Worcester Magazine April 29 - May 5, 2021

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM | APRIL 29 - MAY 5, 2021 | CULTURE § ARTS § DINING § VOICES

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FROM UGANDA TO WORCESTER, STARTING OVER IS THE HARD PART. PAGE 13D

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WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM | APRIL 29 - MAY 5, 2021 | 3

IN THIS ISSUE

18

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.

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Featured ..............................................................................4 City Voices ........................................................................10 Cover Story.......................................................................13 Artist Spotlight................................................................18 Next Draft .........................................................................17 Screen Time......................................................................18 Adoption Option.............................................................20 Games ................................................................................21 Classifi eds ........................................................................22 Last Call.............................................................................23

On the cover The LGBT Asylum task force helped this woman escape Uganda, where the punishment for homosexuality in Uganda was, at the time, life imprisonment. As of 2014, it’s the death penalty.

Page 13D RICK CINCLAIR/TELEGRAM & GAZETTE

4

4 | APRIL 29 - MAY 5, 2021 | WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

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Activism shows comedian Serenity Jones’ serious side Comedian Serenity Jones is hosting a local radio show, starting a new comedy series, and helping to try and save The Bridge.

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Liz Fay Special to Worcester Magazine USA TODAY NETWORK

Whether she’s advocating for Worcester’s youth at The Bridge Academy and Community Center, making you laugh out loud at One-Eyed Jacks, or campaigning for size matters on her comical talk show, “Stand Up and Stand Outs” at Unity Radio 97.9 FM, Serenity Jones is Worcester’s main squeeze, appreciated as both a sassy comic and passionate activist.

While comedy is a talent that comes naturally to her, it’s her role as a local advocate that sets her apart from the rest of the local comedy arena.

“I am not all talk about wanting to make a diff erence. I am about getting the job done and getting my hands dirty. I physically went into local homeless camps to hand out protective masks, sanitizer and food supplies into Worcester’s homeless tent cities. I’ve taken time to know these forgotten ones’ stories as to how they have ended up where they are. When I was made aware of The Bridge having their space possibly be taken away I was quick to jump into action. I reached out to fellow performers and asked them to step up as well”.

Originally from Marlboro, Jones’ appreciation for Worcester — including its diversities and inequalities — is what motivates her to keep fi ghting for the city’s underdogs all while making Worcester residents

belly laugh as often as she can.

“Growing up in Worcester is a lot diff erent from the suburbs where I grew up. These kids need safe places to go. We all don’t come from the same background and The Bridge can be some of these kids’ main support system. I know what it is like to struggle. I know what it is to choose to buy groceries or pay bills, which is why I run a monthly benefi t show for Feed a Neighbor along with Steve Dembro of Stevie’s Eatery in Hudson. As of now, we have raised just under $2,000 and have been able to supply 370 meals to families in need.”

Billed as “Thick Chick Comedy,” Jones’ “Stand Ups and Stand Outs” has gained in popularity over the last six months since showcasing guest appearances by comedy headliner Jimmy Cash, nationwide act Mike Marino, and Boston’s own Dave Russo.

Jones’ success has carried her to her latest role as host for the exotic “Get Laid Luau” event on April 29 at One Eyed Jacks.

Jones describes the event as a “Warm, beach-ready, anythinggoes comedy show extravaganza.” Worcester’s fi rst Get Laid Luau will feature comedians Jamie Lee Simmons, Eoghan Gallivan, Liz Moniz and Casey Crawford as headliner, with DJ Coley Cole behind the sound desk. Doors open at 7 p.m. with a $10 cover.

See JONES, Page 9D

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM | APRIL 29 - MAY 5, 2021 | 5

Dark Desert Eagles, performing last year at Drive-In Live. PHOTO COURTESY OF ERIC HEMPLE

Northlands debuts May 14 with music and ‘pods’

Richard Duckett Worcester Magazine USA TODAY NETWORK

After what Mike Chadinha, director of operations, said was a successful fi rst outdoors summer season of concerts at the Cheshire Fairgrounds in Swanzey, N.H., last year, Drive-In Live is back — as Northlands.

The location is the same but the name has changed, as well as the seating arrangements.

The new season gets underway May 14 as Northlands debuts with the Vermont-based rock/jam band Twiddle.

Shows will run to September.

Other upcoming artists include the acoustic duo Smith & Myers (May 15); Pink Talking Fish, a tribute fusion of Pink Floyd, Talking Heads and Phish (May 21); rock band Dinosuar Jr. (May

22); Indigo Girls (June 12), Allman Betts Band (June 18); Get the Led Out (July 31) ;and country singer Lee Brice (Aug. 29).

“We’re adding shows every week,” Chadinha said.

Drive-In Live drew people from the Worcester area, and Chadinha is expecting the same for Northlands. The distance from Worcester to Swanzey is about 47 miles.

“We’re close,” Chadinha said.

Instead of sitting in parking spots for vehicles to watch shows as they did for Drive-In Live, all attendees at Northlands will be in in their own “pods.” Each ticket purchase will be for a 10’ x 10’ pod for up to fi ve people. A sixth person may be added for an additional fee. All pods are spaced at least six feet apart to meet CDC guidelines. Attendees will park in adjacent lots and then walk to one of

two audience entrances.

“I think it’s a better experience for the people watching the show and the artist,” Chadinha said. “Of course, we can’t keep the name Drive-in Live.”

Produced by M.E. Productions, Drive-In Live and now Northlands are concepts “totally birthed out of COVID,” Chadinha said.

M.E. Productions has been presenting national level concerts for two decades at various New England venues.

With COVID-19 last year, “Our whole industry shut down,” Chadinha said.

“This type of thing came about because of the pandemic. We’ve got bands back playing, crews working, so we’re happy to do it this year too.”

Seth McNally, executive director of Northlands, said, “Drive-In Live was born out of the need to keep the music

going in New England during the pandemic. Last year was about getting through it, and putting unemployed folks back to work. We’re here; we’ve grown up; and we’re here to stay.”

More bands are likely to be touring this summer as other outdoor summer venues are starting to re-open, including Indian Ranch in Webster.

Getting ready for the Northlands season, things were “going well,” Chadinha said during a recent telephone interview from the site.

“Some places are trying to get up and running as best they can, but it’s tough right now. For us outside is the safest way to go right now because who knows where it goes from here?”

Drive-In Live debuted last year in See NORTHLANDS, Page 6D

6 | APRIL 29 - MAY 5, 2021 | WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

Northlands Continued from Page 5D

July. As the COVID-19 pandemic unfolded shutting down most live music venues indoors and outdoors, one response to the situation was drive-ins for concerts, which fi rst started popping up in Europe. When New Hampshire allowed its drive-ins to open, M.E. Productions looked at several sites including the Cheshire Fairgrounds and talked with the town of Swanzey.

Drive-In Live opened July 12 with Echoes of Floyd, a Pink Floyd tribute, and ran through Oct. 10. Other shows included Guster, Badfi sh, Blue Oyster Cult, and Allman Betts Band.

The bands were live on stage with screens to the right and left of the stage for extra viewing. Cars had 10 feet of space between them and were parked in a staggered fashion for unobstructed sight lines. People were able to bring lawn chairs and sit in the empty spot to the left of their vehicle. There were no concession stands “to alleviate any over-mingling.” There were restrooms and hand washing stations. People didn’t have to wear face masks in their designated space but if they left the space they had to put masks on. Food and beverages were permitted but no alcohol was allowed.

“It was quite a crazy experience,” Chadinha said. “People were happy we were able to bring them some entertainment and keep people safe. It was a wild ride but it was great.

Just the fact that we pulled it off . Every artist was ‘What is this going to be?’ ‘How is this gonna go?’ They were happy.

It’s a little diff erent when you’re playing to a parking lot full of cars. It was just an interesting idea that worked out. By the end of last year we knew we really wanted to do it again, but we were learning every day.”

Chadinha knows what it’s like from the musician’s side of things. He was a touring drum-

Badfi sh, performing at Drive-In Live. ERIC HEMPHILL PHOTOGRAPHY

mer with Roots of Creation and had stints with Badfi sh. He has recorded with Stephen Marley, Melvin Seals, Marlon Asher and G Love, and worked with Bob Marley producer Errol Brown.

For 2021, “We weren’t exactly sure how we were gonna do it,” Chadinha said of returning to the Cheshire Fairgrounds.

But the idea was “just getting people closer to a traditional concert experience.”

One of our biggest goals in 2021 “is about scaling our production up,” Chadinha said.

“Bigger stage, bigger video screens, improved sound system and lighting … The ‘pods’ system has allowed us to increase our capacity, which means we’ll not only be able to present bigger national artists, but also be able to provide more job opportunities for people in the local area. We wouldn’t be able to do this without the supSee NORTHLANDS, Page 7D

The band moe. performing last year at Drive-In Live. ERIC HEMPHILL PHOTOGRAPHY

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM | APRIL 29 - MAY 5, 2021 | 7

Northlands Continued from Page 6D

port of our community, so we’re more than happy to give back by adding more jobs and welcoming local vendors.”

A beer garden is being planned for 2021, as well as inviting local food trucks to serve a mix of handmade local food and snacks. People can be mask-free within their pods, but will have to wear masks when they step outside.

A signifi cant consideration for the producers is that the new pods system “raises our capacity,” Chadinha said.

There will be 590 pods, which if full with six people would mean a total maximum attendance for a concert of 3,450 people.

