Worcester Magazine June 25 - July 1, 2020

JUNE 25 - JULY 1, 2020 WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

CULTURE • ARTS • DINING • VOICES

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Setting the Stage Hanover Theatre looks to the future

CITY VOICES

J U N E 25 - J U LY 1, 2020 V O L U M E 45 I S S U E 44 Find us on Facebook.com/worcestermag Twitter @worcestermag Instagram: Worcestermag

100 Front St., Fifth Floor Worcester, MA 01608 worcestermag.com Editorial (508) 767.9535 WMeditor@gatehousemedia.com Sales (508) 767.9530 WMSales@gatehousemedia.com President Paul M. Provost VP, Sales & Strategy Andrew Chernoff Sales Manager Jeremy Wardwell Executive Editor David Nordman Editor Nancy Campbell Content Editor Victor D. Infante Reporters Richard Duckett, Bill Shaner Contributing Writers Sam Bonacci, Stephanie Campbell, Sarah Connell Sanders, Gari De Ramos, Robert Duguay, Jason Greenough, Janice Harvey, Barbara Houle, Jim Keogh, Jim Perry, Craig S. Semon, Steve Siddle, Matthew Tota Creative Director Kimberly Vasseur Multi Media Sales Executives Deirdre Baldwin, Debbie Bilodeau, Kate Carr, Laura Cryan, Diane Galipeau, Sammi Iacovone, Bob Kusz, Kathy Puffer, Jody Ryan, Regina Stillings, Randy Weissman Sales Support Jackie Buck, Yanet Ramirez Senior Operations Manager Gary Barth Operations Manager John Cofske

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the cover Photo by Ashley Green Design by Kimberly Vasseur

HARVEY

Of tradition, and love ...

JANICE HARVEY

ily member die alone because of Covid-19, but the added pain of not being able to properly pay tribute e put on hold many to a life lived is nearly unbearable. things as the CoronaI say this one week after strugvirus pandemic made gling with the burial of a dear itself known; from grofriend. Former Worcester Magacery shopping to dentist visits to schooling, we stopped or drastical- zine editor Michael Warshaw died suddenly, taking with him all the ly curtailed much of our daily life.

Suddenly the smallest convenienc- years his friends and family wanted to spend listening to his stories, es were sorely missed, or in some cases, not missed at all. We learned jokes and opinions. There were to survive sans pedicures. Haircuts many, and we are bereft, but dying during a pandemic made Mike’s became overrated. Browsing the departure even more difficult for racks at TJ Maxx turned out to be his wife Donna. something we could live without.

Donna asked me to write But scrapped along with the everyday errands and entertainment we Michael’s obituary. I accepted this took for granted was something we task as an honor, but obituaries in these days of pandemic have hadn’t anticipated: tradition. changed dramatically. When I read Lost in the pandemic were several death notices, I came to untraditional graduations, weddings derstand that the “traditional” obit and birthdays. The faculty of the has morphed into something else.

Gerald Creamer Center where I Many grieving loved ones have teach worked mightily to provide chosen to put into words both in seniors with a virtual graduation print and online the tributes they and a drive-up diploma disbursement. I recently deleted a canceled would have shared during services August wedding from my calendar. – services that can’t be held. No longer are obituaries simply lists of Creativity has ruled the day, but not every ceremony can be fudged the departed’s relatives, education, and employment. Those “stats” as with horn-honking and a drive-by caravan filled with balloons. Sadly, I refer to them are essential and Coronavirus has robbed us of the chance to honor our dead with the traditions we embrace.

All over the world, families have been unable to follow familiar and comforting rituals to bury loved ones. No one could imagine what it would be like to have a fam-

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in ordinary times, would suffice, along with information regarding the funeral.

“I want people to know the person he was,” Donna told me, and I realized then that obituaries have become much more than customary dry reads. People want to honor their loved ones with eulogies that reflect the person. Stories, both humorous and heartfelt need to be shared, and as “unorthodox” as it may seem, I set out to provide Mike’s family with the eulogy they might have heard under normal circumstances.

As a Jewish man, Mike should have been buried within 24 hours.

Although he wasn’t a temple visitor, there were certain traditions his wife, raised Catholic, wanted to adhere to, but burial took a little longer. Those in-laws and friends who wanted to say goodbye to an open casket were allowed to do so, though this particular farewell, a ritual familiar to most Christian mourners, isn’t part of the Jewish observance. We were separated even more by social distancing.

Which brings me to one of the hardest parts of saying goodbye during a pandemic: No hugging.

There is nothing more natural regardless of your faith and/ or culture than needing the warmth of an embrace during a time of sorrow. To see people weep over a profound loss and have to stand, masked, six feet away, is heartbreaking. To be prohibited by a deadly virus, unable to reach out and hold one another is cruel and decidedly unnatural.

Tradition is a powerful thing, and cannot be completely denied.

I watched from a safe distance as Michael Warshaw’s 85-year-old father threw dirt on his son’s casket, not with the backside of the shovel provided, but with his bare hand. A man who buries his son should be hugged.

When Coronavirus exits our lives, at least enough so that some semblance of normalcy returns, I hope to never forget the importance of tradition, of touch, and yes, of love.

“A love of tradition,” said Winston Churchill, “has never weakened a nation, indeed it has strengthened nations in their hour of peril.”

I lift a glass to that idea, and to my dear pal Michael Warshaw.

CITY VOICES

WORCESTERIA

FIRST PERSON

‘This is goodbye’

First-time experiences with COVID-19

BILL SHANER

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Worcester Magazine has put its calendar section and event recommendations on hold for the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic, and other standing features may be put on hold or appear more sporadically. Also, considering the pace of news these days, some articles may be updated online as the situation changes. For the most up-to-date versions of articles, visit WorcesterMag.com or Telegram.com.

the college students, especially seniors, whose lives were pulled out from under them. WISE members were at least between sessions, and our future lives did not depend on these classes.

Fortunately, WISE organizers pulled together some one-hour sessions called “Conversations with Instructors,” which had the advantage of allowing more participants. Our book discussion groups have moved to the Zoom platform, and so will the shortterm summer courses. Sadly, the fall session will not resume on campus. It, too, will move online.

Yet I’m happy for the opportunity to keep learning. In April I downloaded the iNaturalist app on my phone, something I’d been meaning to do for a couple of years. It allows you to identify plants, birds, animals, insects, fungi, and other living things by submitting a photo and choosing from 10 suggestions drawn from the iNaturalist database. Other iNaturalist users may help you identify your observation or make comments. Over Memorial Day Weekend, I joined the Worcester Nature Challenge, identifying plants and animals within the city, which has a surprising number of natural spaces, or in neighboring towns.

