TLS Brochure 2019 by Bard College

TLS 2019 Trustee Leader Scholar Program

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND SOCIAL ACTION

Bard

Bard New Orleans Exchange affirms: That United States reliance on the criminal justice system as an oppressive tool must end. That the experiences of those impacted by the criminal justice system and mass incarceration are not only worth hearing but are, in fact, the keys that will unlock the master plan for righting this social, political, and economic injustice. That while a system of incarceration may always be there, no human behavior justifies the oppressive functioning of the current criminal justice system. That there is power in showing up, listening, paying respect, and learning in order to create effective, positive, and sustainable change. That it is essential, mobilized sociopolitical productivity and solidarity in the form of educational, creative, expressive, and demonstrative actions. That while black men are the largest population of incarcerated people, women are the fastest-increasing population in this regard. That while no one is excluded from the grip of the criminal justice system in its contemporary form, the poor and communities of color are particularly vulnerable and therefore deserve active protection, representation, and support, and that the members of these communities have voices that deserve to be uplifted. That there is will and hope for the restructuring of the white supremacist and patriarchal system with which the United States operates. MADELINE FIRKSER ’19 BARD NEW ORLEANS EXCHANGE

Front cover image: Bard New Orleans Exchange 2

Theme for the Year: Appreciating work and workers A time for being insufficiently partisan As a kid I dove for the ball on concrete tennis courts, ran into walls going after rebounds in the gym. I played as if my life depended on it. But unlike my dad, who survived Nazi Germany, I did not have to hide in sewers to escape death squads. My well-being did not actually depend on winning, and so I had the opportunity to experiment with trust and forgiveness. I learned to appreciate the transcendent and collaborative duality of competition, and to resonate with the extraordinary intimacy that lives in hand-to-hand games. As a kid I regularly fell in love with my opponents. I had a burning in my heart for Dick Bohrnstedt, who beat me 35 or 40 times. Another boy dominated me until we were 13, but could not beat me as we grew older. After that last thrashing I gave him for a state championship, he slumped sadly at the side of the court, shivering. Years later, when I found out he was really struggling with life, I sat at my desk feeling heartache, and I wept for him. In the early ’90s, I went to a basketball game with Phil, my graduate faculty advisor at The Ohio State University. We had Jimmy Jackson—who later played for the NBA—on a great team. I just loved watching basketball. Still do. Phil stood for big baskets, grabbed his head at missed layups. By then I’d lived through Sandy Koufax’s Dodgers, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s Lakers, and Joe Montana’s 49ers. I’d come to accept that winning is great, but it is not the world. We filed out into the cold with everyone: “Hey Phil,” I said, “that was a great game, sorry we lost, but a great game. Let’s go again next weekend.” “No,” said Phil, “I can’t go to any more games with you; you are insufficiently partisan.” *** We are living in partisan times, partisan and toxic. For example, I believe the terms “educated elite” and “working class” have very little substantive

Theme for the Year |

meaning, and yet they have calcified into real attitudes and behaviors. These phrases represent inadequate, oversimplified, banal divisions of experience. Anyone who has tried to build a spiral staircase knows the intelligence it takes to build a house from scratch. Anyone who has tried to diagnose the ugly pinging in an engine knows the feel for metal under stress that’s required to get even close to right. Anyone who has stripped insulation from a wire knows the precision it takes to shape the loop so it will slip around a receptacle screw without snagging. Anyone who has written a master’s thesis or dissertation remembers the tightness, even numbness, that sets into the scapula from days of typing. So many of the labels that have emerged as signposts of worth, the ones that create rigid divisions between people, are inadequate and grotesque. In the Trustee Leader Scholar Program we stuff envelopes. We clean empty lots. We set up tables. We cook food. We carry bricks. We build barns. We write grants. We wash potatoes. We clean floors. We make art. We drag out trash. We load trucks. We teach science. We sort clothes. In TLS we reflect and write and think and converse and critique. We worry a lot about the way we communicate and spend time considering the difference between an idea and a conversation involving emotional conflict. We reorient our values. We study history. We immerse ourselves in anthropology. We care a lot about meaning, who makes it and who owns it. We speculate and postulate. We open ourselves to visions and obscurity and ineffable connection across time. We are thinkers. We are doers. We are world-makers. I often hear students and colleagues talk about changing the world, but many of them have little understanding about why their lights turn on, or where the water goes when it disappears down the drain. They do not know how internal combustion engines work, or why they are so magical and catastrophic at the same time. They have no idea that peanuts grow in the ground, that corn is a form of grass, that raisins were once grapes. They cannot explain why a plane stays in the air, bridges have expansion joints, or buildings need to be plumb, level, and square. For many people the physical world just happens around them magically. Maintaining rigid, partisan lines also means our neighbors who build things and keep them working are invisible to many people. Fellow human beings are all around, making the food and the clothes and the cars and roads and the planes and the machines, but they are essentially invisible. 4

