RHONDA DIMASCIO TAKES THE HELM
AT MORVEN AS IT CELEBRATES ITS ROLE IN NEW JERSEY’S PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE. PAGE 4.
Pictured above: ‘Morven, 1959,’ oil on canvas by Dudley Morris.
page
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The Princeton Public Library board of trustees adopted a resolution designating the library a book sanctuary at its March 20 meeting.
The resolution comes amid an unprecedented rise in censorship efforts by individuals and pressure groups nationwide with more than 4,200 book titles targeted in 2023 according to the American Library Association (ALA) and more than 1,200 demands to censor library books, materials and resources. Titles representing the voices and experiences of LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC individuals made up 47 percent of those targeted in censorship attempts, according to the ALA.
“We, the Princeton Public Library Board of Trustees, embrace the freedom to read as a cornerstone of democracy,” the resolution reads in part. “We affirm a diversity of experiences and perspectives, and recognize the equal humanity and dignity of all persons. As such, our programming and collections will
EDITOR
Sara Hastings (Ext. 206)
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Rebekah Schroeder
PRODUCTION
Stacey Micallef
SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE
Jennifer Steffen (Ext. 113)
ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE
Gina Carillo
embrace, include and celebrate a full spectrum of the human experience. We proudly establish our library as a sanctuary for reading.”
“Our trustees are unanimous in our belief that access to a range of ideas and perspectives is foundational to a tolerant, vibrant and welcoming community,” said Robert Ginsberg, president of the Board of Trustees of Princeton Public Library. “All patrons should have the option to learn about matters that are of importance to them or to explore issues about which they’re curious.”
In solidarity with the library, a resolution declaring the municipality a book sanctuary was adopted at the Princeton Council’s April 8 meeting.
Jennifer Podolsky, library executive director, is pleased that the municipality also intends to declare its book sanctuary status and said the timing couldn’t be better. “National Library Week gets underway next week, and to have it begin with the municipality declaring its resolve to resist censorship is the perfect launch of the celebration. We are grateful to be part of a town that joins us in preserving access to information and ideas.”
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LUNCH AND LEARN: STROKEIT CAN HAPPEN TO ANYONE!
Wednesday, May 1; 12:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.
Roughly 1 in 4 adults over the age of 25 will have a stroke in their lifetime.
Yet, most aren’t aware of the F.A.S.T. warning signs and that stroke is largely preventable, treatable, and beatable. Our medical experts will discuss risk factors, symptoms, treatment, and the needs of stroke survivors. Mandy J. Binning, MD, FAANS, Chief, Division of Vascular/ Endovascular Neurosurgery and Director of Stroke Programs at Global Neurosciences Institute; Ashley Sarrol, MS, CCC-SLP, Senior Speech Language Pathologist; and Sarah Masco, OTD,OTR/L, CLT-LANA, Senior Occupational Therapist.
SWEET SUCCESS SOCIETY: A DIABETES GROUP
Mondays, May 6 + June 3; 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Monday, May 13; 5:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.
A group for anyone with diabetes or caring for someone living with diabetes. Learn healthy ways to manage diabetes alongside your peers and Taryn Krietzman, RDN.
CATCH SOME ZZZZZ’S!
Monday, May 6; 1:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Insomnia affects our mental and physical health, making us more prone to heart disease and other serious illnesses. Join Patti McDougall, BSN, to learn more about how we should spend a third of our lives.
ORTHO 101: TOTAL KNEE REPLACEMENT
Monday, May 6; 6:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Join Orthopedic Program Coordinator Denise Berdecia, MSN, RN, ONC, and
physical and occupational therapists for an in-depth discussion on total knee replacements. These experts will explain preventative treatment, how to decide if surgery is right for you, and recovery options available through outpatient therapy.
GOT STRESS?
Tuesdays, May 7 + June 4; 1:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Support group about dealing with stress. Gain valuable insight about how others deal with similar situations.
SPIRITUALITY, COMPASSION AND VEGANISM
Wednesday, May 8; 6:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
Compassion is a sensitivity toward the suffering of others and responding with actions that can help. Veganism invites us to widen our circle of compassion to include all species of animals. In this talk, Michele Granberg, MA, CHT, CPLT, Mindset Coach, explores the nature of compassion and how it intersects with spirituality and veganism.
DESIGNER BAG BINGO!
Friday, May 10; 5:30 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
This event is a great way to get out with your friends for a night of fun, with many designer bags up for grabs. Admission ticket includes 12 rounds of Bingo. Tickets are $45. For more information or to purchase tickets, email Shannon.Neely@rwjbh.org.
WHAT’S EATING YOU?
Monday, May 13; 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Support group for people experiencing emotional eating. Peer support is key. We offer a safe space to connect with others
who are going through similar experiences.
BARIATRIC WEIGHT LOSS SUPPORT GROUP
Tuesday, May 14; 6:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
AN EVENING OF YOGA NIDRA MEDITATION
Tuesday, May 14; 6:30 p.m. - 7:45 p.m.
Experience the benefits of Yoga Nidra. Translated as yogic sleep, Michelle Gerdes (trauma-informed yoga and meditation teacher and owner of Princeton Doula Center) will explain how the practice of Yoga Nidra guides brain waves into optimal states for relaxation and rejuvenation. She will lead you through this guided relaxation that has been shown to reduce stress / anxiety, promote better sleep, and foster a profound sense of joy and well-being. Bring a yoga mat and anything else you need to be comfortable in meditation.
Fee $15
MINDFULNESS MEDITATION
Wednesday, May 15; 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Quieting your mind can have profound effects on both your body and your mind. Come learn to lower the volume of your mind’s chatter. Patti McDougall, BSN, Integrative Therapies Nurse STROKE PREVENTION, BECAUSE IT MATTERS
Thurs., May 15; 6:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Stroke is the number 5 cause of death, and leading cause of disability in the U.S., and up to 80% may be prevented.
Connie Moceri, MSN, RN, AGNP-C, Director of Disease Management and
Stroke Coordinator at RWJUH Hamilton will educate you on why managing risk factors is key to reducing your chances of having a stroke. Dinner provided.
HEALTHRHYTHMS® DRUM
CIRCLE
Wednesday, May 15; 7:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Drum your cares away with our monthly Drum Circle. It’s lots of fun and a great stress reliever. Drums provided. Mauri Tyler, CTRS, CMP. Fee $15
MENTAL HEALTH IS WEALTH
Monday, May 20; 6:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
You are not alone. Millions of people are affected by mental illness each year. Certain thoughts, behaviors, symptoms, and conditions can be linked to mental illness. Join Jasmeet Mehta, MD, to discuss topics related to anxiety, depression, and ADHD in adults.
PREDIABETES CONNECT GROUP
Tuesday, May 21; 11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Diagnosed with prediabetes? This group is for you to connect with others.
CALMING AND COPING STRATEGIES FOR KIDS: A PARENT WORKSHOP
Tuesday, May 21; 6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Enhance your parenting journey with effective coping strategies from educator, author & Wings to Learning Advocacy owner, Trenna Stout, B.Ed., BCEA. Discover how to help your child self-regulate & support their emotional well-being, empowering them to navigate life’s challenges confidently. Fee: $5
KIDS IN THE KITCHEN: HERBACEOUS FLAVORS
Wed., May 22; 5:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Empower kids with culinary skills and nutrition knowledge to become their healthiest selves! For children 5 years and older. All children must be accompanied by an adult. Taryn Krietzman, RDN. Fee $5 per person
REIKI SHARE
Wednesday, May 22; 6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
For folks who have been Reiki certified to come share the gift with fellow practitioners. Give a session, get a session. Bring a sheet and small pillow.
2024 HEARING AID EXPOLEARN ABOUT THE LATEST IN HEARING AID TECHNOLOGY
Thursday, May 23; 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Lorraine Sgarlato, Au.D., is proud to offer a presentation on today’s “computers for your ears.” Advances today in hearing aids allow us more than ever to connect to our world in an exciting way! We can now stream music, television, and more with ease! New technology offers better hearing in noise, tinnitus therapy, and helps protect our brains as we age. Learn about these new advances in technology along with a hands-on demonstration from representatives from the companies Oticon and Signia.
*All
Scan the QR code to register and become a member or call 609-584-5900 or email bhprogram@rwjbh.org to learn more.
*Registration and free Membership required to attend the Better Health Programs
A SENIOR SOCIAL GROUP
Wednesday, May 1, 8, 15, 22, 29, June 5; 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
Join us in a collaborative setting to exchange thoughts, feelings and experiences among peers. This is a safe zone designed to be welcoming and understanding of all attendees, while exploring this season of our lives – the ups and the challenges. Please feel free to attend one or all.