So despite pandemic restrictions, Worcester still offers opportunities to do something new.

Jean Langley is enjoying retirement in Boylston.

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

Note To Readers

couple of years ago I attended a women’s outdoor skills weekend in New York, at which there was a slide show with photos of participant activities. Many photos showed women trying a new skill, such as kayaking, fishing, archery, hiking, outdoor cooking, and the like.

The slide show comes is one of my favorite parts. Earlier in the evening, before the speakers and the awards, there was another slideshow that was playing as women came into the meeting hall. In it, there were a number of inspirational quotes. One that really stuck with me was one by John C. Maxwell: “When was the last time you did something for the first time?”

When, indeed. How often do we repeat the same experiences, drawing on something we learned in our 20s? or 30s? Have we stopped learning? Have we stopped seeking challenges?

I’ve been thinking about that quote with the way life has changed during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Many new ways of doing things are not ones I hope to continue in the years to come.

Restrictions on grocery shopping, social distancing, wearing a mask, no restaurant dining, and loss of access to some of my favorite places (e.g., Audubon’s Broad Meadow Brook, the Worcester Art Museum) are not something I want to continue. We did not seek these changes in our lives. We don’t get trying-something-new points for doing what’s in the best health interests of all of us.

But there are other things I’ve done for the first time, albeit out of necessity. They may be things I might continue in the future.

So, in the past three months, here are some things I have done for the first time: • Attended a Zoom session. Actually, quite a few of them by now.

• Deposited a check with mobile banking. Make that multiple checks.

• Used the drive-up window to pick up a prescription at the pharmacy.

• Ordered take-out meals from a local restaurant and picked them

up at the door.

• Participated in telemedicine • Applied my own hair dye Granted, none of these are really unusual, and aren’t particularly adventurous (though the hair dye attempt almost qualifies).

They aren’t like some of my past new experiences, such as paddle boarding at night, or rappelling alongside a waterfall. They aren’t like visiting a new place. It’s just a new version of reality in the same familiar place.

All the activities I listed were options prior to the pandemic.

And I have participated in online meetings and classes in the past, but Zoom is a new platform for me. Actually Zoom has allowed me to continue a favorite activity, albeit in altered form. I joined the Worcester Institute for Senior Education, hosted at Assumption College, back in 2016. I’ve enjoyed being on a campus again, sitting in a lecture hall, meeting new people, learning new things (coincidentally taking a class about the Flu Pandemic of 1918 just a year and a half ago), eating in a dining hall, seeing the younger students, attending concerts and other events, taking bus trips, and reading stuff I would not have done on my own (quantum physics). I enjoyed going off-campus, too, for classes at other facilities, such as Audubon, the Art Museum, and even in a cemetery.

When the on-campus classes were cancelled this spring, I felt bereft, with heightened sympathy for all

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he great Lindsey Buckingham once wrote, “you can go your own way and you can call it another lonely day” and some other stuff that didn’t quite make sense but it didn’t matter because the song is good. I like Lindsey Buckingham because he’s a real jerk and he loves drama. That’s the spirit I tried to take to this column, and I perhaps achieved marginal success. You can probably guess where this is heading.

Readers of Worcesteria, I love you all, especially the ones that hate my guts.

This is goodbye. I parted ways with Worcester Magazine last week and will be going my own way now. I’ll still be writing about Worcester but I’m not going to waste any of my precious last space here on that, you can look me up online. Writing Worcesteria was one of the true pleasures of my life. I loved this column and the outlet it gave me with all my heart. I was able to grow into myself as a writer every week on this page where I was encouraged to be a jerk to the people in power around these parts.

Worcester Magazine is such a cool thing for a city like Worcester to have, and I’m happy it still exists. Under the leadership of the fearlessly weird Victor Infante, I know they’ll continue to put out a zany, entertaining product and you should continue reading it. I know of a few things he has in store and trust me when I say you should be excited about them. There are no more capable hands in this city for WoMag in its current form.

My three years at WoMag were a highlight of my life and I will always cherish them. Before we got picked off one by one, we were a tight crew of true weirdos who really cared about Worcester and cared to make WoMag as good as we could muster. Be it breaking into a Southbridge landfill with photographer Liz Brooks, or spilling out of a tour van in Philadelphia with reporter and comrade Josh Lyford, or praising page designer Kim Vasseur for once again going above and beyond, or getting a pep talk from publisher Kathy Real that puts the fire in my belly, or restraining myself from physically harming editor Walter Bird – and boy was I close once or twice – I look back on three years well spent.

It is tough to find a good job in journalism these days. Damn tough.

WoMag wasn’t just a good job. It was a great job, and I do not give it up lightly.

I hope whoever takes over this column will take the time, as I did, to go back a few writers and see how each took the column in their own special direction. The column is older than I am, and so many great writers have contributed to it. My Worcesteria was different from Tom Quinn’s Worcesteria or Scott Zoback’s Worcesteria or Jeremy Shulkin’s Worcesteria. I can’t wait to see what the next writer brings to it. You can speak some real truth to power on this page, and in a uniquely Worcester way. The column is, itself, an institution that Worcester is lucky to have, regardless of how you feel about the way I treated it.

In Zoback’s goodbye Worcesteria, he said “We aren’t the paper of record and we’re not the paper of ‘gee, wouldn’t it be nice.’ No. We’re the upstart, the underdog, the engine that could.”

There isn’t a better way to put it than that and I’m not going to try. On my first day, the office breathed with the truth in those words. It was infectious. It got me and it stayed with me and I’m taking it with me, thank you very much. It was a gift and I intend on keeping it.

So this is goodbye, then. Also, this column is exactly 666 words long it turns out. So that’s cool at least.

JEAN LANGLEY

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Waiting for the next act

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Hanover Theatre eyes life after the pandemic

Troy Siebels, CEO of The Hanover Theate.

CHRISTINE PETERSON

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RICHARD DUCKET T

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hen (or perhaps if) Ricky Duran takes the stage at The Hanover Theatre and Conservatory for the Performing Arts on Oct. 10, it will be more than just a celebration of the local Grafton hometown boy made good with his great showing as runner-up on NBC’s “The Voice” at the end of last year.

“Jazz at Sunset,” once a summer staple at the EcoTarium, in 2017 kicking the series off with Kelly.

There were initially two shows planned for this year, but a July performance was cancelled.

“I think that is something we can do. We can seat in a social distance way,” Siebels said of the Aug. 7 show (tickets will go on sale July 1, along with more information) and Kelly’s return.

“It’s a chance for people to as-

Ricky Duran is scheduled to take the stage at Hanover Theatre Oct. 10.

