Category Archives: Intentional Communities

Dear Friend,

This week, along with the nation, I mourned another senseless act of gun violence, this time involving elementary school children in Texas. I also applauded President Bidens executive order on policing reforms which I was pleased to see contained elements of legislation I was successful getting passed in the House last year. For much of the week, I was attending the Transatlantic Legislators Dialogue to discuss with my European counterparts the critical issues of security, cooperation, climate change and the ongoing war in Ukraine. I also provided written testimony in favor of my horse-protecting PAST Act; introduced a bill to designate a new National Scenic Trail through Tennessee, Georgia and North Carolina; discussed Ukraine and other matters with the Ambassador of Ireland; announced a significant HIV/AIDS grant to Shelby County; and offered a health tip. Keep reading and follow me on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram to see what Im doing as it happens.

Condemning Another Act of Gun Violence

Applauding the Presidents Executive Order on Policing Reform

Strengthening Transatlantic Cooperation and Supporting Ukraine

Speaking Out Against Horse Soring

Introducing the Benton MacKaye Scenic Trail Act

Discussing Ukraine with the Ambassador to Ireland

Announcing $4.7 Million HIV/AIDS Grant to Shelby County

Weekly Health Tip

Quote of the Week

Condemning Another Act of Gun Violence

On Tuesday, the country witnessed another senseless act of gun violence, when a killer shot up a fourth-grade classroom in Texas, murdering 19 children and two teachers. This occurred less than two weeks after a gunman shot up a grocery store in Buffalo, New York, killing 10 Black people. Clear-thinking people realize that taking measures such as universal background checks, red flag laws and ending the sale of assault rifles all of which I support -- would save lives.

Applauding the Presidents Executive Order on Policing Reform

On the second anniversary of George Floyds murder at the knee of a Minneapolis police officer, President Biden on Wednesday signed an executive order to reform policing practices which included policies modeled on many of the elements of the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act. That bill, which passed the House in March 2021, included three measures I authored. The executive order contained the substance of my National Statistics on Deadly Force Transparency Act, which would require law enforcement agencies to collect, compile, and submit data on the use of deadly force by specific law enforcement officers to the Department of Justices Bureau of Justice Statistics. I believe the executive order will improve relations between police and the communities they serve. See my statement on the order here.

Strengthening Transatlantic Cooperation and Supporting Ukraine

I spent much of this week participating as a United States Delegate in the 84th Inter-Parliamentary meeting of the Transatlantic Legislators Dialogue, meeting in Paris with European lawmakers focused on strengthening transatlantic cooperation, combatting climate change and supporting Ukraine in defending its sovereignty. The Europeans are very positive about our shared values and welcome a return to them under President Biden after the strained relationship under President Trump. As Co-Chairman of the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, also known as the Helsinki Commission, I have been following all of these issues very closely and find it important to participate in these discussions.

Speaking Out Against Horse Soring

The Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Consumer Protection and Commerce held a legislative hearing considering my bill, H.R. 5441, the Prevent All Soring Tactics (PAST) Act on Thursday. The bill would prohibit the soring, or intentional injury, of Tennessee Walking Horses to produce a desired high-stepping gait known as The Big Lick. See my statement to the Subcommittee here.

Introducing the Benton MacKaye Scenic Trail Act

Earlier today, I introduced the Benton MacKaye Scenic Trail Act, designating a 287-mile hiking trail through the natural beauty of Georgia, Tennessee and North Carolina as a new National Scenic Trail. See my release on the bill here.

Discussing Ukraine with the Ambassador to Ireland

On Friday, I met in my District Office with Daniel Mulhall, Irelands ambassador to the United States. Among the many subjects we discussed was the situation in Ukraine.We shared a conversation about our mutual friends and travel spots in Ireland. He knew the three Irish representatives with whom I met this week at the Transatlantic Dialogue, one of whom was directly related to Ethel Kennedy, the wife of former Attorney General Robert Kennedy, assassinated in 1968. I put him in touch by telephone with one of Memphis most famous Sons of Ireland, Mark Flanagan, and they had much to share about friends and places.

Announcing $4.7 Million HIV/AIDS Grant to Shelby County

On Wednesday, I announced an emergency relief grant to Shelby County for its Ryan White HIV/AIDS programs. This funding will save lives. See my release here.

Weekly Health Tip

Covid-19 cases and hospitalizations are again going in the wrong direction, with 300 new cases reported daily in Shelby County. Beginning today, the Shelby County Health Department will begin administering the booster Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine to children five to eleven years old who have already received two doses of a Covid-19 vaccine. Please continue to take this situation seriously and please wear a face mask when you are indoors among people whose Covid immunization status is unknown.

Quote of the Week

As a nation, we have to ask: When in Gods name are we going to stand up to the gun lobby? When in Gods name will we do what we all know in our gut needs to be done? President Biden Tuesday night responding to the school shooting in Uvalde, Texas.

I wish everyone a pleasant Memorial Day.

As always, I remain.Most sincerely,

Steve CohenMember of Congress

Original post:

Condemning Another Act of Gun Violence - Congressman Steve Cohen

Mayor Lori Lightfoot is asking alderpeople to change an ordinance toexpand the curfewfor teens to start at 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday nights.

