Monthly Archives: June 2021

GRAND RAPIDS, MI -- The YMCA of Greater Grand Rapids will expand its summer day camp offerings thanks to a $189,000 grant from the state.

Officials say the enhanced day camp programs will address the unique academic needs created by the pandemic.

The YMCA of Greater Grand Rapids is excited to expand and enhance our existing day camp program, said Nicole Hansen, district executive director of Community Engagement and Youth Development. Through intentional math, science, literacy, and social-emotional curriculum, we will ensure the youth in our community have an engaging summer full of education and connection.

The $189,000 grant award from the Michigan Department of Education is part of a larger $2.3 million given by the department to YMCAs in Michigan.

The Y is prepared to work with schools to overcome the challenges facing students, families and communities, said Fran Talsma, executive director for the Michigan Alliance of YMCAs. To effectively combat COVID learning loss, in- and out-of-school learning needs to be connected and seamless. We have the capacity and expertise to support schools and help achieve positive outcomes for students.

The YMCA of Greater Grand Rapids is still accepting registrations for summer programs. People wishing to sign their children up can visit grymca.org/summer-day-camps. People wishing to be a day camp leader can visit grymca.org/careers for more information.

The summer programs are focused on fun and keeping kids safe, active, fed and engaged with other children and adults. Generally, the camps are open to children ages 5 to 12.

While the camps cost money, people can apply for financial assistance.

Read more:

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Its nice to see peoples faces: Michiganders getting back to normal after COVID-19 restrictions lifted

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YMCA of Greater Grand Rapids enhances summer day camps with $189K grant - MLive.com

This June marks more than 50 years of LGBTQ+ Pride marches and celebrations in the U.S., putting an extra spotlight on sexuality and gender in Lane County.

Increased visibility around Pride washes companies, social media and communities with rainbows and opportunity to show up for the LGBTQ+ Community, but it can be difficult to know just how to do that.

"What does it mean to show up for Pride?" Oblio Stroyman asked. Stroyman's pronouns are they/them/theirs and they arethe interim executive director of Transponder, a local nonprofit which serves the transgender community.

"Pride was really about alotof trans women of color standing up and saying enough is enough (against)police harassment," they explained.

What Stroyman specifically refers to is the resistance of the queer community-led largely by trans and gender-nonconforming people of color like Marsha P. Johnson, Silvia Rivera,Miss Major Griffin-Gracy andStorm DeLarverie all of whom were present at one of the most notable stands forLGBTQ+ liberation, the 1969 Stonewall Riots.

Early in the morning on June 28, plainclothes police officers raided the Stonewall Inn, a popular Greenwich Village gay bar in New York City. The intrusion was, at the time,justified by suspicion of illegal alcohol sales, but was really just another raid among many meant toharass LGBTQ+ people,according to the Library of Congress. It led to six days of protest around the city.

Thirteenpeople, a mix of employees and patrons,were arrested over operating without a liquor license, but also for gender-related "crimes". Homosexuality was still considered a criminal offense in 1969and there were laws against not wearing gender appropriate clothing.

Lesser known,Stonewall was proceeded by otherLGBTQ+resistance led by Black and people of coloraround the US,including protests atGene's Compton Cafeteria, Cooper's Do-nuts,The Black Cat, Dewey's Restaurant, according to the American Civil Liberties Union.

In short, Pride began as protest;a stand against police brutality and a fight for basic civilrights.

"Ifwe look at Pride as not only a celebration, but also a very reallink to the struggles of LGBTQ+people, especially trans folks, then look at how you can supportorganizations so that make lifea little bit easier for them," Stroyman said about being an ally.

LGBTQelders fought for many of the same rights 50 years ago that are fought for today: equal access to employment, housing, healthcare and legal protection.

Presently, the Equality Act is on unsure footing in front of Congress. It would amend the Civil Rights Act of 1964 byprohibiting "discrimination based on sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity in areas including public accommodations and facilities, education, federal funding, employment, housing, creditand the jury system."

If allies are looking to support the LGBTQcommunity, Stroyman encourages them to dig deeper into being intentional.

This could look like showingsolidarity at Pride events, holding institutions accountable and asking questions of companies who might be seeking to profit off of "rainbow gear" without any of the profits going toward LGBTQpeople or organizations, they explained.

A current social media trend has exposed large companies for "rainbow washing" or "pink washing," terms which mean usingPride for marketing purposes to gain money from LGBTQconsumers and their allies.

AT&T, General Motors, The Coca-Cola Company,Anheuser-Busch, American Airlines, Walmart and others were found to have donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to representativesworking on anti-LGBTQ legislation, according to Rolling Stone.

In contrast, philanthropic dollars toward LGBTQissues are still limited. The Funders for LGBTQ Issues found that for every $100 awarded by US foundations, only 28 cents go specifically to supporting the LGBTQ community.

Funding atTransponder, for example, goes toward support groups,assistance findingemployment opportunities and making the community a more welcoming place. Some of Transponder's programs include making gender affirming prosthetics more accessible,syringe and hormone injection supply delivery service and art kits from MECCA.

"Something to know that's important about Transponder is that we're very low capacity, meaning that we don't have a lot of paid staff,and we're doing huge work," Stroyman said.

Supporting queer-runbusinesses and organizations that advocate for the rights and wellbeing of LGBTQ+ people beyond Pride Month is a way to be intentional with your dollar as an ally.

"We really have a love of plants and sharing that with other people, but we also really wanted to utilize our business as a source for positive change in the community," said Luna Roebuck, co-owner of Stingray Botanicals.

Roebuck opened Stingray Botanicals with their partner, Adrian Mendoza, in the fall of 2020. The houseplant nursery specializes in uncommon plants and is committed tosocial, economicand environmental justice.

