Misc.10.07.21

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The Miscellany News October 7, 2021

miscellanynews.org

Vassar College’s student newspaper of record since 1866 Volume 156 | Issue 6

Legislation supports local youth Local businesses thrive or close Dean Kopitsky

Managing Editor

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n Sept. 27, the Poughkeepsie Common Council voted unanimously to pass legislation establishing a Division of Youth Opportunity and Development. The new division will fund existing and establish new youth programs in the City. Supporters and City officials stressed that the legislation will address historically-lacking municipal support and programming for youth in the City of Poughkeepsie. The legislation is part of a greater effort to amend the existing Department of Development, which in addition to social development divisions like youth services, oversees plans for construction in the City and enforces building codes and zoning ordinances, though it currently lacks a head of department. The City plans to hire a Development Department head in addition to a full-time division head of youth services who will be responsible for allocating the city-funded grants for youth programs, maintaining a directory of available programs and representing the City to municipal and non-governmental stakeholders. At a Sept. 7 public hearing, Poughkeepsie residents and community leaders described a lack of resources allocated to Poughkeepsie youth, both in and out of the classroom. Youth Policy Researcher with the Poughkeepsie Children’s Cabinet and Poughkeep-

sie High School graduate Tania Hernandez-Martinez described her experience in the school district: “If you aren’t in an honors class or beyond, most have the opinion that you aren't worth respect or giving encouragement to … I recognized that the opportunities that were given to me were done so because of the academic load I had taken or by sheer coincidence.” For Hernandez-Martinez, the new division presents a much-needed opportunity to support students. “As I have seen it, young people fail when they feel like they don’t have someone in their corner,” she said. Rebuilding Our Children and Community (ROCC) is one organization that has provided youth services in lue of municipal programs in the past. ROCC founder Satara Brown shared in a correspondence with The Miscellany News that ROCC provides everything from cooking classes to basic outof-school care. According to Brown, ROCC hosts the only seven-week summer program in Poughkeepsie. As a youth worker with the City of Poughkpeesie Police Department, Brown could not comment directly on the proposed Division of Youth Services, but did note that running a grassroots organization such as ROCC was financially unstable. At times, Brown has used her own finances to keep the programs afloat. “We're one hundred percent underfunded,” she explained. CEO of Equitable Future Inc. Brian RobSee YOUTH on page 3

Will Sorge

Guest Reporter

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ighteen months into the COVID-19 pandemic, dozens of small businesses in Poughkeepsie are breathing sighs of relief as patrons return, especially Arlington businesses. Many rely on business from Vassar students, and College regulations prohibiting students from leaving campus deprived them of it for most of the 2020-2021 academic year (The Miscellany News, 2021). With campus reopened and vaccinated Vassar students returning to shop and dine, most Arlington businesses

Annabelle Wang/The Miscellany News.

Walker family band excites with folk music Charlotte Robertson Guest Reporter

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hen I asked Earth Science Professor Jeff Walker what drew him to folk music, his answer was simple. With zero hesitation he said, “Oh, it’s just always been what I was interested in.” This straightforward, modest love for music is the driving force behind the Walker Family Band, who performed a set on Sept. 26 at Fishkill Farms. Fishkill Farms is a familiar venue for the Walker Family Band and a convenient, half-hour drive from Vassar College. A family-owned farm since the late 19th -century, they frequently host weekend community events with live music. “You can pick your own orchid fruits, and then they have sort of a farm store, and you can probably pick your own vegetables, too,” Walker told me. We were sitting in his office in Ely Hall, framed by a gorgeous, arching window and a wall-length, fully-stocked bookcase, chatting about the event. Walker explained that the Fishkill Farms concert was the band’s first performance the band had had since before the pandemic, and that the band was abbreviated to just Walker and Kathy, with their youngest daughter now off to college. As he spoke of the onSee Band on page 7

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Mary Ruefle lectures, inspires audience Ila Kumar

Guest Reporter

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Monika Sweeney/The Miscellany News.

Inside this issue Read about PHOCUS' most recent photography exhibit featuring student work about living through COVID-19.

have found themselves recovering, while others have had to close their doors for good. “As a small business owner on Raymond Ave., I am happy to report that since this school year there is a new hope of survival,” rejoiced Dollar Yard owner Rajesh Sehgal. He explained that 85 percent of his business comes from Vassar students: “Our business is coming back on track with more and more students visiting us with masks. I am thankful to the Vassar College administration for allowing students to patronize businesses on RaySee Business on page 3

Do you like shopping in thrift stores? Check out Kai Speir's article about Vassar FEATURES students who enjoy thrifting.

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14 SPORTS

nsofar as I’ve experienced it, college combines two types of genuine learning: either people won’t tell you what you're supposed to know so you have to get it yourself, or you learn from people older than you and all you can do is bow down and be thankful. Mary Ruefle’s lecture on Wednesday typified the latter. As Bard Writer in Residence Jenny Offill worded it to me in an email, “Whenever I am having trouble writing (which is often) I reread Mary Ruefle. Her work is always surprising, funny and beautifully strange. It jumpstarts the writing part of my brain again. It was a thrill to finally hear her read in person.” Professor of English Paul Kane, along with two donors, Priscilla H. Rockwell and H.P. Davis Rockwell, established the Elizabeth Bishop reading series in the spring of 1996 to celebrate, as Kane described in an email correspondence, “Vassar’s distinguished and on-going role in the history of American poetry.” Poet Mary Ruefle gave this year’s lecture on Sept. 29 in the Spitzer Auditorium. See Poetry on page 5

Want to know how the Vassar rowing, tennis and soccer teams are doing? Check out our sports roundup!


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Misc.10.07.21 by The Miscellany News - Issuu