This in addition to a new rule requiring minors visiting Millennium Park to be accompanied by a responsible adult after 6 p.m. Thursday through Sunday. That rule was announced after the fatal shooting of 16-year-old Seandell Holliday in the heart of the tourist-favorite park.

The Rev. Corey Brooks ofProject H.O.O.Dis skeptical about whether a curfew will have an effect on the rate of violence.

You still have all these hours that young people are able to do the things they normally do, said Brooks. I do understand we have to do something. These young people, they do need outlets, they do need places to go. But its very disheartening that our young people dont have places to go.

Essence-Jade Gatheright, a youth organizer withChicago Freedom School, said that a curfew would do nothing to change the underlying causes of violence.

It doesnt address what the youth need. When you look at schools, mental health centers, jobs, community centers, none of that is being funded in Black and brown communities, Gatheright said. So telling them to go home early, sending them back to these underfunded communities, that does nothing to curb any of the violence.

Increased curfew enforcement could also lead to young people becoming entangled in the legal system, said Brooks.

I am concerned its going to lead to more young people being arrested, therefore putting things on their record, therefore eventually not allowing them to get the jobs theyre going to need, the schools theyre going to go to, he said. I think there are other things we can do to curb the violence other than putting a curfew in place, even though I understand the need because things are so bad.

Gatheright also said the policies being considered, particularly the responsible adult provision, are not adequately defined or even publicized.

I can say, even myself, being a young person, [the curfew] wasnt a thing we were mindful of at all. I learned how to skateboard last summer, it was like 10 of me and my friends, at Grant Park late at night, and so those are things we enjoy, it builds community, and we felt safe down there, Gatheright said. I think it is extremely vague that lack of clarity feels intentional, because when you look at youth trying to maneuver these new policies, if Im 16 hanging out with my 18-year-old friend are they legally an adult? Whos to say they are responsible? How are you gauging the responsibility?

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Community Organizations Question Utility of Expanded Curfew Rule in Curbing Violence - WTTW News

Its undeniable that some of the most important years of any students life come right before theyre set to begin university. In their last few schooling years, theyre expected to make important decisions and, with this, shape their future careers and outcomes. Because of this, its critical for parents to choose a school that will give them the tools, opportunities, and exposure they need to inform their decisions.

There are plenty of schools that could be right for your child and among these, boarding schools are some of the most popular. Research has shown that boarding school students feel more prepared for life after graduation, and are more likely to assimilate into their college and university years with relative ease. Theyre also more likely to produce driven students who go on to earn advanced degrees, or who take on more prominent roles in their careers and communities.

In this regard, the US is a natural contender. Students at US schools are surrounded by endless opportunities, seeing that the country is home to some of the worlds most respected universities. On top of that, schools here are known for their beautiful campuses, tapping into wide expanses of land and providing space for many activities that promote self-discovery.

Here are four schools in the US providing a safe and supportive pre-university experience:

Source: Lexington Christian Academy

Academic achievement, spiritual and moral growth, creativity, and a desire to serve others these best describe the qualities of students at Lexington Christian Academy (LCA). As an independent coeducational college preparatory school, LCA is paving the way for a faith-based education that not only develops bright young minds, but responsible, caring citizens of the world.

Here, students are given the tools and guidance to help them grow into the best versions of themselves. Its Upper School programme is inherently interdisciplinary, combining classical academic subjects with athletics and arts. LCA offers 10 AP courses and 15 Fine Arts courses with concentrations in STEM, Arts, Global Studies and Innovation providing countless opportunities for students to discover their passions and interests.

The best part? LCA is just a short 20-minute drive from Boston a vibrant hub of opportunities in technology and the sciences. The school takes full advantage of this through career exploration trips to prominent locations, such as Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, as well as college trips to some of the worlds top universities.

Students are supported by a robust advising programme, where they work one-on-one with advisors to uncover their individual strengths and passions to find their Awesome. A personalised, process-oriented approach helps students find the college thats best suited to them and, ultimately, chart a meaningful course for their futures.

For students in Grades eight to 12, LCA has a boarding programme thats warm, welcoming and comfortable. Here, international and domestic students experience a home away from home. The residential community is engaging, where family-style dinners are enjoyed and community activities draw in even the most reserved students. The residential hall is set in a picturesque environment that fully utilises the beauty of New Englands landscape. Students are equipped with only the best: single rooms with half-bathroom en-suites, music practice rooms, a baby grand living room, comfortable lounges, an outdoor basketball court, exercise facilities, cafe and formal dining room, outdoor patio with fire pit and more.

Learn more about Lexington Christian Academy. Follow Lexington Christian Academy on Facebook and Instagram.

Canterbury School encourages every student to identify what matters to them and provide solutions to the issues closest to their heart. Source: Canterbury School

Located in the quaint town of New Milford, Connecticut, Canterbury School is a college preparatory, coeducational boarding and day school for students in grades nine to 12. From a lush hilltop, its extraordinary community of faculty, staff, parents, and alumni are working together to foster an ever-welcoming environment of academic rigour, athletic development, artistic enrichment, and spiritual growth. There are 325 students here, representing 16 countries, and each is expected to thrive.

Staying true to its values of honesty, respect, compassion, spirituality, and self-resilience, Canterbury encourages every student to partake in service learning opportunities locally and abroad.

