This is a special event coverage of Radioplasma, in collaboration with The Holyoke High Herald. Staff Reporter, Charlie Brunette, gives us the summary, notes, and comments as a Holyoke High student, on the Teen Town Hall, organized by Youth Rise Together, that took place at Holyoke Community College, on March 31st, 2018. Youth journalism, and analysis of the content, by our own local Holyoke High Herald.

Michael Moriarty and Israel Rivera from One Holyoke CDC, share the upcoming presentation of The Great Gatsby in Holyoke, at Holyoke High School and Wistariahurst in May, along with the updates on several projects that include a Basketball court, a Community Center for The Flats, a house relocation, and a series of cleanups.

Jackie Velez, from Neighbor 2 Neighbor, Holyoke Chapter is our guest to talk about the work being done at N2N, the current changes to the Criminal Justice Reform Package at the State Level, and an invitation to a Legislative Breakfast on April 18th, 2018 at El Mercado, in Holyoke

Puerto Rican author, Esmeralda Santiago, visited Holyoke on March 29th, 2018. During her visit, she spoke at Holyoke Community College and The Holyoke Public Library. This special coverage features the HCC event.

We welcome Verónica García, host and producer of "Presencia", WGBY's bilingual magazine TV program, featuring stories of the Latino communities of western New England. Now in its third season, we got an update on the evolution of the show, Veronica's dream, and the plans for workshops and internships for youth.

We welcome saxophone player and composer, Mtali Shaka Banda, in a conversation about his debut album "Rites of Passage". Also, Damany Gordon, from Genuine Culture LLC, joins the conversation.

Erika Slocumb is a scholar, artist, and community organizer who is working on a project with the Wistariahurst Museum, uncovering the stories of the black community in Holyoke, from the time the area was settled in 18th Century to the present. Listen to our conversation with Erika about "Black Holyoke: Uncovering the History of the Black Community in the Paper City."

We celebrate Black History Month with a conversation around the first year of Genuine Culture LLC as an initiative to educate and bring together the community through music, arts, conversations, seminars, history, and special events, organized by Theresa Cooper-Gordon, and Damany Gordon.

Tessa Murphy-Romboletti, Director of SPARK, supports businesses in development to connect, learn, and thrive, through a series of courses, and access to tools and resources they need to be successful. One of these initiatives is Holyoke Soup, a community gathering to know and support new emerging local businesses. The first Holyoke Soup event of 2018, also is taking place at a new venue, The HCC Culinary Arts Institute. We talk about it and the plans for SPARK in 2018.

John L. Grossman and Dawn Cordeiro are our guests, sharing their experiences over the first year of opening the Holyoke Hummus Cafe on 285 High Street. A celebration of food, community, family, conversation, engagement, local connections, a welcoming experience, and a business inspiration.