LEWISTON — The Great Falls Forum on Thursday, April 21, will feature Maxwell Chicuta, chairman of Portland’s Community Development Block Grant Board, presenting “Making Maine Communities Livable and Safe.” 

The program will take place from noon to 1 p.m. at the Lewiston Public Library.

Chicuta is one of Portland’s emerging community leaders and is actively involved with a number of southern Maine nonprofits, including Habitat for Humanity, American Red Cross and United Way of Greater Portland. He is employed in the Engineering Department at Maine Medical Center and is a strong advocate for community involvement — the need for everyone to take an active role in giving back.

In addition to his volunteer commitments, over the past 10 years Chicuta has found time to further his education, obtaining associate, bachelor’s and master’s degrees. He is pursuing a doctoral degree through an online program with Walden University.

However, what makes Chicuta’s resume most impressive is that he arrived in Portland in 2003 with no money and few possessions, and he was unable to speak English, a refugee from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. He is now a U.S. citizen and considers his good fortune “a wonder, a miracle.” He believes that working together in one accord is what makes communities livable and safe, and he will be sharing those views with the Great Falls Forum audience.

Admission is free to all forum events and no reservations are required. Bring a lunch. Coffee, tea and bottled water will be available.

The Great Falls Forum is co-sponsored by Bates College, Lewiston Public Library and the Sun Journal.

The Lewiston Public Library is at 200 Lisbon St. at the corner of Pine Street.

More information on Thursday’s lecture or other upcoming events in the Great Falls Forum series is available by contacting the Lewiston Public Library at 513-3135 or www.LPLonline.org.