Amherst Together is a creativity hub for advancing community, collaboration, equity and inclusion in We are over 30,000 people. We speak more than 40 languages.
AMHERST TOGETHER IS...
A TOWN Located in the western part of Massachusetts, Amherst is the largest community in Hampshire County with a population of over 37,000. Home to Amherst College, Hampshire College, and the University of Massachusetts Amherst, Beneski Museum of Natural History, Emily Dickinson Museum, Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art, Mead Art Museum at Amherst College, National Yidd
ish Book Center, W.E.B. Du Bois Library at UMASS Amherst - the tallest academic library in the United States, and a plethora of world-celebrated authors, professors, singers, songwriters, producers, composers, historians, poets, activists, guitarists, artists, jazz musicians, and folk/blues singers. A COMMUNITY The people of Amherst come in all sizes, shapes, hues, perspectives, generations, voices, experiences, orientations, backgrounds, cultures, and talents...our community benefits greatly from this vibrant mosaic. We are passionate, active and progressive and we are peaceful, contemplative and co-operative. We are vocal...even the "h in Amherst" is sometimes pronounced...and we are quiet, often unsung as we go about making a difference in each other's lives. We are admired around the world for our intellect, liberalism and beauty, yet we know we have work to do. We live in a unique, complex and ever-evolving community that strives to better itself at every turn. A MISSION Infusing fresh perspectives with a wide range of contexts through an expanding circle of voices, Amherst Together is a creativity hub for advancing community, collaboration, equity and inclusion in Amherst. A VISION Through collective impact, Amherst Together continues to evolve as an organizing infrastructure for effective community engagement, connecting people, ideas, and resources for building sustainable progress in everyday social practices. A BEGINNING Adhering to the work of Harvard educator Ronald Ferguson, a nationally renowned expert on closing the achievement gap, Amherst School Superintendent Maria Geryk approached Town Manager John P. Musante with a vision to link education and community. As a result, a social movement called "Amherst Together" was formed and the partnership hired Carol Ross to take the helm. Watch the Voices From Our Schools episode (below) to learn more…
A TEAM It takes a lot of people to move an entire community to collective action, but it only takes one to ignite it. Imagine what happens when one becomes many! Since its inception, hundreds of people have made small and large contributions to the growth and development of Amherst Together and we continue to grow!