Chadinha expects that “a typical concert well sold show” would draw 2,500 people.

Last year Drive-In Live could accommodate 450 cars with a typical attendance of about 1,800, he said.

Ticket prices vary depending on the show. For Twiddle the range is $119 to $250. Indigo Girls tickets are $149 to $299.

Those prices are per pod, not per person.

All shows will start at 6:30 p.m. Most concerts will be on Fridays and Saturdays, but to accommodate the tours of some artists, there may also be some Thursday or Sunday concerts “here and there,” Chadinha said.

The artists being booked for the season range from rock to acoustic, tribute bands to country, and more.

“That’s the goal, be as diverse as possible. If we can fi nd something a little bit that everyone will like, that’s what we’re trying to do,” Chadinha said.

Northlands has built it, now we’ll see if people will come.

“We tend to draw heavily from Central and Western Massachusetts, as well as Vermont and New Hampshire,” Chadinha said.

Smith & Myers will be returning to Northlands, formerly known as Drive-In Live. ERIC HEMPHILL PHOTOGRAPHY

As more people get vaccinated, Chadinha said he thinks more people will feel comfortable about being at a concert in-person.

However, “We’re planning on keeping the pod this season.

A lot of people want to ease back in.”

But the pods system could be here to stay, with Northlands an annual summer concert series.

The idea of going to a show where Chadinha and his friends could have their own 10’ x10’ pod is something he said he would have gone for before the pandemic.

“So there’s a lot to like about it with or without the pandemic,” he said.

“We hope to continue this in some fashion in the foreseeable future. We think it’s good for the area,” Chadinha said “We’re hoping to turn it into a seasonal thing.”

More information, tickets, and guidelines can be found online at www.northlandslive.com.

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Worcester County Poetry Association, the longest running poetry nonprofi t in the country, announced it would take a three-month hiatus. GETTY IMAGES

WCPA takes break after incident Veer Mudambi Worcester Magazine USA TODAY NETWORK

On Monday April 19, the Worcester County Poetry Association, the longest running poetry nonprofi t in the country, announced it would take a three-month hiatus from all programs and activities. The decision was in response to an “ill-considered, off ensive and disrespectful public engagement by a member of our board” on April 16. The break is meant to be a time to develop a “diversity, equity, and inclusion action plan” with the help of a third-party consultant.

Nonprofi t organizations are not considered the most re-

sponsive of entities. So only three days between an incident and drastic response is news in itself. So why such a mea culpa? The statement is referring to a social media interaction between the VP of Programming for the WCPA and local poet (and former WCPA president) Rush Frazier. Citing lack of funding, the board member said WCPA could only off er a $25 honorarium to their poetry readers.

“Calling that appropriate for any poet over the age of 10 is insulting,” said Frazier, who took pains to clarify that this issue is not about inadequate compensation. “It is less a personal slight and more a response to a long track record of racist be-

haviors,” Frazier said, recalling their own time on the board.

Frazier, who identifi es as nonbinary, said that their work was being undervalued and declined the invitation to read.

Though the board member accepted Frazier’s answer, the board member then asked if Frazier knew any non-white, non cis, non hetero poets to send his way, since WCPA wants to raise the profi le of BIPOC poets. In a now deleted comment, he stated that he didn’t understand Frazier’s “outrage at the amount,” going on to say that there is no money in poetry and he himself had done most readings for free and been “happy to do it.”

Representatives from the

WCPA did not immediately return requests for comment.

Commodifying minorities for the purposes of appearing diverse, then paying a pittance and telling them to be happy to get even that much is not a good look for any organization.

Let’s start with a simple truth — tokenism does not equal diversity. Frazier was told the board member was asked to step down from his position at the board’s request and members of the board reached out to apologize on behalf of the WCPA. The general refrain, said Frazier, “was ‘he didn’t know who you are,’ which is just the point. If he is going to treat me like this, it stands to reason he

sees other artists of color similarly.” As far as workshops for members, Frazier says, “I think that’s great, and I hope the people who need it most will show up, or will it just be more of the same but now with a certifi cate of completion of a DEI course? I really hope that is not the case and I wish those folks luck.”

The interesting thing is, the WCPA board recently approved several hundred dollars for the creation of a chapbook (small book of poems) on baseball — in honor of the new Polar Park stadium as a way to get some poetry out there. On its own, this is just fi ne — but when they’re simultaneously citing lack of funding, it raises some questions.

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM | APRIL 29 - MAY 5, 2021 | 9

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Jones Continued from Page 4D

“This is such a fun lively venue, you feel like you’re on an island the minute you walk through the door. This is something I’ve been working on for the last month, and I’m especially excited to host after Dave’s (Thacker) business reopening since COVID.” Jones says that for her, comedy is more than just a hobby, it’s a therapeutic form of self expression that quenches her thirst for thrill.

“Comedy is therapy, it allows me to express myself and say the things I can’t normally.

There are thoughts that people have but just don’t have the balls to spit out. It’s a way to say what people think but aren’t comfortable enough to speak. I love the thrill before performing. I get a little rush of butterfl ies and adrenaline. The start of every show feels like when you’re about to get on a roller-

Comedian Serenity Jones is hosting a local radio show, starting a new comedy series, and helping to try and save The Bridge. ASHLEY GREEN/ TELEGRAM & GAZETTE

coaster,” Jones says.

“The city shows me love, and I want to love it back.”

You can catch Jones on Unity Radio at 3 p.m. Fridays and follow her on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter @thickchickcomedy.

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10 | APRIL 29 - MAY 5, 2021 | WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

CITY VOICES FIRST PERSON

DON LANDGREN CARTOON

A set of collectible “Doctor Who” glasses on a shelf in a Worcester Magazine editor’s home.

WORCESTERIA

A skeptic’s tour The Library of Disposable of Polar Park Art — collectible glasses VICTOR D. INFANTE/TELEGRAM & GAZETTE

Victor D. Infante Worcester Magazine

David Macpherson Special to Worcester Magazine USA TODAY NETWORK

The other day, I noticed one of our “Star Wars” glasses sitting on the coff ee table, minding its own business, I am sure.

I picked it up and brought it over to the sink. I placed it down in the sink, with a vague plan of washing it sometime that evening. I didn’t get the chance. The act of placing it in the sink caused it to lose its will to be whole. It broke into fi ve large pieces. I slowly fi shed them out and threw them away.

Now you should know, they aren’t just any “Star Wars” glasses you can pick up at Target. No, sir. Not for us. No, we are too cool for Target pop cul-

ture detritus. No, these were vintage glasses given as a promotion for “Return of the Jedi.”

They are from long time ago …

1983. That makes them 37 years old. They were given out with an order of Coke at Burger King.

There were fi ve or six diff erent “Return of the Jedi” glasses, collect them all if you dare.

They have wrap-around illustrations of scenes from the movie. There are Ewoks and C3PO. There is the glass about Han Solo on the Moon of Endor. And there is the one with Jabba the Hutt on the Sand Barge. (For those of you not “Star Wars” fans, you are reading this wondering what off market drugs I might be taking, but be reassured, that all of this makes serious sense, for

those in the know.) It was a premium. If you bought a certain type of drink, you got the glass. You might have to pay a little more for the glass, but why wouldn’t you? You are getting a delicious Whopper and a great “Star Wars” glass. You should buy extra. Who knows?

They might be valuable years from now.

I think I bought one of these glasses for the fi rst time at That’s Entertainment, the great comic and weirdness shop in the city. My son, who was eight at the time, thought it was the greatest thing in the world. He felt that chocolate milk tasted better in the glass.

Who am I to disagree with a such a reasoned opinion?

See GLASSES, Page 12D

USA TODAY NETWORK

Polar Park is nestled awkwardly on the edge of Kelley Square. If one were to walk there from, say, Birch Tree Bread Company or Urban Smokestack on Green Street – lunch or coff ee before a game?

– you’d pass two gas stations, a Burger King and a whole lot of indefi nite seeming construction, and even then, it’s not much to look at from the outside. One would think, being from Worcester, we’d know not to judge something from its outside appearance. After all, most of the city’s best treasures have always been hidden in seemingly burnt-out warehouses and factories.

As dubious as one is about the project and its cost both fi nancially and to the city’s cul-

tural identity, there is no denying that inside, it’s absolutely gorgeous. Seriously. It’s one of the best stadiums of its size I’ve ever seen. Taking a walk around the park with Telegram & Gazette Executive Editor Dave Nordman last week, it was hard not to be struck by how well-designed it is inside.

Much has been made of the sight lines – and honestly, there really ISN’T a bad seat in the house. Even the cheap seats are good. Heck, the standing room only areas have better views in some places than some of the seats altogether. Indeed, the place is very clearly and intentionally built for milling around. You watch some of the game, you go back and grab a beer and hot dog from Coney Island Hot Dogs or a slice from Wonder See TOUR, Page 11D

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM | APRIL 29 - MAY 5, 2021 | 11

HOME EQUITY LINES OF CREDIT

Imagine what you could do with a little extra cash.

There really aren’t any bad seats at Polar Park.

VICTOR D. INFANTE/TELEGRAM & GAZETTE

Tour Continued from Page 10D

Bar, and because it’s baseball, by the time you get back, something else will happen again.

(Kidding! Mostly.)

Even the upscale DCU Club area is built for mingling. There are the boxes for watching the games, of course, but inside is a nice lounge area, with a bar and piano. It’s nice. Maybe a bit ritzy for my tastes, but nice. I’ll probably be down on the ground on the occasions I go.

