[Music. Image of the Trial Court seal.]
[On screen text that says, "Cultural Appreciation Week Celebration and Awards Ceremony, January 31, 2025, Massachusetts Probation Service Training and Operations Center (MTOC)"]
[Thomas stands with a microphone at the front of the room wearing a court officer uniform and sings the national anthem. On screen text says, "John Bolden, Northampton District Court Officer I"]
Thomas Bolden [singing]:..you see, by the dawn's early light, what so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming. Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight over the ramparts we watched were so galantly streaming?
[Video fades into a later part of the song.]
Thomas Bolden [singing]: O say does that star-spangled banner yet wave over the land of the free and the home of the brave.
[Camera pans to the crowd, who are cheering, clapping, and giving a standing ovation.]
Coria Holland [voiceover]: Cultural Proficiency Champions, also known as champions, were acknowledged for planning more than 100 statewide events, celebrating culture and community for the Massachusetts Trial Court's Cultural Appreciation Week.
[Photos of Cultural Proficiency Champions at various Cultural Appreciation Week events. Photo of employees standing in a formation that makes a heart shape from above. Photo of a poster that says, "We are each unique and beautiful but together we are a weaved masterpiece!!!"]
Coria Holland [voiceover]: These events included art and museum exhibits, music and dance performances, such as Irish step dancing and Brazilian capoeira, poetry, games and trivia contests, as well as cooking demonstrations and food tastings.
[Photos of an outdoor parade, an Irish step dancing group performing, a Brazilian capoeira group performing, employees serving themselves food from a potluck, and a group of court officers posing for the camera.]
[Justice Wendlandt speaks at a podium at the front of a room. On screen text says, "Associate Justice Dalilla Wendlandt, Supreme Judicial Court"]
Judge Wendlandt: That's what really this year's theme is all about, the strength of connections and when we invite each other, um, to share our stories, our music, our clothing, our holidays, and especially our food. We share a part of ourselves. And that is really what this, uh, cultural appreciation event is all about: Taking time and recognizing the vast diversity that we have here in the Trial Court, and really taking the space to make each other and make those connections to meet each other and make those connections.
Coria Holland [voiceover]: Dr. Carmen Gomez, Deputy Commissioner of Pretrial Services and Cultural Appreciation Week Manager, celebrates her one year anniversary in this role. Dr. Gomez assumed this role from Probation Commissioner Pamerson Ifill, who held this position previously and introduced this celebration to the Massachusetts Trial Court nearly nine years ago.
[Photo of Dr. Gomez speaking at a podium.]
[Commissioner Ifill stands at the front of the room and speakes into a microphone. On screen text says, "Pamerson Ifill, Massachusetts Probation Commissioner"]
Commissioner Ifill: We understand that diversity, equity, and inclusion is under threat. We see the retrenchment in a number of different agencies and anywhere around this country where people are backing away from simply recognizing that diversity at its core means to include, to evolve and provide opportunities and access for people regardless of race, gender, ethnicity, religion, orientation. It doesn't matter who and what you are all the who of diversity. And s it means that we want to include every, the same kind of pathways for success. That's all it is. It isn't looking to promote anybody above anybody else. We just want to make that we, ourselves, and our children there and after have the potential and the opportunities of success.
And so I just want to say this is always, for me, the best time of the year. The fact that we can get together and celebrate each other, recognize each other, and the contributions that we make.
Coria Holland [voiceover]: The New Generation Performance Group of North Hampton gave a riveting performance
[Photo of students in the New Generation Performance Group performing in front of employees.]
[Student performers walk among each other as if they are walking on the street. On screen text says, "New Generation Performance Group, Northampton"]
Performers: At 6:00 a.m. in the morning, you might have seen an 11-year-old boy, a 10-year old girl, a 9-year old, two brothers walking side by side, a silly girl, on the bridge
[Students performers all stop and point up.]
Performers: near Brace Street, crossing Liberty,
[Students performers all point down.]
Performers: walking up Beach Street.
[Students performers all point up.]
[Scene fades into a young male performer speaking at the front of the room.]
Performer: The schools were so much better than in Sudan and Egypt. We could all go to college. And of course, my parents decided that we would all become doctors.
Coria Holland [voiceover]: Thank you, champions, and community participants.
[Photo of champions seated and listening to speakers.]
Coria Holland [voiceover]: Diverse threads, one tapestry: The strength of connections.
[Court Administrator Ambrosino speaks into a microphone at the front of the room. On screen text says, "Thomas Ambrosino, Massachusetts Trial Court Administrator"]
Court Administrator Ambrosino: I mean, it's one of the favorite things I do in this job is to go out to the courts. I love that part of the job, just going out and meeting the workforce and, uh, Cultural Appreciation Week, which gives me the opportunity to do that. Uh, and it gives me an excuse to get out to the Signature Events all across the Commonwealth, and I really like that.
And I love the events themselves. They're, they're entertaining, uh, but they're also quite moving. It's really like, I, I'm so impressed with, uh, stories that some of our employees tell about their personal history and their personal backstory and the, uh, uh, touching and, uh, I, I think personally that's a great strength of our system, the diversity that we have among our workforce, and we really should be celebrating it.
So, you know, okay, I show up at the events, they're great, and I leave and I think, wow, that was wonderful, but I, I don't overlook the fact that it takes a lot of planning to pull those events together. And I know, and Chief Justice Brieger knows, they don't happen without incredible, hard work from the people in this room and a lot of planning and effort. I'm sure you already started planning for 2025, so.
[Music. Slideshow of photos begins playing. Photo of Carmen Gomez speaking to an audience.]
[On screen text says, "Signature Courts." Photo of court leaders with text that says "Signature Courts." Images of various champions who hosted events at Signature Courts holding plaques while posing with court leadership.]
[On screen text says, "Champions Receive Awards." Images of various champions holding certificates of appreciation while posing with court leadership. On scren text says, "Cutural Proficiency Champions aka Champions."]
[Images of champions seated in the audience at the event.]
[On screen scrolling text says, "Diverse Threads, One Tapestry: The Strength of Connections]
[On screen scrolling text says, "Coria Holland, Communications Director/Spokesperson, The Massachusetts Probation Service"]