Worcester Magazine February 25 - March 3, 2022 by Worcester Magazine

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM | FEBRUARY 25 - MARCH 3, 2022 | CULTURE § ARTS § DINING § VOICES

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IN THIS ISSUE

Worcester Magazine 100 Front St., Fifth Floor Worcester, MA 01608 worcestermag.com Editorial (508) 767.9535 WMeditor@gatehousemedia.com Sales (508) 767.9530 WMSales@gatehousemedia.com VP, Sales & Strategy Andrew Chernoff Executive Editor David Nordman Editor Nancy Campbell Content Editor Victor D. Infante Reporters Richard Duckett, Veer Mudambi Contributing Writers Stephanie Campbell, Sarah Connell Sanders, Gari De Ramos, Robert Duguay, Liz Fay, Jason Greenough, Janice Harvey, Barbara Houle, Jim Keogh, Jim Perry, Craig S. Semon, Matthew Tota Multi Media Sales Executives Deirdre Baldwin, Debbie Bilodeau, Kate Carr, Diane Galipeau, Sammi Iacovone, Kathy Puffer, Jody Ryan, Regina Stillings Sales Support Jackie Buck, Yanet Ramirez Senior Operations Manager Gary Barth Operations Manager John Cofske Worcester Magazine is a news weekly covering Central Massachusetts. We accept no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts. The Publisher has the right to refuse any advertisement. Legals/Public Notices please call 888-254-3466, email classifieds@gatehousemedia.com, or mail to Central Mass Classifieds, 100 Front St., 5th Floor, Worcester, MA 01608 Distribution Worcester Magazine is inserted into the Telegram & Gazette on Fridays and is also available for free at more than 400 locations in the Worcester area. Unauthorized bulk removal of Worcester Magazine from any public location, or any other tampering with Worcester Magazine’s distribution including unauthorized inserts, is a criminal offense and may be prosecuted under the law. Subscriptions First class mail, $156 for one year. Send orders and subscription correspondence to GateHouse Media, 100 Front St., Worcester, MA 01608. Advertising To place an order for display advertising or to inquire, please call (508) 767.9530. Worcester Magazine (ISSN 0191-4960) is a weekly publication of Gannett. All contents copyright 2021 by Gannett. All rights reserved. Worcester Magazine is not liable for typographical errors in advertisements.

Featured ..............................................................................4 Artist Spotlight..................................................................9 City Voices ........................................................................10 Cover Story.......................................................................13 Next Draft .........................................................................17 Box Office .........................................................................22 Adoption Option.............................................................24 Classiﬁ eds ........................................................................25 Games................................................................................26 Last Call.............................................................................27

On the cover PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY DANI CHERCHIO/USA TODAY NETWORK AND GETTY IMAGES

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FEATURED

Forge Theater Lab playwrights explore the pandemic in ‘No Place to Go’ Richard Duckett Worcester Telegram & Gazette | USA TODAY NETWORK

They could be called some of the ﬁ rst dramatic dispatches from our current times. The Forge Theater Lab will present “No Place to Go: Stories From a Pandemic,” a staged reading of 10 short plays, scenes and original monologues by area playwrights at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 25 and 26 at Fitchburg State University. For playwrights looking to capture what this moment is like, with all its attendant issues, “now is the time to do that” while we’re still living in the pandemic, said Charlene Kennedy, managing director of the Forge Theater Lab who is also directing “No Place to Go.” “In a few years our perspective is going to change,” she said. The Forge Theater Lab, which is in its fourth season in residence at Fitchburg State University, seems like an appropriate place for “No Place to Go.” According to its web site, the Forge “develops new plays that ignite passionate conversations.” With “No Place to Go,” a time like no other brings about moments like no other. “The pieces run the gamut of life,” said Kennedy, spanning multiple generations, relationships and voices. While Forge Theater Lab is in residence at FSU it doesn’t just work with university students and alum, Kennedy said. For “No Place to Go,” Forge put out a request for submissions from writers within a workable radius of Fitchburg. The idea was that writers within that radius could come to Forge Theater Lab and participate in the rehearsal and staged reading process if they wanted to. Forge Theater Lab also didn’t want people selecting the works to be overwhelmed by pieces sent nationwide. As it was, over 40 works were submitted, Kennedy said. “A respectable response.” The pieces include “Unrest” by Chamari WhiteMink of Bloomﬁ eld, Connecticut; “I Did Not Behave Well” by Norma Jenckes of Pawtucket, Rhode Island; “Love In The Time Of Covid” by Jamie Steinbach of Boston; “For Real” by Ellen Davis Sullivan of Andover; “Marty” by K. Alexa Mavromatis of Rumford, Rhode Island; “Kindness of Bakers,” by Monica Staaf of Foxboro; “Movie Reel” by Jack Rushton of Newbury; “A Dramatic Reading of Angry Emails from Entitled Patrons” by K. A. O’Connor of Ayer; “Queerantined” by Jessica Stier of Short Hills, New Jersey; and “Drinking Our

K. Alexa Mavromatis is the author of “Marty.” SUBMITTED PHOTOS

Way Through the Pandemic” by Pamela Kathleen Hill of Ashby (Hill will also be appearing in the staged reading). Some are short plays that run for about 10 to 15 minutes, others are scenes and monologues that might be run for just ﬁ ve minutes or less. In total, the program runs about 90 minutes, Kennedy said. “No Place to Go” has tragedy and humor. “I suppose the tragedy is the pandemic itself,” Kennedy said. “They are humorous at times. There is an element of tragedy. There is fear, confusion — going to a grocery store and a fear of shortage of materials. There’s wearing a mask.” One work focuses on a Black man in the pandemic, while another has older characters “that look at life from their perspective and loss,” Kennedy said. “There’s a piece about what do you do if you’re a member of the LGBTQ+ community and you’ve just started to come out and you now can’t because you’re still living at home and haven’t taken that step (there).” Another piece focuses on nurses living in a hotel room

Pamela Kathleen Hill wrote and is acting in “Drinking Our Way Through the Pandemic.”

and not allowed contact with their families, Kennedy said. “They’re not all heavy. We always as people ﬁ nd humor even in the darkest moments,” Kennedy said. Regarding whether there is any sort of common denominator in “No Place to Go,” Kennedy said, “Hopefully it moves us so there’s a cathartic response to these pieces. Maybe a recognition in that, ‘I’m not alone in this situation.’ Also that there is hope for our tomorrow. That we can emerge from this period and will emerge.” Best of all, “I think through all 10 pieces it examines humanity and how we respond to crises. I do feel and believe that there’s an overall optimistic quality,” Kennedy said. A staged reading takes place without props or costumes, but there is a cast — scripts in hand — who have been working on performing the pieces. The cast includes Michael Babineau, Amber CharSee FORGE, Page 8

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM | FEBRUARY 25 - MARCH 3, 2022 | 5

Disco Biscuits SUBMITTED

The Disco Biscuits return to Massachusetts for show at Palladium Robert Duguay Special to Worcester Magazine USA TODAY NETWORK

Very few bands have a dedicated following like The Disco Biscuits from Philadelphia. Chances are that you know someone who has traveled to another city or town to see gui-

tarist and vocalist Jon Gutwillig, bassist and vocalist Marc Brownstein, keyboardist and vocalist Aron Magner and drummer Allen Aucoin perform. If you think you don’t, start playing one of the band’s records the next time you’re at a party and at least one person will be ecstatic with joy.

When you interact with this peculiar community of fans, it makes complete sense that the Disco Biscuits have thrown their own music festival called Camp Bisco to cater to these folks. At The Palladium on 261 Main Street in Worcester on March 3, people will be gathering to see this electronic lean-

ing jam band take the stage. The last time The Disco Biscuits came to Massachusetts it was during the fall of 2020 when they played four nights in a row from October 16-19 at the Yarmouth Drive-In on Cape Cod. Numerous groups of three to four people were isolated in separate spots all over the

drive-in grounds where their cars were parked while dancing and enjoying themselves. The feeling was mutual as the band enjoyed the experience after being skeptical at ﬁ rst. “People were kind of toying around with the concept of doSee DISCO, Page 8

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Spirit of radio lives on in community, internet stations Victor D. Infante Worcester Magazine USA TODAY NETWORK

I have to confess, I don’t much listen to music on the radio anymore, which might seem odd for someone who most professionally identifi es as a music journalist, but there you are. I have a short commute to work, wherein I usually listen to NPR or a local community radio channel, and if I have a longer drive ahead of me, it’s usually a podcast. At work, my ears are usually occupied by whatever song or album I’m currently writing about, and at home, I mostly crave the familiarity of my own playlists and music collection. Still, when publicist Michael Marotta gave me a heads up about the independently owned radio station Oh, Hello Boston, which Marotta says is the only station “solely dedicated to spinning nothing but bands and artists from the region,” I have to admit, I was intrigued. The regional aspect caught my attention, and naturally I asked if it played any artists with Worcester ties. They have, including Old Man Hansen, Joe Rockhead, The Curtain Society, The Curtis Mayfl ower, STEMS, The Marshall Pass, usLights, Sam Femino, Michael Kane & The Morning Afters and The New Colors. Having DJ’d a show briefl y for Unity Radio, I have a passing familiarity with how radio works, and also how diffi cult it is to fi nd local music on the radio dial. When I would play Jafet Muzic, Abbie Cotto, Louie Gonz or other Worcester artists, I would get positive feedback. That said, Unity Radio has a relatively small reach. The city’s biggest stations — the Cumulus Media-owned Nash Icon 98.9 FM (WORC FM), which plays country music; 100 FM The Pike (WWFX), which plays classic rock, and 104.5 FM XLO (WXLO), which plays what it calls “Hot AC,” which is adult contemporary — doesn’t play local music often, because, as a rule, they only play music that has charted. Bob Goodell, the Regional Vice President & Market Manager for Cumulus, says the only local artist they’re playing right now is “Voice” star Ricky Duran. “I don’t think any other local act that has original music has sent us any music to play in the past 18 months,” says Goodell, who also hints that they may be de-

Charles Safford (Chuck Chillin’) is a DJ on WCUW. CHRISTINE PETERSON PHOTOS/TELEGRAM & GAZETTE

veloping a show that could include more local music. No, if you want to hear Worcester artists on the radio you have to go lower down the dial, or turn toward the internet, with “stations” and shows such as “Oh, Hello Boston,” “Boston Emissions,” “Wormtown Underground Radio Network” or “BumbleBee Radio,” each of which has its own set of priorities, and all of which except WURN are more Boston-based. Still, Worcester artists deﬁ nitely have a presence on these programs. “Oﬀ the top of my head,” says BumbleBee Radio owner, programmer and host Kristen Eck, “Worcester (connected) artists I play include J Prozac, Evil Felipe, Lielack, Sapling, Michael Kane & The Morning Afters and from just outside the city in Marlboro Circus Trees and Pillbook PLBK. Those are the ones I can remember quickly. I’m sure there See RADIO, Page 7

Steve Blake, seen here with Pamela “Sheena” Tiger of Punk Rock TreeHouse, is a DJ on WCUW.