Single game ticket prices for general admission and SRO are going to be as low as $8 or $9, according to a recent article by Telegram & Gazette sports writer Joe McDonald, although with occupancy caps in place because of COVID restrictions, expect everything to be sold out for the time being. Still, it’s a remarkably comfortable stadium – Nordman pointed out to me the padded seats, and the stools in the SRO area – that’s built for people being social. It might not look like much on the outside, but inside, it’s pretty dang impressive.

Which is good, because there’s absolutely one salient reality about the thing: It has to work. Before the pandemic, it was just a risky endeavor, possibly even a foolish one. There is every reason to be dubious of municipally funded sports stadiums. They’re almost always a boondoggle. Now, as we ap-

proach the last few innings of the COVID crisis? We have no choice but to make it work, because the cost of it not working is unthinkable.

Is that a mixed message? It is what it is. As I’ve written before, it’s entirely possible to be enamored of the good aspects of the stadium and still be deeply concerned with the gentrifi cation eff ect that radiates from it in all directions. For instance, a baseball’s throw away down Southbridge Street, the Bridge Academy and Community Center recently held a block party to raise funds in its ongoing eff orts to save itself.

Indeed, in some ways, both The Bridge and Polar Park have some things in common: People just discovering the Bridge because of its current wave of publicity may think it’s just a rundown factory building, albeit one with some cool murals on the outside walls. But what happens inside has been magic, and among other achievements, has saved the lives of numerous neighborhood kids whom the system has otherwise failed. The possibilities of what can be accomplished if it’s transformed into an offi cial community center are unlimited.

We need Polar Park to work.

We need the Bridge to stay, and to become a real community center. These goals are not mutually exclusive. Indeed, it seems the two things are inextricably linked. What else is there to say but, “Play ball”?

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12 | APRIL 29 - MAY 5, 2021 | WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

POETRY TOWN

‘Memory of a Sunday in Main South’ Anna Hill Special to Worcester Magazine | USA TODAY NETWORK Nana only had one eye. As a little girl, I remember looking with horror and fascination upon its glass replica as it sat bathing in a cup on the bathroom sink. A thick robe hung on the back of the door and the buzz of the fluorescent lights on each side of the mirrored medicine cabinet harmonized with the sounds of family in the next room. The hazel iris met my gaze unabashedly, wavering only when two of the tiny air bubbles that had formed in the solution merged and were forced up and off of the eye’s surface.

Sitting at the head of the table in the ocher paneled kitchen, Nana lights another cigarette. She seems not to notice that the lid of her left eye is closed and slightly sunken in. She recounts a story of Alfie, my aunt’s black poodle.

“That damn dog! He ate my eye. I told Tricia she had to follow him around until he passed it. Do you know how much one of those costs?”

“Nana only had one eye. As a little girl, I remember looking with horror and fascination upon its glass replica as it sat bathing in a cup on the bathroom sink.” CONGERDESIGN

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Glasses Continued from Page 10D

But it was made of glass.

Glass feels good when you drink from it. Glass also breaks.

It wasn’t too long before we had no “Star Wars: Empire Strikes Back” Burger King Glass. My son was upset. He was in tears.

Father to the rescue. I went on eBay and bought a set of six of the glasses. They came two weeks later with two of the glasses broken. So we had four.

This has been the history of these glasses. We buy them on eBay and one by one they shatter into history. This is how it has gone for years.

So, the other day one of the glasses of the latest set broke and I told my son and reminded him that we had two left. He was upset. I wasn’t expecting it. He is 12 now and I fi gured maybe there wouldn’t be such an attachment to 40-year-old fast food restaurant premiums.

“I like having them. My favorite ones always break fi rst.” Father to the rescue.

And over the years, the

damned glasses are getting more expensive on eBay. This stands to reason because as the years pass we all break these things and they become slightly more scarce. There are still a lot of them out there, but gone are the days I could get a full set for 12 bucks.

I like them. I drink from an Ewoks glass or a Jabba the Hut glass almost every day. My son does not. These are not the glasses he is looking for. He likes looking at them. He likes our act of possession. But he just would rather drink from a wider glass.

Soon, we will break so many of them that they will become too valuable to drink from.

They will have to be kept away from the vagaries of fi nger muscles and stress fractures.

They will be kept in a cabinet used solely for their safety.

They will be kept under glass.

And to think, these were pieces of promotion. They said “Collect Them All” and they did want you to buy them, but the idea that they would be kept and preserved and cried over when all that remains are shards.

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM | APRIL 29 - MAY 5, 2021 | 13

COVER STORY

An LGBT refugee’s journey: Escape is only the beginning — starting over is harder

LGBTQ asylum seekers go through a lot to escape their home countries – but then they have to rebuild their lives from the ground up in a new country

Veer Mudambi Worcester Magazine | USA TODAY NETWORK

Like many stories, it started with a kiss. Except for one 15-year-old girl, it wasn’t the start of a typical teenage fi rst romance story, but the end of her life as she knew it. That one innocent act would see her expelled from school, shamed by a public caning, abandoned by her family and made a pariah in her community. — Her crime? Kissing a girl.

See ASYLUM, Page 14D GETTY IMAGES

14 | APRIL 29 - MAY 5, 2021 | WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

Asylum Continued from Page 13D

Forced out of school, Alice, whose name has been changed for safety reasons, underwent threats of assault, rigorous prayer sessions to banish her “demons” and complete social isolation. In the east African country of Uganda, Christianity dominates cultural and social attitudes. “In such a faith-based country, anything that the Bible says is wrong is wrong,” said Alice. “They called me evil.”

At the time, the punishment for homosexuality in Uganda was life imprisonment. As of 2014, it’s the death penalty.

“About 60 to 70% of asylum seekers we get are from [Uganda and Jamaica],” said Al Green, LGBT Asylum Task Force Director in Worcester, himself an asylum seeker from Jamaica. A ministry of Hadwen Park Church, it supports LGBTQI individuals who are fl eeing such persecution in their home countries. Others come from other African countries such as Nigeria, Kenya, Tanzania and Morocco as well as the South American nations of Brazil, Colombia and Honduras, along with Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.

According to the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association, same-sex relationships between consenting adults are criminalized in 70 countries. The Task Force readily supports these individuals, who oftentimes arrive with just the clothes on their back. In addition to helping navigate the asylum process, they provide a place to stay and help in fi nding work. While starting over in a new country under such circumstances is a daunting prospect, for people like Alice it is a challenge they gladly accept, as it cannot be worse than what it took to get here.

After her mother died, Alice’s father had her married off to an older man, the start of seven years of constant abuse.

She called them, “the worst years of my life, forced to do unspeakable things, and punished for almost anything.” After a couple of years, she gave up trying to stay alive, and in fact, Alice said she “hoped that he would come back particularly drunk and kill me because I just wanted my life to end.”

After engineering a harrowing escape, Alice found out she was pregnant.

In the end, she had little choice but to

Al Green, LGBT Asylum Task Force Director, at the Hadwen Park Congregational Church. RICK CINCLAIR/TELEGRAM & GAZETTE

“It has been a mixed year for us, while network events like monthly meals and workshops have been difficult, we have still been able to fundraise last year more than any other before.”

Al Green

LGBT Asylum Task Force Director in Worcester

keep the baby since abortion is illegal in Uganda and there is no equivalent of Western-style adoption. With the help of good Samaritans, she fi nished her high school education, got a job, and began to support herself and her child, though her sexual orientation remained a closely guarded secret. However, when she learned that small grassroots organizations were trying to coordinate aid to the LGBTQI community in Uganda, despite the hostile climate, she joined the fl edgling eff orts.

Though the risks were substantial, until this point, Alice thought she had just been existing, with her only goal being making ends meet. Now she had big-

ger dreams — a larger purpose beyond just survival. “I had never felt like I was worth anything or good at anything,” she said, “but just to know that I had reached out and given others the strength to stand up for themselves was much more than I could ever have imagined.”

That was the impetus Alice needed to stop caring what others thought of her.

“I said, to hell with all these things” and stepped up her involvement in activities like fundraising, grant writing, connecting people with medical services. She had started out wanting to tell her story so others would know they were not alone but she ended up doing much

more than that.

Alice soon got involved in eff orts to help LGBTQ Ugandans in rural areas of the country. This decision would set off a chain of events that would see her not only leave her home country but cross a continent and an ocean to end up in Worcester.

Though survival was no longer her only concern, it still rated quite high.

During that time, the country passed the 2014 anti-homosexuality law that shifted the sentence for gay individuals from life in prison to death, “so the hate was total.” All activities to support See ASYLUM, Page 15D

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM | APRIL 29 - MAY 5, 2021 | 15

Asylum Continued from Page 14D

LGBTQ individuals were still very much underground, regarding how information was disseminated and how venues for meetings were not shared until the day, for fear of police raids and other violence. The organization she worked for changed phone numbers almost every month, trying to stay ahead of the authorities tracking them. Police and other government investigators soon caught up, and after the organization’s director’s home was raided and computers confi scated, activities and initiatives stopped entirely.

By this point, Alice was living with her girlfriend. Because she had a child, she was often able to defl ect suspicion, and neighbors and acquaintances just assumed she and her partner were sisters. However, the constant fear of whether any seized material or interrogated colleagues would reveal their identities took its toll, and after the raid, they broke up for fear of being found out. “You always lived in fear of what information was out there about you,” Alice explained.