TAI CHI CLASSES
Thursday, May 2 + 16; 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.
YOGA CLASSES
Tuesday, May 7 + 21; 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
MEDITATION CLASSES
Tuesday, May 7 + 21; 11:15 a.m. - 11:45 a.m.
CHAIR YOGA
Tuesday, May 7 + 21; 12:00 p.m. - 12:45 p.m.
GROUNDS FOR SCULPTURE WELLNESS WALK
Wednesday, May 8; 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. Thursday, May 9; 10:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
Grounds for Sculpture welcomes us for their Wellness Walk! Whether you are a fast or slower walker, there will be a group for you as we feast our eyes on the beautiful art and nature. Member attendees are invited to enjoy GFS for the remainder of the day. Two dates to choose from. One registration per person.
TEA PARTY
Friday, May 17; 1:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. Pinkies up! Let’s talk tea and try some famously tasty pairings. Hats are encouraged!
LUNCH AND LEARN WITH RWJUHH MEDICAL EXPERT PANEL
Tuesday, May 14; 12:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. Who do you see the most when you are hospitalized? That’s right, nurses.
Does caring for our aging population require additional training? You bet it does. Join nursing experts to learn how our needs change as we age and how our nurses are being trained to better serve and care for our aging population. Panel includes: Tammy Leigh, MSN, RN, Director of Emergency Services & Intensive Care; Lisa Nevius, MSN, RN, OCN, NEA-BC, Nurse Manager; and Cynthia Russo, Clinical Nurse Specialist, MSN, RN-BC, APN.
LUNCH AND LEARN, SENIORS ACHIEVING GOOD HEALTH AND WELLBEING
Wednesday, May 22; 12:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.
Aging can present us with challenges from the loss of loved ones, isolation, physical changes, and more. Join Dilys Ngu, M.D., RWJUH Hamilton’s new geriatric psychiatrist, for a hopeful conversation and learn ways to bring back the brightness to your days.
Friday, May 31; 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. S.A.V.E. is a training program to help identify warning signs that someone is having thoughts of suicide. Heather Church-Soto, LCSW, Suicide Prevention Coordinator, U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs leads this program that provides caregivers and community members with the tools to act with care and compassion if they encounter someone who is in crisis or experiencing suicidal thoughts. This is NOT exclusive to veterans.
Scan QR code to view, learn more & register on-line for the programs listed above. Or visit rwjbh.org/HamiltonPrograms Email CommunityEdHam@rwjbh.org or call 609-584-5900 to learn more
Rhonda DiMascio has less of a mountain to climb and more of a “big hill.”
In February, Morven Museum & Garden named the veteran nonprofit leader, who has more than 25 years of experience in historic museums, sites, and gardens, as its new executive director. DiMascio succeeds Jill Barry, who left last September to become CEO of the Houston Botanic Garden in Texas, and takes over from deputy director and curator Elizabeth Allan, who served in an interim capacity during the search process, on March 25.
Morven was originally the home of Richard Stockton, one of New Jersey’s five signers of the Declaration of Independence, as well as the former Governor’s Mansion. The National Historic Landmark encompasses five acres at 55 Stockton Street in Princeton that, since opening to the public in 2004, has become known for its permanent and special exhibitions, events, and educational programming.
Stockton, a wealthy lawyer and a graduate of what is now Princeton University, built Morven in the 1750s. His wife was the patriotic poet Annis Boudinot Stockton, dubbed “the elegant muse of Morven”
by George Washington, and who named the estate after the Gaelic phrase for “big hill.”
After five generations of Stocktons, the property was eventually leased to General Robert Wood Johnson II, the chairman of Johnson & Johnson, before becoming New Jersey’s first Governor’s Mansion until the state’s official relocation down the street to Drumthwacket in 1982.
Morven has attracted a number of notable guests, including Washington, Grace Kelly, and Buzz Aldrin, and by delving into the depths of the museum’s archives to celebrate its two-decade anniversary as a restored museum and garden in 2024, curators uncovered the “lesser known” stories of the residence and its residents throughout its 250 years of historical significance.
This colorful collection is the subject of Morven’s newest exhibition, “Morven Revealed: Untold Stories from New Jersey’s Most Historic Home,” which is on view through Sunday, March 2, 2025.
Morven Revealed “talks about the behind-the-scenes of who has lived in this house over time,” DiMascio says, by showcasing objects and photographs that “take a thematic look at subjects recognizable
to many American families,” according to the exhibit’s page on the website, including “childhood, hosting guests, pets, fashion, and more.”
DiMascio steps into the role not only during Morven’s 20th year in operation, but at the height of its preparations for the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence and the United States Semiquincentennial in 2026.
When people picture the delegates of the Continental Congress whose names helped ratify the foundational document in 1776, DiMascio explains, “They think of all of the big names that you would just recognize instantly,” such as George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and John Adams.
But in acknowledgment of the milestone, Morven plans to host an exhibit highlighting New Jersey’s five signers of the Declaration of Independence — Richard Stockton, John Hart, John Witherspoon, Francis Hopkinson, and Abraham Clark — in 2026.
Some, like Stockton and Witherspoon, are better known as the namesakes of towns, institutions, and streets across the state, but “there’s a lot of room for interpretation to talk about their stories as well,
which are all really interesting,” DiMascio adds.
According to DiMascio, Morven is in the process of setting the stage for 2026 by preparing the grounds, forming partnerships with other Princeton organizations, and phasing in everything that needs to be done to “get us recognized as that resource” for the national commemoration.
“Being one of the most historic sites in
See MORVEN, Page 9
“When it comes to treating stroke, we always say ‘time is brain,’ which means that the sooner we can treat you, the better chance we have at a successful outcome,” said DR. DUSTIN ROCHESTIE, director of the Stroke Program at Capital Health. “At Capital Health, we have procedures in place to make sure you get the immediate, lifesaving stroke care that you need.”
The Stroke and Cerebrovascular Center at the Capital Institute for Neurosciences is a major referral center for the treatment of all types of neurovascular diseases, including (but not limited to) cerebral aneurysms, strokes, arteriovenous malformations (AVMs), arteriovenous fistulas (AVFs), intracranial stenosis as well as Moyamoya disease.
The only certified Comprehensive Stroke Center in the region, Capital Health Regional Medical Center (RMC) in Trenton provides safe emergency stroke and neurovascular services 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
“As soon as you call 911, our prehospital alert system allows our team in the hospital to prepare for your arrival, saving valuable time to treatment,” said Dr. Rochestie. “Your call activates basic and advanced life support service to provide safe, immediate care at your location before you even arrive at the hospital.”
There are steps you can take right away to lower your risk. Get started by talking to your primary care doctor to learn about stroke screenings and how you can treat or manage controllable risk factors such as:
… High blood pressure
… High cholesterol
… Heart/blood vessel disease
… Cigarette smoking
… Physical inactivity/obesity/poor diet
… Diabetes mellitus
… Atrial fibrillation
… Sickle cell disease
Visit capitalneuro.org to learn more. If you or someone you know is experiencing signs of a stroke, call 911.
Stroke is a time-sensitive emergency. If you suspect you or a loved one is experiencing a stroke, B-E F-A-S-T to know the signs of a stroke and call 911 immediately.
Is the person experiencing a sudden loss of balance?
Has the person lost vision in one or both eyes?
Does one side of the face droop, or is it numb?
Is one arm weak or numb? Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?
Is speech slurred? Is the person unable to speak or hard to understand? Ask the person to repeat a simple sentence, like “The sky is blue.” Is the sentence repeated correctly?
If someone shows any of these symptoms, even if the symptoms go away, call 911 and check the time so you’ll know when the first symptom appeared.
Brain tumors, while relatively rare, do not discriminate, affecting men, women, and children across all age groups and ethnicities. And because the brain is the critical organ that controls all others, it’s important to recognize the signs that may suggest a brain tumor and discuss them with your health care team.
“The many parts of the brain control different body functions, so symptoms will vary depending on tumor location, type, and size,” said DR. NAVID REDJAL, director of Neurosurgical Oncology at the Capital Health Center for Neuro-Oncology. “However, there are some common symptoms to watch for which, if ongoing, may indicate the presence of a brain tumor. Anyone experiencing one or more of them over an extended period of time should see their doctor to get an accurate diagnosis.”
“At the Center for Neuro-Oncology, our advanced technological resources and multidisciplinary approach to diagnosis and treatment are just as important as the compassionate and individualized care we provide,” said Dr. Redjal. “If a person experiences new symptoms or changes to existing ones, talking to your doctor is an important first step.”