TYLER GOLDEN/NBC

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

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semble and see a great performer in the eye, and it’s going to be so long before we can open open completely.

We don’t want people to forget about us,” Siebels said.

From March to October is also a long time.

Theaters such as The Hanover Theatre, which can seat 2,300 people, were one of the first to close and “we are going to be one of the last to reopen,” Siebels noted. “It’s not just us. It’s theaters like us all over the country. All over the world, in fact.”

If The Hanover Theatre is able to reopen in October, there will have been a loss of $4.5 to $5 million in ticket sales since March, Siebels said.

“Bottom line ( for The Hanover Theatre) $1.5 and $1.7 million dollars.”

The theater was able to get a Cares Act loan for its regular staff, but hour reductions may be looming in July and furloughs in August. “We will have to make it through this.

I feel that there are others that are worse off. It’s such a huge impact on the arts and culture world,” Siebels said.

On the plus side, fundraising has included giving ticket holders of cancelled shows the option of donating their refund to the theater.

“A lot of people have been willing to

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It will also be the first show inside the theater with a live audience since it closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic on March 12.

“We are optimistic that we are able to come back in October, with the first (show) Oct. 10, but we are watching very carefully,” said Troy Siebels, president and CEO of The Hanover Theatre.

A visit from English international singer Sarah Brightman would be next on Oct. 20. The Hanover Theatre is hoping to put on its own annual productions of “The Nutcracker” and “A Christmas Carol” in late fall. Its Broadway Series of national touring Broadway productions is scheduled to get underway in January with an all-new production of “Blue Man Group” (Jan. 14-17).

Meanwhile, “the conservatory is still running. We’re proud of that.

Classes online for 500 kids,” Siebels said.

And in what could be a sunny harbinger for the future, “Jazz at Sunset” returns Aug. 7 with an outdoor performance by jazz saxophone star Grace Kelly behind The Hanover Theatre at 2 Southbridge St. The Hanover Theatre and radio station WICN, in collaboration with The Theatre District Alliance, revived

FEATURED

contribute to that,” Siebels said.

The Hanover Theatre COVID-19 Resiliency Fund has a $60,000 match from the theater’s board of directors.

That stood at about $50,000 from the public at the time of writing. “I’m really buoyed by that. It’s a real lot of confidence and a reminder that a there are a lot of people who care about us,” Siebels said.

The response to the announcement of the Broadway Series has also been encouraging. Besides “Blue

of a current level of 3,400 subscribers renewing. “It’s just really heartening to see the support there in the community.”

But the shows will need a live audience in the theater.

Asked about virtual happenings, Siebels said, “We have been hosting some virtual events and are talking about others. Things like webinars on how we approach auditioning and casting; or talking about the outreach we do and engaging the

Blue Man Group is scheduled at the Hanover Theatre for January 2021.

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WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

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FILE PHOTO/STEVE LANAVA

Man Group” the lineup features the Jimmy Buffett-inspired “Escape to Margaritaville” (Jan.28–31), Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “CATS” (Feb. 25– 28), Tony- and Grammy-award winning “The Band’s Visit” (March 18–21), and Tina Fey’s “Mean Girls” (June 22–27). Two more musicals will be announced later this summer.

“We’ve had better renewal than we’ve ever seen before,” Siebels said

community. We are doing a virtual reading of ‘Romeo & Juliet’ with our Youth Acting Company coming up.

I think that virtual events could be a ‘value added’ piece that we could try to take away from this as a silver lining. In a bigger sense, we really believe strongly in the power of live theater, and want to be careful that we don’t undermine the very thing that makes us unique and different

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Jeremy Lawrence as Ebenezer Scrooge and Ellen Peterson playing a vendor perform a scene during dress rehearsal for “A Christmas Carol” in 2018. The Hanover Theatre is hoping to put on its own annual productions of “The Nutcracker” and “A Christmas Carol” in late fall.

FILE PHOTO/MATTHEW HEALEY

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

For its part, The Hanover Theatre is “eager” to put on “The Nutcracker” and “A Christmas Carol.”

“We are planning on that and we are willing to go to great lengths to do it.” Siebels said.

The theater could accept seating limits for those shows, but capacity restrictions for the Broadway Series would be another matter.

“It’s not something we could do for the Broadway shows because it’s impossible to make the numbers work. It would not help us with our Broadway Series which is our bread and butter,” Siebels said.

The fact that the series won’t be opening until January “makes me more confident that we’ll be able to do it,” he said. By then the situation nationally may be clearer. “I’m hopeful that as this country gets its act together, I’m hopeful that we will be able to come back at our full capacity,” Siebels said.

Until there’s an ending with a coronavirus vaccine being safely distributed worldwide, there will be people who won’t want to come to a theater for any event, Siebels acknowledged.

“I would think so. We would do our best to give people comfort, but of course some people will be more comfortable than others.”

But there is another type of end.

“I am optimistic in the end, and committed – committed to do whatever we have to do. There’s a lot of support out there and a lot of people who care about the theater as I do.”

Siebels said.

For more information, visit www. thehanovertheatre.org.

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from TV and movies. So in short, yes we will be looking at some ‘value added’ virtual content over the next several months and perhaps beyond; but probably no streaming performances.”

Reopening a venue such as The Hanover Theatre will be part of the state’s Phase 4 reopening plan.

In terms of allowed capacity “there has not been clarity yet from the state,” Siebels said. Restaurants that have been able so for to have outside dining under Phase 2 have had to follow a number of requirements, he noted.

“When we do reopen we do understand that it will be a new normal for us,” Siebels said. That will include staff and patrons wearing face masks, online programs, and new ways to validate tickets. “And we’re prepared to do that so we can come back as soon as we can,” he said.

“There are theaters like us that are doing thermal cameras, certainly requiring face masks, asking people to fill out two questions (about possible exposure to corononavirus) - all the things that would have felt so evasive but now are not only necessary but expected to keep people safe.”

For Ricky Duran Oct. 10 “I’m hopeful we could do it in a way that would keep him safe.”

Presenters generally have been finding that artists are raring to come back, and such might well be Duran for a homecoming show that had initially been scheduled for March 27.

However, an artist like Sarah Brightman, who had been on a word tour, “may decide she doesn’t want to come,” Siebels said.

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Think about the dogs, people Firework barrages no fun for pet-owners BILL SHANER

resent you.

Mayor Joe Petty wants you to knock it out. He said as much in a alk to anyone in this city recent phone interview. and they’ll tell you: the “In my term in public office this is fireworks. What is going on with the fireworks? For the the worst I’ve ever seen it,” he said. past several weeks, neighborhoods in “It’s scaring people, it’s scaring dogs, Worcester have been awash in a near it’s aggravating for the elderly.”

