Take 5 with Joe Palumbo

As part of our "Month of Thanks" series, The Umbrella was glad to interview frequent volunteer and program collaborator Joe Palumbo, a Concord resident who has made a huge impact volunteering for several town committees and organizations.

Can you tell us about your background in and return to Concord?

I was born and raised in Concord in an Italian American immigrant farm family up on Lexington Road. I graduated Concord Public Schools and spent most of my career as an educator, as classroom teacher, administrator, superintendent, and leadership development consultant in school districts across the country and overseas.

I returned to the area to take care of my aging parents and then, in 2017, after we obtained the legal right to marriage, my husband Steve and I settled in the town of Concord.

How and when did you first engage with The Umbrella?

I was aware of the older Emerson Umbrella, but when we moved back, we were instantly engaged with the excitement of the diversity and cutting-edge work that was going on at The Umbrella. 

When my husband was cast in Middleton Heights, we were frankly shocked that a play about Filipino Americans was being produced right here in town!

You volunteer for several organizations in the area, and have been able to create collaborative programs with The Umbrella through partnerships, right?

I’ve volunteered with a number of organizations in Town, from the DEI Commission and Concord 250 to the Robbins House and beyond. The team at The Umbrella is always a welcome and engaging partner in events like “Stand up for Ellen” to honor the legacy of Concord black hero, Ellen Garrison, or helping provide appropriate honors for George Washington Duggan through the “Glory for George” celebration. The Umbrella understands what the 21st-century looks like, and helps us have serious conversations about who we are as a community, and who we want to become.

You recently helped us with a photo shoot for our upcoming play The Minutes, and we’ve been discussing some additional collaborative projects in the coming year.

We're looking forward to collaborating on other programs on 250 and DEI themes this year, too. There’s more great work ahead both through Concord 250 and community engagement around The Umbrella Stage Company’s production of The Minutes. In the spring, we look forward to Ellen Garrison‘s birthday celebration in April, and then The Umbrella’s screening of the world premiere of the new film about her life as a part of the town Juneteenth celebration.

Anything else you’d like to say about volunteering and partnering with The Umbrella?

Just that it is heartening and powerful to know the team at The Umbrella is engaging with so many folks in the community to work together to make Concord more welcoming and inclusive place for everyone who lives here works here goes to school here or visits. When folks look back on the history of this period, and examine what helped Concord transition into a diverse 21st-century community, they’ll know that The Umbrella was one of the catalysts to make that happen. :)