"A big part of that is advocating for our fellowcommunity members within the LGBTQ community.We do try to do advocacy work bringing attention to issues that are facing minority communities, so the LGBTQ community, communities of color, immigrant communities," Roebuck said.

This month a portion of sales atStingray Botanicals is being donated to Point of Pride, a nonprofit in Eugene that works internationally to help trans adult and youth accessgender-affirming programs. That includes access to chest binders, hormones, electrolysis and COVID-19 emergency funds.

According to its website, Point of Pride has donated more than 10,000 chest binders in more than 80 countries and provided a quarter of million dollars in financial aid.

"Asuper important thing for people to think about during Pride month and really all year is where your dollar going and what is the organization or company doing with your dollar,on top of just showing the rainbow," Roebuck said.

But beyond economic intentionality, the visibility of queer and LGBT+ safe spacesis important.

"Having visibility as a queer-owned, queer-runbusinessgives a lot of people hope for what they can do in their own in their own lives, or providing safe spaces for people to go shop, or to browse and enjoy the plants," Roebuck explained.

Spectrum is a LGBTQIA+ bar, restaurant and venue at 150 W. Broadway indowntown Eugene,which is set to reopen after July. Spectrum is home to many drag performances and a key location for mutual aid services in the community.

As You Like It; The Pleasure Shop is asexual wellness store with an emphasis on eco and body safe products. AYLI offers a separate portion of their store that is appropriate for minors, which includes an extensive library and gender-affirming products.

Transponder is a local nonprofit that was foundedand is run by trans, nonbinary and gender-nonconforming people. The groupcoordinates community resources and provides supportto trans adults and youth in metro and rural areas in Lane County. Transponder offers some program descriptions andPride merchonline.

Stingray Botanicalsis a houseplant store that specializes in the unique and uncommon that is queer-owned and -operated by a couple, Adrian Mendoza and Luna Roebuck. Mendoza and Roebuck are dedicated to social justice in the community and providing a caring workplace.

Hey Neighbor! Pizza Houseis a locally owned restaurant in the University District providing hand-tossed Neo-Neapolitian pizza. The pizzeria uses its passion for pies to contribute to the community. During the last weekend of June, Hey Neighbor! will be donating a portion of each pizza sale to Transponder.

HIV Allianceprovides extensive resources for HIV/AIDS education, prevention and care. They also provide care for hepatitis and contribute to harm reduction efforts. This summer they are hosting Camp Alliance, a virtual summer youth program for queer or question high school students.

The Body Shop is aninternational cosmetic brand with a store at Valley River Center. It is donating $1 to Equality Federation for every signatureon their petition telling Congress to supportthe Equality Act untilAug.29. The Equality Federation is an LGBTQ advocacy accelerator.

Contact reporter Dana Sparks atdsparks@registerguard.comor 541-338-2243, and follow her on Twitter@danamsparksand Instagram@danasparksphoto. Want more stories like this? Subscribe to get unlimited access and support local journalism.

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Eugene LGBTQ+ businesses and advocates: Show up and be intentional - The Register-Guard

By Donna Cope

Alabama News Center

My light bulb busted, but I still manage to shine bright;

Even broken crayons still color

Theres no reason to dim your own light. Hi by Keion Gilmore, 2020

At 17, Keion Gilmore is ready to run his race.

Like many young people, Gilmore relies on the advice of teachers and friends to help guide him. As a freshman atRamsay High School, Gilmore recalled asking his ninth grade English teacher for advice. When he felt down, Gilmore said that Ramsay educatorMontrice Youngbuoyed his spirits while providing a different point of view.

I always got bullied about the way I talk and my weight, and my sexual orientation, said the soft-spoken Wylam resident.

Now, I would tell people, Dont let what they say make you harm yourself, said Gilmore, a rising senior at Ramsay, one of three magnet high schools in Birmingham. Why would they do this? Because they dont love themselves, and they probably dont have the things you have.

Gilmore talks about his experiences being bullied at school in All In, a documentary that explores the relationships between Birmingham City Schools students, teachers, and community and educational leaders. By writing poetry, Gilmore works through his feelings about his deceased father, and discusses everything from Black history to flowers and raindrops.

The making of All In

Created in concert with theBirmingham Education Foundationand 1504, the film spotlights community engagement stories. An immersive exhibit at Ramsay High School June 15-22 works in tandem with the film to showcase students high school experiences during the pandemic. Limited seats are available atEventbrite.

Weve created the stories as told by the students themselves, said 1504 filmmaker and writerTyler Jones, who has led more than 40 projects worldwide. The people weve really highlighted in this documentary are the students, parents and teachers. This is more of a conversation about how we can educate the general community to support education.

The film, directed by Jordan Mahy, serves as a platform for community advocates while championing the work of educators.

The advocates highlighted in the film are relentless in their efforts to improve the Birmingham community, saidMeryem Tunagar, Community Engagement manager at the foundation, whose mission is to put students first and ensure they graduate ready for life, college and careers.

TheSidewalk Cinema Film Centerin Birmingham is previewing the documentary, withfree seatsavailable on Thursday, June 17 at 4 p.m., and on Friday at 2 p.m.

I would hope that anyone who is a supporter of our schools and our students will attend, Jones said.

School advocate shares her story

The way Daphne Ballard sees it, if you have a good village around you, you can thrive.

For years, Ballard has advocated for Birmingham schools. When she heard about the All In project, Ballard saw a wonderful opportunity for stakeholders and was thrilled to take part in the documentary.

Its not just about my children its all the children in our community, she said. What can I do to make the environment better? I truly think if you dont work to make it better, it will come back to bite you.