The Center for Neuro-Oncology, part of Capital Institute for Neurosciences and Capital Health Cancer Center, is a referral center for the diagnosis and treatment of cancer involving the brain and spine. The Center is housed in state-of-the-art facilities where patients have access to an experienced and caring team of physicians, nurses and staff who work closely with referring physicians to facilitate rapid and thorough evaluations and recommendations for patients and their families. In addition to providing advanced neuro-oncologic and neuroscience care, the Center participates in clinical trials to help fight and find cures for cancer.
To learn more about Capital Health’s Center for Neuro-Oncology, visit capitalhealth.org/neurooncology.
HEADACHES:
A persistent, progressive pain that is different from a migraine, does not respond to over-the-counter pain medication (like aspirin or ibuprofen), gets worse when laying down, and may be accompanied by vomiting or changes in vision.
SEIZURES:
In some cases, a seizure may be the first indication that a person has a brain tumor.
FOCAL PROGRESSIVE SYMPTOMS:
Localized symptoms—such as hearing problems, difficulty walking or speaking, or feeling clumsy—can often help identify the location of the tumor.
MASS EFFECT:
Occurs when a brain tumor presses on surrounding normal tissue, causing nausea and vomiting, drowsiness, vision problems, headaches, and behavior changes.
SUDDEN PERSONALITY CHANGES, COGNITIVE CHANGES, MEMORY LOSS:
A tumor may cause disruptions in normal brain function that lead to changes in a patient’s behavior and ability to reason, remember, and learn.
Heart valve disease is the general name for several conditions that affect how blood moves through the heart and supports the body. The four chambers of the heart each have a valve that keeps blood flowing in the right direction. When someone has heart valve disease, the flaps of a valve aren’t working properly and the heart can’t move enough blood to keep the rest of the body functioning as it should. Left untreated, heart valve disease can lead to serious complications such as heart rhythm abnormalities, blood clots, heart failure, and stroke.
Someone with mild to moderate heart valve disease can go for years without knowing they have it, but the risk for damage can still be serious. Symptoms can develop gradually over time or very quickly if the condition becomes severe, so it’s important to understand your risk factors and recognize symptoms when they occur.
The risk for heart valve disease increases as we age, but it’s also more likely if you’ve had a heart attack or have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, or other conditions that can affect your heart health. Physical signs of heart valve disease can include:
Irregular heartbeat.
… Shortness of breath.
… Fatigue or inability to maintain your normal activity.
Lightheadedness or fainting.
… Swollen abdomen, ankles, or feet.
Severe aortic stenosis is one form of heart valve disease in which narrowing of the aortic valve opening occurs due to thick or stiff valve flaps. As a result, the heart needs to work harder to pump blood to the rest of the body, which in turn can limit your daily activity. Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is a minimally invasive treatment option at Capital Health for patients with severe aortic stenosis or those with a failing surgical aortic valve who are at greater risk for complications during open surgery.
“Heart valve disease symptoms don’t necessarily tell the whole story about how serious a person’s condition is,” said DR. DAVID DRUCKER , medical director of Capital Health’s Structural Heart Program and board certified, fellowship trained interventional cardiologist at Capital Health Cardiology Specialists. “This is why it’s important to talk to your cardiologist any time you notice anything out of the ordinary that could indicate heart valve disease or other cardiac conditions. Getting a specific diagnosis as soon as possible is more likely to lead to a better outcome.”
Dr. Drucker leads a team of experts at Capital Health’s Structural Heart Program to perform minimally invasive procedures like TAVR to manage and treat heart valve conditions and other structural issues of the heart. With TAVR, an artificial valve is delivered to the heart through a thin, flexible tube (catheter) that is inserted into one of several possible access routes and placed into the diseased valve. The procedure usually takes one hour or less to complete, and many TAVR patients start feeling better as soon as their new valve is placed. Patients usually begin walking the same day as their TAVR procedure and are typically discharged within one or two days and ready to return to their normal activities.
To make an appointment at Capital Health Cardiology Specialists or to find an office near you, visit capitalhealthcardiology.org.
Register by calling 609.394.4153 or register online at capitalhealth.org/events and be sure to include your email address. Please register early. Class size is limited. Zoom meeting details will be provided via email 2 – 3 days before the program date. Registration ends 24 hours before the program date.
Wednesday, May 8, 2024 | 6 p.m.
Location: Zoom Meeting
Join Mindy Komosinsky, registered dietitian/nutritionist and certified diabetes care and education specialist, to learn ways to build solid nutrition habits that can pave the way for a healthier brain and body as you age. Topics include nutrition for maintaining cognitive health, promoting strong bones, preserving muscle mass, and preventing or managing some chronic conditions.
Thursday, May 16, 2024 | 6 p.m.
Location: Zoom Meeting
Do you have a family history of stroke, or have you experienced a stroke and want to learn how to prevent another one in the future? Get the latest information from registered nurses and Stroke Program Coordinators Maria Gilli and Pamela Esher, who will discuss stroke signs and symptoms, types of strokes, individual risk factors, and treatment options.
New Jersey and the trajectory of everybody who has lived here — through the Stocktons, and through the Johnsons, and through the five governors that have been here — we’re [one of New Jersey’s] most historic houses, and we have this great venue for educational programming. We have a wonderful venue for exhibitions and touring a historic site. We’re on five acres of beautiful landscape,” DiMascio explains. “I think that we’re really excited, because this is a time [when] we’re building up to this. Obviously, we’re working with different partners and creating programming and content, but it’s not just about the 250th anniversary; it’s about getting people to come back after that, too.”
“We’ll have a lot of celebrations coming up in 2026, in some way, shape, or another, but we want to preserve this unbelievable resource. We want people to realize the significance,” DiMascio says, hoping to do so by “engaging audiences, increasing our public programming, and, just at the end of the day, instilling a love of Morven, its exhibitions, and the historic site.”
For DiMascio, that passion is personal.
“I can honestly say I’m a true Jersey girl,” says DiMascio, a resident of Ewing who was born in Marlton before moving to Pennington at a young age. She has lived all across the state, including South Jersey, Cherry Hill, “down the shore,” Mount Laurel, and finally back to Ewing in 2011.
Although her family is from South Philadelphia and South Jersey, DiMascio says with a laugh, “How I landed here is being born here, escaping, and then living in every exit of the parkway, I think.”
She went to local private schools such as the Chapin School, located in Lawrence Township just outside of Princeton, and later the Pennington School, after which she lived briefly in Rhode Island, Tennessee, Ohio, and eventually Pennsylvania.
“I can definitely thank my parents for giving me an appreciation of history, museums, and cultural sites and their importance in the community. I always, as a little kid, would love going to museums. I loved going to churches. I like going to historic houses,” DiMascio explains, adding that because she was introduced to historic sites at such a young age, she has always been drawn to the familiarity and comfort they provide — especially as someone who has felt like she is, at least in part, “from another time.”
Now, as an adult, her travels and vacations “are all historic” in nature. For example, she has plans with friends to visit Monticello, Thomas Jefferson’s plantation in Charlottesville, Virginia, after hearing that they have added and updated the stories in their repertoire.
“It seems to have morphed into the fabric of who I am. But I guess I can really thank my parents, too, for exposing me to that,” she says.
DiMascio first earned a bachelor’s in art history from Rosemont College in Rosemont, Pennsylvania, but a year after graduating and realizing her true affinity for the operational aspects of the field, she returned to academia to receive her master’s degree in arts administration from Drexel University in Philadelphia.
“I’ve always had a love for arts and culture and historic sites, and I knew I wanted to spend the rest of my life working in a cultural setting, specifically a venue,” DiMascio says. “It’s been something that has been a passion of mine professionally, as well as personally, and I have worked my way through historic sites, through art museums, through sculpture gardens, historic sites again, back to another historic site. That’s been the trajectory of my professional career.”
“When you work for a nonprofit arts and culture organization, you have to do a little bit of everything,” she adds, having now amassed over a quarter-century of experience in responsibilities such as fundraising, development, community outreach, educational programming, and grant writing.
DiMascio started out as the director of education at the Noyes Museum of Art, a folk art museum in Oceanville founded by Fred and Ethel Noyes, the couple known for spearheading the development of the Colonial Williamsburg-inspired tourist attraction “Historic Smithville,” also in Galloway Township.
After a series of fundraising attempts to update the main building failed, the original structure closed in 2016. The Noyes Museum is now fully overseen by Stockton University, and its collections — including 300 duck decoys — have since been divided into affiliated locations in Hammonton and Atlantic City.
