seat in the state House of Representatives in the September primary, formerly served as legislative aide and staff director with state Rep. Natalie Blais’ office. She mentioned she has known Pirtle since childhood and attended her Journey Camp, a peacebuilding camp for girls.

She spoke of how close friendships, particularly with other females, have shaped her life.

“And they come in so many different forms,” she said.

Coryat said she considers herself to be an ambitious and driven person, but conversations with friends have helped her battle self-doubt.

“I view my friends as my sisters,” she said. “They have gotten me through this world.”

She said her husband’s support is transformational, but female friends offer an understanding and kinship that are impossible to duplicate.

The event was also a celebration of the “HerStory Poetry Anthology” published by the HerStory Club, a student-led feminist and peacebuilding organization at Deerfield Academy. Deerfield Academy senior Peggy Huang serenaded people with the cello, and she and classmate Katie Kim later read poems from the “HerStory Poetry Anthology.” Kim is the organization’s president.

A copy of the anthology was donated to the library’s collection.