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM | FEBRUARY 25 - MARCH 3, 2022 | 7

Ernest C. Floyd is the executive producer of Unity Radio. STEVE LANAVA/TELEGRAPH & GAZETTE

Radio Open any new checking account and get a

Continued from Page 6

are more.” But putting aside college radio such as WCHC, ERS and WUMB — college radio always has an anarchic streak — the place to hear Worcester artists is on local, community radio stations, such as WCUW, WICN and the aforementioned Unity Radio. Touching base with a few local DJs, it’s clear that these stations are still far more accessible to local artists than commercial or out-oftown radio. Chuck Chillin’ — the voice of WCUW deep into the night Saturdays on WCUW with “Smooth Grooves & Classic R&B” — has been playing local artists for years, including Sunta Africa, Geli, Jessie Hayes, Tyson Mays, Jongi and Amerika. Steve Blake, who hosts WCUW’s “The Drive” Mondays, has played numerous local artists, and noted plans to play the Curtis Mayﬂ ower on next week’s show. Over on WICN, “The Folk Revival” host Nick Noble notes that he’s played many local artists on his Thursday show, including P.E. James, Kim Jennings, Kevin Kvein, Jon Short, Don Prange, Mark Mandeville & Raianne Richards, Ari Char-

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bonneau, the late Sandy Haddon, Grade A Fancy, the Hip Swayers, Lori Diamond & Fred Abatelli, My Silent Bravery, James Keyes, Cara Brindisi, The Promise is Hope and jazz crooner Dale LePage, of whom Noble says, “I convinced him to perform a folk song!” The upshot of all of this is that, while commercial radio still has the reach and audience — and that’s fi ne for what it is — it’s fundamentally irrelevant to local music. If you want that, then community radio and internet radio are defi nitely the places to tune in, and clearly, there are more choices than might seem apparent at fi rst glance.

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Disco Continued from Page 5

ing shows specifi cally at driveins during the summertime where you couldn’t even get out of your (expletive) car,” Magner says about how performing in drive-ins became a thing during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. “Then it gradually evolved into these roped off areas where you would be with just a couple other people from your immediate household or whatever it was in these so-called pods. You could pull your car up and either choose to stay in your car or get out of your car, but you have to stay in your sixby-six area. When we were trying to fi gure out what to do for months after we canceled all of our concerts, there were other bands that were exploring the concept of drive-ins and our fi rst reaction was that drive-ins are stupid. Then we realized as the months progressed that it didn’t look like this pandemic was letting up anytime soon. “If we wanted to go play some music and have some fun with each other while giving our fans a little bit of relief, even though it was going to be a dif-

Forge Continued from Page 4

est, Johannes Crueger-Cain, Madaline Falcone, Sophie Geremia, Lex Guertin, Daniel T. Hankins, Larry Hill, Pamela Kathleen Hill, Aaron Lehner, Leeann Monat, Angela Renzi, Susan Sanders, Robin Shaye, Kelly Stowell, Nina Turouski, and Eliana Wes. Many of the actors are Fitchburg State University alumni or current students. “These are works in progress but are rehearsed and developed by myself and the performers in each piece,” Kenne-

ferent type of setting that nobody was used to yet, we fi gured, OK, maybe drive-ins aren’t stupid and it’s our only choice so fi ne lets do it,” he said. “Then we got to the Yarmouth Drive-In and by the end of the fi rst night we were all like ‘Drive-ins are the best!’ It was really a cool experience. Mind you, we didn’t know when the next concerts we were able to go play were, we ended up having a whole mini drive-in tour in October of 2020 because that was all we really had available to us. We made the most of it, especially that venue in Yarmouth, it was special and it was beautiful. We brought our community back together again, people fi nally left their homes to come out to an open air and safe place to hear some music.” The shows were part of Magner’s fi rst time being in Cape Cod and he completely fell in love with the area. “I live outside of Philadelphia so the closest shore I go to is the Jersey Shore because it’s the easiest to get to,” he says. “Since those shows, my family and I actually vacationed in Cape Cod last year and we’re repeating it again this year. There was something about the environment there that partic-

ularly resonated with me and I love it up there so it has a special place in my heart.” A couple of weeks ago, the band announced on social media that during the ﬁ rst Friday of each month going forward they will be posting updates called “Catch Up With The Disco Biscuits” so fans can keep up on what’s going on with announcements, developments, projects and other things. Their day-to-day manager Drew Granchelli came up with the idea and they like how it furthers the connection they have with their fans on a diﬀ erent level. “I think as a band, as a culture and as a community, something we realized at the very early stage of our careers, which was also borrowed from The Grateful Dead and Phish as well, is that there is a very solid relationship between the band and their fans,” Magner says. “Sometimes it’s almost a very gray area of who are the fans and who are the friends but we’re a community regardless of how close the relationship is. Each fan should be treated like there’s a one-on-one relationship with them where it’s not a band behind an iron curtain or behind a Wizard Of Oz type of

thing so when we go up on stage nobody knows anything about us. With that being said, here’s something really cool and mysterious about the bands that do that. It’s part of the reason why the phrase “rock gods” exists because the fans’ curiosity is never going to be satiated and they’re just this deity on stage.” “For us, we’ve always wanted to have a relationship with our fans and Marc [Brownstein] deﬁ nitely exempliﬁ es this and he wears a lot of things on his sleeve,” he adds. “He communicates regularly through Twitter and he responds regularly to fans, even on the one-to-one. When the idea came up of keeping everybody updated, there’s only so much you can do on social media. We could recap some shows we had played in previous months and previous years because everybody does that. We could put up some memes which are funny every now and again but I frankly think that they’re stupid.” Magner does recognize how memes can grow a virtual audience, but he’d rather have something more engaging. Something more authentic that’ll still grab a fan’s attention while also being personable.

“Does it engage? Of course it does. Should it be used every now and again? That’s my personal opinion,” he says. “I don’t think I want to turn our page into a meme page just because it gets some traction, so what are you left with? You can put up content and little videos where myself or someone else in the band is working on a new song in the studio. The concept is just to keep everybody engaged regardless of what you post on social media whether it’s a meme, a clip of a show or something that we’re currently working on, a cool piece of art or a teaser of what’s about to come. It’s all about engagement and I was psyched about it since I wasn’t previously aware, it’s a really cool way to engage the fans.” On the debut post of “Catch Up With The Disco Biscuits,” Gutwillig mentioned that the band has wrapped up three new songs that’ll be released this spring. Magner says that one of those songs will be out very soon. “We’re actually going to be releasing our ﬁ rst single out of one of those three songs on the day after we come to The Palladium in Worcester on March 4th,” he says. “Be on the lookout for that.”

dy said. The pieces include material that could be shaped into a longer play, while some monologues could stand alone as a statement. “That’s really the playwright’s choice. One of the things the Forge provides is an initial basis where the playwright sees their written work (on the stage),” Kennedy said. The Forge Theater Lab was founded in 2018 and has served as a the beginning step for a number of new plays. Kennedy became managing director for the 2021-22 season. She’s a retired theater professor who taught at North Essex Community College in Haver-

hill. She’s also had a good deal of experience with college play festivals, and got to know Fitchburg State University from its participation in them. After retiring, Kennedy moved fairly close to Fitchburg just across the border in Southern New Hampshire and agreed to become Forge Theater Lab’s managing director for this season. Her ﬁ rst production with Forge was overseeing “Pride Pieces: Readings to Celebrate LGBTQ+ Month” put on in-person at FSU in October. “That was a very stormy night. I had fears we were going to lose people but it was actually well attended. So I’m hop-

ing this (’No Place to Go’) will be a similar response,” Kennedy said. She sees her tenure as managing director of Forge Theater Lab as being “interim.” “I’ve been involved in educational theater throughout my entire professional career. When I agreed (to Forge Theater Lab) on a one-year basis, in my opinion the position should be held by someone beginning a career. This is an interim step. Someone will hopefully come forward and take the reins for the future,” Kennedy said.

cital Hall in the Conlon Fine Arts building at Fitchburg State University, 367 North Street, Fitchburg. Admission is free but donations of any amount are sincerely appreciated and go toward allowing The Forge to continue to develop plays.To limit the spread of illness, if you are experiencing COVID symptoms or have been in close contact with someone with a case of COVID in the past three days, or have tested positive yourself in the past 14 days, please stay home. All visitors to campus will be required to sign a contact tracing form at the door. To learn more about The Forge Theater Lab, visit www.theforge.ink.

The “No Place to Go” staged reading will take place at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 25 and 26 at Kent Re-

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM | FEBRUARY 25 - MARCH 3, 2022 | 9

ARTIST SPOTLIGHT

John Dunkelberg and Debra O’Connell John Dunkelberg and Debra O’Connell Special to Worcester Magazine | USA TODAY NETWORK

John Dunkelberg of Hudson and Debra O’Connell of Chelmsford will be featured in the exhibit, “Portals of Imagination” March 2 through 27 at Loading Dock Gallery, 122 Western Ave., Lowell. Dunkelberg uses his photography to create extraordinary visuals with inspirations that range from the Pre-Raphaelites to the artists of the golden age of fantasy such as Frazetta and Vallejo. John’s fresh and innovative work takes the viewer on a journey of the senses. O’Connell uses a combination of

painting, drawing, printing, paper collage and mixed media to express the impressions she receives regarding the everchanging facets of life, communication of thoughts, feelings, emotions, and personal memories. Her artistic storytelling is highly relatable to the viewer. Loading Dock Gallery is open noon to 5:30 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday, and noon to 4 p.m. on Sundays. There will be an artists’ reception 3 to 5 p.m. March 5. For more details, visit www.theloadingdockgallery.com.

“Escape to Storyland”

A photo by John Dunkelberg.

JOHN DUNKELBERG

A piece of art by Debra O’Connell. DEBRA O’CONNELL

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WORCESTERIA

Of children, mask mandates and ﬁ gure skating ... Victor D. Infante Worcester Magazine USA TODAY NETWORK

FIRST PERSON

The Library of Disposable Art – Cel Animation David Macpherson Special to Worcester Magazine USA TODAY NETWORK

When I picked up my cel animation from Framed in Tatnuck, I gave my name and the woman said, “Oh you had the animated dragon.” For some ridiculous reason, I took oﬀ ense at this. “No. That’s not a dragon. That’s Godzooki.” The woman, a trained framing professional, looked at me like I was a crazy person. I was worse than a crazy person, I was collector of nostalgia. There is nothing more annoying. If you get something wrong about my collection, I

will have to correct the snootiest way possible. Let’s stop here for a moment. There is a lot to unpack in the fi rst hundred words of this column. What is cel animation? That’s a piece of the process animators used to make cartoons. For every second of cartoon goodness on Saturday morning, they had to paint the characters in progressively diff erent poses at least fi fteen times. For really good animation, like Disney movies, there would be 24 cels of animation drawn and painted. For TV animation, there would be someSee ANIMATION, Page 12

It’s hard to ﬁ nd anything new to say about the Worcester School Committee’s decision to lift the mask mandate in Worcester schools, so let’s put that aside for a moment, and talk about ﬁ gure skating. You didn’t have to be a die-hard fan of the Winter Olympics to be drawn into the drama surrounding world record holder Kamila Valieva, the 15-year-old Russian skater embroiled in a doping scandal. Valieva’s shaky routine Feb. 17 robbed her of a medal, leading to one of the biggest, most emotional meltdowns in Olympics history. The young skater is facing a ban pending an investigation of her failed Dec. 25 drug test, but was allowed to skate in Beijing, according to The Associated Press, by the Court of Arbitration for Sport to avoid “irreparable harm” to her career. As it turns out, that allowance was not a kindness. Indeed, it’s probably destroyed the girl’s career. The outrage she faced was probably best summed up by Olympic medalist Tara Lipinski, who was providing commentary for the event. “In my opinion, she should not be skating in this competition,” Lipinski said. “We have to remind ourselves that she is just 15 years old, a minor, and I know more than any what it’s like to compete in an Olympic Games at 15 years old, but a positive test is a positive test. She cannot skate.”

Kamila Valieva reacts after the women’s long program during the Beijing Olympics. ROBERT DEUTSCH/USA TODAY SPORTS

The controversy has played out over the TV news and the sports pages, but amid all the Sturm und Drang and fi ngerpointing, one’s forced to take an accounting of just how many decisions failed this young woman: Her coach, the controversial Eteri Tutberidze, who allegedly pushed her to take three heart medications – hypoxen, L-carnitine and trimetazidine, the last of which being the only one offi cially banned – to increase her endurance and enhance her performance? The Russian Olympic Committee, which has a long history of overlooking such abuses, so much so that Russia was banned from offi cially competing this year, ironically replaced by a team representing the ROC? How about the the Court of Arbitration for Sport and the International Olympic Committee, which was responsible for the

decisions that allowed Russian athletes to compete and allowed Valieva to skate? There’s plenty of blame to go around, but from the clarity of an armchair thousands of miles away, it seems at least one problem here is that Valieva’s well-being wasn’t prioritized by anyone. Not really. Placating the Russians with the ROC workaround was a signal that doping rules didn’t matter. Valieva being allowed to skate was a slap in the face to Olympians such as U.S. sprinter Sha’Carri Richardson, who was prohibited from competing in the Tokyo Summer Olympics after testing positive for THC. No, Valieva was practically held up as a sacriﬁ ce, and from where she was standing, it must have felt like all the world’s scorn was falling on See INFANTE, Page 20

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM | FEBRUARY 25 - MARCH 3, 2022 | 11

HARVEY

An insomniac’s thoughts on the banning of books Janice Harvey Special to Worcester Magazine USA TODAY NETWORK

I’ve always been an early riser, but 3:11 a.m. is so early, it might as well be considered “late night.” Oh, Insomnia! How I wish there was a cure for you. You’ve cost me plenty over the years, thanks to the invention of the internet. Damn you, Al Gore! The very worst thing an insomniac can do is to keep electronics within reach of the bed. Before the blasted invention of a World Wide Web, the sleepless resorted to reading a book until the eyelids grew heavy, or counting sheep. I’ve tried it all: Melatonin. Advil PM. The Sounds of the Sea. (That just made me need to go to the bathroom — like putting your hand in a bowl of warm water.) The night before last, I investigated diff erent brands of humidifi er cleaner and read all about former supermodel Linda Evangelista’s disfi guring CoolSculpting treatment. Man! She is lumpy! From Chewy.com, I ordered enough cat food, litter and treats to keep Dutch in supplies long past his own expiration date. Last night’s toss-and-turn session cost me the bundle pack of “bees” for the game “WordScapes,” before I wound up climbing out of bed to dig out my credit card for an “I READ BANNED BOOKS” bumper sticker and a contribution to MoveOn.Org. Any hopes of drifting off were dashed when I started thinking about “To Kill A Mockingbird.” Harper Lee’s Pulitzer Prizewinning novel is one in a stack of books banned in Tennessee and other states, along with

BAD ADVICE

The heart wants what the heart wants – Chuck E. Cheese or Patricia Mayonnaise Shaun Connolly Special to Worcester Magazine USA TODAY NETWORK

Some of the books a conservative group wants banned from Polk County Public Schools libraries because they possibly contain pornography. KIMBERLY C. MOORE/THE LEDGER

Art Spiegelman’s “Maus,” the ﬁ rst graphic novel to win the Pulitzer. Other titles banned by school boards over the past few decades include “Of Mice and Men” and “The Color Purple.” Classics all — and without which my lesson plans as an English Language Arts teacher would have been blank over the years. There was no remedy for my insomnia as I lay in bed recalling the importance of these books as tools for learning about great writing. Every one of these books taught the consequences of man’s inhumanity to man, and every one of them led to wonderful — and respectful — exchanges in the classroom. In the last few years before my retirement, I included in my syllabi units covering the Harlem Renaissance and the literature of war, speciﬁ cally the writings of both veterans and victims. It doesn’t take much imagination to recognize the racism and anti-Semitism behind bans on books that pull

oﬀ the hoods. I didn’t fall back to sleep. Instead, I thumbed through the pages of “Maus” remembering how powerfully its illustrations drove home what was the indescribable treatment of Jews. How much it must have torn at the author to hear his father recount chewing on wood, pretending it was bread while hiding from the Gestapo. I thought about the stunned silence in the classroom when I would show the ﬁ lm “The Boy in the Striped Pajamas,” and how I wept every single time, warning my students that I would certainly cry — just as I did when we read “The Color Purple.” Just as I wept unashamedly every time Tom Robinson was shot to death in “Mockingbird,” I cried over Countee Cullen’s poem, “Incident.” As I lay in bed, I considered teaching without these tools. How would I have dealt with See BOOKS, Page 12

DEAR SHAUN: I wrote to you about my crush for Chuck E. Cheese, thank you. Now I must ask, why am I like this? DEAR YOU: Don’t fret. We all have our ups and our downs. Our wrongs and our rights. Our positives and our negatives. For me, it isn’t a mascot for a pizza arcade off of Route 20, but a cartoon character from a bygone era. Don’t get me wrong, I am happily married with a child. But my “hall pass?” Patricia Mayonnaise from the ‘90s dramedy series “Doug” on Nickelodeon. Patti has it. She was confi dent, kind, empathetic, caring, a family fi rst person, but also knew how to have a good time. Now I know that Patti isn’t real, much like your beloved mouse is. I know that she is made up of a bunch of cels repeatedly drawn over and over to make her animated. I know she is voiced by the actor Constance Shluman of “Orange is the New Black” fame. But there was something about sitting in my TV room curled up on the couch and watching Patti interact with Doug Funnie, Skeeter Valentine and the bunch. Patti, to me, is the one that got away. There is an episode of “Doug,” where he throws a party. After the party has a rough start, they decide to liven things up and play Truth or Dare. Patti does two really cool things, fi rst she accepts a dare to kiss a dog and she does so no problem. I mean, isn’t that just so cool and charming? She

is 12 years old in the show and she doesn’t even think about the social repercussions of this, or how it may look when she does or what the kids may say. That age is peak self-absorption, self-consciousness and self-awareness. Patti doesn’t necessarily lack them, she just doesn’t let them rule her. I always thought that was so cool. She didn’t do it because she was trying to show oﬀ to her friends, she was doing it to turn the tables on the darer, known bully Roger Klotz. He was trying to embarrass her and she wouldn’t let that happen. The other thing that happens in this episode is Doug is dared to take oﬀ another person at the party’s hat. She is hiding a bad haircut, which if you ever experienced that as a middle schooler, you know how mortifying it can be. Doug is all set to do it, to show everyone he is cool and play along with the game. But he decides that he can’t, it would be mean and he wouldn’t want to hurt this person’s feelings. So he doesn’t. Patti then turns to him and says that “it was the most grown-up thing anyone has done all night.” She then tells him it was sweet to do that and then kisses him on the cheek. I melted, I longed for that kiss on the cheek, those meaningful words, the acknowledgement of a job well done. Patti was my it girl. So, Chuck E. Cheese lover, why are you like this? Who’s to say? The heart wants what the heart wants. Maybe you’re into bad beer at expensive prices, rubbery cheese pizza, loud arSee BAD ADVICE, Page 12

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Animation Continued from Page 10

thing like 14 to 18 cels. The cels are sheets of clear celluloid. The animation team would paint an image on each one. They would then put the cel on a pre-painted background and shoot it on one frame of ﬁ lm. They would then take that oﬀ the background and put the next frame on and repeat the whole process. It took thousands of drawings to create a half-hour episode of “The Smurfs” or “The Care Bears” (the classics). This process has been superseded by computer animation processes. There is no need for cel animation. But that does not mean the cels of past cartoons are gone for good. The reams and reams of cels were thrown out or left to rot in warehouses. They are now bought by weird guys who want to remember their childhood. They want a piece of their childhood. I know of one animation collector who amasses all the cels from the “X-Men” cartoon from the ‘90s. He can look at a cel and tell you what episode it was drawn for. I guess it pays to be a savant if

Bad advice Continued from Page 11

cade games and the ringmaster who is behind all of it. Or maybe you love really big rodents near the Grafton/Shrewsbury line. Point is, don’t think about it too much and go after what you love. If that means asking out a sweaty person in a mouse suit, well that just may be the most grown-up thing anyone has done all night.” Worcester comedian Shaun Connolly provides readers bad advice in his weekly column. Send your questions to woocomedyweek@gmail.com.

you want to collect obscure elements of antiquated animation methodology. For the most part, because there were so many cels created, they don’t have a huge monetary value. You want some Bugs Bunny cels? That will cost you. You in the market for Strawberry Shortcake animation, you might not break the bank. They are berry aﬀ ordable. The other piece of information you will need is, “Who is Godzooky?” When I was a Saturday morning cartoon devotee, in the ‘70s, there was a “Godzilla” cartoon show. Godzilla was a good guy, saving the world from giant monsters. But you can’t just have a giant monster to sell sugar cereal, you need a funny sidekick. Godzooky was born. He was a diminutive relative to Godzilla who was silly and always underfoot. Oh, that Godzooky. He even made it into the theme song. He was legit. I thought he was great, though if he is recalled, it is with derision. He is the Scrappy-Doo of the Kaiju world. And I have several cel animation of him. I watched these illustrations when I was a kid, but they went by too fast for me to notice. The cels show a great

deal of work. They were never meant to be loved for themselves. They were always part of a whole, of a cartoon. But this is how you can get close to the shows you love. I have a small collection. I have some “Ewoks” cels and a Charlie Brown cel that was part of a Chex cereal commercial. They are fun. They are a reminder that entertainment takes many steps and many hands. But I think I am being a bad collector. I read that I am not storing them correctly. They are made from celluloid. They can deteriorate. They will start to break down and a strong vinegar odor will come from your disposable art piece. There is a name for this, it is called Vinegar Syndrome. It is deadly to the cel. My cels are smelling ﬁ ne, for now. But that’s the thing with disposable art. Do we want these to last forever? Is art meant to be eternal? Is the art that brings nostalgia even worth preserving for the greater world? Or do we all know that soon we too will turn brown and blurry and smell of vinegar? Will all the memories of our childhood ooze into simpler parts? And who will sing the praises of Godzooky then?

Ewoks, Godzooky and other characters appear in cel animation. SUBMITTED

Some of the original animatronics from Chuck E. Cheese’s Pizza Time Theater, the Pizza Time Players, perform at Smitty’s Super Service, a private collection that showcases memorabilia and the experience of ShowBiz Pizza and Chuck E. Cheese restaurants in Sandy Hook, Miss. DOMINIC GWINN/ HATTIESBURG AMERICAN

Books Continued from Page 11

the removal of these incredible lessons, works I was lucky enough to share with students? I don’t count sheep, but I’ll forever count my blessings that I live in Massachusetts, where I was able to help children understand that the cruelties and injustices of the past need not be hidden, but should be brought out into the light and exposed. And speaking of light, the sun’s coming up. I think I’m going to need a nap this afternoon.

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COVER STORY

Can it happen here? Even in Worcester, books are challenged, if not banned

Veer Mudambi Worcester Magazine | USA TODAY NETWORK

A Tennessee school district banned Pulitzer Prize-winning graphic novel “Maus” by Art Spiegelman in January, citing profane language and nudity, following a unanimous vote by the county’s school board. As of earlier this month, McMinn County Board of Education stood by its decision. h “Maus” was banned because of one image of a naked woman (the mother’s suicide in the bathtub.) However, “Maus” is also a critically acclaimed portrayal of the author’s family during the Holocaust. Books such as this are being speciﬁ cally targeted in an apparent push to limit access to work dealing with history and the experience See CHALLENGED, Page 14 of minorities, often in decisions by school or education boards.

With conversation around book bans crescendoing around the country, local authors expressed both affection for challenged titles and consternation over the tone of the discourse itself. PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY GABRIELA VELASQUEZ/TRIBUNE

14 | FEBRUARY 25 - MARCH 3, 2022 | WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

Worcester School Committee member Tracy O’Connell Novick T&G FILE PHOTO

Challenged Continued from Page 13

“While it is diff erently structured in other parts of the country, in Massachusetts, if there is a challenge to materials, it goes to educators not the school board,” said Tracy O’Connell Novick, Worcester School Committee member, parent of children in the Worcester public school system and former English teacher. She believes it is not under the purview of the School Committee nor should it be, speaking as a former English teacher and present school board member. “Constitutionally, that’s not why we have public education in Massachusetts,” said Novick. “The purpose of a public school system is not just so an individual child learns algebra but making sure they are prepared to participate in democracy.” A key part of that, she explained, was ensuring students have access to experiences diff erent from their own, to which books act as a window. “If kids aren’t getting that on their own, then it is absolutely up to the schools to provide that,” she said. “Currently, there are no challenges to specifi c materials, but there’s certainly a unifi ed eff ort to limit the access to voices of BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ communities and that feels like it’s part of something bigger,” said Jason Homer,

Jason Homer, Worcester Public Library executive director DYLAN AZARI

executive director of the Worcester Public Library. People in other states are joining school and library boards with this exact goal, he said, citing a district in Texas that currently has challenges numbering in the hundreds, whereas the year before there was only one. The recent wave of nationwide book banning attempts is indicative of a larger discussion about what schools should and should not be responsible for regarding education. “There’s a growing expression of a sentiment that education is only about my kid, and I get to decide what my kid learns,” said Novick. This debate of what falls under the jurisdiction of parents or schools has come to Worcester, even if it has not centered speciﬁ cally around books. The Worcester schools new health curriculum created a backlash from some parents, who argued the policy intruded on See CHALLENGED, Page 15

The cover to the graphic novel, “Maus,” by Art Spiegelman SUBMITTED

The cover to “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, “ by J.K. Rowling. AP

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Challenged Continued from Page 14

a conversation that should remain in the family. That same energy, said Novick, fuels challenges to books. This isn’t to say that it can’t happen here. “The only way that we protect liberty is to always be watching the edges, so I would never say no,” said Novick. Every year, according to Cynthia Bermudez, Youth Services Coordinator at the Worcester Public Library, the top 10 banned books across the country are often children’s and Young Adult books. Last year, some were clearly in those categories, such as “Captain Underpants” and “Harry Potter,” with the others being classics such as “Huckleberry Finn,” “Of Mice and Men,” “To Kill a Mockingbird” and “The Bluest Eye.” “Since I’ve been at Worcester (eight years) there has been no formal challenge in the public library, but school libraries are where most parents start.” She says that it seems as though there’s been a lot of questioning of books lately. “LGBTQ+ themes have been extensively challenged, as have issues of equity, diversity and inclusion, which are prominent in people’s mind and I do think there is some pushback in that area to preserve the status quo.” According to Bermudez, challenges to books often come from very deep seated beliefs — be it morals or cultural values — but the disturbing thing for her is that people want to make that judgment across the board rather than just for their family. “Why are you making this decision for everyone? But people who are challenging books in this way have a particular belief and they want that book removed from access.” But what makes a parent make the leap from deciding a book may not be right for their children to deciding that no one

Cynthia Bermudez, youth services coordinator at the Worcester Public Library, gives a presentation. At left are City Manager Edward Augustus and Mayor Joe Petty. ASHLEY GREEN/ TELEGRAPH & GAZETTE

should have access to it at all? According to Homer, the answer is twofold — distinguishing between age-appropriate materials versus what just feels culturally diff erent; and the desire to preserve innocence and ideals. “We need to help parents understand the diff erence between age-appropriate materials versus limiting access to specifi c books because the world view they represent is diff erent,” said Homer. That is usually done through conversations but parents often dictate what children and young teenagers check out for cultural reasons, which have to be respected. “Like there are some groups that don’t enjoy stories about witchcraft. So if someone comes in asking for a good children’s book, we ask if they’re

okay with magic and witchcraft before suggesting ‘Harry Potter.’” Bermudez added that, for instance, manga is wildly popular, “however, they have diff erent cultural norms in Japan, so it’s not uncommon for U.S. parents to raise objections to what could be cultural diff erences, in terms of what is depicted.” “Some people also challenge books because they believe it’s going to preserve some innocence or ideal, but justifying censorship in any form is deeply undemocratic and damages children’s ability to form a point of view and then argue for that point of view,” said Homer. If we never challenge ourselves in reading diff erent experiences, then we never think about diff erent experiences, and become less empathetic and worse learners.

But what Homer feels is really fueling book banning nationally is the misconceptions around Critical Race Theory — an academic concept that argues that racism is ingrained in our institutions and continues to impact issues of race and equity. “Very few people who have responded to it have taken the time to understand the entirety of the concept or read the materials about the concept,” he said. “Our systems do have systemic racism built into them and the last few years have made us question ourselves as a society. People aren’t comfortable with that so they are combating it any way they can, including banning books.” He is unambiguous when he says, “we’re a public library for everyone and we’ll always be a

public library for everyone.” While some may not want their kids reading Toni Morrison, it does take a diﬀ erent type of intent to make sure no one else can read it. “You might not need a coming out story or one representing years of oppression and systemic racism, but other people deeply do.” Often, when Homer talks to a patron who is challenging a book, they can be emotional and think what they’re doing is right but it’s usually because they don’t have all of the tools to deal with challenging material, they cannot process them. “The only time we ever grow is in moments of discomfort — you’re never going to grow being content and comfortable and some people haven’t been given the skills to understand that feeling and be excited by it.” Homer also points out that challenges aren’t always genuine and the outrage can sometimes come from outside of the community. “A few years ago WPL had a drag queen story hour which generated a great deal of online hate but none from our community itself. And there was even a petition to ﬁ re the last director but no one who lived in the state actually signed it.” Novick says the subtext of book banning is “absolutely about the sharing of power and the sharing of stories. There is a growing amount of literature from minority experiences, and those aren’t groups that have traditionally been empowered, so some of the backlash is about perceived threat, too — who gets to tell their story.” She says the banning of “Maus” is tantamount to saying, “we reject your story as legitimate and don’t want it being told in schools.” So could it happen in Worcester? Novick is clear. “I think it is important for the community to continually be re-stating that we hold these things to be valuable and they are the priorities for our children.”

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CITY LIVING CANNABIS CONFIDENTIAL

As marketplace grows, edibles aplenty, premium ﬂ ower scarce Eric Casey Special to Worcester Magazine USA TODAY NETWORK

If you’ve walked into a dispensary any time lately and have been a bit overwhelmed by the menu, I can’t blame you. Five years after cannabis was legalized here in Massachusetts, the days of extremely limited selections and bare shelves in the vault are mostly behind us, as retailers now have to make sure their storage areas are large enough to store all the product they’ve accumulated. Nowadays, consumers are likely to be hit with paralysis by analysis, confronted with a litany of options that somehow makes the Cheesecake Factory’s menu look small in comparison. Compounding this consumer confusion is the fact that it’s often diffi cult to fi gure out who exactly made the product you’re considering purchasing. While some dispensaries are operated by companies that also have their own cultivation and/or production facilities, many do not and rely fully on the wholesale market to stock their shelves, resulting in a number of diff erent companies — many of whom sell their products under a number of diff erent brand names — being represented on their menu. You also have some products that are grown by one company and then processed or packaged by another. To make matters even more confusing, there’s a ton of brand and com-

Cannabis is available in many forms – edibles, brownies, marijuana joints, buds and a cannabis plant. GETTY IMAGES

pany names that are very similar to one another. "Wellness” is a word that pops up in a lot of them, and don’t confuse Nature’s Heritage with Nature’s Remedy or Nature’s Medicines, because they are three entirely diﬀ erent companies and brands. If you look at some of the

largest cultivators in Massachusetts (measured by canopy space on the Cannabis Control Commission’s website) and examine what companies seem to have the most shelf space at dispensaries, a pattern emerges: Many of them were companies that were already licensed to grow medical cannabis prior

to legalization. Not only did these companies have the advantage of already having large, completely built-out cultivation sites before adult-use cannabis sales went live, the state also gave existing medical license holders a head start in being able to apply for adult use licenses before general appli-

cants. This resulted in these companies (a sizable proportion of which are large, national cannabis corporations) capturing a large share of the adult use market before non-medical companies could even get a See CANNABIS, Page 18

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THE NEXT DRAFT

Wooden Bar to continue 3cross mission of community Matthew Tota Special to Worcester Magazine USA TODAY NETWORK

WORCESTER — The 3cross Fermentation Coop as we know it won’t reopen on Knowlton Avenue after its recent hiatus, but something equally communal and beautiful will take up its mantle. Wooden Bar, a new cooperative restaurant and brewery, hopes for a late spring or early summer opening at 4 Knowlton Ave. The concept comes from the minds of Wooden Noodles founders Chris Ly and Spencer Mewherter and 3cross founder Dave Howland. Ly and Mewherter envision a small menu, changing often,

leaning heavily on Japaneseinspired food and freshly baked bread, paired with cocktails and beer brewed on site or provided by their many friends in the brewing world. At some point, they may even brew their own sake. “We’re sure that all the previous brewers, Dave and some of the others, will continue making batches here,” Mewherter said. “We’ve built a relationship with other brewers around New England, so we want to have other breweries come in in addition to the beer brewed in house.” Those friendships blossomed over ramen. Wooden See DRAFT, Page 18

Customers pack the bar at 3cross Brewing in 2017. ASHLEY GREEN/TELEGRAPH & GAZETTE

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Draft Continued from Page 17

Noodles, the pop-up Ly and Mewherter started in 2018, made its name selling out its ramen at breweries around the state. They don’t expect ramen to steal the show at Wooden Bar, though: Ly and Mewherter want to make room for new dishes, like congee, a hearty rice porridge. “I know we’ve made our name on ramen,” Ly said, “but I think with the initial kitchen limitations, we won’t have ramen or noodles in the starting rotation. We will do Wooden Noodles pop-ups, though. And the moment we can sneak ramen on the menu, we will.” Wooden Bar isn’t replacing 3cross, which has the distinction of being the city’s second brewery in the modern era, only building oﬀ the community that Howland has already created. I did not have the opportunity to speak with Howland — a skilled, measured and thoughtful brewer — about 3cross, his future in brewing and his plans for Wooden Bar. 3cross opened in 2014, born form Howland’s love for biking and brewing. Three years later, the Clark University grad changed the structure of the

Cannabis Continued from Page 16

seed in the ground. The thing is, large cannabis companies don’t have a ton of interest in growing premium cannabis ﬂ ower. There are some notable exceptions (I’ll highlight some large companies that are growing premium ﬂ ower in a future column) but in general, publicly traded cannabis corporations that are operating in multiple states are taking the bet that as cannabis becomes more mainstream,

Wooden Noodles owners Christopher Ly and Spencer Mewherter in 2019. CHRISTINE PETERSON/TELEGRAPH & GAZETTE

business into a co-op, calling for members of the community to take a stake in the brewery’s future. Last year, 3cross closed its taproom, but remained open for beer to-go for a short time. Near the end of the 2021, 3cross went on an indeﬁ nite hiatus.

Howland, Ly and Mewherter’s long bond has been central to both Wooden Noodles and 3cross. Mewherter, a carpenter by trade, and Ly, a chef, helped Howland with the initial buildout for the 3cross taproom. Howland later returned the fa-

vor, hosting Wooden Noodles’ ﬁ rst pop-up in 2018. While the general layout of 3cross’ taproom will remain, Ly and Mewherter will change much of the décor. They want to bring more intimacy to the space, along with a nod to their

shared love of craft. “We want this place to be a celebration of craft, of the ceramist who made your bowl, the brewer who brewed your beer, the chef who cooked your meal, and carpenter who built your table,” Mewherter said.

new consumers are going to be more likely to gravitate toward edibles, drinks and vapes over the more traditional and somewhat stigmatized method of smoking. This means their main focus is producing large amounts of low-quality cannabis that is destined to be turned into extract. So while there’s a shortage of reasonably priced premium ﬂ ower in the market, there’s more than enough biomass and distillate to go around, which is good news for producers of products like edibles and beverages. One such product manufac-

turer is Good Feels, a new cannabis beverage company that is based out of Medway and led by WPI graduate Jason Reposa. Good Feels product line of seltzers and beverage enhancers are due to hit shelves in a few weeks, but even in the relatively short time that Reposa has been in the industry, he’s witnessed prices for wholesale distillate that he uses to create his products drop signiﬁ cantly. Data from the state suggests this is due to a large increase in the volume of plants being grown by cultivators; about twice as many plants were harvested this January when com-

pared to the same month last year. This is nothing but good news for product manufacturers who don’t wish to spend large amounts of capital to build out their own grows. As Reposa explained to me, “You wouldn't build out a sugar cane farm to make cupcakes.” So while the wider availability and cheaper cost of distillate and biomass may not mean much for ﬂ ower fans, it has been good news for the many locally owned product manufacturers that rely on it to make their products. More small, independent cultivators and product manu-

facturers have come online as of late, but for now it’s still fair to say that a disproportionate part of the Massachusetts wholesale market is more or less controlled by a handful of large, well-funded cannabis corporations. So while consumers have plenty of options at their local dispensaries compared to years past, consumers who are looking for truly premium ﬂ ower products — or who are trying to purchase products that are entirely produced by locally owned businesses — are still going to have to do a fair amount of research to track them down.

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM | FEBRUARY 25 - MARCH 3, 2022 | 19

LISTEN UP

Erin Ash Sullivan delivers poignant ‘We Can Hear Each Other’

Victor D. Infante Worcester Magazine USA TODAY NETWORK

First, a confession: I didn't really take to Erin Ash Sullivan's 2021 album, “We Can Hear Each Other,” when I fi rst listened to it. I could recognize the Harvard musician's technical skill and the beauty of her voice, but I just couldn't connect to it in any meaningful way, and I wasn't sure if it was a fault with the album or just where I was, at that moment. Consequently, I put it away, with the intent of getting back to it when I was in a diff erent mindset. That took longer than anticipated, but coming back to the album with fresh ears turned out to be a blessing: The second time around, I could feel how much nuance and emotional resonance were packed into each song. Sometimes, that's the way it goes: Much of the listening experience depends on the listener being in the right place to hear what the album's off ering. “We Can Hear Each Other” is, at its core, an album about family, and it starts with a song from the persona, addressed to her mother. Or maybe it's the mother, telling her own story to her own children. The song blurs the line a bit, and that's intentional. Sullivan is telling a story that gets cycled again and again: “How’d it feel to know you could sing,” sings Sullivan, at the beginning of the song, “and know that was the most/ important thing/when courage was the chords on a piano.” Then, toward the end, the perspective fl ips: “And how’d it feel to know a girl with your hands/who told you about her

Erin Ash Sullivan’s most recent album is “We Can Hear Each Other.” SUBMITTED

dreams of playing in a band/ And what was the advice that died on your lips/as the songs poured out of her ﬁ ngertips?” It's a song about dreams, and regret. Of one woman who regrets dreams unfulﬁ lled, another who regrets not knowing more about her mother's journey. It's not the exact same story, of course, but it is, as she sings in the next song, “Fabric,” “Just enough for the pattern to repeat.” Much of the album concerns itself with those sorts of cycles, capturing a sort of poetry in seemingly mundane details, such as a piece of fabric

that reminds her of her grandmother, and how her own daughter has a dress that she wears almost every day, and “someday soon I’ll have to put it away/And when she’s older I’ll tell her how pretty she was/And we’ll take it back down.” It's beautiful and a tad melancholy, which makes the brightness of the next song, “Spring Come Running,” all the more appreciated. Throughout the album, Sullivan's instrumentation is delicate and evocative, and when she ruminates on small moments from everyday life, it

creates a subtext that clariﬁ es the soul of the song, even when it's not explicitly stated. In “Take It From There,” she sings, “Day 126 at the Grace Hope Mission/They tell me it’s settled and just three days more/ Then we’ll go back to Farmington, our own apartment/The boys will have bunkbeds, I’ll get them a guinea pig too/But it’s Sunday, so laundry, I’ll head down to Main Street/The boys will come with me, we’ll stop for a treat/Then we’ll visit the fountain, hug the librarian, stop by the thrift shop/And make a new plan for Tuesday.”

There's a sadness that underscores everything in the song, and it's diffi cult to articulate exactly where it comes from. It's only when you learn that the song is dedicated to her “childhood friend Kim, who was tragically killed while doing her best to parent her two sons in challenging circumstances,” that everything becomes clear. Without that knowledge, all your left with is the chilling feeling that something's wrong, no matter how upbeat the song's persona seems. The song ends with an unfi nished line, which is as explicit as it gets. The subsequent song, “Firefl ies,” balances out that sorrow with a deep-seated joy. She sings, “I am a mother, my kids are awesome/They think I’m cheesy, and that’s all right/Being a mother is not so easy/The awkward silence, the popup fi ght/But then there’s moments of unbridled grace/ Adulthood in your baby’s face.” Later in the song, she sings, “I’ve learned you can’t force your kids to say they love you so/Sometimes a speedy hug’s enough to know.” This is an immensely personal album, much of it about being a parent. Not being one myself, I think I can see why it was diffi cult for me to relate to this album at fi rst. Still, the sentiment that she captures in each song is defi nitely universal. She has a knack for imbuing a song with that sense of unconditional love, and letting it sink into the listener's skin. If the listener lets them. That's not a comfortable experience for everyone. She revisits the fabric theme with “Wind Your See LISTEN UP, Page 20

20 | FEBRUARY 25 - MARCH 3, 2022 | WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

SONG TO GET YOU THROUGH THE WEEK

Hard Target scores direct hit with ‘Lost Cause’ Victor D. Infante Worcester Magazine USA TODAY NETWORK

It starts with the turning of an amber lightbulb. Then buildings collapse, and a guitar attacks heavy power chords. There’s an apocalyptic feel to the video for Worcester hardcore band Hard Target’s song, “Lost Cause,” one that really highlights the song’s intense feeling of menace. The video, which was shot by Worcester artist and musician Kristi Xhelili, captures the destructive rumble of the music in a series of staccato images, interspersed with imagery of the band playing. The imagery becomes more uncomfortable as the song barrels forward, drums crashing and bass digging deep into a dirty groove. The song has a classic hard-core feel, and as the imag-

Listen up Continued from Page 19

Way Home,” about a couple pulling in opposite directions — “What will you be, darling, a shark or a sailor/Or everywhere at once like the salt in the sea” — and again with “Sacred Thread,” where she sings, “Sometimes we cut the strings

Infante Continued from Page 10

her, and her alone. Is there any other way such a ﬁ asco could have ended? Is there any parallel between that mess and the mask man-

ery escalates to depictions of violence and dead animals, the sense of unease and danger only escalate. Perhaps strangely, the vocals – delivered with a hardcore growl – actually become more clear as the song progresses, which has the added eff ect of the listener being able to increasingly discern meaning in the musical tumult and chaos: “Cross your fi ngers/pray to God/do what it takes/to hide your façade.” The violence and chaos in the imagery and the music is the reality of life, not the false fronts we present to the world. It’s a tad cynical, but it’s also extremely gripping. There’s a cathartic eff ect to surrendering to the song, which makes the song’s sudden ending bracing, and the silent imagery of demolition after the last note’s played immensely haunting.

Hard Target released the music video “Lost Cause” in January. SUBMITTED

that bind us to our past/And as we’re writing out the story that we want to read instead/We’re spooling out a sacred thread.” Sullivan has an odd way oﬀ illustrating how connections are formed and retained, even when they seem to be fraying. It's a theme that underscores everything. As the album winds down, the album's lens tightens more on the persona: “Ducks in a

Row” is an upbeat song about learning how to take chances, and “One Man Show” is a love song with an exceedingly light touch and a subtle sense of humor: “I’m a one man show, really I’m amazing/If I said I’d make it easy, well baby, I lied/ Cause a man like you needs a woman like me beside.” The album then takes a whimsical turn with “Sheep Shanty,” which is, quite liter-

ally, a story about sheep caught in a shipwreck. Or “sheepwreck,” as she says. It's a very odd and amusing song, and strangely more aﬀ ecting than one would think. The album then ends on “Radio Show,” about two lonely sisters — Sullivan and her sister — who amuse themselves by interviewing each other on a play, tape-recorded radio show. The song includes samples of the

shows, which is adorable, but the soul of the song is, “And we don’t care that no one’s listening/We can hear each other.” It's a lovely sentiment, but if there's one lesson that's come from ﬁ rst putting this album aside and then rediscovering it, it's that sometimes, taking time to listen can reveal amazing things you very nearly missed.

date being lifted in schools? Not really, except this: Perhaps it’s worth everyone taking a step backward and asking themselves if their positions in this decision center on the well-being of young people, and in turn, the well-being of the entire community. Reading Telegram & Gazette correspon-

dent Scott O’Connell’s account of the meeting, one’s forced to question how much of the move was made from political expediency, despite protestations otherwise? And then there are comments from parents who claimed that “students are suﬀ ering. There are many kids who desperately

need to be able to not wear masks.” Really? It’s hard not to wonder if that’s not conﬂ ating the students’ “needs” with their “wants.” But who knows? Maybe the resistance to lifting the mandate is overly cautious. Maybe holding oﬀ another month or so, until the COVID-19 pandem-

ic had subsided even further, wouldn’t have made a diﬀ erence at all. We won’t know until we get there, but let’s hope that those in favor of lifting the mandate are correct, because otherwise, we’re sacriﬁ cing children at the alter of our own convenience, and that would be unconscionable.

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM | FEBRUARY 25 - MARCH 3, 2022 | 21

CONNELL SANDERS

Emmanuel Larbi takes holistic approach to healthcare Sarah Connell Sanders Special to Worcester Magazine USA TODAY NETWORK

I recognized Emmanuel Larbi from his “Forty Under Forty” photo as he strode through the Worcester Public Market. Fresh off the plane from Ghana, Larbi looked the part of the best man — a role he had fulfi lled at his cousin’s wedding celebration over the previous two weeks. The buckles on his leather Gucci loafers sparkled under the bright lights of Akra, one of two eateries he co-owns and operates in Worcester. I waved from my seat at the high-top table I had managed to snag before the dinner rush. “Emmanuel?” I asked. I felt like an Uber driver locating my passenger at a crowded airport. “Yes, hello Sarah,” he confi rmed, adjusting his immaculately tailored double-breasted suit and taking a seat next to me. I was hoping to learn more about Larbi’s role on the Edward M. Kennedy Community Health Center board. I knew EMK was looking to add a local educator to their roster of board members and I admired the work they were doing in my own school’s health center every day. With all of the organizations to support in Worcester, I wanted to know why Larbi had chosen EMK. The chance to grab dinner from Akra was a bonus. Larbi fi xed me a bowl of jollof rice, roasted carrots, and spicy chicken, drizzled in hot honey. The Holy Name graduate began by explaining how he had landed a spot in the popular Public Market space in February of 2020, just before the pandemic. “We came up with the concept based on our fi rst restaurant, Accra Girls,” said Larbi. “Accra Girls off ers what you would ordinarily expect from a Ghanaian restaurant. We have a strong Ghanaian

community here in Worcester who made up the majority of the people we were serving at our fi rst restaurant. We felt that was a little restrictive, so we opened Akra Eatery with the intention of crossing borders.” Larbi is originally from Accra, the capital of Ghana. He and his family moved to Worcester in 2003. I noted the diff erence in spelling between his hometown and the sign hanging above us at the Market. “By spelling it with a ‘k’ we are trying to break the mold,” he explained. “We put everyone on common ground by creating a fusion between West African food and a Western world approach.” Larbi began his career in the medical fi eld. “I studied biology and psychology at Assumption, and then went on to conduct ophthalmology research across the country. I did cancer research at Tufts Medical, and then, I took a little detour into food. I believe in a holistic approach and I feel EMK fully represents that,” he said. During the pandemic, Larbi made a point of serving local frontline workers with regular donations to an area hospital. He also dedicates a lot of time to mentoring young people of color at local universities who want to become entrepreneurs. There is nothing more fulfi lling to Larbi than giving back to EMK, which recently marked its 50th anniversary. “Growing up, EMK was where I went for care,” Larbi told me. “We lived in the Grafton area, but for some reason, we found ourselves at the Health Center in Great Brook Valley due to provider issues and some fi nancial issues. Dr. Hertz was my pediatrician; even when I turned 18, I was still going to her. I kept sneaking back in to see her for as long as I could. That goes to show you the level of care she was providing.”

When Larbi was 12, he found out he had a heart murmur. “We had actually just lost our dad in 2003, right when we arrived in Worcester,” he recalled. “I can only imagine the turmoil and the anxiety my mom was feeling; it was such a hard time. Being able to go to Dr. Hertz made her feel like I was being cared for and that brought us all peace.” I think joining a local board or commission is the obligation of any eﬀ ective citizen. For Larbi, the decision was easy. “When I decided to join the EMK board, I reﬂ ected deeply on the time in my life when I needed them the most. It came full circle for me.” Larbi’s board seat at EMK allows him to maintain an active See LARBI, Page 22

Emmanuel Larbi is the co-owner of Accra Girls and Akra Eatery, both located in Worcester. He is also on the board of Edward M. Kennedy Health Center, which recently celebrated its 50th anniversary. SARAH CONNELL SANDERS/SPECIAL TO WORCESTER MAGAZINE

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BOX OFFICE

Holland’s latest adventure ‘Uncharted’ tops box oﬃ ce Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Comscore. Final domestic ﬁ gures will be released Monday.

Lindsey Bahr ASSOCIATED PRESS

Tom Holland might be without his Spider-Man suit in “Uncharted,” but his latest actionadventure is still doing good business at the North American box oﬃ ce. The video game adaptation starring Holland and Mark Wahlberg is on its way to earning $51 million over the long Presidents Day weekend, according to studio estimates Sunday. Sony Pictures estimated its Friday through Sunday grosses will be $44.2 million, putting it at No. 1. Though not a superhero payday, it’s enough for the industry to breathe a sigh of relief as it’s the biggest opening weekend since “Spider-Man: No Way Home.” The weekend’s other new opener, “Dog” found a modest audience too and landed in second place. The unpredictability of pandemic-era audiences made “Uncharted” a bit of a wild card, and the poor reviews from critics had some going into the weekend with cautious optimism. The Ruben Fleischer-directed pic, based on a PlayStation game, opened on 4,275 screens. “This result is yet another extraordinary testament to the appetite for the theatrical experience that Sony Pictures bet on,” said Josh Greenstein, the president of Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group, in a statement. Sony also released the megahit “Spider-Man: No Way Home” exclusively in theaters

Larbi Continued from Page 21

1. “Uncharted,” $44.2 million. 2. “Dog,” $15.1 million. 3. “Spider-Man: No Way Home,” $7.2 million. 4. “Death on the Nile,” $6.3 million. 5. “Jackass Forever,” $5.2 million. 6. “Marry Me,” $3.7 million. 7. “Sing 2,” $2.8 million. 8. “Scream,” $2 million. 9. “Blacklight,” $1.8 million. 10. “The Cursed,” $1.7 million.

Mark Wahlberg, left, and Tom Holland star in “Uncharted,” a video game adaptation from Sony Pictures. CLAY ENOS/AP

late last year. That Holland-led enterprise has now earned over $770.1 million in North America and is the No. 3 domestic release of all time. “Tom Holland is a megastar regardless of whether he’s Peter Parker or Nathan Drake,” said Paul Dergarabedian, the senior media analyst for Comscore. “For many of the actors who have portrayed superheroes, breaking out of that role and having big box oﬃ ce success outside of that is a tough go.”

“Uncharted” does have a ways to go to make up its $120 million production budget, which will likely be heavily oﬀ set by overseas earnings. Its global total has already surpassed $100 million and, unlike “Spider-Man,” “Uncharted” will also get the beneﬁ t of a release in China, beginning March 14. Channing Tatum’s “Dog,” which he co-directed (with his longtime producing partner Reid Carolin) and stars in, also opened on 3,677 screens this weekend. United Artists esti-

mates that it’ll earn $15.1 million for the weekend and $18.1 million including Monday. Tatum plays an Army ranger tasked with driving a traumatized military dog from Oregon to Arizona for her handler’s funeral in the ﬁ lm, which was received well by critics and audiences. Plus, it only cost around $15 million to make. The PostTrak survey shows that the opening weekend audience for “Dog” was 53% over age 35 and 54% was female. “To have two movies do real-

role in healthcare while continuing to nourish the community in his role as a restauranteur. “I‘d still like to go to medical school someday,” he

shared. “Until then, I’m focused on putting a smile on people’s faces — that’s a skill that translates easily from the hospital to the kitchen.”

To learn more about Edward M. Kennedy Health Center, visit www.kennedychc.org/. If you are interested in joining a board or commission in the

ly solid business makes it feel like 2019 all over again,” Dergarabedian said. In its second weekend Kenneth Branagh’s “Death on the Nile” landed in fourth place with $6.3 million, behind “Spider-Man,” while “Jackass Forever” took ﬁ fth place with $5.2 million. According to Dergarabedian, the momentum from this weekend should be the “perfect leadup” to the already highly anticipated release of Warner Bros. “The Batman” on March 4. “Think about all the people in the movie theater this weekend being exposed to trailers,” Dergarabedian said. “This is great news for ‘The Batman.’ ”

City of Worcester, please explore current vacancies at: tinyurl.com/WorcesterBoardVacancies.

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM | FEBRUARY 25 - MARCH 3, 2022 | 23

5 THINGS TO DO

‘MACBETH,’ ANIMATED OSCAR NOMINEES, ‘FLORA IN WINTER’ ... Richard Duckett Worcester Magazine | USA TODAY NETWORK

‘Flora’ returns to Worcester Art Museum “Flora in Winter” is one of the Worcester Art Museum’s most popular events, displaying flower arrangements inspired by art in the museum’s collection and created by top floral designers from throughout Central Massachusetts. The theme this year is “Love in Bloom” with inspiration from WAM’s current exhibition, “Love Stories from the National Portrait Gallery, London.” Visitors can explore the galleries while encountering beautiful and dynamic floral designs. Related programming includes a range of demonstrations, workshops, tours, music and more. For complete information, visit www.worcesterart.org.

Daggers from a scene in Shakespeare’s “Macbeth.” ANDREW HOWE/GETTY IMAGES

Hanover Theatre Youth Acting Company presenting ‘Macbeth’

An arrangement from a past “Flora in Winter” at Worcester Art Museum. TROY B. THOMPSON PHOTOGRAPHY

What: “Flora in Winter” When: March 3 to 6 Where: Worcester Art Museum, 55 Salisbury St., Worcester How much: Admission is free for members, including business partners; $14 for institutional members; $28 for nonmembers; and $5 for youth 4-17. Additional costs apply for some related programming. Visitors must purchase advance tickets and register for related programs at www.worcesterart.org. Proof of vaccination required for admission.

Beware as fair is foul and foul is fair as The Hanover Theatre Conservatory Youth Acting Company delves into Shakespeare’s classic haunted tragedy “Macbeth” at The BrickBox Theater Feb. 25 to 26. The Hanover Theatre Repertory artistic director Livy Scanlon presents her 75-minute adaptation of what some of us superstitious types prefer to call “The Scottish Play.” A trio of otherworldly spirits prophesize that Macbeth, the beloved war general, will one day be king of Scotland. Consumed by ambition and urged on by Lady Macbeth, Macbeth kills the king in the night to take the kingdom. Macbeth will soon be haunted by ghosts, guilt, and deadly challenges to the throne. What: “Macbeth” — The Hanover Theatre Conservatory Youth Acting Company When: 7 p.m. Feb. 25 and 26; 2 p.m. Feb. 27 Where: The BrickBox Theater at the JMAC, 20 Franklin St., Worcester How much: $15. Seating is general admission. www.thehanovertheatre.org; (877) 571-7469. The BrickBox currently requires all audience members to wear masks and show proof of vaccination.

An evening of animated short Oscar nominees

A still from “Affairs of the Art,” by Joanna Quinn and Les Mills. BERYL PRODUCTIONS What: Oscar Nominated Animated Shorts Collection, presented by cinema-worcester When: 7 p.m. Feb. 25 Where: Park View Room, 230 Park Ave., Worcester

The Oscar nominees for Animated Short Film have been described as amusing, touchy, edgy, and in some instances warranting an R-rating. Get to make your pick ahead of Oscar night when cinema-worcester presents a collection of all five nominees Feb. 25 in the Park View Room. The nominees are: “Affairs of the Art,” Joanna Quinn and Les Mills, UK/Canada; “Besita,” Hugo Covarrubias and Tevo Díaz, Chile; “Boxballet,” Hugo Covarrubias and Tevo Díaz, Russia; “Robin Robin,” Dan Ojari and Mikey Please, UK; “The Windshield Wiper,” Alberto Mielgo and Leo Sanchez, USA/Spain.

How much: $10: $8.50 students and seniors. www.cinema-worcester.com Continued on next page

24 | FEBRUARY 25 - MARCH 3, 2022 | WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

ADOPTION OPTION

Arts Transcending Borders at Holy Cross Famed Scottish harpist Maeve Gilchrist and prominent Syrian-Armenian visual artist Kevork Mourad present a collaboration in sound and imagery as they share work from their creative residency at the College of the Holy Cross. The event includes compelling performance, conversation and insights. What: In Progress: An Evening with Maeve Gilchrist and Kevork Mourad presented by Arts Transcending Borders at The College of the Holy Cross When: 7 p.m. March 1, Brooks Concert Hall, College of the Holy Cross

Cristi Rinklin, Loner 6. SUBMITTED How much: $10 general admission, Holy Cross faculty and staff; $5 students. Tickets at eventbrite.com/e/in-progress-an-evening-withmaeve-gilchrist-and-kevork-mourad. Upon arrival, patrons must show photo ID and full proof of vaccination including a booster shot. Masks are required indoors. www.holycross.edu/atb/visit

‘Realism’ at Center for Crafts “Realism Reboot,” a new exhibition at the Worcester Center for Crafts, explores the work of seven artists and how they process situations in their lives into the physical, visual form that is art. Curated by Kat O’Connor, the exhibition features works by Ri Anderson, Lisa Barthelson, Madge Evers, Joan Clarkin Konuk, Roger Palframan, Cristi Rinklin and O’Connor. “Realism Reboot” will be on view in the Krikorian Gallery March 3 to April 9. The opening reception is 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. March 3 with an artist talk at 6:30 p.m. March 3. What: “Realism Reboot” When: March 3 to April 9. Opening reception 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. March 3. Krikorian Gallery hours 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays; 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursdays Where: Krikorian Gallery, Worcester Center for Crafts, 25 Sagamore Road, Worcester How much: Free admission. www.worcestercraftcenter.org Kevork Mourad with Seeing Through Babel SUBMITTED

Phoenix is available for adoption through WARL. SUBMITTED

Meet Phoenix This beautiful pup is Phoenix. Phoenix came to the shelter as a stray and is now ready for a fresh start. Phoenix is smart, goofy and a little socially awkward! He is very eager to show off his tricks and lots of fun to walk on leash. Phoenix would love to fi nd a home that will show him kindness, gentle handling and help him explore and enjoy the world. Phoenix may require gradual introductions to new people but has been aff ectionate, playful and increasingly confi dent with his staff friends at the shelter. He has also played with some other young dogs but tends to show more interest in spending time with people. We do not recommend Phoenix being adopted into a home with young children. Please contact

the shelter today at dogs@worcesterarl.org about possibly setting up an appointment to meet with this handsome boy. Adoption Option is a partnership with the Worcester Animal Rescue League highlighting their adoptable pets. Check this space often to meet all of the great pets at WARL in need of homes. Check them out online at Worcesterarl.org, or call at (508) 853-0030. COVID-19 Protocols: The Worcester Animal Rescue League remains closed to walk-in visits with the animals and appointments must be made, in advance, to meet with any of the animals. Masks are required. Visit https:// worcesterarl.org/ for more information.

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM | FEBRUARY 25 - MARCH 3, 2022 | 25

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J O N E S I N’

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Across 1. Fashion mogul von Furstenberg 6. “And Winter Came...” singer 10. Sound-boosting devices 14. “Citizen Kane” director Welles 15. “High” places for pirates 16. “Who Let the Dogs Out?” group ___ Men 17. “Hairspray” director 19. Laugh-and-a-half 20. Like tough push-ups 21. Matriarch 23. Suffix after Insta- or auto26. Groups of quail 27. Arm muscle, informally 30. In addition 32. Uncompressed audio file format 33. Folk singer Phil 34. Flautist Jean-Pierre ___ 36. HRE part 39. “___ is me!” 40. Colorful writing implements 41. “Bill ___ Saves the World” (Netflix series) 42. Abbr. at the bottom of a business letter 43. Birds, formally 44. “Heads up” abbr. 45. ___-One (“Sound of da Police” musician) 47. “___: Vegas” (rebooted TV series) 48. Actress Tyler of “Archer” 49. Become less intense 52. “Help!” co-star Ringo 54. Memorized perfectly 56. Fasteners that pop into place 60. Sandpaper quality 61. Neither wins nor loses 64. “Blues to the Bone” singer ___ James 65. Market order 66. “Dia de ___” (Shakira song) 67. “Fantastic Mr. Fox” author Roald 68. Graded item 69. Extra you may have to ask for at some drive-thrus (due to state laws) Down 1. “Cobra Kai” school 2. Metal that can rust

“Director’s Cut”--where do we go from here? by Matt Jones

3. NYC tennis stadium namesake 4. Obscure people 5. Swaddle 6. Yearbook superlatives ender 7. “Born,” in a Wikipedia bio 8. Fabric shop purchase 9. NBA component? 10. Brand used to treat cold sores 11. Big-ticket items 12. Counterfeit 13. Appeases fully 18. CPA’s entry 22. Cat noises at night 24. Underscore alternative 25. What the circled letters represent 27. Former heavyweight champ Riddick 28. Picture that can be dragged 29. Consults 31. “Let’s see what you got!” 34. Minister, for short 35. Ques. response 37. Ancient legend 38. “CHiPS” remake actor Michael 40. Fill the tank 44. Circulatory conduit 46. Apartment, typically 48. Comes to light 49. Having a border

50. Principal artery 51. “Blue Ribbon” beer brand 53. Vessel boarded by pairs 55. Sloth’s hangout 57. Loving or lasting leader? 58. Part of TB 59. Lots of it was created for the Beijing Olympics 62. South African golf legend Ernie 63. ___-newsweekly (paper you might be holding)

Last week's solution

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM | FEBRUARY 25 - MARCH 3, 2022 | 27

LAST CALL

Sarah Lerman-Sinkoﬀ , gas leak researcher Veer Mudambi Worcester Magazine USA TODAY NETWORK

Sarah Lerman-Sinkoff is a PhD student in geography at Clark University, with a focus on human environment geography — the relationship between people and their environment. Having been specifi cally interested in community research methods, she works to investigate how involving the people directly aff ected by environmental hazards can open up new possibilities. Since arriving in Worcester in 2018, Lerman-Sinkoff has been working with Mothers Out Front Worcester to address the issue of unrepaired gas leaks while helping the city prepare for a transition away from fossil fuels. She sat down with Last Call to discuss alternative ways to get public stakeholders involved and what researchers can learn if they actively engage with the public. What fi rst struck you about this and made it unique? The structural dynamics of the issue are what makes it unique. It’s the diff erent groups of people — those concerned about trees killed by gas leaks, those who can’t pay for heat and those who are worried about the infrastructure and climate change. One of the fi rst meetings I ever went to was a rate case in Worcester. Anytime utilities want to build more infrastructure or raise rates, they have to have a hearing because it is regulated. All these climate activists were there as well as ordinary people who felt their gas bills were too high. People who were already struggling to pay for heat and getting a letter in the mail saying their rates were going up, were in the same room with people who were asking why are we investing more in fossil fuels in the fi rst place. So that was something you hadn’t seen before? There is this stereotype about environmentalism — that environmentalist concerns are outside the day-to-day struggles of people dealing with social and economic justice. Seeing how it is connected — who can aff ord to pay for heat is very much related to class and race. Thinking about the stereotypical tree-hugging environmentalist — if you want to hug the trees, then you need to

Sarah Lerman-Sinkoff is a PhD student in geography at Clark University, and works with Mothers Out Front. MOTHERS OUT FRONT

consider the larger dynamics in the city. What was diff erent about working in the Worcester community? I really want to highlight the work of MOF Worcester. They are a very facts and information driven group and I feel really lucky that I can work with them. As a researcher, being welcomed into community organizing is not a given, it takes time to build trust and every community is diff erent. MOF is a statewide organization but its core is local moms and caregivers. They’re all working moms in the pandemic and I had to adapt to working with people who weren’t paid staff and just interested moms. What did you do before this? Before this, I was working with the West Harlem Environmental Action Inc. that was focused on noise monitoring of a proposed bus depot. Working on that, we went in and actually talked to people and found the reason everyone is ex-

posed to all this noise is because they keep their windows open because they don’t have air conditioning. We use the data we collected about noise to advocate for an AC program for seniors. For me that really changed my perspective on how the process of how you do the research really matters. If you talk to people, the type of information and interventions that can come out of that can be a lot more than if you’re just narrowly focused. That really stuck with me and in a similar sense with the gas, it’s about the process. Can residents better ﬁ nd gas in their environment, can they identify the signs of a gassed tree? Those are the learning goals but my hope is that through that process of reviewing the data that it will open up other ways for us to think about gas and organizing. What would you want people to know? About the study itself, is that kids

and families really appreciate learning about the system that’s under their feet and aff ecting their lives. Doing that detective work of reading street medallions and interpreting the street repair can be really fun. The state of Massachusetts is in the midst of this gigantic energy transition where we have to signifi cantly decarbonize under the FUTR act. This is going to aff ect millions of citizens using gas, whether we electrify or use alternative energy. Since that choice is in front of us, we can make this more democratic because people really appreciate being brought in. What I want people to understand is that we’re at a major infl ection point. If those who can aff ord it transition to electric, that will leave everybody who can’t aff ord to and the renters holding the bag. Unless it’s done on a citywide scale or more, unless really everyone is involved in making this system equitable, it could really leave some people stranded. My goal is to make sure nobody is left behind. So your work isn’t really about the data of gas leaks, like gas killed this many trees on this street, it’s more about teaching people about these facts? Yeah, exactly. We are doing some other work testing low cost devices to see if we could give those to tree stores to detect gas. But yes, there are other researchers really trying to nail down how much gas is being leaked, and my research is much more about how you research and how we can better involve people in the transition. And you have found that people want to know more? Yes, people like to have context for what’s happening in their environment, they like to know why trees are dying on their street. They appreciate knowing why things are happening around them. Sounds like you’re laying the groundwork for a major change in how people view energy and the environment. Yeah, like isn’t it wild that we have this system where we pipe in explosive gas and essentially all live on top of it? That might have been necessary at one time but what are our alternatives and is this really the way that we want to do this?

28 | FEBRUARY 25 - MARCH 3, 2022 | WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

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