In 2000, DiMascio became executive director of the Alice Paul Institute in Mount Laurel, a nonprofit organization created to preserve the “family home and birthplace” of feminist, suffragist, and women’s rights activist Alice Stokes Paul.
Founded as the Alice Paul Centennial Foundation in 1984 to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Paul’s birth in 1885, API “furthers the legacy of Alice Paul and her life’s work for gender equality, and also takes a leadership role in bringing recognition to women and the organizations and historic sites that honor them,” according to its website, alicepaul.org.
Described as “the architect of some of the most outstanding political achievements on behalf of women in the 20th century,” Paul was a key figure in rallying for the passage of the Nineteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution that officially recognized American women’s right to vote.
After its adoption, Paul advocated for the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA), a See MORVEN, Page 10
Princeton, NJ $999,000
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609.921.1050
MLS# NJME2040236
Princeton, NJ
$1,450,000
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Princeton, NJ
$1,250,000 (1.5 acres)
Susan L ‘Suzy’ DiMeglio 609.915.5645
MLS# NJME2031826
Princeton, NJ
$1,295,000
Princeton Office
609.921.1050
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Princeton, NJ
$1,350,000
Susan L ‘Suzy’ DiMeglio 609.915.5645
MLS# NJME2040784
Franklin Township, NJ $1,695,000
Princeton Office 609.921.1050
MLS# NJSO2003192
Princeton, NJ
$3,495,000
Norman T ‘Pete’ Callaway
609.558.5900
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$3,650,000
Maura Mills 609.947.5757
MLS# NJME2039490
proposed amendment she co-authored with fellow activist Crystal Eastman that would legally enshrine equal rights and protections for American citizens regardless of gender. As part of her commitment to advancing reform, Paul earned three different law degrees, according to the API website.
Originally introduced in 1923 and rewritten by Paul two decades later, the ERA finally made its way through the government to the states for ratification in 1972. Although the legislation required the approval of 38 states, Congress had set a deadline that expired with just three states short of its goal.
DiMascio noted that she is grateful to have had the opportunity to learn and lead at API so early in her career. While there, she oversaw a “multimillion-dollar historic restoration and rehabilitation project,” according to the Morven press release.
The work at API honored Paul’s contributions to the country as well as her legacy of advocacy, with DiMascio adding that it was a “wonderful combination of blending historic preservation and leadership development with young women.”
Next, DiMascio spent nearly 10 years at Grounds For Sculpture as the Hamilton sculpture park’s first director of development. When she arrived at Grounds for Sculpture, DiMascio explains, there was no such program in place, which gave her the unique opportunity to build one from the ground up and cement GFS as the artistic institution it is known for today.
“That was at a time [when] Grounds For Sculpture was just getting on the map. Basically, people knew about it as its bestkept secret,” she adds.
By the end of her time there, DiMascio had increased incoming revenue by nearly 50 percent after establishing a sustainable fundraising program.
DiMascio then transitioned to serving as the executive director of the Friends of Laurel Hill Cemetery in Philadelphia, where she spent four years at the nonprofit organization dedicated to the preservation of the two Laurel Hill Cemeteries — considered some of the “oldest in the country” and another National Historic Landmark — that still offer traditional cemetery and funeral services to the public.
After assuming the position in 2020, DiMascio navigated the group’s programming and fundraising during the pandemic, calling it a “learning experience” in which she had to “work within [the] parameters of attendance and visitors” during an unprecedented time of constant challenge.
“It was four years, but it felt like eight because we were doing everything new for the first time,” she explains. Trying to serve the public through “all of those trials and tribulations” was an obstacle for everyone, but fortunately, because much
wonderful element that I’ve had in some other places that I’ve worked, too, that you just feel like you’re in the right place, and you’re working with the right people,” she adds. “It’s not all going to be easy; I know that. But when your heart’s in the right place and you have good people to work with, I think that it just makes that road so much easier, and then you end up staying some place that you didn’t realize you were there for so long.”
DiMascio says she came several times to see “Ma Bell: The Mother of Invention in New Jersey,” a 2022 exhibit about the state’s history of scientific and technological achievements through Bell Telephone Laboratories, and “Charles and Anne Morrow Lindbergh: Couple of an Age,” which chronicled the lives of the famous duo in 2015. These two “must-see” exhibits captured what excites her about planning for the future.
“One of the things that really appealed to me, too, was the possibility for educational programs,” she says, referring to “the Stockton Education Center and having the ability to do programming on-site.”
of the Friends of Laurel Hill Cemetery’s programming could take place outdoors, DiMascio says they did well despite the circumstances.
DiMascio had briefly met Barry, Morven’s former executive director, while the latter helped conduct an American Alliance of Museums audit of Grounds For Sculpture. When DiMascio heard that Barry was moving on after seven years at the helm of Morven, she expressed interest in the position.
“I was born and raised in New Jersey, so I have been coming to Morven for a long time,” DiMascio says. “When they were going through their restoration, I was going through a similar restoration when I was working at Alice Paul. It’s always been woven into my brain.”
“Also, I love the New Jersey community, and I’m happy to be back in New Jersey,” she adds.
DiMascio is particularly fond of driving into Princeton on the same back roads she used as a teenager, voicing her nostalgia for driving past Terhune Orchards and other landmarks of her childhood. At a young age, DiMascio explains, she and others would “walk around Princeton for hours” or take the bus to New York from there.
“Being in my own backyard again and helping to bring more visibility to a historic site, whether it be through exhibitions, whether it be programs, or just partnership outreach, it’s a really exciting opportunity,” DiMascio explains, and her “comfort level” with the area is not only a source of pride, but a valuable resource for taking on a new position at an institution like Morven.
Through her years of experience managing both historic sites and nonprofit
organizations, DiMascio has gained an “understanding of preservation” and “the stories that need to be told.” She also recognizes the importance of having a strong foundation for fundraising, which she learned firsthand at Grounds for Sculpture.
“But I think that my background is an interesting combination of not just having boots on the ground and developing programming and overseeing historic preservation, but it’s also about fundraising, so I feel like I’m where I’m supposed to be. I feel like I’m home, and I feel that there’s so many aspects of Morven that really draw on my past experiences,” she says.
“When you start at a new site ... there’s all of these stories and elements that are different, but yet still familiar and comfortable to me, so I feel like I had that experience in doing a little bit of everything for long periods of time, too,” she adds.
Another benefit, according to DiMascio, was that she was able to carry over relationships she had already established with local and state agencies, pointing to resources such as the New Jersey Historic Preservation Office or the Council on the Arts.
“I’m having to learn a lot, but there is some familiarity there, and I’m so, so excited to be able to take some of the skills and experiences — knowing that I still need to learn a lot — and apply them to Morven,” DiMascio explains.
DiMascio notes that many of the staff at Morven have been there for years, which is “a testament to their dedication to the organization and their commitment to telling a story and to making the best visitor experience as possible.”
“They’ve been around for a long time, and they’re committed, and that’s another
The Stockton Education Center, which opened in 2018, overlooks the Colonial Revival Garden and spans 3,000 square feet in three interconnected sections, including a “gathering space,” an atrium, and a classroom for hosting indoor events, workshops, and more.
“Obviously, we can do rentals and make some revenue there, but it’s really nice to take the wear and tear off of the house. For many years, I’ve worked at historic sites where it’s just been so problematic to have programs inside the house. You’re having it rehabbed, or there’s not enough space, and there’s a whole humidity [problem],” DiMascio explains, and with the Stockton Education Center described as just “steps away” from the historic mansion and gardens, its addition offers a real advantage.
In her new leadership role at Morven, DiMascio recognizes the importance of taking a holistic approach to how all the pieces, from programming to promotion, fit together to support the site’s continued growth.
There are two sides to implementing these strategies, according to DiMascio. The first is operational, which includes historic preservation, grounds maintenance, and functional aspects such as working lights or accurate signage. The second is “heritage tourism outreach,” defined as attracting repeat visitors and more people from “diverse audiences” to the site while ensuring capacity for those guests.
For all the day-to-day details, however, DiMascio never loses sight of Morven’s mission.
“Our focus,” DiMascio explains, “as always, is to preserve and celebrate Morven’s legacy by sharing all the stories of the people who have lived here.”
“We’re in a really good place right now, and we are trying to ramp up and increase our visibility, diversify our programming, and really take care of this historic resource through a lot of grants to preserve the grounds and ADA pathways,” she continues. “It’s not all going to happen overnight, but it will happen over time, and I think that it’s an exciting place to be.”
“We want people to have the same love of Morven as we do,” she says, while also emphasizing the desire to stand out as “one of the most historic homes in New Jersey,” especially one “that has an unbelievable repertoire of stories and people that are endless.”
DiMascio observes that most people who know about Morven have either lived in Princeton or the surrounding area, and she hopes that people who are not as local will gain a greater awareness of the historic house’s offerings as a museum and garden.
“I think that we’re a resource, and whether your thing is horticulture, whether your thing is historic sites, whether it’s civic programming, community involvement, I think that you can come to us. You can like them all, or you can come to us through your particular area of interest, which I think is such a wonderful place to be, is to be an organization that we can’t be all things to everybody, but ... we have some really wonderful areas that we focus on, that we immerse ourselves in, which makes us a welcoming place to come to, and I hope that I see more people visiting here. That would just be lovely,” she says.
Morven kicks off its seasonal “Morven in May” festivities with the site’s largest fundraiser, the Spring Garden Party, on Friday, May 17, from 7 to 9 p.m. While enjoying refreshments, live music, and the “peak season” of Morven’s peony garden on the grounds, attendees will also have the opportunity to view the new “Morven Revealed” exhibit.
In addition to honoring the museum’s key supporters, the event supports Morven’s future programming for the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence in 2026.
Tickets range from $250 to $20,000. Guests must RSVP by Friday, May 10. For more information, visit morven.org/fy24/ may or contact chief development officer Megan Shackney at 609-924-8144 x 101 or email mshackney@morven.org.
Morven’s upcoming calendar continues with a museum panel discussion about Morven’s journey, a program with the Princeton Storytelling Circle, guided walking tours, plein-air painting with the Arts Council of Princeton, and an African American genealogy workshop with historical research consultant Sharece Blakney, the developer of Morven’s “In-
clusive History Interpretive Plan.”
Morven hosts a virtual civic engagement series in partnership with the Princeton Public Library and supported by the New Jersey Council for the Humanities called “So You Think You Know Civics?” The lectures run through November while covering topics related to democracy and the U.S. government.
The second program, “What is Citizenship?” takes place on Wednesday, June 12, at 6 p.m. with Holly Korbey, journalist and author of “Building Better Citizens: A New Civics Education for All,” via Zoom webinar. To pre-register or see more information, visit morven.org/upcoming/ civics2024.
Morven is also partnering with the Princeton Symphony Orchestra for the 2024 Princeton Festival, described as
“New Jersey’s premier performing arts extravaganza,” where musicians perform live from June 7 to 22 at a tented performance pavilion in Morven’s parking lot. To see the full lineup of genres spanning classical, opera, baroque, choral, chamber, cabaret, to Broadway and more, visit the PSO website at princetonsymphony.org/ festival/events.
Lastly, DiMascio mentions the July 4th Jubilee, described on Morven’s website as “a free, family-friendly celebration of Independence Day” with food trucks, live entertainment, and “patriotic activities,” as another highlight of the organization’s summer programming.
The beauty of bringing younger people to sites like Morven, she explains, is that you can teach them about history through storytelling, such as how the past relates to our modern times.
“Hopefully, we’re creating a new generation, too, of kids that do appreciate and recognize the important significance of saving a site or going to an art museum,” DiMascio adds.
“We want to be accessible — and when I say accessible, I don’t just mean [having] elevator access — I mean, we want people from various communities to feel welcome here, and I’d also love us to continue with the creativeness that we have, and I think there’s no shortage of good ideas,” she says.
“At the end of the day, [what we want] is to steward this wonderful historic site, increase our visibility, and diversify our audiences, but just instill a love of historic sites and being here at Morven, and we want people to feel welcome, and not just for 2026 — for beyond.”
Morven Museum & Garden, 55 Stockton Street, Princeton. Open Wednesdays through Sundays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Gardens open daily until dusk. 609-9248144 or morven.org
Wednesday May 1
Sound Journey, Office of Religious Life, Princeton University Chapel. chapel.princeton. edu. Ruth Cunningham, founding member of the vocal ensemble Anonymous 4 and a sound healing practitioner, premieres a virtual performance of music for meditation and introspection. Free. 5:30 p.m.
From Mansion to Museum Panel Discussion, Morven Museum & Garden, 55 Stockton Street. www.morven.org. Hybrid panel discussion exploring Morven’s journey from Governor’s Mansion to opening as a museum in 2004. Panelists include: Georgie Schley, former President of Morven’s Board of Trustees; Carol Cronheim, former assistant secretary of state and policy advisor for the State of New Jersey; and Anne Gossen, museum, non-profit, and arts consultant; former curator of exhibitions and academic and artistic director at Morven. Register. $15 includes access to visit Morven’s newest exhibition, Morven Revealed: Untold Stories from New Jersey’s Most Historic Home, before the program. 6:30 to 8 p.m.
Author Event: Amy Tan, Princeton Public Library & Labyrinth Books, 122 Nassau Street. www.princetonlibrary.org. The author discusses and signs copies of her newest book, “The Backyard Bird Chronicles,” and the joy she finds from birding and the natural wonders of the world. 7 p.m.
Jersey Art Meetup, Arts Council of Princeton, 102 Witherspoon Street. www.artscouncilofprinceton.org. Princeton Comic Makers presents: JERSEY ART MEETUPS (JAM), a weekly social event connecting creatives within the greater Central Jersey area through a shared passion for sequential art and new media. Attendees may use this open workshop space to draw, write, and develop their own artwork, with an opportunity to receive peer review and feedback from other members if desired. Illustrators, animators, writers, and generalists are all welcome to join and discuss their art and career goals, share learning resources, promote current projects, or find friends and collaborators. Must be 16+ to attend. Weekly on Wednesdays. Free. 7 to 9 p.m.
Thursday May 2
Meeting, 55-Plus Club of Princeton. www. princeton.com/groups/55plus. T. J. Jackson Lears, the Board of Governors Distinguished Professor of History at Rutgers University and editor-inchief of Raritan Quarterly Review, speaks on “Writing History in Late Imperial America.” Via Zoom only. Free; $5 donation requested. 10 a.m.
Meet Our Community Partner: Housing
Initiatives of Princeton, Princeton Public Library, 65 Witherspoon Street. www.princetonlibrary.org. Members of HIP will be on hand to talk about their work and potential volunteer opportunities. 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Open House: Hinds Plaza Concept Design, Princeton Public Library, 65 Witherspoon Street. www.princetonlibrary.org. The Municipality of Princeton hosts a public open house for a concept design for Hinds Plaza. Key discussion topics will include materials, furniture, issues and concerns, trees and landscaping, lighting and more. Please join us; your input is integral to the success of this project. 5 to 7 p.m.
Friends Annual Mary Pitcairn Keating Lecture | Places, Public Life, and Environment: James Corner, Princeton University Art Museum, 100 Arthur Lewis Auditorium, Robertson Hall. artmuseum.princeton.edu. James Corner, world-renowned landscape architect and urbanist, delivers this year’s annual Keating lecture, titled “Places, Public Life, and Environment.” Corner discusses a number of his acclaimed design projects, including New York’s High Line, Staten Island’s Freshkills Park, and San Francisco’s Presidio Tunneltops, each addressing urgent issues of urbanization, environment, resiliency, and public life. He also touches on his important work on Princeton’s campus and new Art Museum. Reception to follow. Free; no ticket required. 5 p.m.
Historical Fiction Book Group, Princeton Public Library, 65 Witherspoon Street. www. princetonlibrary.org. A discussion of the historical context for Lauren Groff’s “Matrix” is facilitated by Sucharita Ray, lecturer in art and archaeology and history, Princeton University. 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Doric String Quartet, Princeton University Concerts, Richardson Auditorium, Princeton University. concerts.princeton.edu. Quartet makes its pandemic-delayed PUC debut performing works for strings by Brett Dean, Beethoven, and Schubert. $25 to $40. 7:30 p.m.
ArtJam, HomeFront, 45 Hulfish Street. www. homefrontnj.org. With more than 75 artists represented, the annual pop-up gallery features the work of national and local professional artists as well as undiscovered artists who have been impacted by poverty and homelessness. The oneof-a-kind artwork for sale includes paintings, sculptures, pottery, glass, and hand-sewn items. Through May 18. Noon to 8 p.m.
Film: “Americanish”, Princeton Public Library, 65 Witherspoon Street. www.princetonlibrary.org. This 2021 comedy follows the lives of three women as they navigate the often turbu-
lent waters of romance, culture, career and family. 4 to 6 p.m.
Gallery Opening: Making Do, Arts Council of Princeton, 102 Witherspoon Street. www. artscouncilofprinceton.org. Opening reception for group exhibit featuring works made from the “stuff of life”: newspaper collages, fruit sticker drawings, fidgeting objects, and more. On view through May 24. 5 to 7 p.m.
Friday Night Folk Dance, Princeton Folk Dance, Suzanne Patterson Center, 45 Stockton Street. www.princetonfolkdance.org. Lesson followed by open dancing. No partner necessary. $5. Weekly on Fridays. 8 p.m.
saTurday May 4
Exploring Korean Culture, Princeton Public Library, 65 Witherspoon Street. www. princetonlibrary.org. An hour of Korean games and familiar treats is followed by musical performances, bringing together traditional cultural practices with contemporary expressions of Korean and Korean American identity. 10 a.m. to noon.
Princeton Art Bazaar, Arts Council of Princeton, 102 Witherspoon Street. www. artscouncilofprinceton.org. Shop more than 100 creative vendors working in ceramics, textiles, printmaking, wood, glass, leather, jewelry, selfcare, vintage, and more. Sip local brews in the Triumph Brewing Co Beer Garden, noon to 4 p.m.; and get hands-on in all-ages open studios, 2 to 4 p.m. Rain date May 5. 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Guided Tour: Ulises Carrión: Bookworks and Beyond, Ellen and Leonard Milberg Gallery, Firestone Library, Princeton University. library.princeton.edu. Tour the exhibit on view through June 13 examining one of the most influential of all modern artists engaged in the book and exploring Carrión’s pioneering reinvention of the book as a material and social platform. 1 p.m.
Campus Collections Outdoor Walking Tour: Residential Colleges Neighborhood, Princeton University Art Museum, Ai Weiwei’s Circle of Animals/Zodiac Heads, University Place. artmuseum.princeton.edu. Join a guided walking tour of the campus collections with an Art Museum guide and discover a variety of artworks by modern and contemporary sculptors, from Sol LeWitt to Maya Lin. Also May 11 and 18. 2 p.m.
Film: “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem”, Princeton Public Library, 65 Witherspoon Street. www.princetonlibrary.org. Celebrate Free Comic Book Day with this screening of 2023’s reboot of the “Turtles” film series. PG. 1 hour, 39 minutes. 3 to 4:50 p.m.
B.D. Lenz, Small World Coffee, 14 Witherspoon Street. www.smallworldcoffee.com. Jazz, funk, Latin, and rock. 7 p.m.
75th Anniversary Gala, The Jewish Center of Princeton, 435 Nassau Street. www.thejewishcenter.org/diamond-jubilee. “Sail the Chai Seas!” cruise-themed event turns TJC’s campus into a cruise ship along with two excursion destinations. Register. $175 and up. 7:30 p.m.
sunday May 5
ABC-XYZ by Lucilla Trapazzo and Alessandro Olla, Princeton Public Library, 65 Witherspoon Street. www.princetonlibrary.org. Lucilla Trapazzo and Alessandro Olla perform ABC-XYZ and explore the connections between contemporary music and poetry during this brunch event. Doors open at 10:45 a.m. for coffee and pastries. 11 a.m. to noon.
Guided Tour: Ulises Carrión: Bookworks and Beyond, Ellen and Leonard Milberg Gallery, Firestone Library, Princeton University. library.princeton.edu. Tour the exhibit on view through June 13 examining one of the most influential of all modern artists engaged in the book and exploring Carrión’s pioneering reinvention of the book as a material and social platform. 1 p.m.
Campus Collections Outdoor Walking Tour, Princeton University Art Museum, Nassau Hall, Princeton University. artmuseum. princeton.edu. Join a guided walking tour of the campus collections with an Art Museum docent and discover a variety of artworks by modern and contemporary sculptors. Rain or shine; stairfree. Also May 12 and 19. 2 p.m.
35th Anniversary Reunion Concert, Boheme Opera NJ, Hillman Performance Hall, Westminster Choir College, Walnut Lane. www. bohemeopera.org. Performers include baritone Daniel Sutin, soprano Sungji Kim, contralto Alison Bolshoi, bass Martin Hargrove, tenor Jim Price, bass Jeremy Galyon, tenor Christian Sebek with his sons, Eric and Zachary, baritone Kevin Patrick, sopranos Rebecca Sacks and Kerri Lynn Slominski, and baritone Dante Doganiero. Pianists Sandra Pucciatti and Doug Han serve as accompanists. $25 general admission. 3 to 6 p.m.
Italian Fashion and Film Post WWII, Dorothea’s House, 120 John Street. www.dorotheashouse.org. Eugenia Paulicelli, professor of Italian, comparative literature, film and women’s studies with the City University of New York, Queens College and the Graduate Center, presents an illustrated lecture on film and fashion’s contribution to Italy’s economic reconstruction and moral rehabilitation in the years following the end of WWII. Participants are encouraged to bring
Food to nourish the body and conversation to nourish the mind are on the menu at Princeton Theological Seminary’s Farminary for its “First Thursdays at the Farm — A Distinctive Dinner Series.”
The Farminary, a 21-acre farm operated by the seminary on Princeton Pike, is hosting a seven-part series of monthly dinners bringing together a range of scholars, activists, and artists to speak over a four-course meal prepared in part with produce from the Farminary.
These intimate dinners are capped at 25 guest and cost $125 per person, which includes the meal and wine. Those who sign up for three or more dinners receive a 15 percent discount. All dinners start at 6 p.m. Register online at www.ptsem.edu/ events/departments/farminary/1st-thursdays-at-the-farm.
The series begins on Thursday, May 2, and continues on the first Thursday of each month through November. The lineup, with speaker introductions from the seminary website, is as follows:
May 2: Carolyn Finney and chef Joe Rocchi — “Black Faces, White Spaces: African Americans’ Representation in the Great Outdoors.”
Finney is a storyteller, author and cultural geographer interested in issues related to identity, difference, creativity, and resilience. She is an artist-in-residence and the environmental studies professor of practice in the Franklin Environmental Center at Middlebury College.
Rocchi is the culinary director at Franklin Towne Charter High School in Philadelphia. He is a citizen of the Pamunkey Tribe of Virginia and is a rising star around questions of Indigenous food sovereignty, colonization, and pre and post Colonial Indigenous foods.
June 6: Eric Barreto and Chef Jesse Jones — “Made with Love: Theology, Identity, and the Table.”
Barreto is an associate professor of New Testament. As a Baptist minister, Barreto has pursued scholarship for the sake of the church, and he regularly writes for and teaches in faith communities around the country.
Jones is a classically trained chef and author renowned for his modern approach to southern cuisine.
July 11: Charles Rosen and chef Salvatore Riccobono — “The Earth Is Not a Warehouse: Practicing Regenerative Agriculture.”
refreshments to share at a post-program reception. Free. 6 p.m.
Sanctuary Road, Princeton Pro Musica, Richardson Auditorium, Princeton University. www.princetonpromusica.org. Performance of an oratorio based on the writings of William Still, a conductor for the Underground Railroad. Music by Paul Moravec and libretto by Mark Campbell. $30 to $65. 4 p.m.
Monday May 6
Authors: Eric Cline and Glynnis Fawkes, Labryinth Books & Princeton Public Library, 122 Nassau Street. www.princetonlibrary.org. The authors discuss the publication of Cline’s “After 1177 B.C.: The Survival of Civilizations” and Fawkes’ graphic novel adaptation of Cline’s previous bestseller, “1177 B.C.” in conversation with Princeton University sociology professor Miguel Centeno. 6 to 7 p.m.
Continuing Conversations on Race, Princeton Public Library, 65 Witherspoon Street. www.princetonlibrary.org. Princeton University professor Lorgia García-Peña, gives a presentation. Hybrid program. 7 to 8:30 p.m.
Tuesday May 7
Tuesday Night Folk Dance, Princeton Folk Dance, Christ Congregation, 50 Walnut Lane. www.princetonfolkdance.org. No partner necessary. $5. Weekly on Tuesdays. 7:30 to 9:30 p.m.
Wednesday May 8
International Cinema: “Petite Maman”, Garden Theatre & Princeton Public Library, 160 Nassau Street. www.princetonlibrary.org. The International Cinema Series is held in partnership with the Princeton Garden Theatre. Tickets are required. Limited
Rosen spent nearly 14 years working in advertising, then ran for Congress, started a global fund to finance the campaigns of women politicians abroad, and founded a hard cider brand, Ironbound Hard Cider. He is now the founder and CEO of Ironbound Farm, home to Ironbound Hard Cider and New Ark Farms, in Asbury, New Jersey.
Riccobono is the founder of Plainsborobased Wood Craft Cafe & Catering.
