Weekly Email Update 2.15.21
"When the world demanded that I be meek and small in silence, I chose to wield my voice."
Precious Brady-Davis
Award winning Black trans diversity advocate, communications professional, and public speaker
Welcome to the Weekly Email Update, Friends! As usual, there are more than a few new additions to this week's offerings, so grab your calendar and start saving those dates!
This week's look into Black History and BIPOC lives in Vermont takes us to the Brown 'n Out Podcast with Vermont resident Reggie Condra. Condra interviews Black and Brown LGBTQ+ Vermonters and talks about the lives and interests of gay, lesbian, bisexual, queer, and trans people of color in the Green Mountains. These stories have long been unexplored and this podcast seeks to shine light on valuable information that may otherwise go unheard.
Guests on the “Brown ’n Out” Podcast typically answer two questions as conversation starters:
-What does black and brown queer culture in Vermont look like to you?
-When do you feel most brown ’n out?
Before the recorded interview, Condra likes to build a rapport with his subjects by sharing conversation over a cup of coffee. His episodes typically begin with a funny snippet embedded in the conversation and move on to more serious subject matter from there. “I never just want to ask, you know, a person kind of blanketly about their identity,” he says. “I want them to talk to me about things that they’re interested in.”
When asked what being brown ’n out meant to Condra, he replied, "It means self-advocating a lot. It means not always being able to find someone to stand up for you and taking it upon yourself to claim your existence. It looks like — when you do finally find community — the best feeling ever.”*
Condra’s interviews are full of such pivots and swerves, which keep the often-lengthy podcasts fresh and interesting. And, though race, gender and sexuality aren’t always on the table, he is clear that the podcast is for queer people of color, as its name indicates. “Brown ‘n Out” underscores the importance of giving voice to people who are often doubly discriminated against. “A main goal of the podcast,” Condra says, “is to illustrate to everyone how much we are more than our identities.”+
We hope that you will take a few moments to give this important podcast a listen and learn about LGBTQIA+ BIPOC Vermonters, in their own words, from the comfort of your own home.
You can find the Brown 'n Out Podcast here: http://brownnout.podbean.com/
You can find the Brown 'n Out Podcast on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/brownnoutpodcast/?hl=en
* https://apnews.com/article/f83ba3fc8d144a8092cad6ef7d264010
+ https://www.pridecentervt.org/2020/06/05/30-days-of-pride-brownnout/
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HAPPENING TODAY, SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 14TH, 2021
Valentine’s Day Candlelight Vigil for Health Care Workers and Patients
sponsored by Vermont Workers’ Center
Sunday, February 14th, 2021, at Springfield Health and Rehabilitation (105 Chester Road, Springfield, VT). 4:30pm-5:30pm. Can't make it in-person? Show your appreciation by changing your profile picture on Valentine's Day to a candle in a window. For more information call 802-257-4436 or e-mail [email protected]
Show appreciation for the residents and staff at Springfield Health & Rehab, 105 Chester Rd., Springfield VT. Six out of 10 Covid-19 deaths in Vermont have taken place at nursing homes, which even before COVID were understaffed. Springfield Health & Rehab is owned by the for-profit Genesis chain, and is in the process of being sold to new investors.
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HAPPENING THIS WEEK, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 15th, 2021-SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 21st, 2021
Vermont Food Bank’s Veggie Van Go Upcoming Schedule
The First and Third Mondays of Every Month in the parking lot across the street from the main entrance to Brattleboro Union High School (131 Fairground Road, Brattleboro, VT, 05301). 10am-11:30am.
Veggie Van Go is a program through the Vermont Foodbank that gives out free produce and local food for people to take home.
Monday, February 15th, 2021
Monday, March 1st, 2021
Monday, March 15th, 2021
Monday, April 5th, 2021
Monday, April 19th, 2021
Monday, May 3rd, 2021
Monday, May 17th, 2021
Monday, June 7th, 2021
Monday, June 21st, 2021
Important information:
- Drive through model- please stay in your vehicles
- If you are walking there: see a Vermont Foodbank associate but please make sure to stay 6 feet back.
- There are no income requirements, registration or paperwork to participate
- You do not need to be present to get food: you may ask someone to pick up on your family's behalf.
For questions, please contact the WSESU VVG Program Coordinator:
Kira Sawyer-Hartigan, WSESU
53 Green Street
Brattleboro, VT
[email protected]
(802)254-3730
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Everyone Eats!
Monday, February 15th, 2021-Thursday, February 18th, 2021 at the C.F Building (80 Flat Street, Brattleboro, VT, 05301). 4pm-6pm. Masks required. PLEASE DO NOT ARRIVE EARLY. If you have any questions visit https://www.brattleboro.com/everyoneeats/ or contact Frances Huntley [email protected]. Organizational ordering information is listed under our Free and Nutritious Food in Windham County section further along in this email.
Everyone Eats! is a program which will distribute meals from Brattleboro restaurants to anyone in need who lives in Brattleboro, Dummerston, Guilford, Putney, or Vernon, free of charge, through December 11th. There will be 850+ meals/day available Monday through Thursday to serve our community during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Pick up for individuals will be at the C.F. Church Building at 80 Flat St in Brattleboro and group/institution orders can be picked up at Mama Sezz in West Brattleboro. All meals are available Monday-Thursday between 4pm and 6pm until supplies run out.