They start with the community that surrounds them by leveraging the DAmour Centre for Faith, Service and Justice. Here, they explore community service, campus ministry, social justice, and student leadership programming. All other beliefs are just as welcomed. Throughout the day students can join many service activities, retreats, discussion groups, and prayerful meditation.

True changemaking can only take flight with the right intellectual tools, which is why the signature Canterbury curriculum is both rigorous and dynamic with 18 Advanced Placement and 25 Honours courses. Students are even offered the unique chance to take on undergraduate courses from Syracuse University to earn college credits recognised at 80% of colleges and universities in the US.

As the best small boarding school, Canterbury invites you to participate in the most comprehensive version of a high school experience as students, athletes, artists, community members, and servant leaders, says Head of School Rachel Stone.

As a Saint, you will grow, contribute, and lead in transformational ways. You will learn that Saints show up for Saints. And you will call our hilltop your home.

Dublin School hopes to instil a culture that gives students room to try new things, all without sacrificing the joys of being a teenager. Source: Dublin School

At Dublin School, one message transcends all: that students, in fact, can do it all. Founded in 1935, this independent boarding and day school strives to awaken a thirst for knowledge and passion for learning in all its students from Grades nine to 12. Most importantly, Dublin hopes to instil a culture that gives students room to try new things, all without sacrificing the joys of being a teenager.

Academic excellence is a quality thats highly encouraged at Dublin, with every student taking on six academic courses a semester. The school offers a range of AP courses in a diverse number of subject areas as well, including: AP Biology, AP Environmental Sci, AP US Government and Politics, and more.

Dublin offers a large array of specialised electives, all of which are developed according to students curiosity or teachers passions. Students are also given the chance to initiate independent studies, giving them limitless possibilities to enhance their individual learning experiences.

Our size allows us to be intentional in everything we do. Whether that is beginning every day as a community in Morning Meeting sharing stories and our talents or in creating signature programmes around Writing, Programming Robotics Imagination Science Math (PRISM), Spanish Language Learning, Endurance Sports, Theater, or Residential Life everything has purpose, shares Head of School Brad Bates.

We believe in building a life of meaningful work that allows teenagers to find the deep satisfaction that is a byproduct of effort and achievement.

The Dublin campus spans 500 acres of a typical New England school. Its home to gorgeous views of the Monadnock Mountain ranges, a lighted Alpine ski hill, and miles upon miles of racing ski trails, mountain biking, and running trails. All in all, its a perfect location for the quintessential US boarding school experience.

Thornton Academy fully welcomes inquisitiveness and self-discovery for all its learners. Source: Thornton Academy Facebook

Surrounded by a serene waterfront at the coastal town of Saco, Maine, Thornton Academy is a non-sectarian, co-educational day and boarding school for pupils from Grade Six to 12. Although it has stood for over two centuries, students arent encumbered by tradition: the school fully welcomes inquisitiveness and self-discovery for all its learners.

Here, students are free to explore new possibilities in the sheer diversity of its academic programmes. Students can design their own learning with more than 200 courses in seven academic departments, including 26 Advanced Placement classes and more than 40 honours classes.

Thornton Academy is also well-known for its unique arts department. Fifteen courses are offered in the performing arts alone, including the four-year dance programme in which students can gain advanced choreographic and performance experience. The 500-seater Garland Auditorium sees over 75 productions, spanning dance, theatre, and music annually for students to showcase their talent.

A warm, family-like dynamic permeates its boarding life, supported by in-house staff who are also teachers to meet each pupils emotional and learning needs. Boarders develop a sense of community through dining, dorm activities, and weekend excursions that enrich their lives on campus.

It gives me a sense of fulfillment, knowing that kids end up seeing this place as home. We are coming through on the promise that we make to these students, shares Catherine Paradis, Director of Residential Life. As a parent myself, I would want my child taken care of the way we take care of our students at Thornton Academy.

*Some of the schools featured in this article are commercial partners of Study International

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School communities with safe environments and an abundance of opportunity - Study International News

Opinion editor's note: Star Tribune Opinion publishes a mix of national and local commentaries online and in print each day. To contribute, click here.

Opinion editor's note: This article submitted on behalf of multiple members of the Minnesota House People of Color & Indigenous Caucus. They are listed below.

Before the start of the 2022 session, the Minnesota economic forecast showed we would have a significant surplus. In February 2022, we learned the surplus was approximately $9.2 billion. Some viewed this a welcome development.

But as legislators of color, we recognize our state has not adequately invested in Minnesotans over the years. It is imperative that an appropriate amount of that surplus is dedicated to the needs of all Minnesotans, and that includes Minnesotans of color.

In Minnesota, 24% of the population are people of color, but our communities see a disproportionately low amount of state investment. Members of the House DFL POCI Caucus are seeking $1 billion in investment to combat the biases and institutionalized racism that prevents communities of color from succeeding in Minnesota.

We work tirelessly for Minnesotans of color. But once the dust settles and negotiations are over, our communities routinely come up short and are told to wait until the next time. It was only two years ago when calls to assist the rebuilding of areas affected by the civil unrest in Minneapolis and St. Paul were met with skepticism and hostility. Many business owners are still waiting for help.