Sometimes I think workers are even, somehow, dismissed as lesser beings. For me this is both sad and terrifying. Despite the rise of digital technology, plumbing and plumbers aren’t about to become obsolete any time soon. I think there is something primary about taking care of our own bodies and the collective body at the same time. In TLS we are learning to take responsibility for the whole of the world, both ideas and materials. The hard initial contacts. The brochures. The water. The power. The follow-up interviews. The pedagogy. The curriculum. The transportation. The food. The gas. The printing. The air. It’s our world, and I believe each of us is responsible for making it. If I could somehow fit the training into their crazy schedules, TLS students would learn to wire and plumb a building, rebuild a car engine, grow and cook food, sew clothes. These things would go along with the wonderful cognitive skills we offer: collecting and analyzing data, speaking about the world in historically accurate ways, thinking critically to marry data and theory—and all to go along with supporting skills that include syntax, grammar, drawing, musical notation, movement. Maintaining the chasm between the hands-on makers of the world and the evaluative thinkers is civilization busting. It makes whole swaths of people invisible to each other. I wish all of our students to become considerate, creative, visionary social scientist–artist–makers who embrace the inextricable oneness of thinking and doing. And with this understanding, it is my hope that they heal the partisanship that divides and haunts us. Paul Marienthal Director, Trustee Leader Scholar Program

Theme for the Year |

Sister-to-Sister

Bri shares her board and lists one self-affirmation after another: “I love myself because I’m beautiful, smart, and strong.” Ashara turns to Bri, “Wow, Bri, you really are all of those things.” She replies, “Thank you so much, Ashara.” I turn away and wipe a quiet tear from my cheek, having witnessed a truly embodied moment of sisterhood from young women who sometimes find it very hard to honor themselves. SKYLAR WALKER ’21 SISTER-TO-SISTER

Trustee Leader Scholar Program Bard College’s Trustee Leader Scholar Program (TLS) supports leadership development in the context of hands-on, student-initiated 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 and is deeply rooted in the mission and outreach efforts of the Bard Center for Civic Engagement. 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. At any given time, approximately 50 undergraduates participate as TLS leaders, who in turn recruit hundreds of volunteers to their projects. 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 tutoring programs in local youth detention centers; conduct financial literacy programs in urban high schools; 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 work in New Orleans alongside the formerly incarcerated to restore voting rights for citizens who have served their time. 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, group facilitation, and empathic interpersonal communication. TLS students also raise their own funds, and many become proficient letter-writing campaign organizers.

Trustee Leader Scholar Program |

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 instigate 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. 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 passionate 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 positively. 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, Brothers At Bard, and the award-winning Spanish-language magazine La Voz. How does TLS differ from similar programs? TLS is a civic engagement 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 I 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 I help if I am 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.

In my notebook is a survey filled out by a 67-yearold man who is serving life at Louisiana’s Angola State Penitentiary. He’s returned the VOTE information sheet with contacts of his loved ones who might join in our fight for his justice. I dial the number and wait and wait (hoping maybe it will just keep ringing) until an older woman picks up (maybe a bit to my dismay). “Hi. Is this Ms. _____?” I squeak. I read the spiel I’m supposed to read and say her husband’s name. I am nervous now. Is this too far? Is this OK? Then she says, “You are doing the Lord’s work. This phone call gives me hope. Bless you.” I learn from making this call that faith is one of the most powerful entities on this earth. MADELINE FIRKSER ’19 BARD NEW ORLEANS EXCHANGE

Trustee Leader Scholar Program |

Current Projects African Roots Project The African Roots Project (ARP) partners with the Library at the A. J. Williams-Myers African Roots Center in the city of Kingston, New York, in its mission “to promote literacy through teaching and learning about the African roots experience, including history and culture, through a dynamic exchange of information, action, ideas, and creativity.” ARP tailors events to school-age students to further their interests in the culture and history of African Americans and the global African diaspora, and uses art forms such as singing, writing, and spoken words to keep students engaged. Student Leader: Ashley Jones ’19 All Pieces Fit With the Bard global network, All Pieces Fit works to widely spread awareness about autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Bard students in Annandale assist in classrooms at the Center for Spectrum Services in Lake Katrine, New York. Experience acquired at the center equips our students to lead discussions with others in the Bard global network, including the American University of Central Asia in Kyrgyzstan, Al-Quds Bard in East Jerusalem, Bard College Berlin in Germany, European Humanities University in Lithuania, and Faculty of Liberal Arts and Sciences (Smolny College) of St. Petersburg State University in Russia. This is the beginning of building awareness among Bard students worldwide. Student Leader: Jahari Fraser ’22 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; the activities depend on the shared interest of each Bard volunteer and the Astor student. 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, and helps children who are overcoming obstacles in their lives to feel appreciated, listened to, and acknowledged. Student Leaders: Willa Baigelman ’19, Samuel Kiley ’20, and Tia Lee ’19

Bard Math Circle The Bard Math Circle is an enrichment program for upper elementary, middle, and high school students, families, and teachers. Our main programs are monthly library Math Circle events in Tivoli, New York; mathematics competitions, including the AMC 8/10/12, Girls’ Adventures in Math, and Purple Comet; and prep sessions hosted at Bard College. In the summer we hold a weeklong day program. We expose students to math that goes beyond their school curriculum. The Math Circle fosters interaction between students and Bard undergraduate volunteers and builds enthusiasm for advanced math study. Learn more at bardmathcircle.org. Student Leaders: Kate Blaine ’19, Meagan Kenney ’19, and Ethan Richman ’20 Bard Music Colombia Bard Music Colombia is an international music festival in both Cali and Bucaramanga, Colombia, that uses the power of music to cultivate love, union, inclusion, and diversity and to diminish discrimination, segregation, exclusion, and hate. The best musical education includes direct contact with world-class musicians and ready access to engaging and high-level musical performance. Bard Music Colombia worked closely in 2018 with Orquesta Sinfónica de Siloé, Notas de Paz, and Decepaz: organizations that use music as a tool for psychosocial development and community coexistence. However, these related education programs are separated by what is commonly known in Cali as invisible borders: strict social divisions among neighborhoods, which not only limit collaboration between schools but at times incite segregation and violence. Bard Music Colombia created a symphony orchestra in 2018 that for the first time allowed collaboration among these three educational institutions. In addition, the students were able to learn from musicians from world-renowned institutions such as the Bard College Conservatory, El Sistema, The Orchestra Now, Juilliard School of Music, Manhattan School of Music, El Paso Symphony, Cali Conservatory, and University of Bucaramanga. By providing personal access to teaching artists from different backgrounds, Bard Music Colombia enables its students to explore a combination of career possibilities. Music can be a tremendous vehicle in one’s life, enabling a musician to emerge on the international stage even when coming from a low socioeconomic background. Student Leaders: Christopher Bereos-Haigis '16 APS '18 and – Leonardo Pineda TON ’19

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Bard Music Colombia

Bard New Orleans Exchange The Bard New Orleans Exchange (BNOE) facilitates student involvement in the criminal justice reform movement in New Orleans, Louisiana, as well as on campus. BNOE is one of the oldest TLS projects, having been founded in 2005. Initially, the project focused on rebuilding schools and running summer programs for students in communities devastated by Hurricane Katrina. Recently, the program has turned to focus on criminal justice reform in New Orleans, which has one of the highest rates of incarceration in the United States and the world. Twice a year, Bard students intern for a criminal justice reform organization called Voice of the Experienced (more information at vote-nola.org). VOTE is an organization run by and for formerly incarcerated people. VOTE advocates for large-scale criminal justice reform policy for the city of New Orleans, but also for the state of Louisiana and the entire country. VOTE was instrumental in the recent passage of HB265, which allows Louisiana citizens on probation and parole the ability to regain the right to vote. BNOE volunteers support VOTE by assisting with community outreach, day-to-day operations, and research. While on campus, BNOE

members and allies organize anti–mass incarceration and criminal-justice reform actions, including informative panels and fund-raising initiatives. Our current goals: • To elevate the voices and experiences of formerly and currently incarcerated people and their loved ones. • To educate and mobilize the sociopolitically potent student body at Bard. • To initiate discussions and actions regarding criminal justice reform. • To provide platforms from which the Bard community may address the emotional and logistical components of the criminal justice system and the work being done to end mass incarceration. Student Leader: Madeline Firkser ’19 Bard Palestinian Youth Initiative The Bard Palestinian Youth Initiative (BPYI) is founded upon the belief that constructive civil engagement, cultural exchange, and education create an environment conducive to self-expression. We are excited to say that BPYI is the only entirely student-run Palestinian engagement program in the United States. We believe deeply in the idea that open dialogue is crucial in areas of conflict. Twice a year, a group of students from Bard College programs in New York, Berlin, Russia, and East Jerusalem travel to Mas’ha, Zawyah, and Bidya, small villages in the West Bank. In partnership with the local communities, we run children’s summer camps, organize community engagement projects, teach English and writing classes, and participate in cultural activities. Throughout the year, we cocreate a Language and Thinking–based curriculum with Al-Quds Bard students for our winter and summer programs. L&T, which couples personal expression and rigorous text analysis, is the heart of all Bard student experience, and is making a real difference to students in the West Bank. BPYI also facilitates on-campus events to engage a diversity of students in conversation about the Middle East. Student Leaders: Renad Bdair ’19 and Genevieve Chiola ’20 Bard Science Outreach Bard Science Outreach (BSO) promotes science education among middle school and high school students in the Hudson Valley. Every year we invite students from Linden Avenue Middle School in Red Hook, New York, to our campus to perform scientific experiments; we also mentor them in their independent science projects that go on to become science fair projects. BSO works with Bard faculty and students to host and judge the middle school science fair, coaching students for county- and statelevel science fairs down the line. BSO helps develop community projects,

Current Projects | 13

which go on to become part of the Citizen Science program at Bard. We cooperate with other TLS projects such as the Bard Math Circle, and are always looking for ways to collaborate with local groups and events in the community. We welcome involvement from both science majors and people who are simply interested in science. Student Leader: Cecily Rosenbaum ’21 Black Body Experience Conference Each spring semester we bring to campus speakers who are women of color and professionals in relevant fields to speak on the group’s theme for the year. In 2019, that theme is activism. We invite local community members and students from nearby school districts into safe and contained discussions about race, identity, gender, and the socioeconomics of difference. Student Leader: Talaya Robinson-Dancy ’21 Brookwood The Brookwood project is a math-teaching program in a youth incarceration facility for young men in Hudson, New York. We teach Math 90 (basic mathematical problems) and Math 100 (basic algebra): remedial math courses for inmates in the college-bound program. The young men must pass these classes in order to take college-level math courses. We plan to expand our work beyond the college program to the many other academic programs within the facility. Student Leaders: Anthony Henry ’20 and Jazlyn Johnson ’19

“Isabella, me puedes ayudar,” pops up on my Facebook Messenger. “I need help filling out forms for my friend.” I open the documents my ESL student sends me. They are from Compassionate Hospice Care, Inc. I translate for him. At the end there is a space for naming the mortuary. I go online and research funeral homes near his friend in California. We have answered all the questions, and now I don’t know what else to do. “I’m sorry,” I say again. “It’s OK,” he says, “gracias por tu ayuda, y buenas noches.” ISABELLA MARTINEZ ’19 RED HOOK ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE CENTER

Brothers At Bard A character-development, peer-mediation mentorship program for young men of color from underserved backgrounds, Brothers At Bard (BAB) is currently working with 15 high school students in ninth through 12th grades in Kingston, New York. The Bard members of the project 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 identity development. We make sure our mentees are making positive life choices so they continue to live healthy, successful lives they can define for themselves. Student Leader: Michael Barriteau '22 Building Up Hudson Building Up Hudson invites high school students from the Hudson Valley to participate in college readiness workshops in order to foster confidence in their leadership abilities. Volunteers from Bard’s campus are welcome to assist in the coordination of fund-raisers that allow us to offer a few scholarships to students who are dedicated to the pursuit of a higher education. Our workshops include interviewing etiquette, self-care, and goal setting. Student Leaders: Gabrielle Reyes ’19 and Giavonni Williams ’21 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 uses the arts to build stronger ties at Bard. Student Leaders: Julia Kunze '20, Alexis Maresca ’20, Miranda Sanborn ’20, and Sophie Turok '20 Current Projects | 15

African Roots Project

All Pieces Fit

Astor Services for Children and Families

Tru Sch Pro Jahari Fraser

Ashley Jones

Bard New Orleans Exchange

Sam Kiley

Bard Palestinian Youth Initiative

Genevieve Chiola

Madeline Firkser

Gabrielle Reyes

Sophie Turok

Gifted Girls at Columbia

Girls Group

Micah Theodore

Lucy Christiana

Making L&P Matter

Renad Bdair

Alexis Maresca

Cecily Rosenbaum

Miranda Sanborn

Julia Kunze

Girls Math Club

Lily Mojdehi

Riti Bahl

Marco Caguana

Red Hook ESL Center

Isabella Martinez

Bard Science Outreach

Mehreen Kabir

Maya Schwartz

Nicaragua Education Initiative

Evelyn Reyes Delgado

Nelson Hilario

Tia Lee

Community Engagement Arts Project

Building Up Hudson

Giavonni Williams

Willa Baigelman

Tatiana Alfaro

Freddie Hernandez

Odalis Panza Gonzales

Maya Sokolow

Red Hook Residential Tutoring Program

Stella Frank

Catherine Baum

2018-19 ustee Leader holar Program oject Leaders

Bard Math Circle

Kate Blaine

Ethan Richman

Black Body Experience Conference

Jazlyn Johnson

Cuerdas para Cali

Clara Engen

Mitchell Levinson

Anthony Henry

Rahma Ahmed

Alexus Foster

Old Gym

Entrepreneurs of Tomorrow

Amauri Castillo

Sail Forward

Kerri Anne Bigornia

Gabriella Garcia

Sarah Goldberg

Louisa Fulkerson

Olivia Donahue

Ramapo for Children

Kathy Gaweda

Victoria Wu

Sister-to-Sister

Skylar Walker

Dereck Chavez

Harvesting Justice

Period.

Olivia Triano

Michael Barriteau

Lily Chavez

Haiti Jakmel Ekspresyon Exchange

Leonardo Pineda

Brothers At Bard

Culture Connect/LLL

Girls Who Code

Macey Downs

Christopher Bereos-Haigis

Meagan Kenney

Brookwood

Talaya Robinson-Dancy

Rowan Puig Davis

Bard Music Colombia

Sakinah Bennett

Juliette Groarke

Tuimarishane!

Jessie Floyd

Hakimah SmithStone 17

Cuerdas para Cali Cuerdas para Cali (Strings for Cali) is a group of classically trained musicians who inspire students and celebrate cultural exchange through music education. Each summer, CPC travels to Colombia to work with the Orquesta Sinfónica de Siloé, a youth orchestra founded by Fundación Sidoc, and based in the Siloé barrio of Cali. Fundación Sidoc provides young, impoverished students with instruments, music education, and performance outlets. CPC supports the Siloé students in their musical growth, and encourages them to have a positive impact on their community. The project involves teaching and performing along with intense interpersonal engagement. – – Student Leaders: Clara Engen TON ’19 and Rowan Puig Davis TON ’21 CultureConnect: Life, Learning, and Language CultureConnect’s Life, Learning, and Language (LLL) program provides a local support network for immigrant families and first-generation Americans in the forms of English as a Second Language (ESL) tutoring, mentorship, and family advocacy. For legal support, LLL leads informational sessions on civil rights, connects families to translators, and acts as a sanctuary for undocumented students and their families threatened by deportation. In the classroom, LLL connects tutors from Bard College and surrounding schools to ESL students for biweekly tutoring sessions. Using original curriculum and pedagogy, tutors meet individually with students for homework support, language-building exercises, and ESL math games. Student Leaders: Lily Chavez ’20 and Mitchell Levinson ’20 Entrepreneurs of Tomorrow Entrepreneurs of Tomorrow helps students from low-income environments combat the cycle of poverty by creating a foundation in financial literacy. We hold weekly workshops pertaining to these themes: investing, FAFSA form completion and college financing, basic banking, and personal budgeting. We create relatable and useful scenarios to help students grasp and retain the information from these workshops. Our current partnership is with Kingston High School, which we attend on a weekly basis. We also explore partnerships with the High School for Environmental Studies and Brooklyn Latin School, both in New York City. As our initiative expands, we will explore schools throughout the Hudson Valley. Student Leaders: Amauri Castillo ’22 and Dereck Chavez ’20

Gifted Girls at Columbia Gifted Girls at Columbia is a dual tutoring and mentoring project in an allgirls correctional facility in Hudson, New York. The Columbia Girls Secure Center houses youth, ages 13–21, sent there by criminal and family courts. Some girls may only be at the facility for a short time, while others may be transferred to a women’s prison after they turn 21. Our responsibility as tutors is to raise the academic bar in pursuit of closing the achievement gap. Mentoring for positive socialization and positivity is a key aspect of this project. Gifted Girls at Columbia promotes the belief that every girl within the facility is gifted, no matter her circumstances. Student Leader: Micah Theodore ’20 Girls Group Girls Group is an afterschool empowerment program for middle schoolers— an age that is tough for most people, and especially so for young women. Each week we spend an hour after school with a group of seventh graders at their middle school in Kingston, New York. We run creative workshops and open a space for emotional vulnerability and a sense of collective comfort. This mentorship program empowers young women through education, discussion of issues relevant to this age group, and introduction of positive role models. We finish each semester with a field trip to Bard to help reinforce the idea that college is within reach and to get the girls excited about future learning. Our overarching goal is to inspire and empower girls in a space that cultivates full self-expression. Student Leaders: Lucy Christiana ’19 and Lily Mojdehi ’19

I’m writing a history of my project so I call Thea, the founder of LLL years ago. “Oh, CultureConnect,” she says, “yes, we used to host dinners with the families.” I am shocked. I feel terrible that we have not prioritized family members. We almost never talk. I realize now that building trust with mothers and fathers means strengthening relationships with students in the classroom. MITCHELL LEVINSON ’20 CULTURECONNECT: LIFE, LEARNING, AND LANGUAGE

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Culture Connect

Girls Math Club The Girls Math Club, run by women math majors at Bard College, fosters a community of middle school girls from the Hudson Valley who are interested in learning math. We want to show that women and girls have a place in the male-dominated world of STEM. We inspire girls to continue learning math, especially when it’s difficult. We form a community of girls who enjoy thinking critically about mathematics as well as playing fun and analytical games together. We meet monthly in the Reem-Kayden Center for Science and Computation and organize fun puzzles, icebreakers, and challenging math questions for the attendees. The leaders and volunteers start discussions, and when applicable, step back and let the girls take charge of their own learning. Student Leaders: Riti Bahl ’21, Mehreen Kabir ’20, and Maya Schwartz ’19

Girls Who Code Our project utilizes the resources of the Girls Who Code organization and exposes young women to the magic of computer science. Though the field of computer science is growing dramatically, a clear disconnect remains between the world of computer science and the discouraging message young women receive regarding their capabilities for pursuing computer science careers. In our program young women explore programming not as a foreign world but as a skill they can fully acquire and develop. We empower young women and give them the confidence and skills to solve community problems and be successful in this field. Though we focus on computer science, this project lets young women know they can pursue many STEM careers. Student Leader: Rahma Ahmed ’19 Haiti Jakmel Ekspresyon Exchange The Haiti Jakmel Ekspresyon Exchange (JE) is a student-driven partnership with a community center in Jakmel, Haiti. The project facilitates development within the local community by bringing STEM courses taught by Bard students to the center. On a deeper level, the project is a cultural exchange that encourages the empowerment of Bard and JE students alike. Every July, a small group of Bard students travels to Jakmel to teach courses on data mapping and collection to local politicians, students, professors, and city developers. Data collection subjects range from HIV/AIDS rates to water justice; most important, the areas of focus are determined by the Haitians themselves. By placing the power of data back into the hands of the people, the community can effectively access the needs of the city and surrounding towns, without relying on foreign aid and NGOs. Student Leader: Alexus Foster ’20 Harvesting Justice Harvesting Justice is a student-run collective that helps up-and-coming farms in the Hudson Valley. We started as a project working with the Freedom Food Alliance and other initiatives to fight institutionalized racism and social injustices. Currently, we provide support for small-scale local farms while engaging in conversations around class, race, gender, ability, and status in order to break down stigmas around agriculture. We also work against institutional barriers of access that are present in the modern food system. We provide weekly opportunities for students to volunteer with local farmers who can use our assistance. A few of the farms where we work donate food for the Victory Bus, a project of the Freedom Food Alliance, which supplies affordable transportation to New York residents

Current Projects | 21

Ramapo for Children Project

who wish to visit their families in prisons upstate while providing complimentary shares of fresh produce for the incarcerated and their families. Along with this organization, we work with farms that provide fresh produce for low-income families as well as HIV treatment centers. Student Leaders: Olivia Donahue ’19, Louisa Fulkerson ’20, and Sarah Goldberg ’20 Making L&P Matter Every adolescent struggles with questions about existence, meaning, morality, identity, truth, freedom, death, God . . . everything really! Making L&P Matter (ML&PM) creates a space where these questions are explored deeply, and it isn’t about finding answers to these questions but rather about playing and dancing with them. We work with students at the Kingston, New York, high school, and carry out literature and philosophy workshops in the style of Socratic dialogue. We navigate and utilize literary texts (chiefly poems and short stories, but also essays and philosophical texts) to explore the philosophical ideas within them. In other words, we use literature as a gateway to philosophy. Along the way, we also work on creative writing with the students, so writing poems and short stories is also a part of the ML&PM experience. We collaborate with the TLS project Brothers At Bard as well as Kingston High School. Student Leader: Nelson Hilario ’21 Nicaragua Education Initiative The Nicaragua Education Initiative facilitates educational projects that empower community members in Chacraseca, a rural town in western Nicaragua. For the past 15 Januaries, Bard students have traveled there to live with host families. The initiative has evolved from hurricane relief to sustainable education. We provide English, science, and math lessons to community members, ranging from age 5 to adulthood. We also implement art projects as a means of encouraging creative expression. We maintain a presence in Chacraseca throughout the year by funding a number of academic scholarships. While our project provides community members with eclectic lessons, it also fosters a valuable educational and multicultural exchange. The Nicaragua Education Initiative values learning both inside and outside of the classroom. The connections and relationships we build cannot be learned at a desk, and this multicultural exchange widens the perspectives of each individual involved in the project. Student Leaders: Marco Caguana ’21, Odalis Panza Gonzales ’21, and Evelyn Reyes Delgado ’19

Current Projects | 23

Bard Math Circle

Old Gym The Old Gym is Bard’s only student-run theater. Centrally located on the Annandale campus, it is a converted gymnasium that functions as a blackbox space with all the amenities of a fine amateur theater. We focus on presenting student work to showcase the abundance of creativity and talent at Bard. The Old Gym’s mission is to provide a safe, multipurpose space to all comers (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. In the process, we also create community among creators and audiences as they learn what it takes to make a vision happen in a live space. Our annual events include theater festivals, a haunted house, and the Black History Month Gala. Student Leaders: Macey Downs ’20, Maya Sokolow ’19, and Olivia Troiano ’20 Period. Period. is a national youth-run nonprofit that changes the conversation about menstruation through its three pillars: service, education, and advocacy. We serve our campus and community by hosting menstrual-product drives; all donations are given to those in need. We educate those who might not otherwise have positive and productive conversations about menstruation. We advocate for equal access to menstrual products in our community. We collaborate with Code Red, Grace Smith House, Hudson River Housing: River Haven Emergency Shelter and Crisis Services, Happy to Help Food Pantry, and Red Hook Central Schools. Student Leader: Kathy Gaweda ’21 Ramapo for Children Project Ramapo for Children connects the Bard community with an organization located in Rhinebeck, New York, that provides training, services, and programs for individuals with special needs and the people who surround and educate them. Bard students engage with a transition-to-independence program for young adults, school group retreats, monthly teen leadership programs, weekend events, and a 250-child summer camp. The Ramapo for Children TLS project works collaboratively with the Bard Center for Civic Engagement, sports teams, and other clubs to provide a wide variety of activities and workshops. Student Leaders: Juliette “JT” Groarke ’21 and Victoria Wu ’20

Current Projects | 25

Red Hook English as a Second Language Center

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 one-on-one relationships. Originally started to address migrant workers’ needs to learn English—in order to advocate for themselves and become part of the Hudson Valley community—the center has opened its doors to other students while maintaining migrants from Latin America as the 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 who may otherwise be overlooked. Student Leaders: Tatiana Alfaro ’21, Freddie Hernandez '22, and Isabella Martinez ’19 Red Hook Residential Tutoring Program Bard student volunteers holds weekly tutoring sessions with young men 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 Regents (New York State testing) prep. With the assistance of RHRC administration, we tailor specific materials to fit individual needs, and always align our work with student interest. We offer students at RHRC the opportunity to meet or exceed their grade level and to enhance their understanding of fundamental academic material and, most of all, to foster an appreciation for continued education. Student Leaders: Catherine Baum ’20 and Stella Frank ’19 Sail Forward Sail Forward is an after-school enrichment program in the Germantown Central School District. Based in the elementary school, Bard students have created unique programs rooted in their own interests and skills. The curriculum serves the needs of the classroom and spans many disciplines including creative writing, art, debate, and the performing arts. Sail Forward has evolved into a mentoring and tutoring program that builds bonds between students and volunteers and advocates for greater academic success. Student Leaders: Kerri Anne Bigornia ’19 and Gabriela Garcia ’19

Current Projects | 27

Old Gym

Sister-to-Sister Sister-to-Sister is a program in partnership with the Boys and Girls Club of Kingston, New York, which connects high school–age girls with Bard College mentors through dance and other aspects of the performing arts to promote unity, self-confidence, and a sense of support. In addition, weekly discussion groups are held to target ways in which the students can prepare for college and life beyond high school. Student Leaders: Sakinah Bennett ’21 and Skylar Walker ’21 Tuimarishane! Tuimarishane! sends Bard students to Ghana, where we provide a safe and supportive place for young people to have conversations about sexual health and consent. Our goals are to clear up misconceptions, encourage safe-sex practices, and address the stigma around sex that exists in many countries and communities. By sharing information about sexual health we hope to empower people to make educated choices and have conversations about how sexuality is addressed in Ghanaian culture. Tuimarishane! also educates the Bard community about sexual health and consent issues and provides avenues through which Bard students can be a source of support. Student Leaders: Jessie Floyd ’21 and Hakima SmithStone ’21

I’m horrible at basketball, the shortest one on the court even though the boys are only 12, and I’m wearing jeans on a 100-degree day. At best I’d say I’m only good for defense. Mr. Walker hits a couple and we go ahead. Then there’s a distant shout and Maurice and his buddy run off the court, calling, “We’re not going AWOL!” They return with ice pops for everyone. The two boys want to keep playing, but my clothes are sticking to me and besides, Mr. Walker and I are beat, exhausted from winning. STELLA FRANK ’19 RED HOOK RESIDENTIAL TUTORING PROGRAM

Current Projects | 29

TLS Fair on campus

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 Micki Strawinski, Administrative Assistant Room 213, Bertelsmann Campus Center 845-758-7056 tls@bard.edu

Selected Project Archive Activists Worldwide AIDS/HIV and Reproductive Education (AWARE): Russia Bard Branches Community Center Bard Builds Bard College Community Garden Bard Food Initiative Bard Health Initiative (BHI) Bard Model United Nations Initiative Bard Permaculture Initiative Bard Prison Initiative Bard Senegal Project Bard Space Program Bard–Sri Lanka Project Bhopal Memory Project Chiapas Solidarity Project Child-to-Child Nepal Children’s Gardening Program Children’s Rights Are Human Rights, Amnesty International Conference Coalition for Peru Relief Conversations on Education Dream to Achieve Germantown Tutoring Project Ghana Project Global Cultural Outreach Habitat for Humanity at Bard Hope in Devereux International Tuberculosis Relief Project Media Analysis Project (MAP) Mexico Solidarity Network Delegation Migrant Labor Project Project Why: Bard Senior Citizen Writing Project Sounds of Social Change SSTOP (Students Stopping Trafficking of Persons) Thailand Project Trans-Action Initiative Understanding Arabs and Muslims Visible and Invisible Disabilities Awareness Project Write-On! For the entire project archive, visit the TLS website: cce.bard.edu/civic-action/tls/ Photos by Bard students Project Archive | 31

In the church basement, Red Hook lights bright outside the windows in the Hudson Valley night, we sit around the white plastic tables with our language-learning materials. He tells me how much he loves to write and read, even though he can barely do either. “Twenty-eight,” he writes, “twenty-nine . . . then what?” Class is almost over. “Treinta,” I say, “Treinta is ‘thirty,’ can you write that?” He does, and he continues on, “thirty-one . . . thirty-two . . . thirty- . . .” even as we turn out the lights. TATIANA ALFARO ’21 RED HOOK ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE CENTER

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