Worcester resident Lamar Brown-Noguera, who came to the U.S. in 2014 from Jamaica, agrees that inherent homophobia in a society has an insidious eff ect not only on those being actively targeted but also those doing their best to stay hidden.

He also connected with the task force when he sought asylum and described his situation in his home country as debilitating — to not know when “you might receive ‘jungle justice’ and become another statistic.” The chronic stress and fear of looking over their shoulder impacts quality of life on all levels, from family to the social scene to the work space.

When Brown-Noguera fi rst came to the U.S., he was torn between staying and going back home. But the “psychologically crippling” mental

Marching in the Worcester Pride parade COURTESY OF LGBT ASYLUM TASK FORCE

space that homophobia has created in the very masculine culture that dominates his country was what convinced him not to return. “There’s a religious cultural narrative that fosters a deep-seated element of homophobia and the queerness of men threatens that masculine cultural dominance,” he explained. In addition, there is no legal structure to protect those who may identify as LGBTQI, and by law, being gay is illegal and one can go to prison for 10 years maximum with “hard labor.”

The day Alice thought she might become a statistic came when she saw a car parked outside her workplace. As she kept her head down and kept walking, the car door opened and she said, “I just knew.” There had been stories about people being abducted and tortured so she started screaming for help when she was dragged to the car. “The next thing, I found myself in a room with that feelSee ASYLUM, Page 16D WM-0000465736-01

16 | APRIL 29 - MAY 5, 2021 | WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

Asylum Continued from Page 15D

ing where you think ‘this is it for me,’ that I would never see the light again.”

Two men interrogated her, claiming she was trying to overthrow the government, promote homosexuality, and take foreign aid to destabilize the country.

She was held for over a week, tortured and assaulted and looking back on it, she admitted, “I think while I was there, part of me just died.” Shockingly, one of her captors smuggled her out in the back of a truck, only to leave her “in the middle of the night in the middle of nowhere.” Hitchhiking a ride back to town, she was able to make contact with her sister and was reunited with her son.

Unfortunately, this was only a momentary respite. Her sister’s family didn’t want her around — “trouble enough being a lesbian,” Alice explained, “but now that the authorities were after me, they wanted nothing to do with me.” Nevertheless, her sister borrowed money so Alice and her baby could fl ee the country to the U.S. Through the connections of a relative, she stayed with a Ugandan family where she did housework. With only one month on her legal visa and nowhere to turn, she was frantic about her future.

That was when she was assaulted by the man of the family, who threatened her into silence saying no one would believe her and he would have her son taken away to be “put in those cages because you’re illegal in this country.” Desperate for options, Alice wrote to an acquaintance about her situation, who invited her to a meeting of the LGBT Asylum Task Force in Worcester.

Asylum seekers are those who seek protection, often individually, because they have suff ered persecution on the basis of race, religion, membership in a particular social or political group or for any other aspect of their identities. Refugees, on the other hand, come in larger groups under a government program.

Pastor Judy Hanlon, senior minister of Hadwen Park Congregational Church and co-founder of the Task Force, further clarifi es that they cannot help refugees who get support, housing and “all the things that we provide our asylum seekers” from the federal government.

The interchangeable use of the terms refugee and asylum seeker is common, according to her, but they try very hard to make sure that this essential diff er-

Monthly community dinners are currently on hold, which has made it harder for asylum seekers to network and build community. COURTESY OF LGBT ASYLUM TASK FORCE

ence is clear and it is why the Task Force exists. “It is a complicated situation and often diffi cult to understand but if they were refugees, there would be no need for us to spend thousands of dollars per month, which would come from the government.” Once refugees have been cleared for resettlement, the U.S. government works with national resettlement agencies to help them restart their lives in America.

At any time, the Task Force represents 24 to 28 asylum seekers, Green said, which costs around $30,000 per month. The task force has leases to several apartments in the city but last year, they were able to purchase a multi-unit building after a two-year search, which will go a long way toward reducing program costs.

“It has been a mixed year for us,” said Green, “while network events like monthly meals and workshops have been diffi cult, we have still been able to fundraise last year more than any other before.”

Though they took in more money, they are also spending more money during the pandemic, since quarantining incoming asylum seekers at hotels leads to more expenses. The Task Force has had to modify the intake process espe-

cially as the previous administration instituted a year-long pause on work permits, which meant they were supporting asylum seekers for that entire period while still receiving new arrivals. Usually asylum seekers are not allowed to work upon arrival but as they receive their authorization to work, they leave the program. Since that has been slow to happen in the past year, they were housing asylum seekers for longer than usual.

The organization assists asylum seekers who are here legally by providing housing, food, a small monthly stipend, a connection to pro bono attorneys, healthcare providers and mental health support. In addition, the organization also provides workshops that help asylum seekers acquire bank accounts and learn about their rights. It works with organizations across the city, including the Family Health Center of Worcester, Inc., which connects asylum seekers with primary care doctors and resources to help them through the process, focusing on a trauma-informed approach.

To be granted a work permit and a Social Security number, it may take asylum seekers more than a year — Alice only just received her work permit, de-

spite having arrived in 2019. During that time, they are not eligible for most forms of governmental support, which can lead to desperate times. In fact, the Task Force was begun to help an asylum seeker from Jamaica who was starving and homeless while he was going through the process. Since 2008, it has helped more than 200 people from more than 20 countries gain asylum. “We have a 100 percent success rate,” said Green, who noted that because the task force provides housing and a stipend, it gives asylum seekers ample time to prepare a solid case.

Social, as well as legal, integration can be a bumpy road. Coming to Worcester in April 2014, Brown-Noguera had heard how Massachusetts is painted as a more liberal, open environment but he fi nds that he still has to moderate how vocal he can be about certain issues even in the LGBT community. “The complexities of my identity do not aff ord me the same opportunities as other activists may have,” so he tries to work more on the back end rather than being on the forefront of protests and causes that he supports. “Going to marches opens people up more to interSee ASYLUM, Page 17D

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM | APRIL 29 - MAY 5, 2021 | 17

Asylum Continued from Page 16D

actions with law enforcement and as a queer person of color, those encounters can entangle you in legal situations that could put an end to your immigration status.”

For example, he could attend a protest with an American citizen, and if they both got arrested, the American would be bailed and go home but for Brown-Noguera, ICE could be called in.

He calls it a “struggle to communicate with other queer activists” since it is diffi cult to be the voice that individuals expect you to be “when I don’t know what statements will affect my own immigration status/security.”

Brown-Noguera currently works for AIDS Project Worcester and runs the LGBTQ youth program. He also works with Fenway Health and is a member of Boston Public Health Commission HIV/AIDs initiative. In addition, he is part of Queer the Scene, a creative agency of Worcester queer community members working to raise queer and BIPOC voices through local partnerships, and help LGBTQ immigrants integrate into the community and further intersectionality.

That last one is close to Brown-Noguera’s heart and he remembers that black queer individuals fi rst shouldered the burden of spotlighting queer issues. He is passionate about the importance of recognizing the importance of intersectionality in America, where queer life is painted as perfect but glosses over the struggles of those “integrating into American life” like people of color and newcomers.

“White privilege transcends all social groups and even being a white gay male off ers a certain naivete, creates a bubble and insulates but cuts off curiosity to learn more ‘since it doesn’t aff ect me.’” Americans, he feels, want evidence of how

being white makes their life easier rather than how not being white makes your life harder.

At the end of Alice’s fi rst Task Force meeting, the organizers directed her to Hanlon as someone who could help her, who was understandably hesitant with the religious connection, as fundamentalist Christianity plays a major role in Uganda’s anti-LGBT policies.

“My experience with church and pastors was diff erent,” she commented darkly, “but Pastor Judy was amazing.”

Hanlon connected Alice with a gay couple who invited her to stay with them till the Task Force found a place for her to live, but her circumstances were further complicated when she found she was pregnant again from the assaults by the man in the family that she had trusted. “It felt like my life was going in circles,” she said. Discovering the Task Force changed everything and Alice was able to fi nd legal resources and get a roof over her head.

But, most importantly, the Task Force accepted and welcomed her as part of a new community.

They helped her choose between her options for the pregnancy and where Alice was once planning to give the newborn up for adoption, she changed her mind. Presently, having received her work authorization last month, she is now looking for work. “Here we are 11 months later.”

Seeking asylum is a lengthy process, but one that LGBT individuals are willing to wait out. They have usually spent time hiding out in their own countries before collecting enough money to get out. While they may never recover from their trauma and human rights violations, from being treated as second class citizens in their own countries, they look to the promise of a better life.

“We’re in it for the long haul,” Green said. “Until you can legally work to support yourself, we’ll be there supporting you.”

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ARTIST SPOTLIGHT

Robb Sandagata — The Humanity of the Grotesque Mia Swartz Special to Worcester Magazine USA TODAY NETWORK

A cast of brightly colored human-esque characters fl oods the walls of Robb Sandagata’s studio apartment. At fi rst glance, it is tempting to categorize these creatures as horrifi c monsters, with their melting neon skin, animalistic features, and hollow eyes. What Sandagata is truly depicting, however, are human beings living with untrustworthy minds and bodies, and these monstrous paintings are the visual vocabulary that he uses to do so.

“I’m using these techniques and strategies of grotesque art to tell unclear stories about people,” he explains.

Through his striking color palette, detailed mark-making, and biomorphic fi gures, Sandagata provides physical, mental, and societal manifestations of the grotesque beings inside all of us.

