A Conversation on Resilience, Recovery, and Healing After Conflict
Featuring Dr. Theresa S. Betancourt and Betsy Small
Moderated by Colleen L. Meaney, Program Director at Tremont School

Join us for a moving and insightful conversation with Dr. Theresa S. Betancourt, author of the newly released Shadows into Light: A Generation of Former Child Soldiers Comes of Age, and Betsy Small, educator, counselor, and author of Before Before: A Story of Discovery and Loss in Sierra Leone. This dialogue will be moderated by Colleen L. Meaney, Program Director at Tremont School and a leader in progressive education and educator development.

Dr. Betancourt brings more than 20 years of groundbreaking research on the intergenerational impacts of war and the resilience of former child soldiers in Sierra Leone. Through vivid personal narratives and evidence-based insights, Shadows into Light reveals the psychological and developmental toll of war—and the pathways toward healing through community-based, culturally grounded interventions.

Betsy Small, who served in Sierra Leone with the Peace Corps from 1984 to 1987, draws from her decades of work with divided communities around the world. Her book explores personal and collective memory, cultural connection, and the long shadows cast by conflict.

Colleen L. Meaney, a seasoned progressive educator and administrator, will guide the conversation. With extensive experience in antiracist pedagogy, whole-school redesign, and authentic student engagement, Colleen brings a thoughtful and informed lens to this important discussion.

Together, these voices will explore themes of trauma and recovery, resilience and reconciliation, and how individuals and communities rebuild after war.

Learn more here

• Saturday, August 2, 2025
• BigTown Gallery, 99 North Main Street, Rochester, Vermont 05767