Mission & Vision
Mission
The Maine Humanities Council, a statewide non-profit organization, uses the humanities—literature, history, philosophy, and culture—as a tool for positive change in Maine communities. Our programs and grants encourage critical thinking and conversations across social, economic, and cultural boundaries.
Vision
Maine communities transformed by the power and pleasure of ideas.
Equity & Inclusion
The Maine Humanities Council acknowledges that the humanities often privilege some groups over others, reflect our society’s structural racism, and define the contours of humanity in exclusionary ways.
The MHC has shifted our priorities in an effort to acknowledge and address the marginalization that exists in our culture and within the humanities. It is our hope that our shifts can begin to make amends for the ways we have knowingly or unknowingly reinforced oppressive systems and exclusion.
By the Numbers
Connecting Communities
95%
of participants feel more connected to their communities*
Supporting State Cultural Organizations
$1,198,184
total grant awards*
Engagement
95%
of participants feel inspired to learn more about a topic discussed in their program*
*Since January 2020
public humanities prize holders
Joseph Jackson
2022 Constance H. Carlson Public Humanities Prize
Carol Dana
2022 Constance H. Carlson Public Humanities Prize
Staff
Samaa Abdurraqib
Executive Director
she/her
Contact Samaa
Harper Batsford
Program Coordinator: Outreach & Community History Program
he/him
Contact Harper
Karen Brown
Office Manager
she/her
Contact Karen
Diane Magras
Director of Development
she/her
Contact Diane
Marcela Peres
Operations Manager & Program Specialist
she/her
Contact Marcela
Nicole Rancourt
Program Manager
she/her
Contact Nicole
Meghan Reedy
Program Coordinator: Narrative & Content Development
she/her
Contact Meghan
Lizz Sinclair
Program Coordinator: Grants & Partnerships
she/her
Contact Lizz
Sampson Spadafore
Program Coordinator: Communications and Content Creation
he/him they/them
Contact Sampson
Kyle Volland
Program Coordinator: Implementation & Logistics
she/her
Contact Kyle
Ian Watkins
Communications Manager
he/him
Contact Ian
Board of Directors
Greg Fahy
Board Chair
Hallowell
Luis Millones
Vice Chair
Portland
Julie Sheehan
Treasurer
Auburn
Joseph M. Hall
Secretary
Lewiston
Lawrence Boyle
Biddeford
Paul Buck
St. Agatha
Reid Byers
Portland
Jean Deighan
Bangor
Martha Tod Dudman
Northeast Harbor
Ayesha Hall
Auburn
Tam Thanh T. Huynh
Augusta
Mazie Hough
Orono
Margery Irvine
Brooklin
Ryan Lolar
Portland
Georges Budagu Makoko
Portland
Rosalani Moore
Verona Island
Mouhamédoul Niang
Portland
Amie Parker
Buckfield
Lise Pelletier
Fort Kent
Brendon Reay
Blue Hill
Latest News
Read ME 2024 Books
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Fall 2023 Arts & Humanities Grant Awards
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Accepting Nominations for Public Humanities Prize
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Summer 2023 Mini Grant Awards
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