With a chuckle, he remarked that constant barrage of back-yard firework shows. And while fireworks can some of the fireworks are “pretty nice,” near professional grade, and be fun, they’re really bad for certain must cost quite a bit of money. people and, perhaps more imporLast week, the city rolled out an tantly, they’re really bad for dogs. initiative to curb firework use by Think about the dogs, people. Af-

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The City Manager’s Office said police have received more than 500 calls about fireworks in recent weeks, and fireworks have been deemed the cause of one house fire.

Last Sunday, a three-decker on Preston Street went up in flames after being struck by fireworks. The fire displaced 11 people.

In a press conference last week, City Manager Ed Augustus Jr. said that nationally, 20,000 house fires a year start due to fireworks, as well as 9,000 injuries nationally.

The fireworks are not a Worcester problem. In Boston, Mayor Marty Walsh reported a 2,300 percent increase in firework calls in recent weeks. In the first week of June, Boston recorded 1,445 complaints about fireworks, but from 22 in the same week last year. In Salem, officials reported a similar 2,000 percent increase. Police have seized large quantities of fireworks around the Boston area, including a UHaul van full of fireworks on Friday in Roxbury.

“It’s not just Worcester, it’s every

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FILE PHOTO

ter several weeks straight of nightly high-octane firework barrages, social media has been awash with tired dog owners sharing pictures of their scared looking pets.

And these posts serve as a reminder that while you’re out setting off your mortars and M80s and the like, there are dogs sitting huddled in corners having panic attacks and there are helpless dog owners who

adding police patrols and a dedicated hotline for anonymous tip line for reporting firework use. As part of the city’s Summer Impact policing initiative, 14 additional officers will conduct foot patrols and work to map out firework use with the Fire Department.

“If we can show some police in the neighborhood it might put a stop to it too,” Petty said.

Fireworks are particularly traumatic for dogs and for people with post-traumatic stress disorder. After an order filed by City Councilor Kate Toomey last week, the city is working to create a public service announcement to warn folks of the harm fireworks cause to PTSD victims and pets.

In cities across the state, the problem is much the same.

city, it’s every town, it’s everywhere,” said Petty. I’m not sure what’s causing it besides the fact that people are home.”

As to why, Petty’s not sure. It’s been a weird year and this is just another part of it.

“Maybe it’s having no place to go.

They’re cooped up and they’re letting off steam,” he said.

CITY LIFE

ARTIST SPOTLIGHT

LIFESTYLE

If you are an artist, or know of a local artist, email WMeditor@gatehousemedia.com. Fair warning, in order to publish your work, you’ll need to provide a small bio and high resolution digital copies of some of your art. We reserve the right to choose what will run, based on resolution and what will reproduce best on newsprint.

Virtual math class is one thing, but swim lessons are another story. I can help.

SARAH CONNELL SANDERS

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WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

Tree Middle School in Rutland. Her beach scenes are watercolor with pen. She loves art, her family, her cats and skateboarding.

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party game by asking my swimmers to hum “Happy Birthday” with their faces in the water. The look of wonder when bubbles emerge from their noses while they hum is always a magical moment.

You can also tell swimmers to think of the water like a tissue and blow, but that’s just as gross as it sounds.

Look for the clouds.

Our lungs are like balloons. When they’re full of air we float on the surface of the water, and when we deflate them, we sink to the bottom. While floating on your back it’s important that the water hits you right at your hairline. This will feel unnatural at first for kids, but the more they puff up their chests and point their chins to the sky, the easier floating will become.

Fly. If your young swimmer is more advanced and you want to try teaching them the butterfly, I suggest starting with a drill called head-hips-feet. Kids can even bounce off the bottom of the pool as they get used to the fluid motion. Just as the name of the drill indicates, their heads will come out of the water, followed by their hips, and finally their feet. Legs should remain together, sort of like a mermaid or merman. Once they have mastered the dolphin kick, it’s time to start adding arm strokes. Point fingers straight out in front, then down at the bottom of the pool. Next, graze the thighs and let your arms come out and around.

There’s no better party trick than revealing you have a beautiful butterfly.

Pools are dangerous places, which is exactly why swimming is an important life long skill. If you have questions about teaching your kid a particular stroke or technique, please find me on the internet. I spent over a decade as a swimming instructor and there’s not much I love more than nerding out about aquatics.

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Sophia Papagni is a student at Central

realize many summer camps are in flux this year and childcare looks a lot different than it used to. Chlorine might be a powerful chemical, but there seems to be a lot more questions than answers when it comes to warding off COVID-19. If you’re trying to teach your child how to swim on your own this summer, I have a few tricks up my water wings that I’d love to share.

Buy a noodle.

First of all, that was a terrible joke.

Please avoid water wings altogether.

A $.99 foam noodle is far superior. Or, if you’re feeling really bougie you can invest in a kickboard. When you’re ready to teach the front crawl, ask your swimmer to hold onto the noodle with two hands. They should practice letting go one hand at a time and then grab for the noodle with alternating arms.

Their fingertips should try to scrape the bottom of the pool. Encourage straight knees and elbows.

Spoons, not forks.

The little details mean everything in swimming. Strong swimmers know the difference between pointed toes for flutter kicks and flexed toes for frog kicks. They keep their fingers glued together to make spoons, never splaying them out like prongs of a fork. The smallest adjustment can make or break a stroke. Your whole body follows your chin, which is why it’s so important to tuck it into your chest while diving and point it to the sky while floating on your back.

A warm swimmer is a happy swimmer.

The most important element to assuage hesitancy is to keep everyone moving and stay warm by incorporating a sense of play in your lesson. No one wants to learn something new under hypothermic conditions. Remember that your adult body probably allows you to withstand the cold more readily than your kiddo’s tiny frame.

Hum with your nose submerged and watch what happens.

I like to start with bubbles. I suggested pretending you’re blowing out candles on a cake to demonstrate the process with your mouth. (Don’t forget to make a wish.) Teaching children how to blow bubbles out of their noses can be more difficult. I continue the

CITY LIFE

TABLE HOPPIN’

Upping the wine game at Julio’s

BARBARA M. HOULE

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hen Cassandra Carruth took over as the new wine director at Julio’s Liquors in Westboro at the end of February she set a few goals for herself.

As a member of “Julio’s Family” Carruth’s top priorities were to educate consumers more about wines and be an ambassador for wine makers and their labor of love.

Carruth upped her game as she adapted to COVID-19 challenges.

Switching to alternative ways of reaching consumers has become essential, with both consumers and businesses adapting and adjusting sometimes on a daily basis, said Carruth.