Considering the chronic underfunding in communities of color across the state, a meaningful investment would begin to break the cycle. Without intentional support this underinvestment will destroy the foundations in our communities, leading to additional problems that need even more funding. We know what the solutions are.

With the surplus, we want to see significant investment in housing. This means supporting homeownership with down payment assistance programs, the building and preservation of more homes so there are affordable houses in the marketplace, and continued rental assistance.

Minnesota has one of the largest racial homeownership gaps in the country. It also has renters who find it more and more difficult to keep up with rising costs and stagnant wages.

With the surplus, we want to see significant investment in education. This means fully funding our public schools. This means working to recruit and retain teachers of color, providing full service schools with mental health and counseling services, and English Language Learner programs. It's an investment in workforce and skills development so more Minnesotans of color have the skills to obtain living wage jobs. It's also supporting entrepreneurs of color as they start their own small businesses.

With the surplus, we want to see significant investment in public safety. This means investing in all the amenities that make a community safe. That includes community organizations that can work with stakeholders to prevent violence. We also need to ensure police have the tools and data to perform policing at the highest standards and be held accountable when they do not perform at that standard.

A vision for an equitable Minnesota for all people is attainable. The Select Committee on Racial Justice report from 2020 is also widely available to the Legislature and the public, as a blueprint of the most needed investment in POCI communities in Minnesota. As members of the POCI Caucus, we have the urgency and honor of looking out for the interests of people of color in this state.

The House People of Color & Indigenous (POCI) Caucus includes Reps. Esther Agbaje (chair, Minneapolis), Jamie Becker-Finn (Roseville), Cedrick Frazier (New Hope), Aisha Gomez (Minneapolis), Hodan Hassan (Minneapolis), Kaohly Her (St. Paul), Athena Hollins (chair, St. Paul), Fue Lee (Minneapolis), Carlos Mariani (St. Paul), Rena Moran (St. Paul), Mohamud Noor (Minneapolis), Ruth Richardson (Mendota Heights), Samantha Vang (Brooklyn Center), Jay Xiong (St. Paul), Tou Xiong (Maplewood). All are DFLers.

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OPINION EXCHANGE | Find room in the budget deal for communities of color - Star Tribune

Dr. Mark Lyons, president and CEO of Alltech, speaking at the Alltech ONE Conference

President and CEO of Alltech, Dr Mark Lyons, has highlighted agricultures role in saving the planet.

Speaking at the Alltech ONE Conference in Lexington, Kentucky, he said, the reducing is not enough; we have to do something different.

Our belief is that agriculture has the greatest potential to positively influence the future of our planet, to provide nutrition for all and to help rural communities thrive and replenish our planets resources.

He observed that governments and companies reduction and continuous commitments will not get the world where it needs to go.

the reductions, the commitments, the governments and companies make, that is not going to get us where we need to go.

We need to have intentional action to restore our environment. We have to think of ways of lowering environmental impact and at the same time we can provide enough of that nutrition that this growing planet is going to require, he explained.

According to Dr Lyons, progress and doing something different should involve cultivating economic opportunities through this.

I think that the negative message of doing less, not being able to have economic, entrepreneurial and even intellectual opportunities that is not a path forward as we see it.

We have to think of ways where we can truly capture what is being released (carbon), I think this is going to be the most exciting and the biggest economic opportunity that is going to exist in agriculture for the future, he added, How do we create carbon capture in a transformative way.

The ONE Conference is Alltechs flagship event which continues to be an invaluable industry resource, providing innovative ideas, inspiration and motivation through world-class speakers and unmatched content.

This years event welcomed nearly 2,000 international delegates to downtown Lexington in the USA, with an additional 5,000 participating virtually after two years of holding the event virtually.

Dr Mark Lyons, who welcomed delegates challenged them to think about what comes next as we look toward the future.

Its been almost 1,100 days since we were last together and certainly, we know a tremendous amount has changed from social turmoil to a global pandemic and beyond, Lyons said.

What is this all telling us? What can we step back and think about in terms of how we progress forward?.

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Restoring the environment takes intentional actions Alltech CEO implores - Myjoyonline

With the increase of jobs and lure to tech in the Bay Area, where to lay ones hat is still a main problem in todays housing crisis. Maybe you are a carefree environmentalist who can work at the office by day and rent a sleeping pod by night but if you are over the age of 27 living in teeny tiny houses and sharing pods and vans with friends, being green is probably no longer a fun experiment. Covid has taught us the importance of a stable home and WiFi, the need for a good kitchen and healthy food and also about community and space where we can wander or retreat with our bubble of friends or family.

So what are the options for Bay dwellers? A new planned community called Lagoon Valley is being built between the Bay Area and Sacramento, and the project developers believe they are doing their part for planet earth. They are raising the green flag for all the people around the planet who may love Burning Man and glamping but ultimately want to settle into a place that helps define values and community and which may include aging parents.

Using green building codes that will go above Californian standards, Lagoon Valley says they will also protect, improve, and preserve more than 1,300 acres of land and resources. Eighty-five percent of the communitys specific plan is dedicated to open space and parks and recreation creating an environment where wildlife and people can thrive.