She is proud that her 21-year-old daughter, Brooklyn, is a senior atYale Universityin Connecticut, majoring in political science and educational studies.Ballard is happy that all her children ages 32 to 10 attended Birmingham City Schools: Brandon, Bryson, Brenna, BreNyah, Brielle, Brenton, BreAnn, Brooklin, Brian, Brailyn, Brandalyn, Brionna, Bradford and Brittani. Two children currently attend Ramsay High School and William J. Christian Elementary School magnet facilities.

Brooklyn would miss lunch and get tutored to get help in subjects she wasnt as strong in, Ballard said. She had resources and opportunities at Ramsay High School she had so much support. Being on the Speaks First debate team helped her in applying to Yale.

Ballard said that her older children received an excellent education atMinor Elementary School.

Minor wasnt a magnet school, but it was one of the best experiences, from the support to the administration to the teachers, she said. My children were there 17 years, consecutively. Just the way the school worked with me, they were like family. It was like a protective place for my children, and they were very supportive. They had amazing teachers.

Though Ballards household is doing well, she cant be content. The crime rate in Birmingham grieves her, as well as the sight of the homeless. In the documentary, she discusses issues that prevent students from progressing.

You have to put aside personal and political agendas for the betterment of our children, Ballard said. When are we going to make the necessary changes to help everyone? If we come together as parents, teachers, leaders, the mayor and all of his people, the church working together for the betterment of our communities, we can get somewhere.

We get so many new school buildings, but when can I know my sons wont be bullied in school? she said. I dont want my kids to face the peer pressure. Dont give up and you can make a difference.

The goal is to improve education

In August 2018, Tunagar helped launch the All In information-gathering campaign to better understand the experience of families and students in Birmingham.

The Birmingham Education Foundation created the All In campaign, with full support fromBirmingham Mayor Randall WoodfinandLisa Herring, who was Birmingham City Schools superintendent from 2017 to 2020.The overall goal of All In is to educate communities about whats going on in Birmingham City Schools, which so often can be viewed with negativity but theres so much incredible work that goes on, Tunagar said. We wanted to show the beauty and talent that exists in Birmingham.

The foundation launched a yearlong phone polling effort, asking residents about what they wanted to see for Birmingham school students. Focus groups discussed teacher quality, engagement with school administration, mental health and parental involvement.

We want to see the needle move for more of our students, Tunagar said. By learning about the experiences of families and students in Birmingham, were ensuring that our work, in programming and for policy and advocacy, aligns with the desires of our community.

She expects the foundations work to evolve along with the needs of families and students. There are plans to launch a community toolkit as a springboard to intentional conversations by neighborhood associations, the Birmingham City Council and the Birmingham School Board.

We want to connect families with the entities they need, Tunagar said. This is to celebrate the journey weve gone on together. Big-picture-wise, the best part is while this documentary may show where we started, its still impacting work with the communities. This striving for connection is very important the work is never done, its endless. We are working for equity and to drive empathy, and its always worth it, in the end.

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'All In' documentary tells stories of community engagement with Birmingham city schools - Birmingham Times

Over the past decade, the concept of tiny homes has grown in popular culture, but a real estate startup aligned with the University of Arizonas Center for Innovation is taking things to the next level. Stackhouse aims to change how people own and finance a home by offering customizable shipping container homes at 320 square feet each.

However, the individual container-homes are only one element of Stackhouse. The startup plans to form these containers into urban residential towers, creating entirely unique communities for residents with a penchant for minimalism.

Weve been very intentional with the design of the community so our residents have everything they need, said Stackhouse CEO Janelle Briggs. There just hasnt been any new innovation in the housing space, and the fact this is new, customizable and mobile has people really excited.

While the Stackhouse model unit is currently located on the UACI campus south of Tucson, the first Stackhouse community is planned for Denver, and will see 62 units placed alongside and on top of each other. While shipping container malls have become more popular over the past few years, Briggs says the countrys extreme housing market is really empowering Stackhouses business model. Briggs says the company already has 1,000 people on the Denver waitlist after only a month of advertising.

It is absolutely an advantage, and an imperative that we fill, Briggs said. People need housing, and I foresee us not being able to build fast enough. And while thats great for our business, I think its a problem for the rest of the country that we are not housing our citizens. And thats why we started this company, because we wanted to help solve that problem.

Briggs currently lives in the Stackhouse model unit on the UACI tech park with her partner and co-founder Ryan Egan. She says a benefit is that the container-homes dont have to include anything specific, and are customizable to meet the living needs of the resident. As Briggs explains, if cooking a full meal at home isnt necessary to the resident, but having a dedicated workspace is, Stackhouse can make it happen.

Briggs and Egan founded Stackhouse in 2017, and were accepted into UACI in Oct. 2020. UACI is a startup incubator that currently supports 54 businesses by providing resources and connections, both from the university system and the Tucson community. UACI looks to support scalable science and technology ventures, helping them through a combination of programming, funding, and forming relationships with fellow startups.

What makes any startup really attractive is of course novel technology, but theres also this mix of the mission, and above all else, the team, said UACI executive director Eric Smith. Janelle and Ryan, and the support group theyve built, are truly inspiring as entrepreneurs. They have unmatched motivation, and thats exactly the team we want to work with With Stackhouse, it was all about implementation of all of these things. Theyd already planned very well, so for us it was all about getting to work.

For Stackhouse, UACI helped form connections to manufacturing, as well as relationships with municipalities for their housing development. But perhaps most importantly, they were able to provide space for their first unit on UACIs 1,300-acre tech park.