As “new normal” changes are made, Carruth sees virtual wine tasting events as a way for consumers to still enjoy wine while at the same time learn more about wineries, especially small family owned businesses. Consumers have access to a

Julio’s virtual wine tastings via Zoom have been both informative and fun, according to Cassandra Carruth, wine director at Julio’s Liquors in Westboro.

ASHLEY GREEN

variety of wines at very good prices, she said, and they often can find wines not normally offered online.

With restaurant closures, distributors also have offered retailers great deals on overstocked wines, she said,

explaining how retailers and distributors nationwide have given back by donating a percentage of their profits from wine and spirits sales to restaurant and employee relief funds.

Julio’s virtual wine tastings via Zoom have been both informative and fun, according to Carruth, who said participants keep up social distancing while sampling wines with other wine enthusiasts. Winery owners and wine reps are frequent participants, reviewing new options.

She said social media also has played an important role in sales strategies.

“Supporting local businesses is more important now than ever before,” said Carruth. “At Julio’s, we’re here to help customers, whether in the store, online or with curbside service. We all look forward to the time when we have more of a personal connection with customers. I am grateful for Zoom tastings, but I can’t wait for a return of on-site events,” said Carruth. “I was on the job for only a short time before coronavirus,

and I didn’t really get the chance to meet and chat with all the store’s regular and new customers. There’s a lot to talk about when it comes to wine.” About Julio’s wine director: Carruth, originally from Gardner, is a Worcester homeowner. She’s the daughter of Peter Kent Carruth and Rita May Reilly, “awesome parents and terrific cooks.”

She originally studied interior design and changed career paths after attending a zinfandel wine tasting while working at a restaurant in Central Florida. When she moved back to Massachusetts, she worked as a restaurant manager and wine buyer in hotels. She later joined the team at Niche Hospitality Group in Worcester, working her way up to the position as wine director, focusing on food and wine pairings. She led monthly wine dinners at the former People’s Kitchen and Bocado Tapas Wine Bar in Worcester. She has visited and studied at wineries in California, Oregon, Spain and

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Craft beer could have fallen apart in 2020.

Instead, it came together MATTHEW TOTA

T

he pessimists in craft beer will look at 2020 as a catastrophe.

They’ll wag their fingers and bemoan brewery closures.

They’ll inevitably cast doubt on the industry’s future.

Although I often side with pessimists, I choose now not to define this year by the havoc wrought on the industry by the pandemic. And I know craft beer will recover and thrive.

Among the many reasons for my optimism, for this column I’ll settle on one: When beset by both economic challenges or watching as the country reckons with its own racism and pattern of social injustice, the craft beer community has responded.

All Together In March, hundreds of breweries across the globe rallied around a fundamental aphorism: We’re all

in this together. The clarion call originated in Brooklyn, New York, at Other Half Brewing Co., not a large brewery, but like its peers in Massachusetts, namely Trillium Brewing Co., one that commands a massive following.

Other Half launched “All Together,” a worldwide beer collaboration to raise money and awareness for the hospitality industry, among those hit the hardest by the novel coronavirus.

The brewery developed a simple, approachable recipe for two different IPA styles, New England and West Coast, while partnering with the master beer marketer Stout Collective on a label that breweries could use and personalize. They invited any brewery, no matter how small, to brew All Together. Other Half only asked that a portion of the proceeds go to supporting hospitality professions. The rest the breweries should bank to help keep them afloat.

The response has been mind-

blowing, the reach startling.

As of this writing, 846 breweries in 53 countries have brewed a version of All Together. You have breweries not only in every corner of the U.S. brewing All Together, but every corner of the world — breweries in Britain and Budapest, in Australia and New Zealand, in Korea and Kyrgyzstan. Despite the different languages and time zones, though, all the breweries are local. That is, they aren’t the big players, but the neighborhood breweries.

“We are a grassroots brewery, so it’s kind of amazing to us that all these small breweries have done it,” said Andrew Burman, co-founder of Other Half. “We consider ourselves a community brewery. Every brewery on this list is a community brewery, and they’re giving money back to the community that needs help.”

Other Half wanted to make it easy for breweries to source the ingredients for the brew. During an Insta-

gram chat with Trillium co-founder JC Tetreault, Other Half co-founder Sam Richardson noted that the recipe calls for cascade hops, a relatively inexpensive, accessible hop compared to others.

Though it does not hear directly from every brewery that releases All Together, Other Half has received more than 200 different cans from breweries that have brewed it. Now, Burman said, the brewery is working on calculating how much the campaign has raised, even as more breweries come out with a new All Together every day.

So far in Massachusetts, 20 breweries have brewed All Together, including a handful around Central Massachusetts: Bay State Brewing Co., Lost Shoe Brewing & Roasting Co., Purgatory Beer Co., Greater Good Brewing Co., River Styx Brewing Co. and Wormtown Brewery.

Bay State and Greater Good

worked with their contract brewer, Burgy Brews in Williamsburg, on their version.

Greater Good’s profits from All Together went directly back into supporting their staff, according to co-founder Paul Wengender. In an email, he said, “As a pub brewery, with (the) COVID shutdown we lost pub revenue of $445,000 (and counting as long as we aren’t fully open).

We used the $1,000 or so of profits from All Together to bonus some of our own employees who decided to stay working instead of stay home and collect unemployment.”

Black is Beautiful Last month in Minnesota, the killing of George Floyd – a Black man who was suffocated while in police custody – touched off protests against police brutality across the country. In a horrific video, nowfired Minnesota police officer Derek Chauvin is seen pressing his knee C O N T I N U E D O N N E XT PA G E

CITY LIFE

TA B L E H O P P I N’

C O N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 10

Fire up the grill!

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If you have a tidbit for the column, call (508) 868-5282. Send email to bhoulefood@gmail.com.

into Floyd’s neck for more than 8 minutes.

Marcus Baskerville watched the protests around the country, including in his home city, San Antonio, Texas, where he runs Weathered Souls Brewing Co. He felt compelled to action.

Earlier this month, Baskerville created “Black is Beautiful,”(hyperlink to https://blackisbeautiful. beer) a beer collaboration to bring awareness to the injustices that many people of color face daily. In an interview with Brewbound, he said that, as a black business owner, he needed a way to lend his support to the cause.

The campaign quickly spread across the world. To date, 818 breweries in 13 countries have brewed Black is Beautiful, devised initially as a high alcohol stout to showcase the different shades of black. Like All Together, Black is Beautiful gives breweries the freedom to riff off the base recipe and label and create something their own.

