TLS Brochure 2016 by Bard College

TLS 2016 Trustee Leader Scholar Program

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND SOCIAL ACTION

Bard

At Common Ground Farm in Wappingers Falls, New York, our farm manager asks us to take a step back. It’s getting dark. We’ve just washed thousands upon thousands of turnips; there are mounds and mounds of green, white, and pink. Washing our hands has made Sarah so cold she begins running across the field. But it isn’t the cold we take home, or the turnips, the cabbages, the radishes. It is the heat of community being built that keeps our hands from freezing off. AMELIA LEEYA GOLDSTEIN ’17, HARVESTING JUSTICE

Front cover image: Sister Cities Project presentation to Red Hook Town Board 2

Theme for the Year: Critical Thinking Is Not Criticism Critical thinking is the intellectually disciplined process of actively and skillfully conceptualizing, applying, analyzing, synthesizing, and/or evaluating information gathered from, or generated by, observation, experience, reflection, reasoning, or communication, as a guide to belief and action. The National Council for Excellence in Critical Thinking

I know many students who are expert at analysis and have a knack for finding the gaps, the limitations, the discrepancies, the exaggerations, the deficiencies in a text. They come armed with theoretical and historical bullets, ready to shoot holes through ideas. These students know how to say “no,” “it doesn’t add up,” “I recoil from his assumptions,” “her reasoning turns me off.” These students understand “critical thinking” to mean “criticism,” and they are brilliant at it. They can leave whole disciplines tattered and falling from their bindings. However, when it comes time to actually shape the world, they find themselves without very much ammunition. I do not want to minimize the importance of saying “no.” No can end abuse. No can halt wars. But “no” does not create a “guide to belief and action.” No does not bake the bread. No does not build the roads. No does not create fair housing. No does not write effective policy. No does not invite outsiders to the table. The rich definition of critical thinking at the top of the page is an exquisite marriage of mental and muscular processes. Put simply, critical thinking is engagement, a combination of reflection and action. For those of us who are athletes, musicians, artists, carpenters, mechanics, and cooks, analyzing and acting are simultaneous experiences. For the basketball player, the jazz musician, the cook, passing a ball or wailing on a horn or chopping vegetables is not separate from the understanding of why drop back into the key against a fast break, how to stay on rhythm, or what makes taste. The skilled person has learned by the disciplined process of conceptualizing, synthesizing, analyzing, and evaluating how to produce three-point baskets, soaring melodies, and pots of stew.

A wall leading into Mas’ha in the West Bank

We consider TLS a kitchen. We cook pots of rich social action stew. When thousands marched on Washington, it was not only to criticize. Martin Luther King Jr. could have simply said, “It is obvious that America has defaulted on this promissory note insofar as her citizens of color are concerned. Instead of honoring this sacred obligation, America has given the Negro people a bad check, a check which has come back marked ‘insufficient funds’. . . .” This is certainly a reasoned observation, and fulfills the first half of the critical thinking equation. This alone would have been a strong statement of belief. But he did not stop there. “I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight, and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together.” It will be revealed and we will make it good. And we will make it so. It is we who will make it so. It is we who will make it so. Certainly critique and its cousin irony have a place at the table. We know great art and literature employ shadow, parody, and edgy twists of fate.

For example, Randy Newman’s “Short People” and “Sail Away” beautifully lampoon bigotry. But irony has limits. Taken as a whole, a great piece of art is an act of making, not essentially an act of cynicism. Cynicism is hopeless, the end of dreams. “Every hill and molehill in Mississippi” is an MLK image playing at the edge of irony. But the sentiment was not ironic because he said, “Let freedom ring from every hill and molehill in Mississippi.” MLK understood world making. From John Dewey we learn to cross-fertilize science, philosophy, and democratic practice. Evidence is always at the heart of the matter. Sifting and sorting and weighing, combining and collecting. But then we must plan and act. Sorting alone just leaves us with piles of words. For Dewey and for us in TLS the next step, once the sorting and observing and the hypothesizing is done, is the action, the experiment, the work, the cleanup, the construction, the meal. I wish everyone believed in fairness and equity, in kindness and generosity as primary guides to action. Like one of my heroes, Cornel West, I wish the fuel for all the action on the planet was love. My deepest hopes rest with love. But everyone must come to their beliefs on their own. Everyone must do his or her own conceptualizing, applying, analyzing, synthesizing, and/or evaluating information gathered from, or generated by, observation, experience, reflection, reasoning, or communication. We who have the skills for disciplined observation, we must not relinquish the material world to the greedy uninformed, the intellectually undisciplined, the cynically self-motivated. I do not mean the intellectuals should be doing all the deciding and making! Far from it. I believe everyone should be a critical thinker. The farmer, the mechanic, the plumber, the cook, the engineer, the doctor, the mathematician, the soldier, the mother, the teacher, the road builder—everyone should be obligated to observe, reason, and evaluate their work, to modulate their actions in a constant state of reflection so that their beliefs align with the evidence. We must not only be critics. We must be makers. Paul Marienthal Director, Trustee Leader Scholar Program

