Honoring Legacy: A Visit to the Harriet Tubman Museum and Educational Center

This weekend, Paula Mann-Agnew, Executive Director of Discovering Amistad, visited the Harriet Tubman Museum and Educational Center in Cambridge, Maryland—a powerful space dedicated to the life, courage, and enduring legacy of one of America’s greatest freedom fighters.

“I had reasoned this out in my mind: there was one of two things I had a right to—liberty or death. If I could not have one, I would have the other.” – Harriet Tubman

Farewell Captain Alley!

We are celebrating the retirement of Amistad Captain Nicholas Alley. We couldn't be happier for him and are so very grateful for everything he has done for Discovering Amistad. He will truly be missed.

To show our appreciation, the DA team presented Nicholas with this plaque.

His last day is May 2nd. If you want to stop and give him a farewell come visit the ship at Mystic Seaport Museum.

Thank you for everything Captain Alley!

“Rethinking the Amistad Rebellion” at the New Haven Museum

What an incredible evening! Executive Director Paula Mann-Agnew and Operations Manager Victoria Meskill had the honor of meeting and speaking with Dr. Marcus Rediker, author of The Amistad Rebellion.

Following their conversation, they attended Dr. Rediker’s lecture, which offered deep insights into the rebellion and its lasting legacy.

A truly unforgettable night.

Thank you to CT Humanities, The New Haven Museum, the Amistad Committee, and the Gilder Lehrman Center for presenting such a powerful and enriching program.

Empowering Women in Leadership: Lessons from "The Time is Now" Panel

Our team had the opportunity to attend The Time is Now: Engaging Women in Public Leadership, a thought-provoking panel discussion presented by the Fairfield County Community Foundation’s Fund for Women & Girls.

Director of Community Initiatives, Reeshemah Norfleet, Operations Manager, Victoria Meskill, and Lead Educator Arianna Williams represented our organization at this inspiring event, which centered on the importance of women embracing leadership at all levels. The panelists encouraged attendees to "use their space"—leveraging their voices, skills, and influence to create meaningful change in their communities.

We extend our gratitude to The Fund for Women & Girls for hosting such an engaging and educational event. Conversations like these are crucial in shaping a future where all women feel empowered to lead.

At Discovering Amistad, we are committed to continuous education on civil rights history. Last week Executive Director Paula Mann-Agnew visited the Black History exhibit in Atlanta, Georgia.

DA Executive Director to Receive “100 Women of Color” Award!

Paula Mann-Agnew, Discovering Amistad Executive Director, has been chosen to be honored at the Tenth Annual 100 Women of Color Gala and Awards on October 10th at the Bushnell Performing Arts Center. 

The gala honors 100 influential women of color from Connecticut and western Massachusetts, celebrating their achievements in business, education, entrepreneurship, entertainment, and government, as well as their positive impact on their communities.

Sponsored by Eleven28 Entertainment, the gala’s goal is to support programs and scholarships for the advancement of young women of color. 

CT Humanities Grant for DA's 250th Interactive Experience Project

The board of directors of CT Humanities has approved $203,479 in Capacity, Planning, and Implementation grants to 13 cultural organizations to support humanities projects throughout the state.

Discovering Amistad announces with gratitude that it has received one of these CT Humanities grants – a $20,000  “Planning and Implementation Grant.” This grant funding will go towards creating Amistad-CT 250th Interactive Experience (ACT250) – an initiative to advance Discovering Amistad’s “floating classroom experience” for America’s 250th, by developing a variety of interactive exhibits that elevate the narratives of “unsung heroes” of 1839 Amistad Uprising. DA will use its inclusive and culturally relevant approach to share BIPOC American stories and foster civic engagement, including upgrading/creating dockside exhibits, interactive ship portals, narratives and other multimedia components for ship, dockside and virtual.

“We are pleased to support opportunities for the public to connect and engage with humanities content and themes, and these projects are stellar examples,” said Dr. Jason R. Mancini, executive director for CT Humanities. “Through our grant funding, we help our cultural organizations cultivate the curiosity, knowledge, and understanding that is essential to a healthy democracy.”

DA at the Tall Ships America Annual Conference on Sail Training and Tall Ships

DA Executive Director, Paula Mann-Agnew, and Amistad Mate, Aaron Thal, are attending the Tall Ships America Annual Conference on Sail Training and Tall Ships. The confernce gathers ships’ masters, crew members, program administrators, educators, environmentalists, port representatives, festival managers and more for an information-packed three day conference. Topics include vessel operations, regulatory issues, management, educational programming, and safety at sea, as well as media relations, marketing, funding, communications, and port event organization.

Grant Received for Spring 2025 Amistad Leadership Academy

On January 31st, Discovering Amistad, along with trustee members of Union Baptist Church, proudly received the Stamford Arts and Culture (SAC) grant from Mayor Caroline Simmons and the Stamford Arts and Culture Commission. The grant will fund an Amistad leadership academy for students focused on the arts, set to launch in the Spring 2025.

Sponsor a Class!

Announcing a new opportunity to support education with Discovering Amistad: 

·   $200 sponsorship pays for 1 hour in-school Discovering Amistad programing for a class of 30

·   $450 sponsorship sends a classroom to the Amistad ship for a private tour

·   $550 sponsorship allow up to 35 students to not only tour the deck of the ship but to also have a tour below!

For more information, please contact Chris Menapace, Discovering Amistad Director of Education: c_menapace@discoveringamistad.org

Click Here to Sponsor a Class

Celebrating the Legacy of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Paula Mann-Agnew, Discovering Amistad Executive Director, attended the Greater Hartford Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance annual celebration at Phillips Metropolitan CME Church in Hartford, CT. Lorna Little LCSW, CEO & President of St. Anne’s Family Service of Los Angeles, CA was the guest speaker.

Paula also attended an incredible Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. celebration at Faith Congregational Church in Hartford. Pictured are Pastor Cleo Graham and keynote speaker Andre Keitt, storyteller.

Reeshemah Norfleet, Discovering Amistad’s Director of Community Initiatives, attended West Hartford’s 29th annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. celebration on January 20, 2025, at Town Hall. The event honored Dr. King’s message of resilience, featuring keynote speaker John Mills, a genealogist and historian focused on African American history. Highlights included the inaugural Earl Exum Servant Leader Award, presented to Mark Walker for his community service, as well as performances by local students and speeches from leaders like Mayor Shari Cantor and Sen. Richard Blumenthal. The celebration reflected on Dr. King’s enduring vision of perseverance and community impact.

Reeshemah also attended the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art's Community Day to celebrate Martin Luther King Jr.’s enduring legacy through a day of inspiring art, music, and storytelling. Local artists, dancers, and musicians reflected on his vision of justice and equality, while the Salt & Pepper Gospel Singers brought their soulful sound to the stage.

Winter Ready

While on the hard, the top decks of The Amistad have gone under cover. Maintenance and preservation work will continue through the winter months.

Executive Director Learning Series

Discovering Amistad’s Executive Director, Paula Mann-Agnew attended a Roadmap to Wellbeing Retreat offered by the Community Foundation of Greater New Haven. The seminar was led by Alicia Davis, Founder of Transformative Leadership Strategies. The program is part of the executive learning series designed to offer resources and tools to New Haven leaders.