Olivia Smucker

Community

A brief history of Black Lancaster, according to professor and historian Leroy Hopkins

"Black history is American history."

By Olivia Smucker - February 28, 2023

Community Voices

“I want people to feel safe”: A Q&A with Lancaster Pride president Tiffany Shirley

A central theme of Tiffany Shirley’s life and work is creating safe spaces in all that she does.

By Olivia Smucker - January 6, 2023

Nonprofits

The future of Central Market: A Q&A with Executive Director Melissa Siwiec

Siwiec discussed upcoming changes planned at the market, her passions in life, the “Bark Knight” and more.

By Olivia Smucker - November 7, 2022

Community

Domestic Violence Awareness Month launch highlights expanded housing services, upcoming events

Lancaster County’s Domestic Violence Services is creating a specialized team to provide trauma-informed housing services to domestic abuse survivors.

By Olivia Smucker - September 30, 2022

Community

As he moves to new role at Warwick schools, outgoing MFE Chorus director Jonathan Shoff is thankful, hopeful

“One of the things that drew me to music education in the first place was the thought of working with a high school choir.”

By Olivia Smucker - July 28, 2022

Opinion

Young, Black & LGBT: A Q&A with Rachaelann Yoder Klink

“I think that we as a country have not done a very good job of just acknowledging literally how this country began … .”

By Olivia Smucker - June 30, 2022

Nonprofits

Lancaster LGBTQ+ Coalition celebrates opening The Loop community hub (photos)

K Foley, executive director of the Lancaster LGBTQ+ Coalition, left, welcomes people to the opening of The Loop on Sunday, June 5, 2022. (Photo: Olivia Smucker) …

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By Olivia Smucker - June 8, 2022

Community Voices

Preserving Lancaster’s history: A Q&A with Danielle Keperling

Danielle Keperling (Source: Provided) Danielle Keperling, executive director at the Historical Preservation Trust of Lancaster County, has been involved in the work of restoring historic buildings …

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By Olivia Smucker - May 26, 2022

Nonprofits

Music for Everyone continues Keys for the City, Songs for Justice projects

(Source: Music For Everyone) Friday kicks off this year’s Keys for the City, Music for Everyone’s summer-long program that places pianos across Lancaster city for public …

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By Olivia Smucker - May 19, 2022

Community

‘It’s not enough’: Author and advocate Nikole Hannah-Jones addresses systemic racial inequity at community event

Phil Goropoulos (left), president of CHI St. Joseph, interviews Nikole Hannah-Jones, New York Times journalist and author of “The 1619 Project” on April 21, 2022. (Photo: …

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By Olivia Smucker - April 26, 2022

Nonprofits

Protecting ‘the environmental capital of the Chesapeake Bay’: An Earth Day Q&A with Jenna Mitchell Beckett

Jenna Mitchell Beckett, Pa. state director, Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay, speaks at the TEDx RegenAll forum at Tellus 360 on Sunday, Dec. 12, 2021. (Photo: …

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By Olivia Smucker - April 22, 2022

Community

Discussion of Christian perspectives on war, peace covers past, present and future

From left: Gene Miller, Lee Barrett and Kevin Ressler discussing the Christian theologies of war and peace at Grandview Church on April 9. (Photo: Olivia Smucker) …

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By Olivia Smucker - April 14, 2022