With the Bay Area as the largest tech market in the United States, San Francisco has a cost-of-living index of 269.3, almost twice as high as Vacaville, California. Lagoon Valley, on the outskirts of Vacaville, which broke ground in June, anticipates its first residents will move in summer of 2023. It is just 53 miles from San Francisco and will provide fourteen neighborhoods with 1,015 homes varying in size and price ranges, including neighborhoods offering affordable housing, as well as age-qualified residences, and estate homes designed to encourage multi-generational living.

We know that creating a conservation community is the right way. However, it is not the easy way, and Lagoon Valley has taken decades to plan, says Curt Johansen, Development Director, Triad Lagoon Valley, LLC Investing in the planet means living on it as lightly as possible. Weve done that with this dynamic community.

5 ways Lagoon Valley protects the earth and improves human well-being

Gardens in the center: The communitys organic, community-supported farming teaches children and adults to respect, protect, and care for the land in ways that inspire stewardship, social connection, and wellness, not to mention delicious dishes.

Wetlands preservation in situ: Communities that combine wetlands preservation and expansive wildlife habitat in their neighborhood planning create positive change. In addition to encouraging the ecological literacy of community residents, they help maintain a balanced ecosystem.

Solar Powered Homes: Solar energy, both active (for electricity) and passive (for winter heat retention and summer cooling), is no longer optional it is essential to reduce our carbon footprint, reduce impacts to the biosphere, and mitigate climate change.

Car-optional community: like big cities where people can walk to work or walk to their local shops and community centers, Lagoon Valley is an intentional community that will make it easy for people to navigate and shop by foot or by bike.

Using reclaimed water: Californias drought problems are a liability if you are buying a home. Will you have water for the bath tomorrow? Lagoon homeowners have the option to reduce potable water consumption by up to 50% through reclamation of greywater built into their home.

Some 72% of Lagoon Valleys 2,400-acre specific plan is dedicated open space and 13% for parks and recreation. The neighborhoods are interconnected with trails that offer easy access to adjoining villages, the Town Center, the Community Farm, neighborhood parks, recreational facilities, an 18-hole golf course seeking Audubon certification, and a Community Event Center with a full complement of amenities. It will be the first conservation community of its kind in the San Francisco Bay Area.

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Lagoon Valley for living intentionally with nature and purpose in the Bay - Green Prophet

Sunday, May 22, 2022 at 3:00pm in the Sanctuary of Hopps Memorial Christian Methodist Episcopal Church located at 1110 State Street in Syracuse, New York for a Multi-Faith Call to Prayer and Action.This will be a brief time of lament, centering, and community building.

Saturday, May 14, 2022 was a day where the world will never be the same again. It was the day an 18-year old male white supremacist named Payton Gendron executed ten African Americans with an assault rifle in a Tops Supermarket located in Buffalo, New York. This was another anti-Black, racist, mass shooting. Gendron intentionally chose an area with a high concentration of African Americans to engage in this act of terror.

The impact of this sinful action has broken our hearts, shocked us with disbelief, incited anger, and infected many with fear and concern that this act can be replicated at any given time.

This is yet another reminder as to why we cannot keep silent about the devastating impact of systemic racism. Most of all, we must remain persistent and consistent in our resolve to dismantle it in our community, institutions, and world.

This is yet another reminder about why military assault rifles should not be accessible to all and why gun control legislation matters.

We can honor the lives of Roberta Drury, Pearl Young, Celestine Chaney, Andre Mackniel, Geraldine Talley, Aaron Salter, Ruth Whitfield, Katherine Massey, Heyward Patterson that were stolen by making the decision to prioritize the dismantling of systemic racism in our communities.

Most of all, we can honor their lives through the intentional listening to the experiences of Black Americans and listen carefully to how we can provide care, extend compassion, and be conduits of healing.

It is our hope that you will join us this coming Sunday, May 22, 2022 at 3:00pm in the Sanctuary of Hopps Memorial Christian Methodist Episcopal Church located at 1110 State Street in Syracuse, New York for a Multi-Faith Call to Prayer and Action. This will be a brief time of lament, centering, and community building.

Rabbi Abraham Heschel marched alongside Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., for voting rights in Selma and was asked did you find time to pray? Heschel said I prayed with my feet.

This will also be a time of praying through hopeful action. One expression of hopeful action will be through our generosity. We will receive a free-will offering to be given to VOICE-Buffalo. VOICE-Buffalo is the local community organizing network that is part of the Faith in Action Network in Buffalo, New York. VOICE-Buffalo can administer our generosity to those who need it most in an area that is deemed a food desert. Your generosity will help to ensure that the residents of East Buffalo will have sustainable food sources and other support where it is needed most. If you are writing a check please issue it to ACTS with VOICE-Buffalo in the subject line.

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Tragedy in Buffalo: the Alliance of Communities Transforming Syracuse "Multi-Faith Call to Prayer and Action- Sunday at 3:00pm - URBAN CNY

BRIGHTON PARK A Southwest Side photographer wants to offer more public art to neighbors and encourage aspiring photographers to take snapshots of their own communities.

Eduardo Cornejo, of Gage Park, is the photographer behind Momentos Distintos unique moments a small, outdoor installation at Esperanza Health Centers Brighton Park location, 4700 S. California Ave.