Sandagata began creating his own comics at the age of six, but he eventually became bored with the predictable repetition of characters and the lionization of superheroes typical of the comic genre: He was far more intrigued by the villains. These early inspirations, along with his study of sculpture at Sarah Lawrence College, have heavily infl uenced the texture and style of his work today. He paints with acrylic, accidentally made “oops paint,” and paint markers on wood panels that he has either found or built himself. The former art teacher currently resides in an artist loft in Lowell and works at Davis Publications in Worcester.

Despite his contemporary comic style, Sandagata’s infl uences can be traced as far back as the late 15th century with the notably grotesque Dutch painter Hieronymus Bosch. Bosch’s uniquely strange characters earned him his very own adjective, “Boschian,” which often describes the macabre or bizarre stuff of nightmares. While Sandagata’s disfi gured depictions of humanity focus primarily on modern horrors, the earlier artist’s gruesome landscapes remind us that such frightening

“Hetero Skeleton,” acrylic on found board, 2019 ROBB SANDAGATA/ARTS WORCESTER

images have always existed in the imagination.

Throughout Sandagata’s work there are numerous depictions of the physically grotesque aspects of humankind.

These can be seen in his current work in progress, “(Expletive)moji,” whose title is a clever play on words combining Bitmoji, the popular application that allows you to create personalized avatars, with a rhyming expletive. The title is written in the bold style of comics and punk show fl yers, and there is a striking visual tension between the bright cyan block letters and the complementary coral plane from which they emerge.

Similarly, a thematic tension exists between the playful and the horrifi c aspects within the work. The glowing pal-

ette has been built up from a foundation layer of black, so that the viewer digests in a more literal sense an uncovering of darkness hidden beneath a charming outer layer, much like the realities of living in a pandemic hidden behind a Bitmoji of oneself on a Zoom screen. The central fi gure is the artist’s own Bitmoji, which is in the process of tearing itself apart. To Sandagata, these saccharine virtual clones with which we have begun to replace ourselves are horrifying, misleadingly cutesy representations of our existence in a pandemic-infected, technology-dependent world. In other works, such as “Hetero Skeleton,” the physical monstrosity of the human body is not covered up; rather, it is

graphically exposed. Intricate lines and vivid color make it diffi cult to look away from the quasi-three-dimensional entrails, while the pitch-black darkness of the fi gure’s eyes ominously dominates the canvas and suggests a wickedness within.

Aside from the physical horrors of humanity, Sandagata depicts affl ictions that cannot be seen, such as the societal and mental affl ictions of toxic masculinity and substance abuse. Reminiscent of the vulgar comics of artist R. Crumb, Sandagata’s “Vagenda of Manocide” presents a violent illustration of beer- and hot pocket-toting manly men, duck-billed and mohawked, conjoined at the head of a third older man. Despite their eff orts to emerge strong and unscathed, the men are engulfed in the effeminate hot pink fl ames of their unquenchable thirst for manhood. As such, they too fall victim to the nefarious eff ects of the machismo that they perpetuate. In “Pain Management,” another grotesque personal and societal ill unfolds in a psychedelic, addiction rampant scene. The neon pink painkiller not only aff ects each individual on a personal level as it seeps out of their eyes and other parts of their bodies, but also pollutes the air around them, making the issue a societal concern.

Among these works, a theme of underlying dark, monstrous human truths presented through misleading fl uorescent lively color prevails. The monsters are not outside of us, but within us.

What are you hiding?

“Art History 201: Art, the Public, and Worcester’s Cultural Institutions,” at Clark University gives students the opportunity to work closely with regional contemporary artists. With individual artists from ArtsWorcester’s gallery programs, the students hone their visual and critical skills by producing short essays positioning the artists’ work within contemporary art history. This year, the students also curated small selections of their artist’s work for these online spotlights. This collaboration was funded by a grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM | APRIL 29 - MAY 5, 2021 | 19

TABLE HOPPIN’

Lucy’s Cake Shop at home on Park Avenue Barbara M. Houle Special to Worcester Magazine USA TODAY NETWORK

The public got its fi rst taste of Lucy’s Cake Shop this month when husband and wife team Julio Abreu and Lucibel Ruiz of Shrewsbury opened the scratch bakery at 256 Park Ave., Worcester, in space formerly occupied by the coff ee and waffl e shop Blue Shades.

The retail bakery is a dream come true for the owners, especially Ruiz who walked away from a medical assistant job at the Family Health Center of Worcester for the chance to sell her specialty cakes. She said it was a diffi cult decision to leave

the health center and her colleagues, but the couple couldn’t pass on the business opportunity. They immediately fell in love with the Park Avenue storefront located next to El Basha restaurant, she said.

Since opening, owners of nearby businesses have dropped by to introduce themselves and off er well wishes, she said.

Ruiz has always loved baking and is self-taught, taking pastry classes whenever she fi nds time. Her husband previously owned a Worcester convenience store for four years and now works full time in the new business. The couple, both originally from the Dominican Republic, have three young

children.

“I started baking as a hobby, making desserts for family and friends,” said Ruiz. “I never really thought it would lead to my dream job, but it happened.

My husband and I are willing to put in the time and eff ort to make our retail business a success.”

About Lucy’s Cake Shop: Once inside, customers will fi nd display cases fi lled with plenty of delectable treats such as dulce de leche cheesecake, fl ans, a variety of layered cakes with tropical fruit fi llings, brownies, puddings, such as corn, arroz con dulce (coconut rice pudding), plus much more.

Your sweet tooth won’t be disappointed. Delicious desserts are heavily infl uenced by Spanish/ American-inspired fl avors,

according to Ruiz, who often experiments with recipes in her home kitchen. Her favorite dessert is a Dominican cake with a pureed guava fi lling, or anything chocolate. “Our desserts are a little diff erent from what you would expect to fi nd in most area bakeries,” said Ruiz, who plans to expand the menu in coming months.

Ruiz crafts cakes for every occasion — from birthdays and kids’ theme parties to weddings and anniversaries. Order at the shop, or by calling (774) 253-2782 for more information.

The bakery is getting the word out about its opening on its Facebook page, through friends and word of mouth.

Creating a name for the bakery was easy, according to Ruiz, known as Lucy to family and

friends. The retail area of the shop has been painted and renovated. It’s done in light shades of pink and aqua, with decorative ceramic cupcakes, etc. displayed on shelves.

There is no inside seating, but the owners plan to put several tables and chairs outside, weather permitting. Customers are able to buy grab-and-go cake slices, plus cupcakes and other desserts. Coff ee and beverages are available.

Current hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday; 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday.

Closed Mondays. Connect on Facebook, or call the bakery for more information.

A welcoming neighborhood bakery.

See HOPPIN’, Page 21D

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Julio Abreu and Lucibel Ruiz own Lucy’s Cake Shop on Park Avenue. RICK CINCLAIR/TELEGRAM & GAZETTE

To view apartments 508-756-2147 or cathy@botanybayproperties.com

20 | APRIL 29 - MAY 5, 2021 | WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

LISTEN UP

Dutch Tulips off er beautiful nihilism on ‘Double Visions’ Victor D. Infante Worcester Magazine USA TODAY NETWORK

Dutch Tulips' newest album is "Double Visions." PHOTO COURTESY STANISLAW NAGIEC

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“Double Visions,” the recently released album by Boston indie rockers Dutch Tulips, is a breezy, upbeat and relentlessly cheery exploration of emptiness, and as such, it's the sort of album that kind of haunts the listener for a while.

The whole aff air is infectiously catchy, and then you kind of realize what you're singing to yourself, and it's kind of disturbing.

For example, the album kicks off with “Tell Me Your Codes,” a brisk blast of power pop, wherein lead vocalist Jack Holland sings, “I’m walking through the park/It’s doing nothing for me/I tried being smart/That’s doing nothing for me.” Each chorus is punctuated by clear, bouncy harmonies, which lend a sort of veneer of positivity, but even the song's seemingly romantic hook – “tell me your codes and I'll/tell you all my codes too” – implies that both the persona and the person to whom he's speaking are simply machines.

A nihilistic streak is a hard balancing act in an album, but Dutch Tulips handles it with aplomb. Part of it is the fourpart harmonies, which give it a sort of cheerful beauty, and part of it is the tight indie rock instrumentation. The band – which comprises Jack Holland on guitar and lead vocals, Michael Holland on bass, Justin Mantell on guitar and synthe-

sizer and Matt Freake on drums – creates a richly layered sound that doesn't stop moving.

In a lot of ways, the vibrancy of that sound serves as window dressing for the album's sense of emptiness, as do the pop culture references on songs such as “PEZ Mansion” and “Rosemary's Baby.” There's a tonal dissonance that comes with lyrics such as, “Rosemary’s baby is all I wanted/I believe in what’s best for me/.” It's a sort of magic trick, making somewhat unnerving sentiments seem happy. It's the sort of thing the band does well.

Songs such as “EMDR” are so hook laden that you can easily lose track of the cynicism of lines such as, “I’m reading 'Paradise Lost'/I’m an hour in/Modernity is trash/I’m calm and collecting.” The bass line is groovy and the guitars have a sort of electric vibe. It might be nihilism, but you can dance to it. Much the same is true with “Frozen Orange,” which begins with a dark tinged bit of surf guitar that lends a sort of wistful beauty to balance out lyrics such as, “ I’m in love with the world/I'm not in love with myself/When I'm all stressed out … Or I'm all messed up feeling all alone.”

