Hartford Cares

On Monday, June 30, more than 1500 city dwellers and suburbanites came together in Bushnell Park to stand against all acts of callousness that plague our city and pain our hearts. Their collective presence served as a great voice for denouncing violence and for shouting "we care." We were touched and healed by music, dance, poetry, stories, and prayer. May citizens of Hartford and the region engage in further conversations, connections and commitments that lead to a greater Hartford! Leave a message on our website www.leadershipgh.org to inform us of how you would like to stay involved in the Hartford Cares initiative.

Leadership Greater Hartford thanks all those who attended and contributed
to the opening candlelight vigil, including:

Mayor Eddie A. Perez and the Court of Common Council of the City of Hartford

Special thanks to the Aetna Foundation, The Hartford and Bank of America for their generous financial support.

Steven Mitchell, who brought together the following artists to touch our hearts: The Hartford Symphony Orchestra; Generation of Drummers; IRA; Artists Collective; Esteban Arrufatt; Spectrum in Motion; Mind Evolution; Sankofa Kuumba; the CT’s Children’s Chorus; People of Goodwill; Anne Cubberly; Kathy Strauss;choirs of Asylum Hill Congregational Church, Congregation Beth Israel, Faith Congregational Church, Congregation Beth El, Immanuel Congregational Church

The following non-profit groups for inviting us to join them in building a greater Hartford: Black Ministerial Alliance; Capital Region Education Council (CREC); Capital Workforce Partners; Center for Community at Billings Forge; Central CT Bicycle Association; Charter Oak Cultural Center, Conference of Churches; Community Renewal Team; Covenant to Care; CT Coalition to End Homelessness; Everyday Democracy; Foodshare; Greater Hartford Interfaith Coalition; Hands On Hartford; Hartford Areas Rally Together (HART); Hartford Public Access TV; Hartford 2000; Jubilee House; Knox Parks; Metropolitan District Commission (MDC); MetroHartford Alliance; Mothers United Against Violence; My Sister’s Place; National Conference on Community and (NCCJ); Northside Institution Neighborhood Alliance (NINA); Nutmeg Big Brothers/Big Sisters; Rebuilding Together; Salvation Army; Strive; The Connecticut Forum; United Way of Central and Northeastern Connecticut; Village for Families and Children; YWCA

Local companies for their excellent promotional and technical support this evening: The Hartford Courant; WTIC radio; First Experience Communications, Event Resources, Inc. and HB Group. The Governor and State legislature for keeping the Capitol open in case of inclement weather.

And many thanks to all Leadership Greater Hartford members, friends and staff who volunteered their services for this event.

“Hartford Cares” Public Vigil Held June 30th in Bushnell Park 
Public Invited to Join in Conversations, Connections and 
Commitments to Build a Greater Hartford

What and Why:

Citizens from throughout Greater Hartford came together in Hartford’s Bushnell Park for a candlelight vigil to foster healing and hope in Hartford. This event, the first in a series of events being undertaken as part of the “Hartford Cares” initiative, featured the Hartford Symphony as well as music, song, dance and poetry from other local artists. In addition, ordinary citizens will share extraordinary stories of hope and goodwill. Area nonprofit groups will be offering people opportunities for involvement and citizens will be stepping up to make new and additional commitments to help build a greater Hartford.

Background:

On behalf of the City of Hartford, Mayor Eddie Perez asked Leadership Greater Hartford to work with groups throughout the region to organize a community response to help Connecticut’s capital city. Organizers of Hartford Cares: Conversations, Connections and Commitments To Build a Greater Hartford, are deeply disturbed by Nick Carbone’s savage beating, the hit and run attack on Angel Arce Torres and other senseless acts of violence that too often mark Hartford’s life and reputation. At the same time, this initiative will help citizens remember that Hartford is much more and far better than what these terrible acts depict. Stories of hope, courage, love, personal triumph and community-building will be shared.

Ted Carroll, president of Leadership Greater Hartford, said: “As citizens of one shared community with one common future, each of us must make a commitment to act now. The June 30 vigil is a public step forward to speaking openly and candidly about crime, violence and other social problems plaguing our city. But we will also hear about what’s going right and who has stepped up to defeat these scourges. We want to find ways to support and replicate those everyday heroes. Then all of us in the region, individuals and institutions alike, can publicly commit to finding at least one more way to make a difference.”

Hartford Cares is organized by Leadership Greater Hartford in cooperation with the Office of the Mayor and the Court of Common Council, young and established artists, local businesses and many community groups throughout the region. For more information www.hartfordcares.org