Welcome to Neighborhood View’s recurring roundup of good things happening in our city. This installment features a Disability Pride flag raising and the thriving (in all types of weather) Farmers Market.
Raising the flag for Disability Pride
July was proudly proclaimed Disability Pride Month on Saturday, July 24, when about 25 people — including members of the Malden Disability Commission, Mayor Gary Christenson, Malden Public Schools Superintendent Timothy Sippel, other government officials, and Malden residents — gathered at City Hall to acknowledge the occasion and honor those with disabilities by raising the Disability Pride flag.
Disability Commission Chair Chukwuka “Chuks” Ezewuzie began a powerful speech by asking the crowd, “What are we celebrating? Are we celebrating disabilities?” He answered the question by explaining, “Not exactly … we are celebrating who and what we are in spite of disability.”
Ezewuzie further described precisely what the acronym PRIDE means to individuals with disabilities, both visible and invisible.
“The P is for persistence and perseverance … in spite of our limitations … not pity,” he said. “The R is for resistance to stigma and stereotype and for resilience … the I is for inclusivity in the city of Malden … the D is for determination to succeed … and E is for empathy.”
The chair concluded his rousing speech by emphasizing that accessibility is the key and expressed his gratitude to Christenson for his support of the Commission’s goals.
Other Disability Commission members spoke, and Christenson ended the gathering by reading the proclamation of Disability Pride Month.
Maria Luise, special assistant to the mayor and the Disability Commission clerk, commented that “the Disability Commission does such great things, such as working on safer streets and securing grant funding.”
Per the City of Malden’s website, the Disability Commission’s goals include providing “information, education, service and programming referral, guidance, and technical assistance … in order to ensure that all Malden visitors and residents have equal access to facilities, services, and programs.” — Reporting by Martha Bezzat
Through all kinds of weather, market day thrives
You’d think a torrential rainstorm with rolling thunder would prompt the vendors at Malden’s weekly Farmers Market to pack up their veggies, their homemade salsas, and their coolers of fresh meat and fish and head on out.
But you’d be wrong. The market has run consistently since the season opener on June 17, every Wednesday from 3:00 – 7:00 p.m. Extreme heat, rain and even wildfire smoke have not kept the vibrant market from offering its wide selection of fresh produce, homemade breads and cheeses, specialty products and takeout dining options to the wide swath of Malden residents it attracts.
According to Jen Kuhnberg, one of three Market Managers along with Kate Cruikshank and Marcel Schwab, the market averages 400 to 600 shoppers each week and has attracted around 1,500 visitors on special “block party” days, an extended festival featuring arts, vendors and community groups,
“It’s a really great place for everybody to come,” said Kuhnberg. “You can just shop and go home, but you can also stay and hang out, and people meet their friends. People socialize a lot here.”
Now in its second year with the season extended to October 28, the Farmers Market offers SNAP benefit services to low-income residents, making fresh, local produce accessible to all economic levels. The City Hall Plaza venue offers pleasant shade during market hours. Tables, chairs and live music provide a festive atmosphere that makes the weekly gathering a meeting place as much as a marketplace.
Asked how it was to withstand the half hour thunderstorm on July 22 and keep on selling, Kenny Rutledge of Springbrook Farms shrugged his shoulders and said, “We’re farmers.” — Reporting by Anne D’Urso-Rose
For more information about the Malden Farmers Market, visit the Malden Festivals web site, or stop by on market day — rain, shine or extreme heat, they’ll be there.
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