Deidre Montague is a Native of Bloomfield, Connecticut. She is a 2014 alumni of Eastern Connecticut State University with a B.A. in English and a 2016 alumni of Simmons College, in Boston MA with a Masters degree in Social Work. After making the difficult choice to leave the field of Social Work, after being laid off from her case management position in a local non-profit for the second time, she decided to tap back into her love for writing, by attending Manchester Community College and registering in the Communications program with a concentration in Journalism, which she completed in May 2022. Her work has also been featured in other publications such as Northend Agents, Better Manchester Magazine, Journal Inquirer, Essence Girls United, Blavity, and CT Public. Currently, she is the Race/Social Justice and Community reporter for The Hartford Courant.
Fun Fact #1 I sing on my Church’s Praise and Worship Team.
Fun Fact #2 I am a big Abbott Elementary Fan. #Janine&Gregory4Ever
We often hear about the importance of representation in many facets in life, such as when it comes to government, technology, and other sectors.
The internet was set ablaze toward the end of the women’s basketball NCAA Women’s Basketball Championship game on April 2, 2023, when Louisiana State University’s Angel Reese used the “you can’t see me” hand gesture, while pointing at her ring finger to her team’s soon to be championship ring, toward University of Iowa’s Caitlin Clark, according to Forbes.
Critical Race Theory. These three words and their actual meaning have both divided and rocked our nation.
On a national level, the suicide rates are increasing among Black girls, according to The New York Times. In the latest study from the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, it reported that “that just over 1,800 Black children died by suicide between 2003 and 2017, and while most of the deaths were among boys, especially those ages 15 to 17, the gender gap is narrowing.”
Today’s Black and Brown girls are facing incredibly turbulent times. From navigating a pandemic, working to continue their education, mental health struggles, bullying and systemic racism and sexism, it is more important than ever before for them to have safe spaces to express their full selves.
Founded in 1994, LGBT+ History Month is celebrated each October, which commemorates the strength, bravery and perseverance of America’s LGBT+ community and their fight for a more inclusive world for all.
This is the first article in a three-part installment focused on the struggles that many Black and Brown girls face.
In 2018, the increasing need for inclusion and community engagement for marginalized members of the Manchester community sparked the beginnings of a new initiative that will finally come to fruition this fall.
This is the third and final article in a three-part installment focused on the intersection of gendered violence & communities of color.
This is the second article in a three-part installment focused on the intersection of gendered violence & communities of color. Be sure to check back into Better Manchester for the remainder of the series.
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