The installation features four photos printed on metal sheets, named En Rumbo A?, Teatro Triste, Paso a Paso and La Conversacin. The snapshots feature a man waiting for a bus, an abandoned theater at 59th Street and Kedzie Avenue, people walking into a corner store and a candid shot of people during a summer art program.

Sometimes we walk through life not paying attention to what is around us the beauty in the simple things, Cornejo wrote on a plaque introducing the installation. Stuck staring at the glowing screen in the palm of our hand we often overlook and forget to appreciate what we have.

Each photo was shot on the Southwest Side, which was intentional, Cornejo said. Hes been taking photos since he was a teen, and said it was important for him to document his neighborhoods because he sometimes found himself primarily traveling to the North Side or Downtown to shoot.

Why dont I document my own neighborhood? Cornejo said. You know, I started questioning, like, Why do I feel the need I can only document certain parts of the city, and not where Im from, not my home and not what Im used to?'

Cornejo also said it was significant to title the exhibit and pieces in Spanish as a nod to his heritage.

As Ive been getting older, Ive just been like reclaiming more, questioning the assimilation that sometimes we kind of go through, just speaking for myself, Cornejo said.

Cornejo was awarded a $5,000 grant through the citys Artist Response Program in partnership with the Greater Southwest Development Corporation, which covered all the material and labor costs for the exhibit. He was able to install the photos outside the clinic from his connections working with the Gage Park Latinx Council and Esperanza.

Esperanzas been awesome, theyve been really helpful in the community, Cornejo said. I love the architecture of this building, too. Its something that Ive never seen on the Southwest Side, and I hope we get more buildings like this.

Esperanza founder and CEO Dan Fulwiler said the community garden outside the Brighton Park clinic is intended to be a place of reflection and beauty.

Esperanza is proud to partner with Eduardo Cornejo in validating the beauty of our neighborhoods and having it displayed for our staff, patients and community members to enjoy, Fulwiler said in a statement.

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Momentos Distintos Outdoor Photo Exhibit Shows Southwest Siders The Beauty In 'Seemingly Mundane' Everyday Moments - Block Club Chicago

The We Hear You Coalition is looking back on racial inequalities in Midland County to support the development of a more inclusive community.

Midland-area leaders joined forces two years ago, following the death of George Floyd on May 25, 2020. A police officer knelt on his Floyd's neck for approximately nine minutes on a street in Minneapolis as Floyd repeatedly said he couldnt breathe. The killing, captured on widely-viewed bystander video, sparked protests around the globe including Midland.

Looking back, co-organizer Diane Brown Wilhelm said the coalition is honoring the moments of progress along the way by connecting foundational work "that everybody is taking on to make a difference."

The coalition organizers have presented findings from a large data collection effort to key local partners in an effort to increase the collective understanding. However, Brown Wilhelm recognizes that there are community members do not understand the initiatives of We Hear You.

Despite that, Brown Wilhelm and co-organizer Sharon Mortensen said there are many community partners who have taken interest. One of them is Chief Nicole Ford of the Midland Police Department, who is working to implement tangible actions plans into the department's effort to address racial injustice.

Ford said she is exploring "different areas" to hit by 2024 in order to "move us forward in a positive direction," as a police department.

"I'm extremely happy that I get to participate in a group like this because I really liked that we use the data to drive our decisions," she said. "I love the cohesive group that we've become. Now it's an open dialogue. That's where we really start to make some positive changes."

Mortensen and Brown Wilhelm said the coalition would like to build a three-year roadmap to implement actions aligned with the efforts to address inequalities found in the survey based on policing, business, government structure (elected and appointed officials), health care, housing, income and poverty.

"We can't do this work alone," Brown Wilhelm said. "We need to make sure that we're positioning this so that the work continues for the long-term."

For example, the Midland County Community Health Improvement Plan is being examined to incorporate addressing some of the health disparities to address the inequalities, according to Mortensen.

The We Hear You organizers began addressing the needs of marginalized communities by conducting a survey to get a better understanding of what issues need to be addressed in the city related to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Over the last year, the group has been presenting its findings to critical stakeholders across the coalition's focus areas.

The We Hear You initiative comprises three components: a summary report; Community Survey; and Community DEI Dashboards. Saginaw Valley State University worked with the coalition on the Midland Racial and Ethnic Equity and Inclusion Survey that was sent out in February 2021.

Along with helping fund the We Hear You survey, the Midland Area Community Foundation reported an increase in residents' interest of its Cultural Awareness Coalition.

Community Foundation President/CEO Sharon Mortensen said the group is developing a community voice, in part by organizing a Juneteenth event. The Juneteenth Block Party will be held from 2-6 p.m. on June 19 at Creative 360, which is located at 1517 Bayliss Street. It's sponsored by the Midland Area Youth Action Council.

"Encouraging voice through some of the activities of coalitions, like Cultural Awareness, that are bringing people together is really a critical way to get folks involved in our community," she said. "Their voices can be heard and ideas that they have can be implemented."

One project under the Cultural Awareness Coalition created was the Visibility Project Podcast, which launched in 2021, to give a voice to marginalized groups in the City of Midland. Topics discussed include domestic violence, overcoming stereotypes and fighting through physical disabilities.

