May 4, 2022
Dear Letter to the Editor:
Newburyport Youth Services (NYS) is an important and valued community organization in the city of Newburyport. It provides a safe and welcoming space for our young people to share their hopes, dreams and fears with trusted and educated staff. The city of Newburyport is lucky to have a longtime leader at NYS, like Andrea Egmont, who has invested 17 years into caring for and nurturing Newburyport’s children. As residents who are concerned about the lack of meaningful support and empathy for NYS, its staff, and what it represents, we had to share what the organization has meant to us.
Since its inception, NYS has provided more than just after-school programming and summer camps for youth. NYS programs and supports are designed to meet specific needs of youth and families in the community and to inspire and nurture all youth, including but not limited to young girls and women, students of color, and youth that identify as LGBTQIA+. Discrimination experienced by young people in these groups negatively impacts their feelings of inclusion and belonging, as well as self-confidence, safety, and wellness. In supporting all young people, NYS programming will continue to be responsive to and a reflection of the needs of the populations it serves.
NYS programs are informed by data and community input. Debby Irving was brought to Newburyport as part of the Parent Speaker Series and was chosen in response to requests from parents about how to talk to their children about race. The upcoming dance hosted by NYS and NAGLY North, an affinity group for young people who identify as LGBTQIA+, is open to all high school youth, and is designed to create a safe and supportive environment where all young people feel that they are valued and that they belong.
In recent weeks, NYS’ attempts to bring these targeted and necessary programs around race and sexuality and gender identity have been met with attacks from a small but vocal minority. We believe these voices do not represent the majority of our community, who greatly value all efforts to create greater inclusion and equity, especially for those most vulnerable and underserved.
Newburyport is a small community where we know our neighbors, cheer for our friends’ children at sporting events and theater performances, and raise money for our schools. It is a community that seeks to value each and every employee, community organization, business and resident that makes Newburyport what it is today. This diversity should be celebrated. While we may have differences of opinion in how we raise our children, NYS programming should be created to reflect the wants and needs of our community as a whole.
We stand with NYS and with all members of our community. We celebrate our differences and we invite our fellow citizens to also show their support and solidarity by speaking up and showing up.
Thank you,
Newburyport’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Alliance
Paul and Susan Acquaviva
Kourtney Adams
Korki and John Aldrich
Meg Alfoni
Jessica Baylor*
Laura Beal
Priscilla B. Bellairs
Matt Bennett
Frank Bertolino
Kacie Biddle
Eliza Bobek
Nora and Ted Boretti
Paula Breger
Reverend Rebecca Bryan*, Minister, FRSUU
Deirdre Budzyna
Jaime Calisi
Brian Callahan
Olivia Cap and Eric Canfield
Marissa Cap
Vic Carr
Marybeth Kennealy and Joe Cheever
Kara Chiarello
Jean Copelin
Tasha Cough and Scott Yewell
Shane and Alissa Cough
Ray Coutu
Michelle Xiarhos Curran
Ingrid Cyros
Marc and Katie de Kanter
John Dear
Arlen deVos
Becky Dill
Christine Doherty and Lisa Mead
Sunny* and Craig Douglas
Julie Dowd & Tim Freundlich
Eileen Duff, Governor’s Councilor
Kelly Dziepak
Michael Eatman*
Christina Eckert
Kelly Essman and Jason Harris
Paula Estey
Lori Fairbrother
Kristen Farrell
Elaine Fearnley
Ben & Christine Fichera
Rachel & Alex Forrest-Hay
Rebecca & Benjamin Fundis
Lisa Furlong
Sean Gallagher*
Nikhil Gehani^
Katherine Gendron
Tom Getz^
Laura Goldberg
Gigi Green
James Grogan
Jen Groskin^
Robert Grower
Ann Haaser
Sarah Hall, Vice Chair Newburyport School Committee
Boyd Hancock
Michelle Hastings
Debbie Hart-Klein
Julie and Bob Hebeisen
Marie Hoffman
Donna Holaday
Sarah Holden
Beth Horne
Kevin Hudson
Ahmer Ibrahim*^
Chris Janson
Celia Johnson
Oliver Jones
Jennifer and Jose Juste
Afroz Khan, City Councilor
Dave Kipp
Pamela M. Kipp
Patrick Kirby
Sheryl Knopf
Emily Kulowiec
Betty LaBaugh
Phyllis Lauria
Margo Leanna
Dana Levy
Dr. Thomas Liu
Phoebe Lonborg-Lewis and Gregory Lewis
Regina Macdonald
Tony and Pam Marrese
Susan Martinson and James Grogan
Tom and Libby McGee
Kelly McNamee
The Rev. Dr. Jarred Mercer, Rector, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church
Karina Motlz
Kate and Mike Myhre
Rev. Christopher Ney
Katie Nye^
Ken Okaya
Lynn Omondi*
Barbara Oswald
Kelly and Matt Palma
Shana Perrucci
Omni Raimo
Roseann Robillard
Barbara Roche
Terry Rooney and Meg Stewart
Eileen, Conall and Niamh Ryan
Karen Sakaniwa
Heather Shand*, City Council President
Kathleen Shaw^
Melissa Sills*
Andrew Simpson
Sheila Spalding, School Committee Member
Christopher Spalding
Dan Spurling
Dianne* and Jerry Steimel
Kristine & Stu Steinberg
Susan Stone and Vernon Ellis
Kelley Sullivan
Emily Tallman
Ruth Temperino
Liv Timmins*
Spela Trefalt
Sheila^ and Ron Trieff
Karen Trowbridge
Peter Twichell
Erika and Jake Vartabedian
Marianne Vesey*
David & Barbara Vye
Andrea Weetman
Beth Welch and Chuck Christensen
Elizabeth Wencl
John and Lynn Whitcomb
Erina White
Elizabeth Wilcoxson*
The YWCA of Greater Newburyport
*Indicates member of Newburyport’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Alliance
^Indicates member of Human Rights Commission