Weathered Souls has asked brew-

eries to donate 100% of the profits to inclusion, so we knew right away local foundations that support police that this was an effort we wanted to get behind,” Howland said. brutality reform and legal defenses Marlborough’s Lost Shoe has for people who have faced injustice also brewed Black is Beautiful. Coat the hands of those in power. founder JP Gallagher said it seemed In Worcester, Dave Howland, fitting to take part in the collaboration after brewing All Together, doubling down on the “we are all in this together,” mentality.

Lost Shoe will donate the proceeds from Black is Beautiful to the Boston chapter of Black Lives Matter, to support the fight for freedom, liberation and justice.

“Our mission statement is built on community, co-founder of 3Cross Fermentaand if we can use our platform to tion Coop., brewed a full batch, drive positive change and promote about 150 gallons, of the Black is Beautiful recipe and plans to donate inclusivity for everyone of any color we will gladly seize that opportunity,” the proceeds equally between two Gallagher said. “And again, being city organizations: the local chapter able to not only brew the same beer of the NAACP and Legendary that incredibly talented brewers Legacies, a nonprofit that provides around the world will be brewing, positive male role models for young but also a beer that is being used men in vulnerable populations.

“3cross has always been centered to do something right was an easy around the ideals of community and decision for us.

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“Sun’s Out, Buns Out” Griller Pack is a new gift box from Eastern Standard Provisions that’s made specifically for backyard BBQs. The gift box costs $34.99 and contains four burger-size pretzel buns, 12 slider-size pretzel buns, one chili-lime salt pack, one medium-grain pretzel salt pack and two collectible stickers.

Visit esprovisions.com for more info.

FYI: The fresh, heat-and-serve pretzel buns can be paired with chargrilled burgers, slow-cooked pulled pork, blackened chicken etc. “Crispy on the outside and almost briochelike on the inside, these buns will definitely take backyard grillmasters’ sandwich game to the next level,” according to Eastern Standard Provisions. The pretzels arrive individually wrapped and can be popped into the freezer. Look for recipes and a special coupon offer on the company website.

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C O N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 10

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Portugal.

Carruth’s favorite go-to wine is Cava (Spanish sparkling wine).

She loves to cook, mostly cooking from scratch, shops at local farmers markets whenever she can, enjoys gardening and sharing time with her dog, Ziggy.

This summer, venture out and try new wines. Carruth said there are plenty of wines to choose, including new rose wines you can sip all season. She reminds wine drinkers “the higher the alcohol, the fuller bodied the wine is.”

Here are some of Carruth’s favorite summertime wines for the Fourth of July.

Qunita de Lixa ‘Anjos’ (Loureiro Trakadura/Arinto), Vinho Verde, Portugal 2019, $11.99 One could say that each country has its ‘house white.” It’s flagship white that is light, crisp and refreshing and pairs great with food.

Vinho Verde is known for its green wines, with a hint of effervescent to start and finish dry. Food pairings: Seafood, shellfish, fried chicken, goat cheese, Manchego, aged cheddar.

Rose Vulcanico (25 % Saborinho, 25% Agronomica, 25% Aragones, 25% Tourigna Nacional) Acores, Portugal 2019, $22.99 This wine is from one of my favorite wineries in Portugal run by brother/sister team Antonio and Joana Mancanita. A crisp wine with a punch of flavor, it’s great with shellfish and any seafood dish. For any dish that carries some heat, this is your wine.

Torremoron (Tempranillo), Ribera del Duero, Spain 2018, $16.99 One of my favorite little gems, I’ve had the pleasure of sharing this wine with my wine friends for years. It’s from a small town in the Ribera del Duero region in Spain, Quintanamanvirgo.. Out of 95 people who live in this town, 85 of them work at the winery. Vines (planted between 1914-1934) are thick and ancient and create such a deep beautiful expression of Tempranillo, Spain’s king grape. Food pairings: Peking duck, slow cooked meats, chicken dishes with lots of spice.

Clos de Luz ‘Massal’ (Carmenere), Central Valley, Chile 2017, $16.99 Carmenere is a grape with quite a background. At one time it was thought to be extinct from the winemaking region, then resurfaced in Chile, where some of the best Carmenere in the world is produced today.

This grape for me is a perfect balance

between Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. It has a great blend of black and red fruits with dusty tannins that allow the wine to finish with nice, soft, earthy notes. This wine pairs great with steaks (rib eye), veal, Bolognese, pizza. Carbs and meat pair perfectly with this wine.

Laroque (Cabernet Franc), Languedoc, France 2018, $11.99 The Mother plant to Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc was blended with Sauvignon in France to create one of the most famous grapes in the world. Cab Franc is planted throughout France, with some regions using it as a blend while others allow the varietal to shine on its own. One of my favorite spots to enjoy Cab Franc was Languedoc, where the wine can have a warm, red fruit balanced acidity. It makes a great house wine!

Petalos (Mencia), Beirzo Spain 2017, $22.99 Descendientes de J. Palacios ‘Petalos’ 100% Mencia from what’s known as Green Spain, the northwestern corner of the Iberian Peninsula. Mencia is a thin- skinned varietal that you can match next to wines, such as Nebbiolo from Italy or Pinot Noir from the United States or France. Flavors are of tart or warm cherries and hints of pomegranate and spice. This wine is from an uncle and nephew team, focusing their attention on reinvigorating regions/vineyards in Spain that have been forgotten. Great wine pairing with salmon, fatty fish, vegetable stir fries, blue cheese, spicy meats, pork and braised meats.

Cheers!

CITY LIFE

FILM

Distractions the price for old-school movie experience JIM KEOGH

I

read with interest the comments following Boston Globe film critic Ty Burr’s recent story about National Amusements’ launch of ShowcaseNOW, a videoon-demand service the company hopes will restore some of the revenue lost to diminished ticket sales.

The commenters broke along simple lines: those who explicitly prefer watching new-release movies in the theater, and those who are just fine with viewing fresh cinematic content on a large-screen television.

One comment in particular caught my eye: “[Theater going] is an experience, the giant screen, the dark theater, no distractions, that is not possible to be replicated at home ...”

I agree with nearly everything offered up here, except for the words “no distractions.” A movie theater can be a haven or a jungle — blissfully free

of outside influence once the houselights dim, or a tangle of annoyances depending on where you sit and who else is sitting around you.

The potential for distractions is endless and, on a good day, unrealized. I’ve had many of those good days, and nights, inside Worcester theaters, and I miss everything about them. I miss the popcorn. I miss laughing with an audience at a truly funny comedy. I miss the BIGNESS— of the screen, of the room size, of the ambition looming in front of me.