If you have extra produce from your garden, there will be a wheelbarrow you can drop it off in on your way out of the pickup site. Participating restaurants will use the donated produce in making more meals.
The meals are free, but if you would like to make a monetary contribution to help make more meals possible for others, it will be gratefully received. The base cost of each meal is $10 but any amount will be appreciated.
Each restaurant will contribute meals two or more days a week. You will receive one individually packaged cold ready-to-eat or heat & serve dinner for each person you request a meal for. Meals will be distributed cold, so if you are driving a distance, delivering to other households, or distributing through your organization, consider bringing a cooler if you can.
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Winter Book Study with The Women’s Freedom Center
Tuesday, February 16th, 2021, Online. 6pm-7:30pm. Contact the WFC at 802-257-7364 or advocates@womensfreedomcenter.net to sign up.
The Women's Freedom Center is facilitating a 5-week Winter Book Study. We will meet Tuesdays 6pm-7:30pm via Zoom starting January 19th.
Coming on the heels of the Community Safety Review, we will read the 2020 book Prison by Any Other Name by Victoria Law and Maya Schenwar. The purpose of the book study is to analyze the very systems we work within -- and how to do better.
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I AM…2021: A Virtual Exhibit
Tuesday, February 16th, 2021-Friday, April 30th, 2021, Online. 7pm. Pre-registration is required for each Zoom event. For more information and to pre-register, visit vermontartscouncil.org/iam2021. Closed captioning will be provided for these events. We invite you to contact us with specific accommodations you need to facilitate your participation in the workshop. We will make every effort to honor your requests when they are made two weeks prior to the event. Contact Michele Bailey, 504/ADA coordinator at [email protected].
Nineteen artists from the I am a Vermont Artist series will exhibit work in our new online gallery from Feb. 16 through April 30, and on the third Thursday of each month we will host a Zoom gathering so that audiences can engage with the artists directly.
The virtual exhibit will consist of a group gallery with select work from each featured artist and individual galleries with up to five pieces from an artist.
Part of the Vermont Art Council’s mission is to expand access to the arts for all people, regardless of background. Vermont is not often thought of as a diverse state, but people of every stripe call this place home, and the different experiences they bring make our communities rich and vibrant.
To celebrate Vermont’s diversity and deepen our state’s creative identity, the Council began publishing the I am a Vermont Artist interview series in early 2019. Two years on from the series’ launch, the Council has published over 30 interviews with artists, exploring how their creative expressions reflect their experiences of ethnicity, gender identity, religion, disability, or age—and the group continues to grow.
In fall 2019, the Spotlight Gallery presented I AM…, a multimedia exhibit and panel discussion with the series artists. To honor the artists who have joined the group since 2019 and to catch up with those we featured in the first I AM… exhibit, the Spotlight Gallery is starting 2021 with I AM… 2021, a virtual exhibit and event series.
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Statewide LGBTQ+ Town Hall Series: Youth
a collaborative project series with the LGBTQIA+ Alliance of Vermont- Outright Vermont, Pride Center of Vermont, and the Rainbow Umbrella of Central VT
Thursday, February 18th, 2021, Online. 7pm. For more information and registration go to pridevt.com. To sign up, please click HERE.
Join for a Statewide LGBTQ+ Town Hall Series starting on January 21st and going through March 2nd. There will be weekly Town Hall Sessions on- Health Justice, Housing, Rural Queerness, Youth, Aging, and Racial Justice. We'll be culminating the series with a Statewide LGBTQ+ Town Meeting.
Join to share what is important to you and explore ways we can build together across the state! We're looking forward to seeing you there.
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Marlboro Community Food Share
hosted by the Marlboro Community Center
Thursday, February 18th, 2021, and every Thursday, at the Marlboro Community Center (524 South Road, Marlboro, VT, 05344). 4:30pm-5:30pm.
Every Thursday from 4:30pm-5:30pm the Marlboro Community Center invites you to fill a grocery bag with non-perishables and fresh local produce. No registration or eligibility required. This weekly opportunity is available for anyone who could use an extra bag of groceries or knows someone who does.
Food will be set up in the entry-way to the Marlboro Community Center. For proper social distancing, please enter one person at a time. Bring a grocery bag or use ours. Masks are required. Deliveries will be made through Marlboro Cares for those needing assistance. Please call Marlboro Cares at 802-258-3030 in advance to arrange a delivery.
To donate food:
Leave non-perishable food in the donation box at the Marlboro Post Office. It will be collected on a weekly-basis. (Please note that this box previously supplied the Deerfield Valley Food Pantry, which is now distributing food exclusively from VT Food Pantry)
Gardeners and farmers are welcome to donate produce. Wear masks and wash hands when harvesting and handling food. Fresh produce can be dropped off at the Community Center on Thursday between 1pm and 4pm. (Any leftover produce will be taken to FoodWorks the following morning)
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Guilford Cares Food Pantry
Thursday, February 18th, 2021 (and every Thursday) at Broad Brook Community Center (3490 Guilford Center Road, Guilford, VT, 05301). 5pm-6pm. If you have questions, concerns or would like to donate groceries or monetary gifts please contact Pat Haine 802-257-0626. For additional questions or more information call 802 579 1350 or email [email protected].
The Guilford Cares Food Pantry will continue to operate during the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure food security for all our citizens and vulnerable populations. They are well stocked with the staples you need for your family and are following viral guidelines to limit risk.