The void at the album's heart manifests more solidly in songs such as “Alien,” “Better Than a Soul” and “Sick Middle,” wherein the album's persona pokes and prods at whatever it is inside himself, and doesn't See LISTEN UP, Page 21D

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM | APRIL 29 - MAY 5, 2021 | 21

Hoppin’ Continued from Page 19D

New wine from Snoop Dogg The Australian wine brand 19 Crimes and entertainment icon Snoop Dogg recently released Snoop Cali Rose just in time for springtime sipping.

The rose is fruit forward with notes of fresh raspberry, strawberry and red cherry. A blend of zinfandel, Grenache and pinot noir gives this wine a pleasant mouth feel with balanced acidity and sweetness, according to the brand.

Snoop Cali Rose arrives on the heels of Snoop Dogg and 19 Crimes’ fi rst collaboration, Snoop Cali Red. Both wines are available at stores nationwide.

FYI: In addition to the debut of a multi-year partnership with Snoop Dogg, 19 Crimes showcases a new AR experience. Using a mobile device, go to askthedoggfather.com and scan the Snoop Cali Rose wine bottle’s label. From there, ask a question and Snoop will appear in a miniature holographic form ready to off er “words of wisdom with a touch of signature swagger.”

Cheers!

Listen Up Continued from Page 20D

like what he comes up with.

“Well I can just stay home/And tend to my alien,” sings Jack Holland in the former song.

“It’s not like I long for much/Of anything at all/I realize it’s not a lie /That lives inside of me/ It’s me and only me.” This is echoed in "Soul" with lyrics such as, “All I need is/something better than a soul.”

As the album dwindles down with “Food and TV,” “Disconnected” and “Too Late,” all

A tasty way to use fi gs A recent note from folks at the California Fig Advisory Board included several recipes for home cooks.

There also were a few tips from chef representative Robert Del Grande, who said he adds a few dried fi gs to a tomato sauce for additional richness or some fi gs to elevate a simple dish of sautéed carrots. Give it a try.

California dried fi gs add just the right amount of sweet to complement the salty Parm in Fig Orzo Salad with Spinach and Parmesan, a recipe courtesy of the California Fig Advisory Board.

If you have a tidbit for the column, call (508) 868-5282.

Send email to bhoulefood@gmail.com.

Fig orzo salad with spinach and Parmesan

removed and diced 1 stalk celery, diced (about 1⁄ 2 cup) ⁄ 4 cup no-shell pistachios, chopped once through

1

2 scallions, thinly sliced (about ⁄ 4 cup)

1

⁄ 2 cup shaved or thinly sliced Parmesan cheese

1

Juice of 1 medium orange (about 3 tablespoons) 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar (or use red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar) ⁄ 4 teaspoon plus 1/8 teaspoon salt

CALIFORNIA FIG ADVISORY BOARD

1

Freshly ground black pepper Cook’s Note: You can substitute regular orzo, pearl couscous, barley or quinoa for the whole-wheat orzo. Cook according to package directions.

Fill a medium pot halfway with water and bring to a boil on

high heat. Salt the water and stir in whole-wheat orzo. Boil until al dente, about 8 minutes or according to package directions. Drain in a fi ne colander and pour onto a large plate. Drizzle on 1 tablespoon olive oil, moving a spoon through the orzo to speed cooling. In a medium bowl, toss together the cooled orzo,

remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil, spinach, fi gs, celery, pistachios, scallions, Parmesan cheese, orange juice, vinegar, salt and pepper.

Enjoy immediately or chill until ready to serve, up to two days.

Servings: 10, 1⁄ 2 cup each. Prep time is about 20 minutes.

Ingredients 1 cup dry whole -wheat orzo, see cook’s note

I TRIED MAKING MY FAMOUS CHICKEN RECIPE, BUT CONFUSED THE STEPS.

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided 2 cups roughly chopped baby spinach 15 California dried fi gs, stems

of the album's dark impulses are right on the surface, shimmering in the music's brightness, but as – in “Too Late” – it all comes barreling down in a rainfall of percussion and a light garage rock fuzz. It's not a happy ending, and despite the chipper tone, it's not a happy album. Still, there are a lot of layers to the album that makes a listener want to return, over and over, and surely that wouldn't be possible if the narrator was as empty inside as he maintains. The pain nestled into the beauty has a meaning all its own, one that seems to shine from behind each note.

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22 | APRIL 29 - MAY 5, 2021 | WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

CONNELL SANDERS

The Korean War memento Maureen Burdulis found, which is in the form of a totem pole and on the tag depicts the word “Camp Kachina.” DYLAN AZARI

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Help a Worcester woman return a war memento to its rightful owner Sarah Connell Sanders Special to Worcester Magazine USA TODAY NETWORK

Maureen Burdulis needs your assistance.

She has some unfi nished business, and if she knows Worcester like she thinks she does, we can help her solve a mystery.

Burdulis grew up on Vernon Hill. “It’s very interesting to watch Worcester transform,” she told me last week. “Honestly, the heart of the city hasn’t changed; just its appearance has.”

She can’t get the picture out of her head of a little boy she taught decades ago as a swim instructor at the YWCA. “He came out from the locker room,

crying his heart out,” she remembers; he was inconsolable.

The young man had lost a medal belonging to his uncle from the Korean War. “The memory of him in tears has never left me,” she says. Try as she might, Burdulis couldn’t fi nd the medal for the boy and she left class that day feeling defeated.

Much later on, while she was sorting through the lost and found, Burdulis discovered what looked to be the token he had described. “But, by that time, I had lost track of him,” she says. “I did some research on the medal and I learned that out in the Midwest — what we would call ‘Cowboy Country’ — See MEMENTO, Page 24D

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM | APRIL 29 - MAY 5, 2021 | 23

SCREEN TIME

NEW ON DVD

Jim Keogh

The pandemic doldrums can be felt, with just one in DVD release of note for the week of April 27.

“Vanquish”: Filmed in 2020 amid the pandemic, Morgan Freeman stars as Damon, a retired police offi cer who blackmails Victoria (Ruby Rose), his caretaker with a hidden special set of skills, to eliminate the gangsters who have dirt on him.

In his review for the Star Tribune, critic Chris Hewitt said the crime thriller “is an example of the sort of pandemic-friendly fi lmmaking that, for a while, it looked like we were going to be stuck with but hopefully won’t be.”

While praising the fi lm’s leads, Hewitt notes that “Vanquish” suff ers from the performance of the actors in supporting rolls.

“Freeman and Rose are fi ne in the movie, even if the best that can be said about it is that it kept capable actors busy while they waited for something better to come along, and Patrick Muldoon is surprisingly eff ective as an evil sleaze. But, elsewhere on the cast list,

Needles scarier than the ‘Vanquish’ stands alone COVID-19 vaccination! among new releases Special to Worcester Magazine USA TODAY NETWORK

I’ve been amused by the Facebook traffi c generated by people of a certain age who one moment are complaining about the “everybody gets a trophy” culture they claim is ruining today’s children, yet in their own posts they’re pleading to be publicly acknowledged for getting their COVID-19 vaccine. The comments of support and congratulations are their prize for bravely making and keeping an appointment at CVS. (By the way, in his terrifi c HBO standup special “The Great Depresh,” Gary Gulman makes a compelling argument that any player who endures the endless boredom of a typical youth baseball season deserves a trophy, at the very least.)

I’m pro-vaccine (got mine — trophy please!), but I do harbor sympathy for people who may be avoiding the shot because they suff er from trypanophobia — a fear of needles. I imagine that asking a trypanophobe to voluntarily have a needle inserted into their arm is the equivalent of asking someone with coulrophobia, a crippling fear of clowns, to sit in the front row at a circus. I’m not great with heights, and at this stage of my life you’d only get me on a rollercoaster at gunpoint.

Of all the phobias, the fear of needles seems to me one of the most logical.

The invasion of the body by a pointed metal shaft is an unnatural act, even if that shaft is ultrathin and the pain nothing more than a pinch, I can understand the anxiety it produces in a way the fear of, say, cotton candy does not.

Movies are no friend to the trypanophobes among us: You could easily stage a mini-fi lm festival featuring scenes in which needles are applied in the direst ways, the kind that would convince the truly affl icted to never get the vaccine. So as a public service to my needle-averse friends, I recommend they avoid the following movies and one TV show, or at least fast forward through these particular scenes: h Saw II (2005) – A group of people

John Travolta and Uma Thurman star in “Pulp Fiction.” MIRAMAX

will be imprisoned in a room until they starve to death unless they can retrieve the key to unlock the door. Sadly, the key rests at the bottom of a pit fi lled with fi lthy hypodermics. An unlucky young woman is tossed into the pit to retrieve the key, and watching this sequence unfold would leave any true trypanaphobe on the fl oor curled in a fetal position, gently rocking until they reach their happy place. h Pulp Fiction (1994) – After a dinner date with her husband’s underling, Vincent Vega (John Travolta), Mia Wallace (Uma Thurman) snorts from Vincent’s stash of heroin and overdoses herself into a near-coma. Vincent races her over to the home of his dealer, who frantically fi lls an enormous hypodermic with adrenaline, which Vincent plunges directly into Mia’s heart. The enduring image: a revived, disoriented Mia, with the hypodermic protruding from her chest, being asked to say something and managing only to reply, “Something.” h Requiem for a Dream (2000) – Darren Aronofsky’s hellscape of drug addiction in Coney Island ends with a See SCREEN TIME, Page 28D

there are hints that adding a COVID-19 safety line-item to the budget resulted in slashing the money available for actors.”