But I don’t miss the crunch of popcorn between the teeth of the guy in the seat behind me. I don’t miss the group of bored and chatty teenagers serving up their own punchlines — during a drama. I don’t miss the hollow feeling of knowing you’ve invested time, money, and optimism into experiencing “Holmes & Watson” inside a theater when you could have stayed home and

J U N E 2 5 - J U LY 1 , 2 0 2 0 WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

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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.

Emma Moto was adopted from WARL years ago when she was a kitten named Jelly Bean. She had a wonderful life with her family until grandchildren, other pets and her owners traveling more frequently became too much for this old girl. Emma wants a quiet life with one or two people who don’t have kids or pets. For the last two years, Emma lived comfortably with a senior woman until Emma became ill. Fortunately, her urinary issues can be treated with an over-the-counter Purina food rather than a prescription diet.

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halted and the lights came up. Deb the manager walked to the front of the theater and asked us to file out the two exit doors on either side of the screen — the doors only the ushers ever use. A capacity audience silently exiting the room under mysterious circumstances was as strange and unsettling a moment as I’ve experienced in a movie theater.

Firetrucks were parked outside, but the firefighters didn’t seem concerned, which was heartening. We waited for a while in our

little clusters of family and friends, still wondering what was happening inside, before we were told we could return to the theater. As we reentered, I asked Deb what had occurred. “Someone burned the popcorn and the alarm went off,” she said with a laugh. “See what happens when you let a man do the cooking?”

We’ve been promised movie theaters will begin reopening late next month. I’m ready to go. Bring on the distractions, and the popcorn. I don’t care how burnt it is.

EAST DOUGLAS PHOTOGRAPHY

ADOPTION OPTION

watched reruns of “The Office.”

Distractions? Movie theaters are built to accommodate them.

And I’m OK with it. Distractions are the price you pay for an oldschool movie experience. Over time you master the art of minimizing the obnoxious by learning where to sit to avoid other people’s conversations and disgusting eating habits. (Sadly, even the wisest choice of location will not ease the sting of a terrible film.)

Besides, because some distractions can be more memorable than the movies they disrupt. Here’s one example. In early November 2001 I took my young son and daughter to see “Monsters, Inc.” at Showcase North. This was less than two months after the 9/11 attacks, and everyone was still very much on hyper-alert, fearing that another strike could come at any time.

Midway through, the movie was

GAMES

J O N E S I N’

“Times Squared” – a sign of the times.

By Matt Jones

Across 1 5 10 14 15

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53 54 55 57 58 59 60 61 63

Literary twist of sorts Proud ___ peacock The slightest degree Luxury hotel accommodations Visible gas “We Three Kings” kings “Match Game” host Baldwin Card game with no cards below seven Doris Day lyric repeated after “Que” Food truck fare Actress Miranda Greek letters that look like P’s Reusable grocery item

Last week's solution

©2020 Matt Jones (jonesincrosswords@gmail.com) Reference puzzle #994

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1 Clothing mishaps 2 French composer Satie

44 46 48 51

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Down

3 Big ___ (David Ortiz’s nickname) 4 Fishhook attachment 5 Gym class, for short 6 Thespian’s objective 7 Leave out 8 “That makes no ___!”

9 Before, palindromically 10 2011 Oscar winner for Best Picture 11 Oates’s attempt to go solo?

12 Ubiquitous lotion ingredient 13 Policy maven 18 Run, as dyes 21 Like library books, eventually 24 Inner vision?

25 Dead-end service gig, slangily 26 Mild cigar 27 Stretchy thing from the past?

29 Pleased 30 Nearly alphabetically last country 32 New Orleans sandwich, informally 33 Idyllic spots 35 Like some dryer sheets or detergent 37 “___ Excited” (Pointer Sisters song) 40 Webmaster’s concern

J U N E 25 - J U LY 1, 2020

Fun By The Numbers Like 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!

Account execs Common writing Melting period Tabriz’s country Patty and Selma’s brother-in-law 16 Saintly symbol 17 Credit for a newspaper story on a Magritte work?

19 Musk who named one of his kids X AE A-XII 20 Topics during a job interview 21 Robotic “Doctor Who” nemesis 22 Rush singer Geddy 23 City’s outer fringe 25 CXV x X 28 Nervous 31 Confirm, as a password 34 Cumulonimbus, for one 36 Carrie Fisher 6-Down 38 Device with earbuds 39 Rolling Stone co-founder Wenner 40 One of the Rat Pack 41 “Quién ___?” (“Who knows?” en español) 42 Common interest gps.

43 Mid-month Roman date 44 “Ready to do this!”

45 Lynx cousin 47 American-born queen of Jordan 49 Part of DOS or GPS 50 Positive responses 52 One of 30, for short?

54 ___ cum laude 56 Markey, Merkley, or Murkowski, e.g.

62 Bunches 63 Off-road cycling lane?

64 Drummer Krupa 65 Company that had a breakout with Breakout 66 Prefix meaning “eight” 67 Like some coffee 68 Insinuate 69 Aussie hoppers

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J U N E 25 - J U LY 1, 2020

LEGAL Invitation For Bids The Worcester Housing Authority invites sealed bids for Roof Replacement at Belmont Tower Apartments, WHA Job No. 2019-09 in accordance with the documents prepared by GAROFALO DESIGN ASSOCIATES, INC. The work is estimated to cost $475,000.

Project consists of but is not limited to: Roof replacement and related work.

General Bids will be received until 2:00 p.m. on Thursday July 2, 2020 at the Worcester Housing Authority, Department of Modernization, 81 Tacoma Street, Worcester, MA 01605 at which time and place all bids will be publicly opened and read aloud.

A pre-bid conference will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, June 18, 2020 at 40 Belmont St. Worcester, MA at which time bidders will be invited to visit the project site with the Worcester Housing Authority representative. Failure to attend or visit the premises shall be no defense in failure to perform contract terms.

Bids are subject to M.G.L c149 §44A-J and Davis Bacon wage rates as well as other applicable laws. General Bidders must be certified by the Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance (DCAMM) in the following category of work: ROOFING. Each bid shall be accompanied by a bid deposit in the amount of 5% of the bid price in the form of a Bid Bond, issued by a responsible surety company licensed to do business in Massachusetts, or a certified check, or a treasurer’s or cashier’s check issued by a responsible bank or trust company, made payable to the Worcester Housing Authority by bidders for the greatest possible bid amount (considering all alternates).