The first component of the recent findings consists of an analysis of Midland County data in comparison to secondary data sources such as the U.S. Census, the CDC, and the FBI. For example, the coalition found a great variation within the general perception of police based on WHY respondents race/ethnicity. A greater percentage of African American and Hispanic respondents (42.5 and 42.7 percent, respectively) perceived their neighborhoods to be crime-free in comparison to non-Hispanic white respondents (only 34.8 percent).

The full report repeatedly emphasizes collection and analysis of data as a first step to help develop intentional, strategic, assessed, accountable, and sustained actions to end inequity, injustice, and bias in our community.

Midland residents Juwairiya Iqbal, left, and Trinity Thomas, right, lie down in the middle of Saginaw Road Sunday, June 7, 2020 alongside approximately 1,200 other protesters for 8 minutes and 46 seconds, the length of time George Floyd of Minneapolis was pinned to the ground under the knee of the white police officer now charged with Floyd's murder. (Katy Kildee/kkildee@mdn.net)

Brown Wilhelm, Ford and Mayor Maureen Donkerissued a public statement on June 4, 2020 to condemn the murder of Floyd.

"Hollow words, followed by inaction, will only serve to deepen the pain being shown across the country and which exists right here in our community, too," reads a line of a June 2020 statement, signed by Ford, Donker and Brown Wilhelm. "We can and must do better, and we will."

During summer protests of 2020, an estimated 1,200 people demonstrated at the Ashman Circle in Midland to protest George Floyds murder in addition to the murder of Breonna Taylor by Louisville police March 13, 2020, and the murder of Ahmaud Arbery, an African-American man, while he was jogging in Glynn County, Georgia, February 23, 2020. Speakers at the Midland rally shared their own experiences with racism, condemned institutional oppression, and demanded justice.

On July 13, 2020, the Midland City Council voted unanimously to support this initiative, and on October 20, 2020 the Midland County Board of Commissioners similarly passed a resolution supporting this work.

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We Hear You looks forward to implementing action plans with community partners - Midland Daily News

Mary Soo Hoo Park in Chinatown has been reactivated with a site-specific public art installation, YEAR OF THE TIGER, by Cheryl Wing-Zi Wong, a NY-based artist, commissioned byPao Arts CenterandThe Rose Kennedy Greenwayin honor of the Lunar New Year and the Pao Arts Centers fifth anniversary.

Residents and visitors now have a colorful place to congregate and continue the conversation about how accessible and inviting public spaces helps build community socialization and increase equity within the neighborhood.

The hope is that this really does become a community hub and a place for people to gather and dialogue,Chery Wing-Zi Wong, the installation artist and trained architect, said. just to have casual encounters and to have a place where people feel safe to sit and be in.

The installations opening on Saturday atMary Soo Hoo Parkcatalyzes whats to come in and around the space this summer. To help celebrate its fifth anniversary, Pao Arts Center has partnered up with the Rose Kennedy Greenway for a summer performance series called Vision/Voices, opening with Wongs installation.

Sheila Novak, the associate curator of public art at The Greenway, selected Wong after following her work for years. Novak said that a lot of her work at The Greenway has been dedicated to the Chinatown community. Creating projects that resonate, support, and amplify community needs, joy and voices are important.

Ive been thinking a lot about how the web of artist, performer and community member is actually really dense not siloed as we like to in art spaces often think of it, Novak said in an interview with The Scope. The people in the audience are also performers and artists who are also community members. I love that it can really be a space that holds work made with, by and for this community. And so even though Cheryls not from Boston, she honors that intention really thoughtfully, and she said she made it a point to come up here [before starting the commission] to get to know the community.

When taking on the commission, Wong said it was important to talk to Mary Soo Hoos (who the park is named after) descendants, whom she met last fall.

I met with her daughters [and] learned about her legacy a bit more, directly from them, Wong said. Looking at stuff on the internet is limited to bias, and theres very little about her there. So, [it was] to hear more from them about what it was like to grow up in Chinatown and what it meant for their mom.

Mary Soo Hoo Park is on the southern end of The Greenway and is located to the left before the Chinatown Gate entrance. On one side, you will often find a group of elderly gentlemen playing a game of xiangqi, Chinese chess; on the other side, its usually bare, open space for visitors to pass through but not much else. The team at The Greenway, along with Wong, wanted to find a way to reactivate the space.

Cheryl was an obvious choice because of her ongoing work in Chinatowns across the country and interest in working in Boston and because of her ongoing practice of creating transformative art-chitecture and social gathering spaces, Novak said. Working with Cheryl was delightful, given her keen sense of spatial transformation and her ability to imagine a space which could hold both casual gatherings and more structured performances. We were grateful, as well, to her intentional, community- and site-responsive practice.

I think thats a big reason why I do the things I do in terms of why this was cited here, what it does and how it acts as an affiliate, Wong told The Scope on opening day. The other side of Mary Soo Hoo is well occupied because they have tables and chairs. And I think thats one of the things that I critique in my work or try to look into is that there are a lot of public plazas, parks and spaces, but theyre not designed for people that use them and without seating or any real place for people to pause.

While the temporary installation is not fixed to the ground, Wong said that it is heavy enough. The pieces are conjoined together so that they cant move, ensuring that they can withstand any weather or frequent utilization. The legs of the benches are welded steel tubes, and small risers are added to the bottom of the benches to keep them from hitting the ground directly and to be able to level the pieces. The remaining parts are formed by pressure-treated wood with exterior grade paints.

