Hartman Deetz (IBA ‘16) is involved in several decolonizing campaigns. Hartman spent Nov. 30, the busiest shopping day of the year, encouraging shoppers to Protect Sacred Sites and to not shop at the Bay Street Mall in Emeryville, California.
“This [mall] was once a Ohlone village site and it is one of the largest Shellmounds in the Bay Area. The sacred Shellmound once stood over 60ft high and 350 ft in diameter and it was considered the largest funerary complex of the Ohlone people. When the mall was built, we petitioned the city council and asked them not to destroy our sacred sites, but the developers and the businesses ‘won’. But our resistance has never died. Hence, every year, on the day after Thanksgiving, the biggest shopping day of the year, we’ve organized an educational protest to remind the Bay Area about our Ohlone sacred sites and to educate the public on why and how the desecration of sacred sites hurts Ohlone communities and everyone living here in the Bay Area. We also ask people to not shop at this mall.” –from the organizers of the event
Caity Flanagan (HAS ‘15) recently launched her own farm, Two Peas in a Pod. Caity’s tag line: “A one woman operation growing organic flowers, produce, and herbs in the Hudson Valley.” Caity is documenting the process of building her business in her senior study.
Matt Hogan’s (IBA ‘16) photograph, “Market Basket #39 (Eric), Nashua” was included in a juried group exhibition at The Center for Fine Art Photography in Fort Collins, Colorado.
Casey Johanna (IBA ‘17) co-coordinated a Somatics retreat called, “Oppression of the Soma” with Zen Buddhist teacher Angel Kyodo Williams and a group of organizers and practitioners this fall. Casey also recently completed an Undoing Racism training at the Brooklyn Zen Center and has launched a group called Healing Praxis, as a way for mature Buddhist practitioners of color to engage deep listening and other healing practices for activists on the ground.
Devin Mason’s (BAS ’15) shipping container (soon to be his tiny house) arrived in Albany, Vermont. Devin has been planning for and constructing the tiny house as part of his Senior Study.
Narelle Thomas (HAS ’18) performed her poetry live at the Bing Arts Center in Springfield, Massachusetts, in November as part of the Teatro Vida (Theater of Life) debut poetry CD release. Co-founded by Magdalena Gomez, Teatro Vida is the first and only Latina (founded/identified) theater in Springfield, MA. The CD, “(Un)Spoken Words,” features poems about identity, society, mental health, racism, homophobia, and media-distorted conceptions of beauty.
Cynthia Tina (BAS ’15) presented her senior study, “Confessions of a Young Activist: My Journey Into the Sustainability Movement” at Sirius Community in Shutesbury, Massachusetts, this December. Cynthia is currently serving as Volunteer Coordinator for InTerraTree’s EcoVillage Build Team in Togo, West Africa. Interested in joining the effort as a volunteer? Contact Cynthia.