They ask that shoppers to remain in their car. A volunteer will greet you and give you a "shopping list" for you to mark with the items you would like. Another volunteer will fill your bag and bring it to porch where you will be asked to pick it up. Please bring a bag for the items and a pen to fill out the shopping list. If you have questions, concerns or would like to donate groceries or monetary gifts please contact Pat Haine 257-0626
If you cannot come to the Pantry due to illness or high risk, you can call also call Pat to arrange for food delivery by a volunteer.
We know that supplemental food can make such a big difference in one's budget. That is why we are stocking our shelves for our neighbors. All are welcome to come and take home fresh produce, staples, meat, dairy.
Guilford Cares welcomes anyone in need of supplemental food for themselves or their families.
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The Vermont Workers’ Center New Member Orientation
Thursday, February 18th, 2021, Online. 6pm-7:30pm. Anyone interested in checking out the Workers’ Center is welcome to attend to learn more about the organization, the healthcare campaign, and what it means to be a member. E-mail [email protected] to get the link.
The Vermont Workers’ Center is holding an on-line orientation for potential members on Feb. 18 from 6:00-7:30 p.m. From the VWC’s mission statement: "We seek an economically just and democratic Vermont in which all residents can meet their human needs and enjoy their human rights, including dignified work, universal healthcare, housing, education, childcare, transportation and a healthy environment.” The VWC is organizing for the human right to healthcare as an issue that brings together poor and working class people across lines of division, but is not a single-issue organization.
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Online Forum: Inspiring Change for 2021
hosted in collaboration with Brooks Memorial Library and The Women’s Freedom Center
Thursday, February 18th, 2021
Thursday, February 25th, 2021
Thursday, March 4th, 2021, Online. 7pm-8pm. For more information on how to register, call the WFC at 802-257-7364, email [email protected], or contact Brooks Memorial Library at 802-254-5290 or [email protected]. Free and open to all.
The Women’s Freedom Center is hosting a month-long dialogue focused on reimagining and shaping a world where everyone is valued and everyone is safe to thrive.
We’ll outline the scope of our anti-domestic and sexual violence work in a broader social context, and invite your questions and best thinking throughout the series. Highlighting how different oppressions function in tandem, we’ll discuss various systems of power and their impact, not just on survivors of domestic and sexual violence, but on our whole community. The main focus will be on honing skills for the everyday social justice work facing us all.
The topics include aiming for economic and legal justice, media literacy across the lifespan, bystander empowerment to address all forms of oppression, and domestic and sexual violence.
The WFC bills itself as “a feminist organization working toward ending men’s violence against women while offering support and advocacy to all survivors of domestic and sexual violence, as well as prevention and educational activities to help create a community in which violence is not tolerated.”
The four-part series is an opportunity to learn how people can safely advocate for their families and friends, but it’s also about how the culture minimizes violence against women.
Part of the lens of the discussion will be about how we can be more informed to know exactly what survivors are up against.
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I Am…2021: Meet the Artists
Thursday, February 18th, 2021, Online. 7pm.
Please register for this event HERE.
This event gives all participating artists an opportunity to introduce themselves and share how this moment in history has impacted their art practice and/or work. A Q&A at the end of the event will provide an opportunity for discussion between artists and the audience.
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Putney Food Shelf
Saturday, February 20th, 2021 (and every Saturday until April 4th, 2021) at 10 Christian Square (Putney, VT, 05346). 9am-11am.
Curbside Open Hours. All are welcome - we just ask you to provide your town of residence and number in household for our data tracking purposes.
Stay in your car, please. Volunteers will take your order and bring out boxes of food, including nonperishable items, fresh produce, paper goods, meat, and dairy products.
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Winter Farmers' Market Online Shop
Saturday, February 20th, 2021 at the C.F. Church Building, 80 Flat Street, Brattleboro ,VT, 05301). For the most up to date info on current market operations or other market information go to www.brattleborowinterfarmersmarket.org, or sign up for our newsletter. Order Monday through Thursday morning for Curbside Pick up from the Brattleboro Winter Farmers' Market.
The Brattleboro Winter Farmers’ Market is home to a diverse mix of market vendors bringing local farm produce, meats, syrup, fresh baked goods, local cheeses, fruits, cider, pickles, preserves, handmade soaps and artisan crafts.
SNAP/EBT customers can turn $10 into $40 each week through January with market match coupons thanks to grants from NOFA-VT, C&S Wholesale Grocers, New England Grassroots Fund, Brattleboro Savings & Loan, and gifts from caring community members.
Due to COVID19 the market is currently NOT open for in-person shopping. However, you can select from a wide variety of farm products, locally produced foods and other goods from over 20 local producers in one convenient place. While the shopping experience is different, you still go home from your curbside pick up with all the same wonderful local goods market customers are used to!
For more information, visit their website at https://www.brattleborowinterfarmersmarket.org
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Community Conversations with Representative Emilie Kornheiser
Saturday, February 20th, 2021, Online. 10am.
Please register in advance for this meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZEtce-grD4rGNxo9FEE3R8zKpRSj_qBTz03 . After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
Rep Emilie Kornheiser hosts Community Conversations every Saturday. The zoom room will open at 10am and I hope you can join. We’ll discuss what matters for our community and the type of government that will best represent you and your needs. Open conversation format-- come for the full hour or just stop by for a few minutes to share a particular concern or question.
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UPCOMING EVENTS
Seeing and Disrupting Racism
presented by the Peace & Justice Center
Monday, February 22nd, 2021, Online. 6pm-8pm.
Suggested fee is $10 for Vermonters, $15 from those out of state. No one will be turned away for lack of funds. Those under 25 are not expected to contribute financially. Not sure if you should pay less, nothing, or more? View our Sliding Scale document on the registration form to choose an amount that feel appropriate to you.
This introductory-level workshop defines racism and white fragility, explores how white fragility perpetuates racism, and challenges participants to consider what steps they can take to disrupt racism at every level. This workshop was developed for predominantly white audiences, but all are welcome. Space is limited, registration is required (register below). These workshops are not recorded.
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Panel Discussion: Recovering Black History in NH
hosted by Historical Society of Cheshire County, Warner Historical Society and Monadnock Center for History and Culture
Monday, February 22nd, 2021, Online. 6pm-8pm. Please click HERE to register.
Three NH historical organizations, in partnership with the NH Black Heritage Trail of Portsmouth, have embarked upon a research and documentation project to recover black history in their respective counties. Join the Historical Society of Cheshire County (Keene), the Monadnock Center for History and Culture (Peterborough), the Warner Historical Society, and the NH Black Heritage Trail (Portsmouth) to learn more about their projects.
Each organization is in a different stage of their work. Each organization is seeking virtual volunteers to assist them with documenting the lives of black individuals and families living in Cheshire, Hillsborough, and Merrimack Counties. All of the results from this multi-year project will be used to create new educational programming and to assist NH educators in their efforts to integrate more black local history into their curriculum.
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Vermont Food Bank Food Drop
hosted by the Putney Foodshelf
Thursday, February 25th, 2021
Thursday, March 25th, 2021
Thursday, April 22nd, 2021
Thursday, May 27th, 2021
Thursday, June 24th, 2021 at Putney Meadows (17 Carol Brown Way, Putney, VT 05346). 9:30am-10:15am. Everyone is welcome. No questions asked!
The Vermont Foodbank will be bringing food to Putney. There will be lots of produce along with other nonperishable food. The Vermont Foodbank truck will park on the side of the road in the big U (Alice Holway Drive).
Drivers: Shoppers will stay in their cars until called. Until further notice, shoppers can pick up for no more than two households.
Walkers: Stay tuned for instructions.
If you have never participated in this before, volunteers will be available to explain how it works!
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Author Damon Centola Discusses “Change: How to Make Big Things Happen”
presented by The Living Earth Action Group
Friday, February 26th, 2021, Online. 5pm-6:30pm. To join this call, email [email protected]. Guy will send you the link on the morning of the talk. To receive the Living Earth News, email [email protected].
The Living Earth Action Group presents Dr. Damon Centola to speak about his new groundbreaking book, Change: How to Make Big Things Happen. Dr. Centola went for his undergrad at SIT and Marlboro, making many lasting friends in the area. He and his wife and baby have recently moved back to Vermont.
Centola's new book Change: How to Make Big Things Happen promises to be a very important. LEAG member Cheryl Charles, a change-maker for many decades and founder of the Children and Nature network, https://www.childrenandnature.org says Change is one of the most important books she has read! Cheryl and I are happy to say it is also very readable, with some surprising conclusions! I highly recommend it to all of us who are engaged in making serious change in our world. Watch Damon give an exciting 3-minute description of what he has discovered: https://youtu.be/hFijjJmndG8.
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Red Cross Blood Drive at the Winston Prouty Campus
Saturday, February 27th, 2021
Saturday, March 27th, 2021
Saturday, April 17th, 2021
Saturday, May 22nd, 2021
Saturday, June 26th, 2021
Saturday, July 24th, 2021
Saturday, August 28th, 2021
Saturday, September 25th, 2021
Saturday, October 23rd, 2021
Saturday, November 27th, 2021
Saturday, December 18th, 2021 at the Winston Prouty Center for Child and Family Development (Austine Drive, Brattleboro, VT, 05301). 9am-3pm. To help make these events possible by volunteering, please contact Lisa Whitney at [email protected].
Winston Prouty and the American Red Cross are hosting monthly blood drives throughout 2021.The Red Cross has over 135 years of experience providing humanitarian aid including more than 75 years of supplying blood to those in need. Each pint of blood we collect can help save up to three lives and will touch the lives of so many more. What a great way to pay it forward and make an impact on people in our community and across the country.
You can participate by donating blood or by volunteering to help support the event (set-up/clean-up, registration, parking, etc).
Sign up to DONATE blood here:
https://www.redcrossblood.org/give.html/drive-results?zipSponsor=
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All We Can Save Book Discussion with 350 Brattleboro
Saturday, February 27th, 2021, Online. 3pm-4:30pm.
Pre-registration required. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. Come early at 2:30 pm for extra time to mingle.
Join 350 Brattleboro and friends for a discussion of the book All We Can Save: Truth, Courage, and Solutions for the Climate Crisis. Read parts or all & stay tuned for which essays we will feature. Come with your ideas & inspiration, and we'll discuss ways we can take action locally!
Thank you to Nancy Braus and Everyone's Books for offering 25% off of print copies of the book!
