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Mostly Cloudy Book Talk takes Freeport on a historical journey
The Book Talk event, “Women Talk History: Looking Backwards, Understanding the Present,” hosted by the Long Island Art’s Council took place on May 11. The event was held at the Arts Council Offices in Freeport, located at 130 E. Merrick Road in the Freeport Recreation Center.
Barbara Spinnelli, a career counselor, mixed media artist, and author of the memoir “The Letters: A Memoir of Love, Loss, and Restoration,” served as the moderator for the evening. Spinnelli believes that everyone has a story to tell and guided the discussion as the three speakers transported attendees to different moments in history.
The first speaker of the evening was Regina Feeney, a full-time librarian at the Freeport Memorial Library and author of the “Freeport History Encyclopedia.” Feeney’s book presented the rich history of Freeport, and she co-authored “Images of America” with Cynthia Krieg. She also contributed to Nancy Solomon’s “Boat Building and Boat Yards of Long Island.” Additionally, Feeney coordinated the NY Heritage digitalization project, making local Long Island history accessible through the internet.
Wendy Walker Jackson, an educator in the Freeport School District, was the second speaker. Jackson is a prolific poet and enthusiastic storyteller. Her first children’s book, “The Virus That Changed the World,” captured the highlights of the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on our lives, particularly those of her students. Jackson’s works are influenced by the social intricacies of our communities and the need for the empowerment of the underserved.
The third speaker was Kim Taylor, a speech language pathologist and Department Supervisor at a large school for deaf children. Taylor is the author of “A Flag for Juneteenth,” a book that tells the story of the celebration of the first Juneteenth from the perspective of a young girl. Additionally, Taylor is an expert quilter, and her quilts, which reflect African American life, have been exhibited at several venues throughout the Mid-Atlantic region.