Theme for the Year | 5

Race Monologues organized by TLS students

Trustee Leader Scholar Program The Trustee Leader Scholar Program (TLS) of Bard College supports undergraduate and leadership development in the context of hands-on, studentinitiated community engagement projects. What is TLS? The Trustee Leader Scholar Program is the formal civic engagement and leadership development program for undergraduate students at Bard College. TLS supports the liberal arts mission of enlightened citizenship: personal development in the context of community building. Who is in TLS? Every Bard student is eligible to apply to TLS, and TLS students come from every academic discipline on campus. Approximately 40 undergraduates participate in the program at any given time, and most TLS students remain actively involved in the program throughout their college careers. What do TLS students do? TLS students design and implement social action projects based on their own compelling interests. For example, they run poetry-writing programs in local youth detention centers; build biodiesel processors on campus; run summer camps for Palestinian children in the West Bank; provide regular ESL sessions to non-English speakers who live locally; mentor young men of color from underserved communities in the Hudson Valley; and act as teachers’ aides in rebuilding New Orleans. TLS students write extensive proposals, budgets, and personal accounts of their activities. They meet one-on-one with program administrators and attend workshops to explore issues in social action, public speaking, and facilitation. TLS students also raise their own funds, and many become proficient letter-writing campaign organizers. What makes TLS special? Many colleges provide volunteer and community service opportunities. Bard is one of the few that puts substantial resources and trust behind student-led initiatives. Students must initiate the work. The fundamental criterion for accepting a project is that it must contribute positively to the world and challenge the student—organizationally, ethically, politically, and emotionally.

Trustee Leader Scholar Program | 7

What are some key values in TLS? TLS addresses the issues of paternalism and privilege that are stirred up by the notion of “helping others.” Students are encouraged to read widely about oppression, identify their own motivations and needs, and experiment with ways of organizing that treat other people as partners, not passive recipients. We try hard to strike a balance between inward reflection, societal awareness, and compassionate action. TLS projects are hard. They force students to reflect critically about participation in the world, and develop beliefs based on real world engagement with others. TLS considers this life training. We also say “yes” a lot. What is the ultimate goal of TLS? TLS strives to put into the world capable, sensitive adults who have the ability to generate, plan, fund, and implement large-scale projects that matter and that influence environments humanely. Many TLS students leave Bard capable of creating their own nonprofit organizations. A number of important College initiatives began as student projects in the TLS Program, including the Bard Prison Initiative, Bard Early College in New Orleans, and the award-winning Spanish-language magazine La Voz. How does TLS differ from similar programs? TLS is a leadership development program, not a community service office. TLS students do not earn academic credit for their efforts; for their participation, TLS program members receive stipends and transcript recognition. Separating TLS work from the academic calendar allows participating students to design and implement ambitious civic engagement projects spanning multiple years. TLS recognizes that organizing a major project while completing Bard’s rigorous academic requirements is a demanding load, and is not for everyone. It is worth noting, however, that many TLS students have said, “My project was the most important thing I did in college.” How do you apply to the TLS Program? TLS applications are considered on a rolling, year-round basis. The best way to start the process is to talk with TLS staff members, who are always open to hearing the words, “I have a TLS project.” Students are encouraged to consider TLS from the moment they arrive on campus. How can you help if you are not a Bard student? Making contacts and building networks are crucial to success. TLS flourishes because of the enthusiasm of Bard students, faculty, and administrators, as well as community members outside of the academic environment who generously give their time, creative energy, and financial support. 8