Every startup that takes space inside the tech park incubator is unique, and has unique needs, which makes it really exciting, Smith said. Stackhouse is of course unique. Very rarely do we have somebody that asks to drop a house on our land, but we were able to make that happen.

Briggs, who is bi-racial, says her ethnicity has also had an impact on the story of Stackhouse, as well as her focus on inclusion and social change. Both of her parents served in the military, her dad being black and her mom white.

We were always housed, and having a place to live was not something that I had to worry about, and that was in part because of the good jobs my parents had in the military, Briggs said. The world that allowed my parents to meet is very different than the world we find ourselves in now. And who I am in the world is a very different experience than a couple of years ago. Trying to raise money as a first-generation college student is hard. We dont have the network. Egan and I joke that the biggest win for me was falling in love with a white guy, because he has more access than I do.

She says even how her and Egan downsized to live in their container-home, and what they decided to keep, was a question of race, privilege and access.

Were very proud of the diversity of the entrepreneurs that we serve, both in gender and in race, as well as international representation, Smith said. It truly makes the cohort of startups we work with more robust.

Smith says UACI helps minority-owned startups overcome their unique challenges by connecting them to other founders in their network, and leveraging resources in the community that are specifically there to serve diverse populations of entrepreneurs.

While Briggs, who holds a PhD in speech communications, is passionate about accessibility and entrepreneurship, Egan has worked in real estate his entire career. Briggs says his proficiency is in working with cities to get plans approved for construction. An inspiration for Stackhouse stems from Egan being tasked with managing properties from a former employer, one of which involved a condo entitlement in San Francisco.

It was just a standard condo building, but the process of getting the city to approve buildings is really difficult and it took him three years to get a 28-unit condo building approved by the City of San Francisco, Briggs said. And thats where he learned how that process worked and how to host effective neighborhood meetings, thinking Theres got to be a more efficient way to do this entitlement process. So our goal with Stackhouse is to have a standard building design that we can take to any city that follows the local and municipal code so that its easy to approve and we can build quickly across the country.

Briggs says they are constructing their debut community in Denver because the City of Tucson slowed processing of their Government Property Lease Excise Tax applications, and Stackhouse had to keep moving. Despite this, they had such a positive experience with UACI that they plan to remain members even after moving to Colorado.

We thought wed have to wait for a major city to see us building in a place like Tucson first, but we presented the concept blind to the city and had a really great reception, Briggs said.

The container-homes come from the manufacturer built to Housing and Urban Development code, compliant for all 50 states and insulated for all four USA climate zones, meaning they can withstand temperatures of both Tucson and Denver.

In addition, the community will be equipped with solar panels to be able to be off-grid, and the battery bank for each house will be able to store two days of power. Utilizing technology from a fellow UACI startup, the container-homes will also store all necessary water on every floor.

A lot of the work that we do is not pretending we know everything, its really about leveraging the connections the university has to get them to the people that do know those specific areas, Smith said.

Although Stackhouse is leaving the Tucson area, Smith says the majority of startups UACI has served since 2003 have stayed in Arizona. But in the last year and a half, theyve expanded their virtual footprint to serve companies that have never even existed in Southern Arizona.

UACI is a place where if youre a startup in their program and you need something, they will lift heaven and earth to help you be successful, Briggs said. Its so amazing to be standing in the house we envisioned four years ago. Its real and Im so proud of us and thankful for the support Tucson has given us.

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Tucson startup Stackhouse' aims to expand home ownership by reinventing communities - Tucson Local Media

NEW BRAUNFELS, Texas, June 22, 2021 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ --Rio Terra Senior Living has been awarded as a Multi-Year Best Memory Care Facility in New Braunfels, Texas by MemoryCare.com.

MemoryCare.com is a research organization that is focused on supporting caregivers and their loved ones and helping them find healthcare that best fits their needs. To choose the best memory care communities in New Braunfels, their team of researchers start by using their unique methodology to develop a list of contenders. They further refine the list by completing hands-on research for each one of the companies. Finally, they compile online reviews from residents and families and wrote summaries of each community that made it through their selection process.

"We're so proud to receive this honor," said Rio Terra Senior Living Sr. Executive Director, Gina Boggs. "Our community operates by a Resident First philosophy, and we do our best to go above and beyond for our residents by providing chef-prepared meals, intentional programming and exceptional care."

Owned and operated by Sagora Senior Living, Rio Terra offers Cottages, Independent Living, Assisted Living and Memory Care living options for seniors in New Braunfels. With 24/7 concierge service, complimentary transportation, chef-prepared meals, unique Memory Care programming, fitness classes, and so much more, residents don't just live at Rio Terra, they thrive.

Media Contact

Gina Boggs, Rio Terra Senior Living, (830) 221-4800, gboggs@rioterralife.com

SOURCE Rio Terra Senior Living

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Rio Terra Senior Living Awarded as Multi-Year Best Memory Care Facility in New Braunfels - WFMZ Allentown

Special promotional content provided by Madison Public Library.

On Thursday, June 24, Madison Public Library and the All of Us Program at UW-Madison are hosting a virtual event called Take Pride in Your Care. This free event will feature speaker Jacqueline Boyd, founder of The Care Plan, as she shares how members of LGBTQ+ community can create better health and aging experiences.

The presentation will center around the importance of chosen family, some challenges people who identify as LGBTQ+ can face when seeking healthcare, and strategies for finding the right provider for your needs. Attendees will learn about self-advocacy in a medical setting, planning for care, and tips for long term wellness. Local resources such as the OutReach LGBTQ+ Community Center and the recently published LGBTQ+ Wellness Guide from Madison Public Library will be highlighted.

Presenter Jacqueline Boyd is a long-time aging specialist and LGBTQ+ advocate. Her passion for health and aging started when she was a Certified Nursing Assistant in college.

Working in nursing homes gave me a deep appreciation for the struggles my LGBTQ+ community has faced throughout the aging process, said Boyd. The swift physical and cognitive changes and the lack of clear resources or advice left too many families in the dark about how to best support their loved ones. Empathy for that pain and uncertainty is what made me want to start The Care Plan and it still guides my actions today. Im excited to share some of the practical knowledge Ive gained of the healthcare system at this event.

This event is sponsored by New Chapters in Community Health, a partnership between Madison Public Library, Wisconsin Book Festival, and the All of Us Research Program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. With an intentional focus on African American, Latinx, LGBTQ+ and rural audiences, the event series explores topics crucial to the health and wellbeing of many in Wisconsin who have felt like they dont have a voice.

As we continue offering more health and wellness programming at Madison Public Library, it is important to us that we incorporate events that speak to and are informed by marginalized communities, said Community Engagement Coordinator Annie Weatherby-Flowers. The New Chapters in Community Health series has been a way for us to start and continue important discussions that acknowledge and address the disparities faced by these groups. The Take Pride in Your Care event is a great example of that because were able to connect people with local resources and provide tangible strategies for improving your healthcare experience as an LGBTQ+-identified person or ally.

Learn more about the event and sign up at: madpl.org/pride

Discover other events around health and wellness at: madpl.org/live-well

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Madison Public Library's Take Pride In Your Care Event will Provide Resources for LGBTQ+ Health and Wellness During Pride Month - madison365.com

Jun. 22Area residents have the opportunity to directly participate in the state's redistricting process when the House Legislative and Congressional Reapportionment Committee and the Senate Reapportionment and Redistricting Committee hold a joint town hall hearing in Dalton on Wednesday, June 30.

Why is this important?

According to NPR, a "redistricting guru" (Thomas Hofeller) put it this way: "Usually the voters get to pick the politicians. In redistricting, the politicians get to pick the voters!"

That sounds like something you should be extremely interested in.

The Dalton hearing will be from 5 to 7 p.m. in room 144 of the Goodroe Auditorium at Dalton State College, 656 College Drive.

"During each town hall-style hearing, members of the committees will hear and receive input from residents regarding the state's redistricting process," the state House of Representatives said in a media advisory.

The Dalton hearing is just one of several being held around the state. The hearings will be live-streamed on the Georgia General Assembly website (https://www.legis.ga.gov/schedule/all). Written testimony from Georgia residents can be submitted using a form at https://tinyurl.com/y6hsvfda.

The League of Women Voters of the U.S. has an article titled "10 Things You Should Know About Redistricting" on its website (https://www.lwv.org/blog/10-things-you-should-know-about-redistricting).

Some highlights:

"Every 10 years, after the collection of the decennial census data, states redraw their state and congressional district lines. These districts determine how communities are represented at the local, state and federal levels. The redistricting process is fundamental in influencing how our government works for us."

"Redistricting determines who appears on your ballot, where you can vote, and can influence whether your elected officials respond to your needs."

"Redistricting is vulnerable to gerrymandering. Gerrymandering is the intentional manipulation of the redistricting process by the people in political power to keep or change political power. This can happen in a number of ways, such as by consolidating communities into one district, which gives that community only one representative in the legislature. Or by dividing the community across districts and ensuring that the community is always the minority and less likely to be adequately represented by their representatives."

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"Racial gerrymandering is the intentional manipulation of the redistricting process to reduce the political power of a certain racial group."

"Partisan gerrymandering is when districts are drawn in a way to give an unfair advantage to one political party, group or incumbent."

"We can curb gerrymandering through increased public input, accountability and transparent processes."

That's where you come in. It is up to you to demand fair, nonpartisan redistricting practices. With history as our guide, we know that politicians, as the League has pointed out, tend to abuse redistricting for their own partisan purposes.

Don't let them get away with it. They are asking for your participation. Whether that is a sincere request is up for debate.

But take them at their words. If you can, attend this redistricting hearing in Dalton. If you cannot attend, use the form to submit your views and demand accountability. And protect your interests by staying involved as the process moves forward.

This is your government. Take ownership of it and demand that it represent you fairly.

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EDITORIAL: If you want redistricting to be done properly you have to get involved - Yahoo News

It was supposed to be priority #1 heading into the Texas legislative session. Now, it's the #1 concern heading into the summer.

The ERCOT power grid. Or better put, just ERCOT. It was supposed to be fixed. But it's not.

On the first semi-warm day of the spring? ERCOT asked asked customers to conserve energy, and raise their thermostats to 78 degrees.

This stunning announcement came after -two- bills were signed into law that Governor Greg Abbott said were "everything needed to be done to fix the power grid in Texas."

Jordan Davidson, who wrote about it in detail for The Federalist told KTRH, "Not a week later, everyone across Texas who has ERCOT as their grid is getting notifications that they have to turn their thermostats up."

Coincidence? Or is it maybe by design? If ERCOT fails again, Washington could come in and save the day, and take over the Texas power grid, further crippling the Lone Star state's independence.

Phil Barnett, an expert on the subject and owner of Barnett Energy, told KTRH it shouldn't be a surprise. "In this federal overreach, that is one thing that they think can do that will really subordinate Texas to the Fed" he said. "It's like the IRS says we're here to help you. Make no mistake, they're not here to help, and we just can't let that happen."

Another thing that happened, some Houston residents had their thermostats raised remotely by Texas power companies.

So now, Davidson says the push is on for Governor Abbott to again try to fix ERCOT during the special legislative session.

"A lot of communities and activist organizations are pulling together and asking the Governor to keep ERCOT and the power grid on the agenda" she said, It simply is not fixed, and it is not done."

As Jason Isaac of the Texas Public Policy Foundation told Davidson for her story, quote "Unfortunately, it's not a matter of 'if' Texans will lose power this summer. It's when."

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ERCOT? Why The Recent Power Grid Issues Could Be Intentional | NewsRadio 740 KTRH - NewsRadio 740 KTRH

DetailsBy Monica WhitepigeonJune 22, 2021

SAN RAFAEL, Calif. The confines of the Covid-19 pandemic led to an abundance of closures and cancelations throughout the arts sector, especially in the performance, but some organizations sought to provide creative outlets for youth and professional performing artists. With social distancing restrictions being lifted across the country, theater companies are opening their doors to more hybrid programming and performances.

AlterTheater, a California-based theater ensemble, has expanded its Arts Learning Project for Native youth by adding in-person summer programming this year. The workshops predominantly run during students school breaks with official dates TBA. The project will adhere to the Covid protocols of reservation communities and offer alternative virtual programming for out-of-state students. AlterTheaters program is intentionally designed to build long-term relationships and provide performing arts networks for Native professional artists and youth interested in the industry.

Theres talent all over, and that talent is going undiscovered because they havent been able to partake in opportunities such as these workshops and building relationships with the theater professionals that we have leading these workshops, claimed Tanis Parenteau, the new tribal liaison and outreach coordinator.

Its a big disconnect in the entertainment industry. Geographically, its an uneven playing field if people cant leave the reservation to go to places where these programs are normally offered. And they deserve these opportunities just as much as anyone who has the ability to move to an urban area where there is usually more access.

Parenteau is an enrolled member of the Mtis Nation of Alberta (Cree), a producer/actor and serves on the SAG-AFTRA National Native Americans Committee. She also works with the Red House Project, a Native and Femme-led social storytelling multi-platform endeavor that focuses on MMIWG2ST crisis, and co-hosts the podcast called Not Invisible: Native Womxn on the Frontlines.

We always wanted to be doing more for and with our community. Weve been increasingly doing more and more Native work (like) commissioning Native playwrights. This program has been growing and Im really excited to have Tanis join the team and expand this out even more into the community, said Co-Founder and Artistic Director Jeanette Harrison (Onondaga descent).

Harrison is a writer, actor and director, who initiated the playwright residency program and fostered more than 20 new plays to world premiere productions. For television, she and Sharmila Devar co-wrote Feathers and Dots, Dots and Feathers, a half-hour comedy about cultural identity and family.

AlterLab, its playwright residency program, is a yearlong program that supports and commissions three to five writers to craft a new play. This years fellows include Tara Moses (Seminole Nation of Oklahoma), Dillon Chitto (Mississippi Choctaw, Laguna, and Isleta Pueblo descent), Vickie Ramirez (Tuscarora), Blossom Johnson (Din) and Latinx writer Diana Burbano.

After the cancelation of Ramirezs Pure Native tour last year, Harrison was approached by LucenTrees Brian Melendez of the Reno-Sparks Indian Colony (RSIC) and Tall Tree Indigenous Education Consultings Teresa Melendez to see what opportunities were available for youth on reservations. With the Pure Native cast unable to travel to RSIC, AlterTheater created a series of virtual theater workshops, beginning in August 2020.

Each workshop featured a working theater professional instructor, team teaching with an Indigenous education specialist, and other Native artists. Students quickly adapted to the virtual setting by participating in one-on-one interactions, small breakout groups of three to five kids and received real-time feedback through the chat feature. At the end, participants from across Indian Country were see their works performed by Native actors and actresses.

For the monologue workshop, students had the freedom and flexibility to develop their ideas as they saw fit, but many decided to focus on social justice topics, such as MMIWG2S and underfunded schools. The Arts Learning Project format led to unforeseen benefits for those involved including career exploration, finding their voice and even institutional support. For one Fort McDermitt Paiute student, her isolationist work was so moving that she won Yales Indigenous Performing Arts Programs monologue contest.

Im looking forward to a future for our children where their schools and the tribes are looking to broaden the base of opportunities for our kids. We have to have higher expectations for our schools, our students and our parents too, Melendez claimed, who now serves as AlterTheater's education director.

Melendez is an enrolled tribal citizen of the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Nation, a descendant of the turtle clan and language speaker. With 20 years of experience in the Indian education and a grass-roots organizer, she actively finds Indigenous solutions in the areas of climate change, academic advocacy and social justice for the next seven generations.

We were intentional about incorporating cultural practices and protocols even in a virtual space. We would start off every gathering and meeting with a prayer, song, or words of encouragement. The students got familiar with that process and would step up to share, Melendez said.

Through outreach with tribal communities, the Arts Learning Project will adapt its workshop structures to fit the needs of various reservations in the hopes of introducing Native youth, particularly in the middle school bracket, to non-labor focused careers and develop new skills in the performing arts.

If you choose a career in arts, it will be really hard. However, your stories matter, and theyre needed. And we, all of us as artists, need the students that are coming up to join us in order to fully tell our stories. If this the career path you want, there is a place for you, and we are here for you to help make it happen, Harrison advised to students looking to participate.

Its the perfect time to start exploring the performing arts. Have fun and express yourself. You get the opportunity to express yourself maybe in ways youve never been able to before and it can be fun and healing, Parenteau said.

Click here to learn more and support AlterTheater.

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Author: Monica Whitepigeon

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AlterTheater's Youth Programming Teaches Resiliency and Adaptability in the Performing Arts - nativenewsonline.net

Syracuse Stage has announced plans to resume live and in-person performance in the 2021/2022 season.Starting in October, the theater will present a six-show subscription season and offer a full schedule of educational, family and community-related programming, including the continuation of the Cold Read Festival of New Plays.

Six-play subscriptions will be on sale in July. Single tickets will go on sale closer to the opening of the season.

Artistic director Robert Hupp says, This is more than a return to normal. Over the past year, weve engaged in a field-wide conversation about the work we create and produce. Weve looked at how the work is created, who creates the work and who the work is created for. We emerge from the pandemic with a renewed passion for our craft and a new commitment to making a positive and sustained contribution to the cultural and civic life of Central New York.

In reopening, the theater management pledges strict adherence to the most up-to-date COVID-19 safety protocols in order to protect patrons, artists and staff.

The scheduled season offers a variety of theatrical experiences with a world premiere by Syracuse Stage associate artistic director Kyle Bass, a new musical by Brian Quijada, a celebrated family holiday musical and three contemporary comedies. From backstage hijinks to events unfolding literally down the street from Syracuse Stage to the trials and triumphs of a very remarkable little girl, the season celebrates reuniting to enjoy engaging stories, fascinating characters, exciting performances and great entertainment.

The season includes: Eureka Day (Oct. 13-31, 2021), Roald Dahls Matilda The Musical (Nov. 19, 2021-Jan. 2, 2022), Yoga Play (Jan. 19-Feb. 6, 2022), Somewhere Over the Border (Feb. 23-March 13, 2022), The Play that Goes Wrong (April 13-May 1, 2022) and salt/city/blues (June 8-26, 2022).

Our new season is uplifting. We wanted to craft a season that celebrated our return to live performance, Hupp says. We also wanted to explore the world as it emerges from this unprecedented time. We do so with humor and with music. We also celebrate new voices on our stagevoices that we believe have relevance for right here and right now. Were creating new ways to connect with Syracuse Stage and we invite everyone to share this journey with us.

Hupp is slated to direct two plays in the season including the season opener Eureka Day. A private day school in Berkeley, California, becomes a microcosm of our larger society as Jonathon Spectors comedy plunges headlong into the knotty issues of vaccines and how we measure private preference against public health and how we decide who gets to decide. Though written pre-COVID, Eureka Day could not be more timely or more needed as Spector mines laughter from our foibles while eliciting empathy for our sometimes valiant and sometimes valiantly misguided efforts. Spector clearly has sympathy for our struggles.

Later in the season, Hupp takes on a comic cautionary tale of what can happen to a theatre companys best laid plans with The Play That Goes Wrong. In this award-winning comedy, the Cornley Drama Society attempts to mount a 1920s murder mystery and falls prey to a variation of the old adage: everything that can go wrong will go wrong and in the most humorous way. Laughter for the sake of laughter and theater just for the fun of it.

Personally, I cant wait to get back in the rehearsal room, Hupp says. Ive enjoyed directing online, and Ive learned a lot in this process. But nothing can replace the joy of making a production with actors and a creative team that will be experienced by a live audience in a shared space. This shared experience is something we all needits something we crave. I dont think well realize how much weve missed it until were back together again in the Archbold Theatre.

The return to live and in-person performance also signals the return of a holiday tradition at Syracuse Stage: the big family musical coproduced with the Syracuse University Department of Drama. For 2021/2022 Hupp has selected Roald Dahls Matilda The Musical, and entrusted it to the same director, Donna Drake, and musical director, Brian Cimmet, as previous holiday shows The Wizard of Oz, Elf The Musical and Disneys Beauty and the Beast. This season Drake and Cimmet will be joined by choreographer Andrea Leigh-Smith.

Two premieres and the continuation of the Cold Read Festival of New Plays keep vibrant new work at the forefront of Syracuse Stages artistic programming. In 2018, Bass scored a hit with his mainstage debut production Possessing Harriet, a play rooted in a chapter of local history. With salt/city/blues, he turns his gaze just down the block to consider how the construction of an elevated highway adversely impacted a once vibrant neighborhood while specifically focusing on the strains experienced by one family closely connected to the project. Resemblances to Syracuses 15th ward and I-81 are intentional, if not literal. Gilbert McCauley, who directed the 2020/2021 closer Master Haroldand the Boys, returns for the world premiere of salt/city/blues.

The heart ofsalt/city/blues beats with the character, spirit, challenges, history and hopes of the city which has inspired me in its writing, says Bass. Im thrilled that its world premiere at my artistic home is part of Syracuse Stages season of enriched focus on our communities and the meanings of home.

In the new musical Somewhere Over the Border, drawing creative inspiration from a beloved Central New York story, Brian Quijada recounts the journey his mother made from El Salvador to the United States in the 1970s. With fantastical elements suggested by L. Frank Baums The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, Quijada transforms his mothers 2,700 mile journey into a musical adventure using songs in a range of musical styles including American rock, hip-hop and Mariachi. Part fable and part family history, Somewhere Over the Border is a testament to a mothers determination and love.

Rounding out the season is the wry comedy Yoga Play by Dipika Guha, a piece that ponders such questions as: is there room for authenticity in a $10 billion industry, or can lavender scented yoga pants enhance spiritual well-being? Melissa Crespo who directed this past seasons I and You and the 2019 hit Native Gardens will be back at Syracuse Stage for this comedic gem.

Ongoing through the season there will be many opportunities to engage in conversations important to the community and to enjoy family oriented programming.