Bid forms and Contract Documents will be made available on the Worcester Housing Authority website (http://www.worcesterha.org/currentbi ds.html) at no cost. Hard copies will be made available on June 10, 2020 at the Worcester Housing Authority, Department of Modernization, 81 Tacoma Street, Worcester, MA 01605 and thereafter, Monday thru Friday 8:00 AM. through 4:30 P. M. Copies of the contract documents may be obtained by depositing $50.00 in the form of a company check, made payable to the Worcester Housing Authority, for each set of documents so obtained. The amount of the deposit will be refunded to each person who returns the plans, specifications and other documents in good condition within ten (10) days after bid opening. Bidders requesting contract documents to be mailed to them should include a separate check in the amount of $40.00 for each set payable to the Worcester Housing Authority to cover mailing and handling costs.

The contract documents may be seen, but not removed at: 1. Worcester Housing Authority, Department of Modernization, 81 Tacoma Street, Worcester, MA 01605 2. F.W. Dodge, 24 Hartwell Ave., Lexington, MA 02173 3. Reed Construction Data, 30 Technology Parkway South, Norcross, GA 30092 4. Project Dog, 18 Graf Road Unit #8 Plan Room, Newburyport, MA 01950 Attention is called to the following: 1. Provisions of Equal Employment Opportunity; 2. Provisions for payment of not less than the minimum wages as set forth in the Specifications; 3. Provisions of Chapter 14, Acts of 1966,Imposing a Temporary Sales Tax, Section 1, Subsection 6 {d) and {k) exempting the Authority from the operation of such a chapter; 4. Requirement to furnish and pay for a Performance Bond and a Labor and Materials Bond as set forth in the specifications, 5. Insurance certificate indicating coverage for public liability, property damage and workers compensation, in accordance with the contract requirements, must be filed by the successful bidder upon signing of the contract.

The contract will be awarded to the responsible and eligible bidder with the lowest proposed contract price including the dollar amount of all accepted alternates.

Questions regarding this project shall be submitted in writing 72 hours prior to opening and emailed to Mod-Bids@worcesterha. org. Reference the WHA Job Number only in the subject line.

Worcester Housing Authority Joseph P. Carlson, Chairperson

SERVICE DIRECTORY

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LAST CALL

Joseph Corazzini

Educational Thought Leader

W

orcester native Joseph Corazzini is the Assistant Superintendent of Equity, Diversity and Community Engagement for the Framingham Public Schools.

that they’ve already been honing in and working on. For many other kids who may have felt disenfranchised or ignored or unheard, it’s giving them a platform, which is probably one of the most exciting things. I’m seeing a lot of faces I never saw at rallies before. I hear the voices of young people and see them in the streets marching. I see them meeting with adults. And, it’s not just about tolerance. Anybody can tolerate you, right? It’s the idea of shifting and changing people to be sure that when they see and hear injustice, they don’t minimize it.

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As the father of young activists, how do you foresee this moment in history igniting change for your own children?

We’ve raised them to be openminded and to be committed to this work. They’ve been organizing since they were 13 years old under the leadership and mentoring of many experienced organizers.

They’ve been to Washington DC, What do you find to be WorcesTexas and New York. I think this movement gives them hope and an ter’s most pressing challenges opportunity to utilize a lot of skills in regard to racism and how can

space to acknowledge them. Five years ago we were marching and taking a knee to say black lives matter. I think a lot of folks now want to see some actual policy changes. Show me with your dollars. A lot of people have to get to the depths of despair in this country and go to jail before they can actually access social services.

I visited the women’s prison in Framingham and I was astonished by how many services they have available — therapy, vocational trades, education. That’s amazing. That’s exactly what should be happening there. But, when I think about it as a youth worker and as an educator, I think of all the families that I’ve worked with over 20 years and how challenging it is for kids showcasing symptoms of suicide to access basic therapy.

It can be a six-month waitlist just to find a therapist. We’re calling out for more investments in areas that actually adour community begin to address dress the root causes of those problems immediately? our unrest. There’s a certain way I think people are just apathetic. in which we can use more social People think of racism as putting services, support and resources on capes like the Klan. There’s this to ensure people have basic jobs, part of the Northeast that looks food, education and opportunities at the South and says, “Well, we’re for upward mobility. We know the not that.” People need to realize stabilization of families leads to a that what we’re talking about is decrease of abuse and stress and systemic racism. We’re talking addiction and alcohol. For some about the system that was created folks, it’s very easy to dismiss to push down people of color in those things. They’ll tell you it’s order to elevate white people. Even not really about race; it’s about as there’s been change and progclass. Data helps us to dismiss ress, there are still huge gaps in that theory very easily. For some terms of access and equality. We people, their ignorance allows are not marching because it’s fun them to ignore the conscious lived to walk and sweat in the streets experiences of other people. That for hours. We march because we is infuriating and it’s unacceptable see the inequities persist and feel frustrated that there’s not more – Sarah Connell Sanders

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What should classroom teachers be doing to ensure that they are creating an environment for students that is overtly antiracist?

Anti-racism work actually requires a full system review. It can’t just be on the teachers. It has to be on the entire administration to prioritize anti-racism and anti-racist pedagogy. Looking at the curriculum and asking the question of who is telling the story is not enough on its own. It’s looking at the practices of an institution and asking: “Are they shifting policies to the benefit of kids, specifically students of color, or are they perpetuating inequality?”

I’m asking that question around access and really creating space for students of color and staff of

PHOTO SUBMIT TED

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Can you describe your career trajectory?

I started off as a youth worker. I was actually a computer science major, and I changed my career path after volunteering for the Citizen Schools Program at Worcester East Middle. I became a Citizens teaching fellow while running afterschool programs.

That led me to other programs like College Access and Dynamy.

Then, I went over to Worcester Education Collaborative and that’s where I worked with United Way on the Main South Promise Neighborhood. We became one of the first 20 national sites with the Obama administration. From there, I transitioned to Framingham Public Schools where I became the Director of Community Resource Development.

Six years into that, Dr. Robert A. Tremblay came in and reorganized the District and developed the Assistant Superintendent of Equity, Diversity and Community Engagement position.

color to be at the center of a lot of the change.

The first place it starts is the acknowledgment that race is one of the most critical factors and determines important outcomes. Scientific data shows that for educational outcomes and health outcomes, race matters. All identities matter. It’s important for us to be conscious of that in shifting our approach from trying to be colorblind and taking a race-neutral approach where we tiptoe around some of the injustices and inequalities to having a laser focus around how we as an institution are combating these challenges. Educators need to remember that they are doorways for kids. They could be closed doors that cut off resources or they could be open doors. Adults too often close the door to student’s opportunities because they get upset with a student’s behavior or they can’t see them for who they can be. Cutting that student off from possible resources because they’ve got an attitude could potentially guide a child to a place in life where they don’t have access to what they need to make their dreams come true.

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