Current Projects Astor Services for Children and Families Astor Services for Children and Families in Rhinebeck, New York, functions as a school and residential space of rehabilitation, providing mental health services to children who have experienced emotional and/or physical trauma. Bard students become mentors and positive role models for these children, leading a range of activities for two hours each week. Activities are taught in a one-on-one or group setting, and range from theater and cooking to pottery and science projects; the activities depend on the shared interest of the Bard volunteer and Astor student. After working with the children, we meet with the art therapist at Astor for half an hour to discuss the sessions, hold additional trainings, and ask questions. The project serves as an opportunity for children to be part of a safe, fun environment in which they can develop their passions and learn skills. This program helps children who are overcoming obstacles in their lives to feel appreciated, listened to, and acknowledged. Student Leaders: Sophie Green, Ali Steer, Helena Wippick Bard Biodiesel Cooperative The Bard Biodiesel Cooperative makes environmentally friendly fuel from community waste. The co-op works with Chartwells (Bard’s dining hall operator) and local restaurants to acquire waste vegetable oil. The oil is made into biodiesel in our on-campus processor and can be used in place of petrodiesel in vehicles, home furnaces, and farm equipment. Biodiesel is virtually carbon neutral and emits fewer particulate emissions than petrodiesel. Members of the cooperative not only receive a share of the fuel, but also a hands-on education in biodiesel processing. We also provide vegetable oil to the Victory Bus Project, which offers transportation to New York City families to visit members in prison upstate. Student Leader: Emmet Mahdavi Bard Branches Community Center Bard Branches is a comprehensive after-school and community engagement project. We provide tutoring, mentoring, and creative education programs for middle school students in Germantown, New York. Bard Branches engages a number of other Bard TLS projects and clubs in its mission to provide alternative creative education programs to students who otherwise wouldn’t have access to after-school education opportunities. In addition to our work in the schools, we organize community events to connect Bard students with local families. Student Leaders: Sylvia Estes and Samantha Lagville-Graham Current Projects | 9

BardBuilds BardBuilds was founded on the belief that physical structures can have an immense impact on the quality of an individual’s or community’s life. We work with communities on and off campus to democratize the design and construction processes of spaces that affect them. This project gives Bard students interested in urban planning and architecture the opportunity to step outside of the classroom and engage practically with theories they’ve learned, while providing local organizations with help they need. Students interested in architecture work with members of Bard’s faculty and staff to improve the infrastructure on campus and give voice to student needs. Those interested in urban planning work with the planning office of the City of Kingston, New York, to develop a master plan for the city for 2025. Students interested in sustainable living work with the Long Spoon Collective in Saugerties, New York, to further develop the off-grid housing and farming community. The work includes designing models and drawing sketches, constructing “tiny” homes, collecting data on zoning laws and city components, mapping (drafting and digital), writing grants, and community organizing. Student leaders organize on-campus workshops to train other students in these practical abilities so that they approach our local communities with specific planning and design skills. Student Leader: Nicolas Shannon Bard College Community Garden The Bard College Community Garden, a haven for agricultural enthusiasts since 1997, will be used to demonstrate permaculture design, which addresses food scarcity, diminishing space, and soil depletion, and uses nature’s biological processes to create regenerative, long-term food systems. This project is intended for Bard students, faculty, and staff, as well as members of neighboring communities. Workshops will be held on a variety of topics including natural building, herbal healing, and diverse methods of plant care. The ultimate goal is for the garden to serve as a hub for sustainable and conscious living practices for Bard and the greater community and to connect sustainable food systems to the local disenfranchised populace. Administrative Contact: Paul Marienthal Bard Math Circle The Bard Math Circle is a mathematics enrichment program for upper elementary and middle school students, families, and teachers. We invite students and teachers to the Bard campus and travel to local libraries and schools in order to facilitate a partnership between the College and the surrounding community. Activities such as games, puzzles, and problem sets

BardMUNC, an annual Model United Nations conference at Bard College

are presented to participants in an enthusiastic and encouraging manner, allowing students, educators, and volunteers to explore mathematics outside of the typical school curriculum. Both creative, hands-on approaches and teamwork are highly encouraged, introducing a stimulating community aspect to a subject often thought to be dull and isolating. The Bard Math Circle bridges the gap between academic and recreational mathematics; critical thinking skills learned with us are applicable both at school and in general. Learn more at: bardmathcircle.org. Student Leaders: Jessica Liu and Rachel Nalecz Bard Model United Nations Initiative The Bard Model United Nations Initiative (BMUNI) strives to assist in the establishment, development, organization, and education of Model United Nations projects in the local area and throughout all of the Bard campuses. Locally, BMUNI works closely with students and faculty at Red Hook High School, Germantown High School, and Rhinebeck High School, where students meet on a regular basis to learn how to write foreign policy position papers, research and discuss international current affairs, and become confident public speakers. Teams attend conferences and engage in an