August 1: Heath Carter and chef James Graham — “Seeds of Discord: Christianity, Democracy, and Our Present Crisis.”
Carter is an associate professor of American Christianity at Princeton Theological Seminary, where he teaches and writes about the intersection of Christianity and American public life.
Graham is the owner and executive chef of Jagrah’s Restaurant, housed within Princeton Country Club.
September 5: Elaine James and chef Margo Carner — “A Fresh Take on Freshwater Crises: How the Old Testament Sheds New Light.”
James, associate professor of Old Testament, joined the Princeton Seminary faculty in 2019. Her work focuses on the literature of the Hebrew Bible, especially
free tickets available for library card holders starting May 1. 7 to 7 p.m.
Author: Michelle Weinfeld, Historical Society of Princeton & Princeton Public Library, 354 Quaker Road. www.princetonlibrary.org. In commemoration of Holocaust Remembrance Day, Michelle Weinfeld discusses her book, “From Generation to Generation: A Memoir of Food, Family, and Identity in the Aftermath of the Shoah.” 7 to 7 p.m.
Choice, McCarter Theater, 91 University Place, 609-258-2787. www.mccarter.org. Winnie Holzman’s new comedy explores a woman’s right to choose in decidedly unexpected, often hilarious, and ultimately thought-provoking ways. Directed by Sarah Rasmussen. Through May 31. 7:30 p.m.
Author: Stacey Abrams, Princeton Public Library, Richardson Auditorium, Princeton University. www.princetonlibrary.org. The New York Times bestselling author, entrepreneur and political leader discusses her latest novel, “Rogue Justice,” for the J. Edward Farnum Lectures series. Free tickets required. 7:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Thursday May 9
Art of Indian Music, Arts Council of Princeton, 102 Witherspoon Street. www.artscouncilofprinceton.org. Explore the rich cultural heritage and diverse forms of Indian Music with international singer and classical musician, Rashika Ranchan. This performance and talk, designed to be informative and interactive, will encompasses different genres, such as, Hindustani Classical, Gazal, Bhajan, Folk, Thumri, Sufi and Film (Bollywood) music. Register. $55. 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
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its poetry, examining its significance in ancient contexts and its legacies for the contemporary world.
Carner is the chef and founder of Montgomery-based Fridge2Table, providing personal chef and catering services.
October 3: Aminah Al-Attas Bradford and chef Gabby Aron — “Good Trouble: The Intersections of Religion, Microbiology, Ecology, and Race.”
Bradford is an Arab-American scholar of religion and Christian thought currently serving as a postdoctoral research fellow at North Carolina State University.
Aron is the founder of New Jerseybased Autumn Olive Food Works.
November 7: Rebecca Nagle and chef Joe Rocchi — “Contemporary Indigenous Storytelling: Exploring the History Being Made Today.”
Nagle is an award-winning advocate, writer, and citizen of Cherokee Nation. As the host of the chart-topping podcast “This Land”, Nagle told the story of one Supreme Court case about tribal land in Oklahoma, the small-town murder that started it, and the surprising connection to her own family history. Nagle has been covering the Murphy case since May 2018.
Author: Anne Lester in Conversation with Gus Canzano, Labryinth Books & Princeton Public Library, 65 Witherspoon Street. www. princetonlibrary.org. The author shares highlights from her book “Your Best Financial Life: Save Smart Now for the Future You Want” in conversation with local small business owner Gus Canzano. 7 to 7 p.m.
2nd Generation Members, Princeton Learning Cooperative, 609-851-2522. www. princetonlearningcooperative.org. What is the generational impact of self-directed learning? Hear from self-directed learners and their children who have chosen the same path. Via Zoom. Register via EventBrite. 7 p.m.
Black Voices Book Group, Princeton Public Library, 65 Witherspoon Street. www.princetonlibrary.org. The group discusses “The Violin Conspiracy” by Brendan Slocum. All are welcome. Held virutally via Google Meet. 7:15 p.m.
Friday May 10
Art of Salsa and Bachata, Arts Council of Princeton, 102 Witherspoon Street. www. artscouncilofprinceton.org. Join us to learn the art of Salsa and Bachata with instructor Mike Andino of Estilo Dance Studio, then stay for a dance party with DJ Poli, one of Philly’s top Latin DJs. No partner or experience needed. Tickets include instruction, beer, wine, and snacks. $65. 7 to 10:30 p.m.
saTurday May 11
Sowing Story Seeds with the Princeton Storytelling Circle, Historical Society of Princeton & Morven Museum and Garden, 354 Quaker Road. www.morven.org. Join the Princeton Storytelling Circle for a two-part program exploring folk and fairy tales on the fertile grounds of the Historical Society of Princeton, and the rich soil of the gardens at Morven. Circle storytellers will share farm stories about the challenges and delights of growing our food at the Historical Society of Princeton. Register. $10 and up. 2 p.m.
ArtJam Fashion Show, HomeFront, Arts Council of Princeton, 102 Witherspoon Street.
www.homefrontnj.org. Fashion show by HomeFront’s Sewing Space clients followed by reception in the ArtJam gallery at 45 Hulfish Street. 3 to 6:30 p.m.
“Weaving Identity” - South Asian Authors on Telling Our Stories, Princeton Public Library, 65 Witherspoon Street. www.princetonlibrary.org. A panel featuring local South Asian authors discusses the complexities of identity and the power of storytelling. Moderated by Ambreen Ali of Central Desi. 3 to 4:30 p.m.
The Secret Garden, Princeton Youth Ballet, Princeton High School Performing Arts Center, 16 Walnut Lane. www.princetonyouthballet. org. Full-length production, based on the book by Frances Hodgson Burnett, tells the story of a young girl’s journey through loss, renewal, and growth, and features choreography by Risa Kaplowitz, staging and additional choreography by Talin Kenar, and projection backdrops by David Haneman. Appropriate for ages 4 and up. $30 to $35. 4 p.m.
Gala, McCarter Theater, Forum, Lewis Arts Complex, Princeton University, 609-258-4646. www.mccarter.org. Cocktail reception, a threecourse dinner, top-shelf wines, and an intimate, command performance in the Forum at the Lewis Center for the Arts by Tony Award winner Laura Benanti followed by dessert and an outdoor after party. Edward E. Matthews honored with the inaugural McCarter Award. Register. $300 to $2,000. 5:30 p.m.
Sara Davis Buechner Plays Beethoven, Princeton Symphony Orchestra, Richardson Auditorium, Princeton University. www.princetonsymphony.org. Award-winning pianist Sara Davis Buechner is the soloist in performances of Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 1 in C Major, Op. 15. Music Director Rossen Milanov conducts the program that also includes John Luther Adams’ “Become River” and Robert Schumann’s Symphony No. 4 in D Minor, Op. 120. $35 and up. 8 p.m.
sunday May 12
Mother’s Day
Sara Davis Buechner Plays Beethoven, Princeton Symphony Orchestra, Richardson
Auditorium, Princeton University. www.princetonsymphony.org. Award-winning pianist Sara Davis Buechner is the soloist in performances of Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 1 in C Major, Op. 15. Music Director Rossen Milanov conducts the program that also includes John Luther Adams’ “Become River” and Robert Schumann’s Symphony No. 4 in D Minor, Op. 120. $35 and up. 4 p.m.
The Secret Garden, Princeton Youth Ballet, Princeton High School Performing Arts Center, 16 Walnut Lane. www.princetonyouthballet. org. Full-length production, based on the book by Frances Hodgson Burnett, tells the story of a young girl’s journey through loss, renewal, and growth, and features choreography by Risa Kaplowitz, staging and additional choreography by Talin Kenar, and projection backdrops by David Haneman. Appropriate for ages 4 and up. $30 to $35. 4 p.m.
Monday May 13
Author: Monika Zgustova, Princeton Public Library, 65 Witherspoon Street. www.princetonlibrary.org. The author discusses and reads from “A Revolver to Carry at Night,” an historical novel based upon the life of Véra Nabokov and her marriage to Vladimir Nabokov. Book signing to follow. 7 to 8 p.m.
Tuesday May 14
Guided Tour: Ulises Carrión: Bookworks and Beyond, Ellen and Leonard Milberg Gallery, Firestone Library, Princeton University. library.princeton.edu. Tour the exhibit on view through June 13 examining one of the most influential of all modern artists engaged in the book and exploring Carrión’s pioneering reinvention of the book as a material and social platform. 12:30 p.m.
community-created entertainment in the form of storytelling and poetic open mic. All are welcome to tell a well-prepared story or perform their poetry. Performers should bring their own work of their choice for the theme “Unexpected Community.” Register. Free. 7 to 8:30 p.m.
Friday May 17
ArtJam Closing Reception, HomeFront, 45 Hulfish Street. www.homefrontnj.org. Closing reception for the annual pop-up gallery featuring the work of national and local professional artists as well as undiscovered artists who have been impacted by poverty and homelessness. 5 to 8:30 p.m.
Artist Talk: Making Do, Arts Council of Princeton, 102 Witherspoon Street. www. artscouncilofprinceton.org. In conjunction with the group exhibit on view through May 24. 6 p.m.
Open Mic Night on the Plaza, Princeton Public Library, 65 Witherspoon Street. www. princetonlibrary.org. Local musicians perform at this after-hours event hosted by the Einstein Alley Musicians Collaborative. All are welcome to sign up to perform or just come to listen. 7 to 9:30 p.m.
Spring Garden Party, Morven Museum & Garden, 55 Stockton Street. www.morven.org. Gather during peak peony season and enjoy refreshing libations, lavish bites, and lively music. Stroll through the Garden of Wishes and visit the newest exhibition Morven Revealed. Tribute paid to Georgia Schley, Alexandra Tatnall, Daphne Townsend, and Ruth Wilson in honor of Morven’s 20th anniversary as a museum. Register. $200 and up. 7 to 9 p.m.
Meet the Artist: Flight/Air/Fire, Lewis Center for the Arts, CoLab Lewis Arts Complex, Princeton University. arts.princeton.edu. Meet lecturer in visual arts Daniel Heyman, whose installation of 30 paper pulp banners is on view through June 1. 2 to 5 p.m.
Flight/Air/Fire, Lewis Center for the Arts, CoLab Lewis Arts Complex, Princeton University. arts.princeton.edu. Opening reception for an installation of 30 paper pulp banners made by lecturer in visual arts Daniel Heyman while in residence at the Awagami Paper Factory in Shikoku, Japan. Working in traditional techniques using dyed Japanese mulberry and gampi pulp, Heyman has created vibrantly colored paper banners in the form of traditional Japanese nobori, that, taken as a whole, allude to extreme climate and weather events as a flock of geese navigates a winter storm by the Rhode Island coast. The pulp paintings of Flight/Air/Fire are installed with their backs to the gallery entrance, and viewers are invited to walk through the installation to take the exhibition in as a whole. Reception includes a conversation between Shelley Langdale, curator and head of modern prints and drawings at the National Gallery of Art, DC, and the artist. On view through June 1. Free. 4:30 to 6 p.m.
Thursday May 16
Story & Verse: Open Mic, Arts Council of Princeton, 102 Witherspoon Street. www. artscouncilofprinceton.org. Enjoy an evening of
Lecture Recitals from the New School for Music Study, Princeton Public Library, 65 Witherspoon Street. www.princetonlibrary.org. Faculty from the New School for Music Study (NSMS) in Kingston present a series of three lecture recitals, in which they play and discuss historic repertoire for the piano. Register. 2 to 3:30 p.m.
The Best of the Princeton Singers, Princeton Singers, Trinity Church, 33 Mercer Street. www.princetonsingers.org. Celebrate 40 years of brilliant music making and 25 years of artistic leadership by Steven Sametz. $40. 6 p.m.
Darla & Rich, Small World Coffee, 14 Witherspoon Street. www.smallworldcoffee.com. Jazz. 7 p.m.
sunday May 19
Family Matinee: “Kubo and the Two
Strings”, Garden Theatre & Princeton Public Library, 160 Nassau Street. www.princetonlibrary.org. In this stop motion fantasy film, a boy named Kubo must locate a magical suit of armour worn by his late father in order to defeat a vengeful spirit from the past. 10 a.m.
Book Brunch: Judith Lindbergh, Princeton Public Library, 65 Witherspoon Street. www. princetonlibrary.org. The author is joined by Colby Cedar Smith to discuss her recently released novel, “Akmaral.” Doors open at 10:45 a.m. for coffee and pastries; talk begins at 11 a.m. Book signing to follow. 11 a.m. to noon.
Discovering Princeton at Morven Walking Tour, Morven Museum & Garden, 55 Stockton Street. www.morven.org. Explore Princeton’s Mercer Hill neighborhood and the Stockton family’s history on this springtime walk led by the authors of “Discovering Princeton: A Photographic Guide with Five Walking Tours.” This 90-minute tour highlights the Stocktons’ profound influence on both the town and its institutions for over two centuries. Register. $20. 1 to 2:30 p.m.
Tuesday May 21
McCarter Live at the Library, Princeton Public Library, 65 Witherspoon Street. www. princetonlibrary.org. Playwright Winnie Holzman discusses the inspiration behind her new play, “Choice,” with director Sarah Rasmussen, members of the cast and Stacy Wolf, professor of theater at Princeton University. 7 to 8 p.m.
Wednesday May 22
Sowing Story Seeds with the Princeton Storytelling Circle, Historical Society of Princeton & Morven Museum and Garden, 55 Stockton Street. www.morven.org. Join the Princeton Storytelling Circle for a two-part program exploring folk and fairy tales on the fertile grounds of the Historical Society of Princeton, and the rich soil of the gardens at Morven. Circle storytellers will share farm stories about how the gardens grow at Morven. Register. $10 and up. 5:30 p.m.
Author: I. Augustus Durham with Kinohi Nishikawa, Princeton Theological Seminary & Princeton Public Library, Theodore Sedgwick Wright Library, Princeton Theological Seminary. www.princetonlibrary.org. Author I. Augustus Durham is joined in conversation by Kinohi Nishikawa, to discuss his new book, “Stay Black and Die: On Melancholy and Genius.” 6 to 7:30 p.m.
Thursday May 23
Following Your Family Tree: African American Genealogy Workshop, Morven Museum & Garden, 55 Stockton Street. www.morven. org. Free hybrid African American Genealogy Workshop highlighting the process and lessons learned while researching the history and genealogy of people enslaved at Morven. Workshop led by historian Sharece Blakney. Attendees are encouraged to bring their questions and their
own research ideas and leads. Register. 6:30 to 8 p.m.
Friday May 24
Ship Happens: A Cruisical, Princeton Triangle Club, McCarter Theater, 91 University Place, 609-258-2787. www.mccarter.org. Triangle sets sail with a tale as old as tide. Climb aboard the SS Giznee Fairytale, a cruise with all of the amenities - buffets, shuffleboard, and even magic?
While other passengers enjoy their luxurious journey, twins Isla and Lindsay venture below decks, only to be swept away in a current of schemes and whimsy. 8 p.m.
saTurday May 25
Lecture Recitals from the New School for Music Study, Princeton Public Library, 65 Witherspoon Street. www.princetonlibrary.org. Faculty from the New School for Music Study (NSMS) present a series of three lecture recitals, in which they play and discuss historic repertoire for the piano. Register. 2 to 3:30 p.m.
McMillan & Co., Small World Coffee, 14 Witherspoon Street. www.smallworldcoffee. com. Jazz, funk, Latin, rock. 7 p.m.
Ship Happens: A Cruisical, Princeton Triangle Club, McCarter Theater, 91 University Place, 609-258-2787. www.mccarter.org. Triangle sets sail with a tale as old as tide. Climb aboard the SS Giznee Fairytale, a cruise with all of the amenities - buffets, shuffleboard, and even magic?
While other passengers enjoy their luxurious journey, twins Isla and Lindsay venture below decks, only to be swept away in a current of schemes and whimsy. 7 p.m.
Tuesday May 28
Guided Tour: Ulises Carrión: Bookworks and Beyond, Ellen and Leonard Milberg Gallery, Firestone Library, Princeton University. library.princeton.edu. Tour the exhibit on view through June 13 examining one of the most influential of all modern artists engaged in the book and exploring Carrión’s pioneering reinvention of the book as a material and social platform. 12:30 p.m.
Voice and the Violin, McCarter Theater, 91 University Place, 609-258-2787. www.mccarter. org. Grammy Award-winning violinist Joshua Bell returns to McCarter alongside soprano Larisa Martinez and pianist Peter Dugan, the host of NPR’s From the Top, for an evening of romantic arias and modern classics, including selections from Mendelssohn, Hérold, Puccini, Bernstein, and more. 7:30 p.m.
Friday May 31
Pride Eve: Outdoor Dance Party, Arts Council of Princeton, 102 Witherspoon Street. www.artscouncilofprinceton.org. Outdoor pride dance party is a free community event for all ages to kick off the celebration of Princeton Pride. Glow sticks and glitter tattoos provided while supplies last. 7:30 to 9:30 p.m.