To me, thats a big part of public art, figuring out the duration of the piece. What are the conditions in which itll be exhibited indoors or outdoors and then finding materials that respond to that, said Wong. But, they will definitely over the next year have undergone weathering. So thats why when theyre going to be split apart on de-installation and donated back to local orgs [in Chinatown], theyre going to be touched up.

Though the public installation will only be in the park for about a year, the idea of donating its pieces back to the community lends to the namesake of the works host site.

Mary Soo Hoo was a longtime resident and community activist in Chinatown. Soo Hoo worked fearlessly to advocate for a better quality of life in the neighborhood. Her activism led her to gain recognition from the city with numerous awards and honors, including having the park named after her. A part of Soo Hoos activism and her continued legacy is to create environments and spaces in the area that enhance ones quality of life, community engagement and public safety.

The collaborative process between Wong, Novak and Pao Arts Center Director Cynthia Woo started with a performance series, building on the bold, confident and generous characteristics of the Tiger. They wanted to host different lineups of Boston-based artists to activate the park through a monthly series of music, theater and spoken word performances. Novak said that the project is especially important in creating spaces for gathering and celebration to create a space of healing from isolation and anti-Asian sentiment and violence exacerbated by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

On opening day, community members enjoyed an afternoon of live performances, including lion dancing from Wah Lum Kung Fu Academy and traditional Korean drumming.

Most of the performers utilized the new installation as their stage, while spectators sat and relaxed in other parts of the installation.

State Rep. Michelwitz and City Council President Ed Flynn both stopped by for a few moments to support the new installation and congratulate Pao Arts Center on its fifth birthday.

Ba Pham performed intimate songs on the piano for the crowd to enjoy.

As someone who grew up in the Boston Chinatown community, I always felt like a cultural and arts space was lacking in the neighborhood. The community always looked forward to things like August Moon Festival or Lunar New Year because those are one of the few moments a year the community was able to come together and celebrate, Ashley Yung, the theatre and performing arts manager at Pao Arts Center, said in an email to The Scope. The community deserves so many more of those experiences. Im really proud that now that we have Pao Arts Center, we get to offer more opportunities for the community to gather and celebrate.

The Pao Arts Center (PAC) was founded in 2017 and serves as a community response to a need for a physical arts and culture destination in the neighborhood, where residents and artists can freely express themselves and explore their ethnic identities. The center is the first to exist in Chinatown and is by collaboration between Boston Chinatown Neighborhood Center (BCNC) and Bunker Hill Community College (BHCC).

In the Boston area alone, there are over 13 AAPI ethnic communities, each with its own social norms and cultural traditions. We are not a monolith of opinions and experiences, Leslie Condon, visual arts program manager at PAC, said. The more that we can steer our own complex narratives and amplify them within our community, the more we can reinforce our community capital, sense of agency and feelings of belonging.

In agreement with Condon, in an email interview, the centers director Cynthia Woo said that in its five years of existence, the center has built a space of belonging both for artists and community members to connect with each other, their culture and themselves.

When we hear from community members that they now recognize that they, too, are creative and artistic or when artists and visitors thank us for creating a welcoming, comfortable space of support for them, it validates the importance of spaces like these, Woo said. Its also been an immense privilege to work in Chinatown with residents, local CBOs, artists and community members to use creativity, culture, and artist practice to uplift to respond to the needs of this neighborhood.

Woo said that in the last five years, the center has been working on using the arts to enhance and support multiple sectors from social service (with BCNC), education (with BHCC) and community development (with ACDC), amongst many other sectors and partnerships.

According to its website, the center is housed on a historically significant piece of land, Parcel 24. In the 1960s, many Chinatown residents living in this area were displaced due to highway construction plans. The site says that the redevelopment of this land as a place to celebrate and explore Asian culture represents a powerful shift towards community-oriented development in the face of rapid change.

To have a community arts center located on that land is a way to reclaim the space for the community. To be able to provide space, material support, and educational support to people in the neighborhood to lead and participate in creative programming is our way of nurturing joy, community voice, individual and community empowerment, and correcting historically inequitable access to artistic resources in the Greater Boston API community, Sophia Chen, communications and development manager for PAC, said in an email. This framework speaks to the partnership between a social service agency (BCNC) and an education institution (BHCC) that led to the creation of the center. Our programming ranges from dance classes for seniors to innovative artist residencies, an annual arts festival, art classes, and so much more, prioritizing serving the community.

A new exhibition, The Collective Imaginary, will beopening on May 27that 99 Albany St., where the center is located and will coincide with the rest of the summer performance series that PAC and The Greenway are jointly hosting.

For thesummer series, Condon, Yung and Woo said that they wanted to bring back and feature artists from the past five years to highlight all the breath, experiences and mediums from alumni artists, make sure the summer artist lineup was intergenerational and include performances that center cultural practice and identity.

The neighborhood has a long history of community organizing and the recognition of the role arts, culture and creativity can play in activism and support, Woo said. This five-year anniversary belongs to every organization, residents, community members and artists.

Continued here:

Pao Arts Center celebrates five years, new installation comes to Mary Soo Hoo Park - The Scope