LEWISTON — The Great Falls Forum’s next featured speaker is Maxwell Chicuta, the city of Portland’s Community Development Block Grant board chairman.

He will speak on “Making Maine Communities Livable and Safe” at noon on Thursday, April 21, in Callahan Hall at the Lewiston Public Library.

Chicuta’s full-time job is with Maine Medical Center, working the night shift in the Engineering Department.

In addition to his service on the board, Chicuta volunteers with Habitat for Humanity, the American Red Cross and the United Way of Greater Portland. While serving in these capacities over the past 10 years, Maxwell has found time to further his education, obtaining associate, bachelor’s and master’s degrees. Now he’s pursuing a Ph.D program through Walden University.

Chicuta, a refugee from the Democratic Republic of the Congo who was unable to speak English, arrived in Portland in 2003 with no money and few possessions. He is now a U.S. citizen and considers his good fortune “a wonder,” and feels it’s his duty to give back to his community. 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.

The Great Falls Forum is a monthly, brown-bag speaker series featuring statewide and regional leaders in public policy, business, academia and the arts. The programs are free, open to the public, and no reservations are required. Coffee, tea and bottled water are provided for a donation at the event.

The Forum is a co-sponsorship of the Sun Journal, Bates College and Lewiston Public Library.

FMI: 207-513-3135, LPLReference@Gmail.com.

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