Brenda Valentine, November 13, 2025

Item

Title
Brenda Valentine, November 13, 2025
interviewee
Brenda Valentine
interviewer
Laura Polglase
Date
2025-11-13
Subject
Activism
Adirondack Mountains
African American Experience
Community
Economic development
Farmers market
Food desert
Indian Lake, New York
Outreach
Moose
Public relations
Race
The Great Adirondack Moose Festival
Tourism
Description
Mrs. Brenda Valentine was born in Baltimore, Maryland in 1942. In the late 1980s, Brenda and her husband began visiting the Adirondack Mountains. After retiring from her 40-year-long career as a public relations professional, Brenda moved to the town of Indian Lake in the Adirondack Mountains alongside her husband. Brenda quickly became involved with the local community in Indian Lake, committing her time and efforts to serve her community. Using her background and experience in public relations, she engaged in community outreach, recognizing problems and addressing them.

Notably, Brenda started the Great Adirondack Moose Festival in 2010, which occurs annually in Indian Lake, bringing economic development to the Adirondack Region. Brenda also helped to start a farmers market in Indian Lake, bringing local, fresh food to a food desert community; as well as participating in other community organizations and projects.

In this interview, Brenda discusses experiences of racism she has faced as an African American woman in the Adirondack region; yet also emphasizes her own determination and drive to overcome challenges she encountered and the positive changes and progress regarding racism she has seen throughout the past decades. Brenda was recognized as the Indian Lake Citizen of the Year in 2018 and was awarded the Small Town America Civic Volunteer Award in 2020, one of only five in New York State, and 500 nationally.
Time Summary
Track 1, 6:00 – Farmers Market
Track 1, 8:47 – The Great Adirondack Moose Festival
Track 1, 17:18 – Recognition for Activism
Track 1, 24:07- African American Experience in Adirondacks
Track 1 29:27 – Community Economic Development
Track 2, 4:15 – Tourism
Track 2, 15:47- Public Relations, Race
Creator
Laura Polglase
Publisher
Cooperstown Graduate Program, State University of New York at Oneonta, Cooperstown, NY
Rights
Cooperstown Graduate Program, State University of New York at Oneonta

Adirondack Experience, Blue Lake, NY
Language
en-US
Type
Sound
Image
Identifier
25-008
Media
Valentine_Photo_nd