Current Projects | 11

expansive discourse with hundreds of other schools, drafting resolutions to solve the world’s most pressing international crises. Globally, BMUNI works within the Bard Network to establish Model UN projects, including teams on other Bard Network campuses as well as academic simulations of international bodies. An annual Model United Nations conference at Bard College, BardMUNC, is run collaboratively by Bard students, Bardaffiliated students, and Red Hook High School students. BMUNI aspires to increase knowledge regarding the international community and promote conversations about international issues. Student Leaders: John Templeton Kay and Jason Toney Bard Palestinian Youth Initiative The Bard Palestinian Youth Initiative (BPYI) is founded upon the belief that constructive civil engagement, cultural exchange, and education are fundamental means to changing the situation on the ground in the Palestinian territories. Every year, 20 Bard College students travel to Mas’ha, a small village in the West Bank where, in partnership with the local community, they run children’s summer camps and community engagement projects, teach English classes, and join in cultural discourse. The only entirely student-run Palestinian engagement program in the United States, BPYI is part of the Sister Cities Project working to establish relationships that are grounded in a dialogue of artistic expression. Student Leaders: Renad Bdair, Jordana Rubenstein-Edberg, Ameer Shalabi Bard Prison Initiative Volunteers The Bard Prison Initiative (BPI) creates the opportunity for incarcerated men and women to earn a Bard College degree while serving their sentences. Current Bard undergraduates support BPI by tutoring incarcerated students in a wide range of subjects—including writing, German, Chinese, calculus, and biochemistry. BPI undergraduate tutors are very qualified in their subjects and are constantly bettering their teaching skills through monthly tutoring workshops. BPI and undergraduate volunteers collaborate to sponsor speakers, workshops, and conferences in order to spread campus awareness of the issues of mass incarceration in the United States. Student Leaders: Emily Brown, Moriah Mudd-Kelly, Leo Santoso, Sarah Weiner

“Just stop talking,” one Astor student says to us. “Hey,” the other one jumps to our defense, “these are my friends and you have to be nice to them or else I won’t invite you back again!” HELENA WIPPICK ’16, ASTOR SERVICES FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES

Bard Science Outreach Bard Science Outreach (BSO) is a student-run project that aims to promote science education among middle and high school students in the Hudson Valley region. Each semester, BSO organizes visits from local schools to Bard’s Annandale campus to participate in science experiments in five areas: chemistry, math, physics, biology, and computer science. Bard students and professors lead these experiments. This is a great way for young students to get a real flavor of science, because science is best understood by conducting laboratory experiments. BSO also hosts and participates in many other community activities, such as mentoring students with independent science projects and working with the Citizen Science program or other TLS projects, such as the Bard Math Circle, to develop other outreach opportunities. Bard Science Outreach strives to make science approachable and enjoyable through involvement in scientific activities, and welcomes participation from both science majors and those simply interested in science. Student Leader: Madeleine Breshears Bard Senegal Project Lacking financial and educational opportunities, girls as young as nine years old from Sandiara, Senegal, are sent to distant cities to work as domestic servants, or they are married off. The Bard Senegal Project provides training in practical tailoring and textile manufacturing for the purpose of giving young women an economic role in village life. With sufficient funding, in the summer of 2016, we will build a small and modest community building that will house the sewing factory and provide space for a children’s camp. Student Leaders: Kevin Barbosa and Julia Tinneny Brothers At Bard Brothers At Bard (BAB) is a character-development, peer-mediation mentorship program for young men of color from underserved backgrounds. The program is currently working with 15 high school students between 9th and 12th grades from Kingston, New York. The project is made up of active members of the Brothers At Bard forum group on campus. The members on campus play the role of “big brothers,” or mentors, to the young men in the cohort. Brothers At Bard has the unique ability to empower young men by exposing them not only to successful men of color, but to men of color currently attending a highly selective four-year college. The mentors run a series of character development workshops and team-building activities with the cohort to promote academic excellence and college readiness. Our most important objective is to create a safe space and brotherhood circle among the students to generate a supportive atmosphere for character and

Current Projects | 13

A Brothers At Bard session with high school students in Kingston, New York

identity development. BAB measures each mentee’s growth on a case-bycase basis by tracking improvements in attendance, in behavior, and in the classroom. As a mentoring program, we make sure our mentees are making positive life choices to ensure they continue to live a healthy, successful life they can define for themselves. Student Leaders: Harry A. Johnson and Dariel Vasquez Building Up Hudson Students in Building Up Hudson tutor and mentor high school students in Hudson, New York. We lead workshops catering to career development, college preparation, and college admissions; personal skill building; and positive personal expression. We also raise funds for Building Up Hudson scholarships for eligible high school seniors who could not otherwise afford college. The Building Up Hudson staff, consisting of the college mentor team, publicity squad, and fund-raising committee, is dedicated to the personal and academic growth of the young scholars we work with. We hope to instill values that will foster confidence for impacting the world. Student Leaders: Helen Aracena and Tayler Butler

Child to Child Nepal Bard students work with the Junkiri Community Primary School in Pharping Valley, Nepal. The funds they raise are used to purchase a number of supplies such as school uniforms, backpacks, workbooks, and utensils for the 107 students that attend Junkiri. Bard students travel to Nepal in the summer to work with the students on an academic level, as tutors, and on a physical level, assisting with school repairs and improvements. Student Leader: Isabella Wilcher Community Engagement Arts Project The Community Engagement Arts Project (CEAP) focuses on community art making that supports the process of finding a personal, creative, and empowering voice of expression through visual arts, movement, theater, music, poetry, and play. CEAP members use the arts to interact with children, teens, and adult community members to explore the emotional content of their lives and overcome personal challenges. Members attend on-campus arts workshops led by professional practitioners and educators to equip themselves with the knowledge and confidence to design and implement their own workshops at sites such as Coarc in Mellenville, New York; Camphill Ghent in Chatham, New York; and the Red Hook (New York) and Tivoli (New York) Public Libraries. In addition to engaging in arts programs with communities outside Bard, CEAP seeks to use the arts to build stronger community here at Bard. Student Leaders: Hannah Berger and Nellie Ostow Cuerdas para Cali The members of Cuerdas para Cali (Strings for Cali) believe that music builds strong bridges between people, communities, and countries and helps mitigate important societal issues. We are a group of musicians interested in contextualizing our music education, and using it to inspire youth and build cultural bridges. Each August we travel to Cali, Colombia, and work closely with the Orquesta de Siloé and Foundation Sidoc to teach and collaborate with young musicians living in the slums of Siloé. Our goal is to inspire these children to ignite change not only within themselves but also within their community. Student Leader: Daniel Zlatkin Dream To Achieve Dream To Achieve (DTA) works with at-risk and underresourced students in the Hudson, New York, and Kingston, New York, communities to build a culture of academic achievement, college aspiration, and success. DTA

Current Projects | 15

“Yes, that’s what I said, go ahead and mess with each other,” Paul repeated. The once-tranquil TLS Retreat becomes a room full of college students careening around stealing things, playing with others’ shoelaces, blathering at one another in made-up languages. “There aren’t a lot of places for that at Bard,” I later write. “We could really benefit from having a space for release of our desire to be playful.” Looking back on that moment now, it’s clear to me that was the point: we do have a space for that at Bard, and it’s created in the TLS Program. I don’t mean our office is a place where students gather to roughhouse (not regularly, anyway). It’s actually the inverse: in here we treat the world as the room, and inspire students to chase their impulses and interests within it—to question its walls and its artificial boundaries—and if, after considering it, to envision something better, to tear the walls down, remove the barriers, and create something with more joy in its place. It’s serious play. We are faced with the consequences of being (or not being) social actors in the world and know that reflection and action must always be moving in tandem. At the end of the day, our work, a combination of expression and effort, gives us a much greater sense of satisfaction than if we had only been messing around. CARTER VANDERBILT ’15, TLS FELLOW AND PAST STUDENT LEADER OF THE BARD FOOD INITIATIVE

connects area youth with Bard College students, faculty, and resources on campus through engaging activities, educational opportunities, mentoring relationships, and academic support. Basketball, in particular, is used as a hook to engage students in our year-round programming in their communities and on Bard’s campus. Student Leaders: Shaundraneka Gills and Harry A. Johnson Germantown Tutoring Program College students work closely with teachers in third-, fifth-, and sixth-grade classrooms at the Germantown Central School District. Tutoring in a variety of subjects with diverse teachers allows Bard students to engage in different kinds of classes. The Bard Germantown project is ideal for students interested in teaching, because it allows students to observe and engage in elementary school classrooms on a weekly basis. For the Germantown students, our project presents an opportunity to build relationships with college students who can inspire them to be interested in higher education and learning. Germantown, New York, is an area with an incredible amount of need. The high dropout rate at the school motivates Bard students to lend a hand to the local community. We are impressed by the impassioned and hard-working teachers and happy to give our time to the amazing Germantown kids. Student Leader: Julia Jardine Harvesting Justice Harvesting Justice is a student-run collective that helps up-and-coming farms in the Hudson Valley in tandem with the Freedom Food Alliance and other initiatives to fight institutionalized racism and social injustices. We provide concrete support for small-scale local farms while engaging in conversations around class, race, gender, ability, status, and other aspects of our identity in order to break down stigma around agriculture and do work against institutional barriers of access that are present in the modern food system. We provide weekly opportunities for students to volunteer on and learn from local farms that could use our assistance. We glean food donations for the Victory Bus, a project of the Freedom Food Alliance, which supplies affordable transportation to New York residents who wish to visit their families in prisons upstate while providing complimentary shares of fresh produce for the incarcerated and their families. Student Leaders: Giulia Bambara, Amelia Leeya Goldstein, Luisa Stainback

Current Projects | 17

Nicaragua Education Initiative

Hope in Devereux The Devereux Foundation helps and inspires hope in some of our nation’s most special individuals. It provides a continuum of care for children, adolescents, and adults faced with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Devereux believes that “family engagement is one of the most important building blocks in successful treatment and outcomes.” Our goal is to expand this family by offering these individuals a community of young adults. We volunteer in the closest Devereux site, in Red Hook, New York, and provide patients with homework help, drawing and art experiences, and simple companionship with people their own age living a different kind of life. The work inspires both Bard students and Devereux’s members by providing the experience of relating to very different kinds of people. Student Leader: Britt Shacham La Voz La Voz is a Spanish-language magazine, distributed monthly throughout New York’s Dutchess, Ulster, Orange, and Columbia counties, that elevates the discourse and news coverage accessible to the Spanish-speaking population of the Hudson Valley. This project involves continual dialogue with the communities served by the magazine. La Voz is a critical source of information on immigration law, available health services, legal rights and resources, educational opportunities, and local events relevant to the more than 120,000 Hispanic/Latino area residents (about 90,000 of whom prefer to speak Spanish at home). First-generation Hispanic immigrants depend on La Voz not only for its informative aspects but also for its artistic attributes. Language barriers can be quite difficult to overcome, especially for individuals living in small towns or rural areas. We introduce readers, who are isolated not only by geography but also by language, to a world of arts and information. La Voz is the only publication of its kind in the area. Bard students work directly with editor Mariel Fiori ’05 on all aspects of the magazine’s production, from illustration and reporting to community outreach and distribution (5,000 copies to almost 400 locations in about 20 towns every month). Fiori began the magazine with Emily Schmall ’05 as a TLS project while an undergraduate at Bard. After graduation, Fiori was hired by the College to publish La Voz on a permanent basis. In 2007, 2008, 2009, and 2011, the magazine received the Ippie Award for best overall design from the New York Community Media Alliance (formerly the Independent Press Association of New York). In 2008, La Voz was recognized by A.H.O.R.A. (Association for Hispanics to Obtain Resources & Assistance), a Poughkeepsie-based organization focused on aiding Hispanic residents. In 2010, La Voz was awarded a Special Citation from

Current Projects | 19

Cuerdas para Cali

the Dutchess County Executive’s Arts Awards. In 2014, when the magazine turned a decade old, Fiori was recognized as Woman Entrepreneur of the Year by GET Hudson Valley. In 2015, La Voz received an Ippie Award for Best Small Circulation publication. lavoz.bard.edu Administrative Contact: Mariel Fiori The New Old Gym Project The Old Gym is Bard’s only student-run performance venue. Located on the central part of the Annandale campus, it is a converted gymnasium, which now functions as a black-box space with all the amenities of a fine amateur theater. We focus on presenting original student work to showcase the abundance of creativity and talent at Bard. The Old Gym’s mission is to provide a safe, multipurpose space for anyone (dancers, actors, directors, musicians, photographers, visual artists, filmmakers; both majors and nonmajors) to create radical, visionary work and share that work with the Bard community. Student Leaders: Kate Brashear, David Bull, Shane Crowley, Annie Garret-Larsen, Brynn Gilchrist, Eileen Goodrich, Audrey Rosenblith

New Orleans Exchange Since 2005, the New Orleans Exchange has strived to empower New Orleanians working to rebuild their city as a more just, equitable, and sustainable place. An entirely student-run program, the New Orleans Exchange’s members have traveled to New Orleans twice each year since Hurricane Katrina. More than 700 Bard students have worked to meet the needs of local communities through close partnerships with organizations such as the Broadmoor Improvement Association, McDonogh 35 High School, Andrew H. Wilson Charter School, and Bard Early College in New Orleans. Students have gutted buildings and provided summer remediation programs for high school students making up class time lost to the storm; biannually surveyed existing property damage in the Broadmoor neighborhood and created geographic information system (GIS) maps of spatial concentrations of specific needs; and provided tutoring and facilitated arts workshops for children in elementary and middle schools. Currently, the members of the exchange work as teachers’ assistants in the Wilson school for three weeks during the January intersession. Bard students help elementary and middle school students develop basic reading comprehension and math skills through working in individualized groups. Members of the exchange also participate in a five-week program in June working as counselors in a literacy-based summer camp. During these trips volunteers stay with families in the Broadmoor area. The homestays help maintain close ties to the community. During the semesters at Bard, exchange coordinators provide educational documentary screenings and workshops for student volunteers prior to their travels to New Orleans. Student Leaders: Alana Bortoluzzi and Mikhaela Singh Nicaragua Education Initiative The Nicaragua Education Initiative facilitates educational projects that empower community members in Chacraseca, a rural town in western Nicaragua. For more than 10 years, Bard students have traveled to Chacraseca for three weeks in January and live with host families during their stay. Throughout our relationship with the community, the project has evolved from hurricane relief to sustainable education. We provide English, science, and math lessons to community members, ranging from age five to adult; we also implement art projects as a means of encouraging creative expression. We maintain a presence in the community, even when we are back at Bard, by funding an English teacher and a number of academic scholarships. While our project provides community members with eclectic lessons, it also fosters a valuable educational and multicultural exchange. Student Leaders: Odett Salcedo and Sara Such

Current Projects | 21

Project Why: Bard Project Why: Bard is an annual trip to New Delhi, India, to work with Project Why, a school for more than a thousand slum children in that devastatingly complex city. The corrupt public school system in India leaves children who cannot afford private schooling without adequate—or often any— education. We augment the curriculum, working with full-time teachers in subjects they are less familiar with; this includes spoken English, the arts, technology, and life skills such as first aid. We also run teacher trainings, which improve spoken English and equip teachers with pedagogical skills. Student Leader: Emily Fox Red Hook English as a Second Language Center The Red Hook English as a Second Language (ESL) Center is a biweekly ESL class in which nonnative English speakers work with Bard students in a one-on-one relationship. Originally started to address migrant workers’ need to learn English in order to advocate for themselves and to be a part of the Hudson Valley community, the center has opened its doors to other students while maintaining that migrants from Latin America be the

“I can’t do the assignment,” says Jay, slamming his fist against the desk, slumping into his chair, and throwing his pencil across the room. “I don’t remember anything from Romeo and Juliet.” The security guard grunts at him: “Keep it together.” “Hey, that’s okay,” I tell him, “I remember some of the story, so we can work together on it.” He squeezes his eyes shut and groans, laying his head on the table. “Take a few deep breaths and don’t worry, we’re not teachers and this isn’t a test. We’re here because we’re students too.” Orlando chimes in from the next table, “I remember. It’s about the monta monta montas and the capa . . . the capo . . . the cap . . .” Jay suddenly jumps out of his chair shouting, “The Capulets! Romeo is a Montague and Juliet is a Capulet!” For the next 45 minutes the two boys provide me with every excruciating detail of the famous story, down to the fatal drops of poison on Juliet’s lips. ANIAS STAMBOLIS-D’AGOSTINO ’16, RED HOOK RESIDENTIAL TUTORING PROGRAM

core of our student population. As leaders, we seek to create a comfortable learning environment for community members who might feel isolated by limited English proficiency, while allowing Bard students the opportunity to build relationships with members of our community that may otherwise be missed. Student Leaders: Liz Boyd and Caley Cross Red Hook Residential Tutoring Program A group of Bard student volunteers holds weekly tutoring sessions with youthful offenders incarcerated at the Red Hook Residential Center (RHRC) in Upper Red Hook, New York. Subject areas include reading, writing, math, and social studies, as well as GED/SAT prep. With the assistance of the RHRC administration we tailor specific materials to fit the individual needs and interests of each student in order to align with their class curricula. Through this project, we hope to offer students at RHRC the opportunity to meet or exceed their grade level, to enhance their understanding of fundamental academic material, and, most of all, to foster in them an appreciation for continued education. Student Leader: Anias Stambolis-D’Agostino Sail Forward Sail Forward is a new after-school enrichment program that will be an excellent addition to the existing projects in the Germantown (New York) Central School District. Based in the elementary school, Bard students create unique programs rooted in their own interests and skills. The curriculum serves the needs of the classroom and spans various disciplines including chess, mathematics, biology, and the performing arts. The projects are intended as collaborations between students, faculty members, and administrative staff. Student Leaders: Kerri Anne Bigornia, Ella Garcia, Tess Hamilton-Ward, Miriam Roday Sister Cities Project The Sister Cities Project, still in its infancy, will ultimately strengthen the bonds between Red Hook, New York—Bard’s hometown—and Mas’ha, in the West Bank. Red Hook has a well-developed relationship with Mas’ha. Working with schools in these towns, the program will connect Palestinian youth to the youth of Red Hook. Bard College students work closely with the Red Hook Town Sister Cities Committee to cultivate these relationships. In 2012, Mayor Nedal Amer of Mas’ha visited Bard College and Red Hook and participated in several events. Student Leader: Jordana Rubenstein-Edberg Current Projects | 23

Jalal Sabur, founder of the Victory Bus Project and Freedom Food Alliance, and his students from Kite’s Nest learning resource center in Hudson, New York, lead a discussion during a workshop sponsored by TLS project Harvesting Justice.

Sounds of Social Change Sounds of Social Change (SSC) is a group of Bard College Conservatory of Music students who work in Compton, California, with the Fernando Pullum Community Arts Center, an organization that provides at-risk children with a safe and free arts education. The goal for the children is increased selfesteem and academic success. In the summer of 2016, we will create a sustainable string instrumental program, in addition to teaching and giving public performances to those affected by the poverty of South Central Los Angeles. Student Leaders: Alexzandra Morris and Avery Morris Surrealist Training Circus The Surrealist Training Circus (STC) is a creative forum at Bard College where students have the opportunity to learn unique skills such as acrobatics, fire breathing, juggling, and poi. All of these are taught directly to Bard students by other Bard students or Bard alumni/ae, and all students and community members at any (including zero) experience level are welcome to learn. STC members believe that academic and rational training 24

falls short in preparing students for the absurdities of today’s world; in response, they pursue public theater and circus arts, and favor postapocalyptic lifestyles as modes of training for our futures. STC performs on campus through the year and is often invited to perform at venues off campus as well. STC puts on a show at the end of every May that is one of Bard’s most attended events; students—who have worked hard all year to learn and perfect their skills—perform for their peers and community members in a show completely designed by them. Student Leader: Hannah Conley Young Rhinebeck Youth Program: Life, Learning, and Language Young Rhinebeck’s Life, Learning, and Language programs meet with children in Rhinebeck’s Chancellor Livingston Elementary School and Kingston’s J. Watson Bailey Middle School to provide a local support network for these children and their families. Tutors from Bard work in tandem with Young Rhinebeck’s professional mentors and the children’s teachers to augment the curricula of students learning English as a new language or confronting learning disabilities. Our focuses are varied in each location and tailored to the different ages and life experiences of our students, but ever integral to the program is the idea that we, as Bard students, might behave as mentors and models of higher academic goals. The program provides educational training and experience for Bard students, while offering the children individual attention and a space for acclimation to a bilingual environment. Local family advocates and translation services help to maintain a discourse between the school district and the families, many of whom have immigrated to the area. As advocates, mentors, and tutors, we seek to raise social awareness of immigration and education issues, and as students we seek to understand the conditions of pedagogy today. Student Leaders: Nora Cady and Ivan Ditmars

Current Projects | 25

Class at Red Hook English as a Second Language Center

JOIN A TLS PROJECT Every project needs volunteers. A TLS student initiated and facilitates each of these projects, but the success of the work always depends on widespread participation. Please get involved. Contact the student leader listed in this booklet. HAVE YOUR OWN IDEA FOR A PROJECT? Meet with us to discuss how to make your project come to life—even if your idea is still in formation. We are always available. Paul Marienthal, Director Susanna Armbruster ’03, Assistant Director Carter Vanderbilt ’15, TLS Fellow Room 213, Bertelsmann Campus Center 845-758-7056 tls@bard.edu

Selected Project Archive Activists Worldwide AIDS/HIV and Reproductive Education (AWARE): Russia Bard Food Initiative Bard Health Initiative (BHI) Bard Permaculture Initiative Bard Space Program Bard–Sri Lanka Project Bhopal Memory Project Chiapas Solidarity Project Children’s Gardening Program Children’s Rights Are Human Rights, Amnesty International Conference Coalition for Peru Relief Conversations on Education Ghana Project Global Cultural Outreach Habitat for Humanity at Bard International Tuberculosis Relief Project Media Analysis Project (MAP) Mexico Solidarity Network Delegation Migrant Labor Project Senior Citizen Writing Project SSTOP (Students Stopping Trafficking of Persons) Thailand Project Trans-Action Initiative Understanding Arabs and Muslims Visible and Invisible Disabilities Awareness Project

For the entire project archive, visit the TLS website: bard.edu/civicengagement/tls

Front cover photo by Micki Strawinski All other photos by Bard students

Archived Projects | 27

TLS forced me to confront my white fragility. Working with TLS put me in spaces with intensely brilliant and compassionate people who were so gracious and gentle with each other. We worked through tough questions, processed hard emotions, and developed innovative solutions to age-old issues. TLS taught me to be humble and grateful, and I apply that learning every day. My work today revolves around the experiences of queer and transgender young people, especially their experiences with health care. I do empowerment work with them, teaching them the history of oppression in health care and what they can do to change it. Developing a lens for intersecting forces is essential for the success of the project, and something I could not have done without the foundational work I did in TLS. In order to challenge and interrupt oppressions like racism, heterosexism and cissexism, misogyny, classism, ableism, ageism, etc., we must start by naming them. TLS gave me the tools to name them and the drive to take them down. GENYA SHIMKIN ’08, M.P.H IN COMMUNITY-ORIENTED PUBLIC HEALTH PRACTICE, UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH ’13; PAST TLS PARTICIPANT; COCHAIR OF THE YOUNG ALUMNI/AE ADVISORY COUNCIL FOR THE BARD CENTER FOR CIVIC ENGAGEMENT; AND MEMBER OF THE BOARD OF GOVERNORS OF THE BARD COLLEGE ALUMNI/AE ASSOCIATION

Bard College PO Box 5000, Annandale-on-Hudson, NY 12504-5000 845-758-7056 | tls@bard.edu | bard.edu/civicengagement/tls