Out on demand April 27 “Here Are the Young Men”: Based on the Rob Doyle novel of the same name, the movie follows three Dublin teens celebrating high school graduation with a debauched bender marked by increased violence. Stars “Queen’s Gambit” breakout star Anya TaylorJoy, Travis Fimmel and Finn Cole.

“Justice Society: World War II”: The Flash travels back in time to join the fi ght between DC’s superhero team and Nazis in this animated fi lm, the latest entry in the DC Universe Movies line.

Out on demand April 30 “The Virtuoso”: Anson Mount plays an assassin sent to a small town on a job by his mentor (Anthony Hopkins).

The methodical assassin must decipher a cryptic clue to identify his target, with an added complication presented by an alluring woman (Abbie Cornish).

Morgan Freeman plays a corrupt retired cop who wields an enormous amount of power in the action thriller “Vanquish.”LIONSGATE

24 | APRIL 29 - MAY 5, 2021 | WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

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Memento Continued from Page 22D

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it has a rich history.”

Burdulis still has the token and not a day goes by that she doesn’t think about returning it to its rightful owner. “He must be well into his 40s by now,” she estimates. “I just have a goodwill feeling that this article can help me identify him.”

Burdulis has fi ve children and 18 grandchildren, which is to say that she can recognize a signifi cant moment in a child’s life when she sees it. “I have always respected that a boy could express his feelings,” she says.

“For a kid that age, I thought it was pretty powerful.”

The YWCA is currently undergoing a $24 million renovation project including a refresh for its fi ve-lane heated swimming pool. It still off ers learnto-swim and synchronized swimming programs like the ones Burdulis oversaw so many

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years ago. Teaching swimming is a funny thing because it demands trust and scrutiny on the part of both swimmer and coach. This is why I believe that the little boy, now a grown man, will remember Burdulis with the same esteem and reverence she had for him.

Placing the medal in his hands after all these years will bring her great peace. Let’s get our sleuth hats on — we’ve got a war memento to return.

What do we know? h Male h Born in the mid to late 1970s h Grew up in Worcester h Likely has extended family in the Midwestern United States h Attended swim classes at the YWCA of Central Mass in the 1980s h Has an uncle who fought in the Korean War If you have any leads, you can fi nd me on the internet. Operation “Cowboy County” is in full swing.

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM | APRIL 29 - MAY 5, 2021 | 25

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26 | APRIL 29 - MAY 5, 2021 | WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

FIVE THINGS TO DO BACK ON THE RANCH

Jediah With Brevity PROMOTIONAL IMAGE

REFUGEE ARTISANS, MUSIC AT INDIAN RANCH AND MORE

I

Victor D. Infante, Richard Duckett and Veer Mudambi Worcester Magazine | USA TODAY NETWORK

ndian Ranch gets its summer underway early with a local showcase of Jediah with Brevity offering a blend of original songwriting and music, along with an assorted collection of covers. Jediah Cole Jarvis, lead vocals and guitar; Patrick Harvey, lead guitarist; Chris-

topher Battista, drums; and Jason Sumrall, bass and backup vocals. Jediah is a singersongwriter from Dudley who might remind the listener of Donovan in evocative original songs such as “Butterfly.” His take on “Take On Me,” meanwhile, has assurance and range.

What: Jediah with Brevity When: 1 p.m. May 1 Where: Indian Ranch, 200 Gore Road, Webster How much: $15 (does not include convenience or handling fees). Please note: This show will be sold at a limited capacity with distanced seating. www.indianranch.com.

(RD)

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM | APRIL 29 - MAY 5, 2021 | 27

Hip-Hop Beginnings If you want to not only dress like a hip-hop artist but start making your own music (and music videos), check out The Empire grand opening tomorrow. Local artists Nino Help and Yonisa Feliz aim to make Empire not only a clothing store but a media production space for both established and up-and-coming artists. Everything needed to make your content professional will be available, including a large green screen, smoke machine and specialized lighting. Anyone who shows up during store hours Friday will be entered into a free raffle for a gift package of clothing, with the winner announced at 4:30. (VM) What: Grand opening of The Empire When: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. April 30 Where: 5 Jacques St., Worcester (next to Hope Cemetery) How much: No admission cost but visitors can purchase an extra raffle slot for one dollar The Empire will hold a grand opening April 30. PROMOTIONAL IMAGE

Funny Guy “If my girl ever got me $200 worth of tools,” jokes comedian Corey Rodrigues. “I’d say ‘Return ‘em, and get me four PlayStation games.’” Later, in the same routine, he describes a woman cornering him after a show, berating him for not owning a hammer. Rodrigues has a way of taking everyday life and elevating it to absurd levels, with side-splitting results. (VDI) What: Comedian Corey Rodrigues When: 8 p.m. April 30 Where: The Comedy Attic at Park Grill, 257 Park Ave., Worcester How much: $20

Moving Slowly “SlowRaiser” is what the the Sprinkler Factory calls its “6.5th annual ArtRaiser” art auction event. Art donated in support of the Sprinkler Factory, 38 Harlow St., Worcester, will be in a silent and “slow auction” May 1 to 15. The auction can be previewed online. There will also be in-person bidding at the Sprinkler Factory Gallery (must be scheduled). (RD) What: “SlowRaiser” When: May 1 to 15.

Where: Sprinkler Factory, 38 Harlow St., Worcester; www.sprinklerfactory.com In-person: 5 to 8 p.m. May 6; 5 to 8 p.m. May 7; 3 to 8 p.m. May 8; 5 to 8 p.m. May 13; 5 to 8 p.m. May 14; 3 to 8 p.m. May 15. Limited to 25 guests per 1 hour time slot. Links to schedule an in-person visit via Eventbrite will be posted soon.

Comedian Corey Rodrigues YOUTUBE SCREEN CAPTURE

Guitar wizard Carlos Odria SUBMITTED PHOTO

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Sprinkler Factory organizers Luis Fraire, left, and Birgit Straehle.

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Refugee Artisans of Worcester co-founders Joan Kariko and Ellen Ferrante “share the belief that with every piece of art, the result is a reflection of the artist’s life history, that the work is comprised of more than a single life but the expression of thousands of years of cultural history,” according to the organizations website. Art lovers can see that for themselves at a gallery opening for RAW, which will feature work from weavers, basket makers, jewelry makers, fabric enhancers who use embroidery and bead embellishments, knitters, stone masons and seamstresses, from several different countries. The event will also feature demonstrations of weaving and basket-making, as well as live Bhutanese Drummers and jazz guitarist Carlos Odria. (VDI) What: Gallery Opening for Refugee Artisans of Worcester When: 7 p.m. May 1 Where: Electric Haze, 26 Millbury St., Worcester How much: Free

28 | APRIL 29 - MAY 5, 2021 | WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

WARL ADOPTION OPTION

Meet Montana Welcome to Adoption Option, 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. WARL is open seven days a week, noon-4 p.m., 139 Holden St. Check them out online at Worcesterarl.org, or call at (508) 853-0030.

Are you looking for a happy go lucky, energetic, playful friend to fi ll your heart and time with? Look no further, meet Montana! This young guy loves adventure and can be a bit mischievous. His silly faces and antics will keep you laughing for years to come. An ideal home for Montana would be one with a lot of room to run and explore.

Montana loves to zoom around and is obsessed with toys, it doesn’t matter if it’s a tennis

ball, plush toys or rope toys, he’s game and zoomies are a daily part of life for him. Right now Montana only knows how to sit, but he catches on very quickly to other tasks. He is currently working on his leash manners and drop-it, since he loves his toys, but doesn’t always love letting them go. He plays rough with his toys and likes to bounce and jump around. Montana seems to like some other dogs, but it depends on their size and energy level. Given his breed and his desire to chase, we would not recommend him living with small animals. If you would like to know more about Montana or you would like to make an appointment to meet him, please contact the shelter to meet him.

WARL COVID-19 Procedures

Montana is available through WARL’s adoption program. PHOTO COURTESY OF SARA MCCLURE

As of Nov. 9, 2020 As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to evolve, we want to share with you some changes we have implemented so that we can continue to serve the

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pets and people of our community while keeping our team protected. h ADOPTIONS: At this time, adoptions are being held BY APPOINTMENT ONLY. If you are interested in adoption, please visit our website worcesterarl.org/ adopt/ to learn more about our available animals then call us at (508) 853-0030 ext.0 or email us at info@worcesterarl. org to schedule an appointment. h CASUAL VISITS TO THE SHELTER are prohibited. We will strictly enforce this in order to keep our animal care team protected while still maintaining the most essential function of our operation ... fi nding homes for animals in need. h ANIMAL SURRENDERS:

Screen Time Continued from Page 23D

scene of exceeding despair. Too many needles over too many years results in the forced amputation of a junkie’s arm, the procedure performed as his mother undergoes electroshock therapy to treat her pillinduced psychosis and two ad-

Our business practice for surrendering a pet remains the same. All pet owners must contact WARL in advance of surrendering a pet. Please call (508) 853-0030. h SPAY/NEUTER CLINICS: All scheduled appointments will be honored. If you have a scheduled appointment, we will be contacting you to discuss changes to our drop off /pick up procedures. h DONATIONS ACCEPTED except for open bags of food. h Pet food, cat litter, and other shelter supplies will be essential in continuing to provide for our animals and to assist community members in need. To avoid unnecessary travel and exposure, items can be purchased online from our Amazon Wishlist - https:// www.amazon.com/gp/registry/ wishlist/3AX342JIL73M0 h Weekly training classes are going on for adopters. h The WARL Volunteer Program is temporarily suspended.