Los Angeles based artists and activists Mark-n-Sparks (Mark Valdez and ashley sparks) bring their innovative devised performance piece The Most Beautiful HomeMaybe to Syracuse Stage as part of their four-city initiative to examine housing insecurity across the country. Free performances of The Faith of Our Fathers, adapted by Bass from the 1965 televised debate between James Baldwin and William F. Buckley, will be offered when the theater reopens in the fall. These special presentations augment the regularly scheduled talkbacks, prologues and lectures that accompany each mainstage production.

In addition, writer, interdisciplinary artist and Grammy Award-winner Ty Defoe joins the Cold Read Festival of New Plays in March 2022. Defoe is from the Oneida and Ojibwe nations and has written plays, poetry and lyrics. A full schedule of Cold Read events will be announced at a later date.

The season promises an array of theater experiences for families and students. In the fall the Bank of America Childrens tour production of The Girl Who Swallowed a Cactus will perform outdoors at the Rosamond Gifford Zoo. Two Backstory productions, Commanding Space and Citizen James, resume live performances after the new year, and in the spring the sensational Doodle Pop from South Korea arrives for four performances in the Archbold Theatre. Continuing in 2021/2022 are theatre for the very young and the ever popular Young Playwrights Festival.

After more than a year of creating innovative online work, we are thrilled to return to producing live theatre this fall, Hupp says. While many theaters across our country were forced to shut down during the pandemic, Syracuse Stage was fortunate to stay artistically active. The knowledge and experience we gained puts us in a strong position to hit the ground running with a season of dynamic and meaningful theatrical experiences.

SHOW DETAILS

Eureka DayBy Jonathan SpectorDirected by Robert HuppOct. 13-31, 2021

With a mumps outbreak, a private school in Berkeley, California, called Eureka Day, becomes a microcosm of our larger society as Jonathan Spectors comedy plunges headlong into the knotty issues of vaccines and how we measure private preference against public health and how we decide who gets to decide. Though written pre-COVID, Eureka Day could hardly be more timely or more needed as Spector mines laughter from our foibles while eliciting empathy for our sometimes valiant and sometimes valiantly misguided efforts.

Roald Dahls Matilda The MusicalBook by Dennis KellyMusic and Lyrics by Tim MinchinBased on the book Matilda by Roald DahlDirected by Donna DrakeMusical Direction by Brian CimmetChoreography by Andrea Leigh-SmithNov. 19, 2021-Jan. 2, 2022

Children (and grown-ups) of the world rejoice. Matilda is here at last. Inspired by the twisted genius of Roald Dahl, this Tony Award-winning musical is a captivating treat that revels in the anarchy of childhood, the power of imagination and the inspiring story of a girl who dreams of a better life. (Theres also a gloriously vile villain, Miss Trunchbull.) Packed with high-energy dance numbers, catchy songs and featuring an unforgettable little girl with astonishing wit, intelligence and psychokinetic power, Matilda is a joyous girl power romp.

Yoga Play (East coast premiere)By Dipika GuhaDirected by Melissa CrespoJan. 19-Feb. 6, 2022

Joan has a big problem. Recently named CEO of athletic-wear giant Jojomonthink high-end brand thats part 60s one-hit wonder and part citrus fruitshe even more recently learned that a BBC investigative team is about to expose her Bangladeshi manufacturer of lavender-scented yoga pants as an exploiter of child labor. Suddenly, Jojomons family of customers is all atwitter with accusations of inauthenticity. Only one solution will dofind a reclusive and revered yogi to serve as a spokesman and restore the companys all-important claim to authenticity. They find him all right. The rest is 90 minutes of side-splitting laughter. A fun-filled new comedy by Dipika Guha, a talent to watch and recipient of a Venturous Playwright Fellowship by The Lark.

Somewhere Over the Border (new musical)By Brian QuijadaFeb. 23-March 13, 2022

Inspired by the real life journey of the authors mother (Reina Quijada) from El Salvador to the U.S. and by L. Frank Baums The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, Somewhere Over the Border embraces the factual and the fantastical in its depiction of one young girls pursuit of the American dream. As Reina travels north to the Mexican border, she gathers friends, faces down dangers and holds tight to the memory of the little boy she left behind. Set in the 1970s and propelled by cumbia, Mexican mariachi boleros, American rock and hip-hop, this new musical is both fable and family historyand a testament to the determination born of love.

The Play That Goes WrongBy Henry Lewis, Jonathan Sayer and Henry ShieldsDirected by Robert HuppApril 13-May 1, 2022

Winner of Londons Olivier Award for Best Comedy and a New York Times best pick for comedies, The Play That Goes Wrong follows in the grand tradition of plays that go farcically awry. As the Cornley Drama Society attempts to perform a 1920s murder mystery, sets malfunction, lines are dropped and corpses wont stay still. Such fun. Laughter for the sheer joy of laughter.

salt/city/blues (world premiere)By Kyle BassDirected by Gilbert McCauleyJune 8-26, 2022

How does a fractured family heal when unresolved emotions of the past color the present? Can a city reshape itself if it means tearing open old, still-tender wounds? And where in a diverse but segregated can communities find common ground, mutual dignity and a true sense of home? These questions collide into Yolonda Mourning, an independent consultant on a vast project to take down a span of highway that has long divided Salt City. When she leaves her husband and teenage son and moves to the heart of trendy downtown, a diverse cast of characters forces Yolonda to confront the Salt Citys complicated history around race, class and urban renewal, and to reckon with her role as architect of the broken bridges in her own family. Moving, funny, poignant and current, salt/city/blues is a fresh, contemporary new play set in a fictionalized Syracuse and to the music of the blues. A Cold Read world premiere production.

Cold Read Festival of New PlaysMarch 14 20Events to be announced

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Syracuse Stage Resumes Live Performance This Fall for 2021/2022 Season - Syracuse University News