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Speaking Up: Histories of American Protest and Activism (Part of the 2021 Virtual Winter Lecture Series)
presented by Historic Deerfield
Sunday, February 28th, 2021 at 3pm
Sunday, March 28th, 2021 at 3pm
Gain access here: zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_4eJ8JhtvSc2UsQkgsZ2M7g. Free, registration is required. This lecture series will be presented live via Zoom webinar. The link to the webinar will be sent to registrants prior to the event. Webinars will be recorded and available to registrants for viewing for two weeks after the live event.
Protest and dissent are an integral part of American political and cultural identity. Join us this winter for three virtual webinars devoted to exploring vibrant, lesser-known histories of American activism including the radical abolition movement of the 19th century, how women of color transformed the women’s suffrage movement, and the raucous electoral politics of the post-Civil War era.
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Coffee with Coffey
Sunday, March 7th, 2021, Online. 3pm-4pm.
You can access the Zoom HERE.
The legislative session begins on January 6th and if you live in my district please join me Sundays for "Coffee with Coffey" 3pm-4pm over Zoom. These monthly coffee hours (held on the first Sunday of each month) are as a way to stay connected with the issues and our neighbors. I will share my priorities for the coming session, answer questions and listen to your ideas and concerns. If you cannot make it to a coffee hour please don't hesitate to get in touch by phone or email.
Hope to see you! Be well and take good care,
Sara Coffey
State Representative
Windham-1/Guilford & Vernon
email: [email protected]
home phone: 802-257-0288
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Blues Legacies and Black Feminism: Gertrude “Ma” Rainey, Bessie Smith, and Billie Holliday by Angela Y. Davis
presented by the Pioneer Valley Project Racial Justice Book Group
Monday, March 8th, 2021,
Monday March 22nd, 2021
Monday April 12th, 2021
Monday, April 26th, 2021, Online. 7pm-8:30pm.
The book group is free for PVP members. We request a $25 donation (or other amount that works for you) from non-members. Please register here: https://forms.gle/ihScrVQ3Ydjh5ZNm6.
We invite you to join this multi-racial and anti-racist, liberty filled space to learn, share and build community. "From one of this country's most important intellectuals comes a brilliant analysis of the blues tradition that examines the careers of three crucial black women blues singers through a feminist lens. Angela Davis provides the historical, social, and political contexts with which to reinterpret the performances and lyrics of Gertrude "Ma" Rainey, Bessie Smith, and Billie Holiday as powerful articulations of an alternative consciousness profoundly at odds with mainstream American culture."
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I Am…2021: Behind Creation: Discussing the Creative Process
Thursday, March 18th 2021, Online. 7pm.
Please register for this event HERE. For more information and to pre-register, visit vermontartscouncil.org/iam2021. Closed captioning will be provided for these events. We invite you to contact us with specific accommodations you need to facilitate your participation in the workshop. We will make every effort to honor your requests when they are made two weeks prior to the event. Contact Michele Bailey, 504/ADA coordinator at [email protected].
Five featured artists take us “behind the scenes” in a discussion of their creative process. Artists will share the good, the bad, the uncomfortable, and more on the journey from conception to completed work.
Nineteen artists from the I am a Vermont Artist series will exhibit work in our new online gallery from Feb. 16 through April 30, and on the third Thursday of each month we will host a Zoom gathering so that audiences can engage with the artists directly.
The virtual exhibit will consist of a group gallery with select work from each featured artist and individual galleries with up to five pieces from an artist.
Part of the Vermont Art Council’s mission is to expand access to the arts for all people, regardless of background. Vermont is not often thought of as a diverse state, but people of every stripe call this place home, and the different experiences they bring make our communities rich and vibrant.
To celebrate Vermont’s diversity and deepen our state’s creative identity, the Council began publishing the I am a Vermont Artist interview series in early 2019. Two years on from the series’ launch, the Council has published over 30 interviews with artists, exploring how their creative expressions reflect their experiences of ethnicity, gender identity, religion, disability, or age—and the group continues to grow.
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I Am…2021: The Business of Creativity: Getting Our Work Into the World
Thursday, April 15th, 2021, Online. 7pm. Please register for this event HERE. For more information and to pre-register, visit vermontartscouncil.org/iam2021. Closed captioning will be provided for these events. We invite you to contact us with specific accommodations you need to facilitate your participation in the workshop. We will make every effort to honor your requests when they are made two weeks prior to the event. Contact Michele Bailey, 504/ADA coordinator at [email protected].
Five featured artists discuss how they bring business and strategy to their creativity. Left brain meets right brain in this conversation about the partnership between art and the business of making art.
Nineteen artists from the I am a Vermont Artist series will exhibit work in our new online gallery from Feb. 16 through April 30, and on the third Thursday of each month we will host a Zoom gathering so that audiences can engage with the artists directly.
The virtual exhibit will consist of a group gallery with select work from each featured artist and individual galleries with up to five pieces from an artist.
Part of the Vermont Art Council’s mission is to expand access to the arts for all people, regardless of background. Vermont is not often thought of as a diverse state, but people of every stripe call this place home, and the different experiences they bring make our communities rich and vibrant.
To celebrate Vermont’s diversity and deepen our state’s creative identity, the Council began publishing the I am a Vermont Artist interview series in early 2019. Two years on from the series’ launch, the Council has published over 30 interviews with artists, exploring how their creative expressions reflect their experiences of ethnicity, gender identity, religion, disability, or age—and the group continues to grow.
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RESEARCH STUDY OPPORTUNITY
Research Study: Intimate Partner Violence Seeking Participants
Please contact Anna at 802.275.4505 (talk to text) or email [email protected]. inquiries and participation are confidential.
Looking for women (cis an trans) and non-binary femme people 18 years and older with experiences of intimate partner violence who are willing to share their story and vision for an end to violence. Abuse must have occurred in rural New England to be eligible. Includes: Short questionnaire and 60 minute audio-recorded interview via phone or Zoom.
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COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS
Petition: Invest in Community Support, Not Psychiatric Incarceration!
At a time of deep public reckoning over the harm done by punitive and carceral institutions, from Black Lives Matter to Britney Spears and Paris Hilton, a massive expansion of the most punitive and the most carceral elements of Vermont's mental health infrastructure (namely: restraint, seclusion and forced drugging) is precisely the wrong direction to be going. We need to shift resources away from this infrastructure and toward housing and community supports. This petition is directed to the Vermont Legislative Joint Fiscal Office, Vermont House Committees on Appropriations on Healthcare, Corrections, and Institutions.
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From State Representative Emilie Kornheiser:
The legislative session begins on January 6th and I will be sworn in remotely from the same spot in my house that I’ve been sitting since we came home on March 13th, 2020. I’m glad we made the decision to continue remotely for the sake of our community’s health and the health of all the incredible people who work to support the legislative process. Unfortunately it also means that our work will be slower, less collaborative, and good compromise might often be hard to reach.
The renewed transparency makes it almost worth the awkwardness: you have more opportunities to follow our work without driving up the highway! You can watch any committee hearings or floor sessions via youtube (here) and testifying is easier. If there is an issue that you’re knowledgeable about— either because of your life experience or your work— please let me know. I also know that figuring out what’s happening in the legislature is a full time job and you probably have some other things to do. To keep you updated:
- I’ll be hosting weekly conversations registration link here);
- Unpacking legislation with Olga Peters on the Montpelier Happy Hour each Friday; and
- Sending out regular newsletters as well as updating my social media feeds.
Please let me know if there is a topic of particular interest to you and I’ll do my best to keep you informed.
Please keep in mind, too, I’m still available for help navigating any services (or lack) with you: unemployment insurance, housing challenges, health care. I know that it’s really hard right now, and I’m humbled to be right here in it with all of you. Call, email, message my website-- whatever works.
All my contact information and links can be found at emiliekornheiser.org
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COMMUNITY SUPPORT OPPORTUNITIES
LGTBQIA+ Resources via Out in the Open
Out in the Open is offering a lot of resources & virtual spaces for rural LGBTQ folks in this time, friends. We have a Community Care Offers & Asks list, and a list of Rural New England Mutual Aid opportunities, with specific resource links for LGBTQ and QTPOC folks. Out in the Open also has a Slack channel for rural LGBTQ folks to share resources and connect outside of social media. Email [email protected] for more information.
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120 Birge Street Collective
The 120 Birge St. collective is a group of local artist/musician/poets/builders etc that have been sharing a collective art/music space in one of the old Estey buildings. It has been a wild year; Winter is on it's way and although there are so many causes we all need to be giving to in this world, we could definitely use a bit of help to keep our space alive and come out the other side of this all ready to host and promote and foster and keep the lights and heat on! People can donate via Venmo @minions. Thanks for your consideration/support!
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Rise Fund
The RISE fund (Resilience and Independence in State of Emergency) was created to help people with disabilities remain as independent as possible during the COVID-19 pandemic. Since everyone’s situation is unique, the program was designed to be broad and flexible. The fund can only be used for needs that are directly related to the pandemic, and the cost must be reasonable. If you lost your job and now have bills or other needs you can’t pay for, RISE may be able to help. The fund may be used for:
- Computers for telehealth and remote learning.
- Cleaning supplies for staying healthy.
- Utility payments.
- Other equipment and services to mitigate isolation.
You may apply by contacting us using the information below. There are no income requirements and no co-pays. The maximum amount is $2,500. The RISE fund was created with money from CARES Act grants, and the program will end on Sept. 30, 2021, or sooner if all the money is spent.
For more information, contact the RISE Fund: 1-800-639-1522 or [email protected]
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Social Justice Resources
ROOT SOCIAL JUSTICE CENTER MUTUAL AID & SUPPORTIVE NETWORK
The Root Social Justice Center is collecting a list of contacts and resources to help support and assist with the needs of their Root community members. Join if you are in need or are able to help.
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COVID 19 RESOURCES: VERMONT
CURRENT COVID19 CASE INFORMATION as of 12pm, February 12th, 2021
New cases: 162 (10,612 total) (+55(!) from last week)
Currently Hospitalized: 47 (-8)
Hospitalized in ICU: 11 (-6)
Hospitalized Under Investigation: 2 (-7)
Deaths: 189 (+8)
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Covid 19 Pop-Up Testing
Testing is available for all.
If you need testing, there are a variety of options available to you: your primary care provider, pop-up test sites and pharmacies. The Test Site Finder below can help you find other testing near you.
HEALTH DEPARTMENT POP-UP TESTING LOCATIONS
Here are the steps to set up a testing appointment at a pop-up testing site:
- Register to get an account
- Receive an email with your patient ID and use that to confirm your account (check your spam folder if you don't see the email)
- Log in with your patient ID
- Set up an appointment
Register for Pop-Up Testing Here
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NEW COVID 19 VACCINE INFORMATION
Covid Vaccine Sites in Vermont
Fellow Vermont resident Wendy Rice has compiled a map with basic registration information for all places in the state where you can get a COVID-19 Vaccination. If you click on a pinhead for particular location, you will get the address, the link to register, information about transportation, ASL, ESL resources and qualifications.
*Please note this information is all from the Vermont Department of Health, compiled into one map.
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COVID-19 Vaccination Expands to Vermonters Age 70 and Older on February 16
Starting 8:15 a.m. on Tuesday, February 16, people in Vermont who are age 70 and older will be able to make their appointment to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.
Going online to healthvermont.gov/MyVaccine is the fastest way to make an appointment, and there are enough slots at sites throughout Vermont for everyone who is eligible. Once at the MyVaccine website, people are asked to create an account. Vermonters age 70 and older can then log in to make their appointment.
The Health Department reports that more than 33,500 people in the 75 and older age group have made appointments to be vaccinated. Approximately 19,000 Vermonters in that age group have received at least their first dose.
Everyone can create an account now, but people who are newly eligible (age 70-74) must wait until Tuesday to make their appointment for vaccination. People 75 and older do not need to wait to make appointments.
If you already have an account because you were tested for COVID-19 through a Health Department site, use the same account to make your appointment. Family members and friends are encouraged to assist their loved ones with the online system as needed.
Vaccination sites are available around the state, and people can choose a nearby location when making their appointment. In addition, Walgreens has now joined Kinney Drugs as a participating pharmacy and is administering vaccine in 20 locations. To make an appointment at Walgreens, visit healthvermont.gov/MyVaccine or go directly to its website at walgreens.com.
Anyone who is unable to make their appointment online, or who needs to speak with someone in a language other than English can call 855-722-7878. The call center is open Monday to Friday 8:15 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
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Vermont will follow new CDC guidance for vaccinated people exposed to someone with COVID-19
Health Commissioner Mark Levine said at Friday’s press conference that Vermont will follow CDC’s new guidance for people who have been fully vaccinated and are exposed to someone with COVID-19.
The CDC says these people do not need to quarantine, as long as they:
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- Are fully vaccinated (had two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine and two weeks have
passed)
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- Are within 3 months of receiving the second dose of the vaccine
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- Have not had any COVID-19 symptoms since the exposure.
“This means that if you fit these criteria – meaning first and foremost that you have been vaccinated – and you come into contact with a COVID-positive person, you no longer need to quarantine,” Dr. Levine said. “There is an exception, however, for vaccinated inpatients and residents in healthcare settings — they still need to quarantine.”
“I can share today that Vermont will follow this new guidance about quarantine. This is great news, and shows we believe vaccination not only protects you from getting infected in those 90 days but also that you won’t be able to spread the virus either,” Dr. Levine said.
He emphasized, however, that we are not yet making any changes to travel-related quarantine for fully vaccinated people.
“We are being thoughtful about it and exploring its impact,” he said.
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Free In-Home Covid19 Testing
sponsored by United Way of Windham County
People who are in need of a covid test and do not have transportation should call VT Public Transit at 802-442-0629 or toll free at 1-833-387-7200. VT Transit will contact your provider to confirm and get necessary info. They are using an ambulance service thru VT Department of Health which will do FREE IN-HOME testing and then transport your specimen to a local lab. VT Transit takes initial info and contacts the local EMS and VDH.
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Statewide Mutual Aid
organized by Brenda for Vermont
Localized Mutual Aid has been organized in Brattleboro and Putney and hyper local neighborhoods in Marlboro. If your community does not have mutual aid or you can't find it, please sign up to volunteer or if you are in need of help. All of us will likely be on the side of being able to help and needing help at times. Please don't hesitate to ask for help.
Sign up here if you would like to help your neighbors or are in need of help:https://www.brendaforvermont.com/cms/help-your-neighbor/
The links below will take you directly to the mutual aid forms.
To Volunteer: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfkRnbDKtNX_SacVaHWPyIAnsSXDGLsDMZE8vys25nzTgUo5A/viewform
If You Need Help: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfw7gg12KNq6n4s7SDUxf1ghMx-0MD3S0RCWQtxqmPTJQI8QA/viewform
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Online Religious Services
All Souls U.U. Sunday Services
Sunday Mornings at 10am.
To get the current information on an upcoming service or vespers check the All Souls web page at www.ascvt.org.
FREE HEALTHY AND NUTRITIOUS FOOD IN WINDHAM COUNTY
Brigid’s Kitchen, St. Michael’s Church, 47 Walnut Street, Brattleboro 802-254-6800 or 802-558-6072
Grab-and-go lunches and fruit/nuts on Mon, Weds, Thus, and Sat, 11:30am-12:20pm.
Loaves and Fishes, Centre Congregational Church 193 Main Street, Brattleboro (802) 254-4730
Grab-and-go lunches on Tuesdays and Fridays at 12pm.
VT Foodbank and Veggie Van Go will be at Brattleboro Union High School (Fairground Ave, Brattleboro, VT, 05301), in the parking lot, on the 1st and 3rd Monday of the month, from 10am-11:30am. Drive up, touchless pickup. Walkers welcome, too. Call VT 211 for more information.
Foodworks, the food shelf program of the Groundworks Collaborative https://groundworksvt.org (802) 490-2412, [email protected]
Households in need of food are asked to call or email to coordinate delivery. There is an urgent need for volunteers, and Foodworks has set up protocols to keep staff, volunteers, and clients as safe as possible. Please email us at [email protected] if you are able to help.
Guilford Food Pantry
Every Thursday at the BBCC (3940 Guilford Center Road, Guilford, VT, 05301). 5pm-6pm.
We know that supplemental food can make such a big difference in one's budget. That is why we are stocking our shelves for our neighbors. All are welcome to come and take home fresh produce, staples, meat, dairy. Guilford Cares welcomes anyone in need of supplemental food for themselves or their families.
Everyone Eats! at the C.F Building (80 Flat Street, Brattleboro, VT, 05301). 4pm-6pm. Masks required. PLEASE DO NOT ARRIVE EARLY. If you have any questions visit https://www.brattleboro.com/everyoneeats/ or contact Frances Huntley [email protected]. Organizational ordering information is listed under our Free and Nutritious Food in Windham County section further along in this email.
Everyone Eats! is a program which will distribute meals from Brattleboro restaurants to anyone in need who lives in Brattleboro, Dummerston, Guilford, Putney, or Vernon, free of charge, Monday-Thursday through June 2021.
Pick up for individuals will be at the C.F. Church Building at 80 Flat St in Brattleboro and group/institution orders can be picked up at Mama Sezz in West Brattleboro. All meals are available Monday-Thursday between 4pm and 6pm until supplies run out.
If you have extra produce from your garden, there will be a wheelbarrow you can drop it off in on your way out of the pickup site. Participating restaurants will use the donated produce in making more meals.
The meals are free, but if you would like to make a monetary contribution to help make more meals possible for others, it will be gratefully received. The base cost of each meal is $10 but any amount will be appreciated.
Each restaurant will contribute meals two or more days a week. You will receive one individually packaged cold ready-to-eat or heat & serve dinner for each person you request a meal for. Meals will be distributed cold, so if you are driving a distance, delivering to other households, or distributing through your organization, consider bringing a cooler if you can.
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Food Discount Programs
Food Resources at Brattleboro Food Coop
Our Shareholder Assistance Grant supports community members who could not otherwise afford to be a Shareholder at the Co-op. It covers $60 of the $80 cost of a Brattleboro Co-op Share. By joining the Co-op and paying the remaining $20 over the course of a year, a community member can enjoy all the benefits of being a Co-op Shareholder and qualify for our 10% Food for All discount. https://www.brattleborofoodcoop.coop/join/become-a-shareholder/shareholder-assistance-grant/
Food for All is our needs-based discount program. It gives eligible Shareholders a 10% discount on all food at the Co-op, with a few exceptions (such as alcohol). Food for All can apply to anyone that fits the criteria - WIC, 3 Squares Vermont, SSI, EBT, referral letter from a local organization. https://www.brattleborofoodcoop.coop/shop/food-for-all-program/
Contact the Shareholder Services department at the Brattleboro Food Co-op for assistance at 802-246-2821 or [email protected]
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Vermont WIC is Responding to Covid 19
We are moving to phone appointments to align with social distancing efforts. If you have opted in to email and text notifications, you will receive important program updates, including information about local office hours and changes in operations. Our website will be kept up-to-date as well. Contact your local office with any questions about breastfeeding, nutrition or shopping. Call 1-800-649-4357 or email [email protected] with any questions about WIC nutrition services and enrollment.
P-EBT (Pandemic EBT) is Available in VT
Many families in Vermont were notified that they would be receiving a food benefit called Pandemic EBT (or P-EBT). P-EBT is loaded on a card and can be used to purchase the groceries at many grocers and farmers markets. If you have school-aged kids, contact your school district to apply for free school meals. If approved, you'll automatically receive P-EBT.
If you’ve already received P-EBT and also participate in WIC, use your WIC benefits first, as WIC benefits do not rollover month-to-month. dcf.vermont.gov/press-releases/P-EBT
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ADDITIONAL COVID 19 RESOURCES CAN BE FOUND AT THEIR PERMANENT HOME ON OUR WEBSITE, HERE: https://www.wecantogether.net/covid19_resources
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RESOURCE FOR WeCAN
Rapid Response Text Alert System
When WeCAN began, Song & Solidarity set up a Rapid Response Text Alert System for WeCAN Groups. Directions for signing up are on WeCAN's website, here: https://www.wecantogether.net/rapid_response. We are grateful to Song and Solidarity for providing this service.
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ONGOING EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING
Indigo Radio
Sundays at 12pm on Brattleboro Community Radio 107.7FM. To stream live, visit: www.wvew.org
Indigo Radio, deepening understanding and making connections! IndigoRadio is a group of area educators seeking to learn through engaging with others in our community and throughout the world. We will be talking about educational and social issues both globally and locally and connecting them to our lives and Brattleboro community. Find us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/indigoradiowvew/. For archive recordings of past shows: https://soundcloud.com/user-654648353.
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Have a great week, WeCAN Community. We hope to see you at an event soon!
Your Friendly WeCAN Admins,
Joanna and Sam
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