All regular volunteer shifts are on hold. We look forward to welcoming you back as soon as we can. We have many animals in our care who depend on us to stay healthy and well. The above measures help to protect our staff and community from the spread of COVID - 19 by minimizing face-to-face interactions while continuing to operate only core essential services.

Please continue to follow our Facebook page for additional updates. Should you have any questions or concerns, please contact the shelter at (508) 8530030 or info@worcesterarl.org.

dict friends suff er their own tortures. Simply brutal. h Seinfeld (“The Glasses” episode) – Yep, not even a sitcom is a refuge. Fearing she’s contracted rabies, Elaine goes to the hospital for meds. Just as the doctor is about to stick her with a hypodermic, she asks, “Is this going to hurt?” to which he replies, “Yes, very much” before driving that sweet needle home.

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM | APRIL 29 - MAY 5, 2021 | 29

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30 | APRIL 29 - MAY 5, 2021 | WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

J O N E S I N’

Enjoy Fun By The Numbers puzzles? Then you’ll love sudoku. This mind-bending puzzle will have you hooked from the moment you square off, so sharpen your pencil and put your sudoku savvy to the test! Here’s How It Works: Sudoku puzzles are formatted as a 9x9 grid, broken down into nine 3x3 boxes. To solve sudoku, the numbers 1 through 9 must fill each row, column and box. Each number can appear only once in each row, column and box. You can figure out the order in which the numbers will appear by using the numeric clues already provided in the boxes. The more numbers you name, the easier it gets to solve the puzzle!

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Across 1 “Dis or ___” (“You Don’t Know Jack” round) 4 Ozone depleter, for short 7 Brotherhood brothers 12 Obama’s first chief of staff Rahm 14 Fragmented 16 *”Feel the need to get in hot water? Ask your doctor if ___ is right for you.”

17 *”Are you managing your health under ‘New Rules’?

Ask your doctor if ___ ...”

19 Our top story?

20 Things to pick 22 Film set in cyberspace 23 7, on a grandfather clock 24 Chime in 26 Prefix meaning “iron containing” 27 Maritime patrol org.

29 *”Lack of unusual influences getting you down? Ask your doctor if ___ ...”

31 “Atlas Shrugged” novelist Rand 33 “And giving ___, up the chimney he rose” 34 Marlins’ MLB div.

35 In-browser programs 39 Tiny amounts 41 Conk out 42 Feast on the beach 44 Roman 1011 45 *”Do you need to reach higher in life? Ask your doctor if ___ ...”

48 Aquafina rival 52 Game show host Convy and Muppet ... well, we don’t get a last name 53 Gnocchi-like dumplings (from the Italian for “naked”) 55 “Who Let the Dogs Out?” group Baha ___ 56 “You’re in trou-bllle ...”

57 Poison lead singer Michaels 58 Barely enough 60 *”Want to feel like you did it your way? Ask your doctor if ___ ...”

62 *”Feel like the only way to be cured is by meat? Ask your doctor if ___ ...”

64 Milk acid 65 Seven days from now

“Ask Your Doctor”--they sound like prescriptions.

by Matt Jones

66 Nebraska senator Ben who voted to impeach in the February 2021 trial 67 ___ Equis 68 “Black-ish” dad Down 1 “Done it before” feeling 2 Cremona violins 3 Gambit 4 Capital of the 21-Down Empire 5 Moroccan hat 6 Medical center 7 Age range for most high schoolers 8 Heavy burden 9 Bucks’ org.

10 Out of ___ (askew) 11 Like some renditions 13 Rapa ___ (Easter Island, to locals) 15 Trivia quiz website that also offers pub trivia 18 Licorice-flavored seeds 21 See 4-Down 25 Kept inside 26 Former Army base in N.J. 28 Gadot of “Wonder Woman” 30 Scarfed, even more slangily 32 Barks sharply 35 Marinated Philippine dishes 36 Disinfectant ingredient 37 Kuala Lumpur’s ___ Towers skyscrapers

38 Provide table talk?

40 “What’s the ___?” (“So what?”)

43 ___ Reader (alternative digest) 46 Home of Odysseus and Penelope 47 Won on eBay, usually 49 Took an x-ray of, perhaps 50 Kendall or Kylie 51 Consumption 54 Cozumel y Mallorca, por ejemplo 57 Rite performed by a mohel 59 Dairy dweller 61 Some two-door Audi models 63 One of “Two Virgins” on a 1968 album cover

Last week's solution

©2021 Matt Jones (jonesincrosswords@gmail.com) Reference puzzle #1038

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM | APRIL 29 - MAY 5, 2021 | 31

LAST CALL

Johnny Bui, author of ‘Who’s Doing It’ Sarah Connell Sanders Special to Worcester Magazine USA TODAY NETWORK

Johnny Bui’s book, “Who’s Doing It: The Rise of The Young Entrepreneur,” explores the intersection of self-initiative, societal expectations and curiosity.

Bui believes you are only limited by your ambition and willingness to keep trying.

Tell me about growing up in Worcester.

I’m the oldest in a family of four. Our parents immigrated here from Vietnam.

I remember growing up very close to Clark University, which is why I attended University Park Campus School.

Growing up in Main South, the neighborhood wasn’t always great. UPCS was my world. My goal for all six years and literally everything I did was directed at getting good grades in order to get into college. The road after that was something of a mystery to me. I didn’t have any family members or relatives to turn to for advice about being a college student.

Where did you end up?

Clark University, but that was never my plan for all four years. It was just meant to be a place for me to fi nd myself.

I enrolled between 2016 and 2018 and I experienced a ton of growth personally and professionally. I majored in business, but to get there, I had to study biology, sociology, psychology, economics, ethics, and entrepreneurship. I visited the Career Service Center every single week of my fi rst semester. And then, weekly for the second semester. The goal there was just to accelerate my learning and ask, “How do I get to the point where I can make a decision about what I want my career to be?” Between me and my counselor, it was always a conversation of where I should be?

What should I be doing? How do I get ahead? I studied in Luxembourg during my sophomore year and got international experience there. By this time, as a sophomore, I was leading the Entrepreneurship Club, working at a farmers market started by another student, and then I eventually left to start my own business. At the same time, I was supposed to succeed in my classes. I was doing so many things.

When did you decide you were go-

Johnny Bui is the author of a book on young entrepreneurs. SUBMITTED PHOTO

ing to write a book?

Becoming an author was something that was on my bucket list. It’s one of those things you say, but you don’t actually know when you’re going to do it. I never set out to write a book while I was still in college, the opportunity just came up. That opportunity manifested at Clark while I was going through my rigorous coursework. I was posting so much on LinkedIn at the time and a professor from Georgetown University came across my profi le and reached out to ask if I wanted to participate in his pilot program. In 2018, I also received the decision that I was accepted to Babson College and I started preparing to transfer. The Georgetown professor’s Creator’s Program was all about leading students through an open source and making it accessible to students from all over the U.S. I told him I was interested, then it was just a matter of putting to-

gether a book.

How did you decide what to write about?

I attended intro sessions and met the rest of the cohort and learned more about what this program would encompass. In June of that year, I attended a youth entrepreneurship conference in New York called Next Gen Summit. By that time I had accepted that I was going to go through with the whole program and publish a book. The main takeaway from the conference was that there were so many young people out there, my age and younger, doing amazing things and living their lives in unconventional ways. Coming from a fi rst-gen background, my parents had laid out three traditional paths for me: lawyer, doctor, or another position in the medical fi eld.

That list completely disappeared when I went to this conference because I realized there were so many other possibil-

ities. It was mind boggling. I left the conference knowing, “I want to write a book for a fi rst-generation kid that doesn’t know about the limitless possibilities that he or she can achieve.” I spent the next three months interviewing young entrepreneurs and learning about their unconventional journeys, both pitfalls and successes.

Have you taken your own advice?

It was like an act of defi ance against what I knew growing up. Again, my view of the world was so small and limited to the walls of UPCS. So in essence, through the book and with everything that I do subsequently after is further evidence of me continuing to push the envelope of what is possible. I mentioned that I interviewed young entrepreneurs that reached a certain level of success like “Shark Tank,” Forbes 30U30, “MasterChef Junior” — but, nothing that would catch headlines across news channels. This was intentional because I wanted them to be relatable. I anticipated that the majority of people reading the book would not recognize these names, just like me.

We’re just ordinary people doing extraordinary things and I want to show these readers that with choice, they can “do it.” And most importantly, they can do it diff erently.

What career path did you ultimately take?

I’m sort of doing a hybrid career. I have the corporate life that I was always hoping for, but I’m also a real estate agent. It’s a blend. The corporate life, or any nine to fi ve job, is a rat race. I don’t want to do that forever. My end goal is to become an investor. I like the independence of real estate because you get out of it what you put in. It’s more of a mindset thing than anything. I see everything that can be done as possibilities, possibilities as opportunities, and I consider myself an opportunist. After taking advantage of as many opportunities that I could get my hands on in college, my perspective of the world has been dramatically widened. “Who’s Doing It?” may sound like a call out to be the only one to do something but I interpret it as a calling to reject the hand they were given in life, or the hand that they were taught to accept, and truly following what you want to do.

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32 | APRIL 29 - MAY 5, 2021 | WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM