Waterbury Community Mural Fully Funded!
June 20, 2023 · WAARC Public Art Team
We are thrilled to announce that we reached our fundraising goal of $10,000 for the Waterbury Community Mural project! The $10,000 we raised qualifies WAARC to receive an additional $20,000 Better Places grant from the Vermont Department of Housing and Community Development (VDHCD). Our dream of a community mural is about to become a reality thanks to the hard work of the many WAARC volunteers listed below.
Public Art Team: Chiyomi McKibbin, MK Monley, Faith Bieler, Rachel Cadwallader-Staub, Nicole Grenier
Selection Committee: Nicole Grenier, Chiyomi McKibbin, Maroni Minter, MK Monley, Ashley Laporte, Tessa Yip
Marketing and Events Committee: Faith Bieler, Rachel Cadwallader-Staub, Caitlin Frauton, Brenda Hartshorn, Alayna Howard, Jo-Anne Smith, Emily Wood
Steering Committee: Mal Culbertson, Life LeGeros, Ashley Laporte, Erin Hurley, Maroni Minter, Marlena Tucker-Fishman, Dan Levy
We’d like to extend a huge thank you to Nicole and John Grenier, owners of Stowe Street Cafe, who offered their building as a site for the mural. For two years, our Public Art Team has been working to find a location where we could realize our goal of uplifting the voices of BIPOC artists with public art. Nicole and John’s generosity made it possible to turn this goal into action.
We are looking forward to working with Raphaella (Raph) Brice in August to paint “Madonna’s Earth”. We will have a community sign-up for those interested in helping to paint this summer and we will host a celebratory event when the mural is installed in early September.
We would like to thank everyone who has supported this project! Over 150 people, near and far, contributed to the $10,000 fundraising effort and more than 30 area businesses contributed raffle items that raised over $1,000 toward that goal. Our largest donor, The Alchemist, has been a key supporter from the beginning. A list of contributing patrons and businesses can be found below and on our Patronicity page.
We encourage everyone interested in the mural project to read our previous blog posts and to follow the links below to learn about Raph’s background and design in their own words.
Learn more about Raph: https://raphdraws.com/
Learn more about the design: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YIXNiz-CQGg&ab_channel=WaterburyAreaAntiRacismCoalition
To our supporters and donors near and far, anonymous and named, collective and individual - we did it! Thank you!
List of Donor Patrons and Businesses:
A complete list of our Patronicity donors can be found under the “Patrons” tab on our project page: https://www.patronicity.com/project/waterbury_vermont_community_mural_project#!/.
Additionally, we’d like to thank the many area businesses that donated raffle prizes and/or funds directly to WAARC to make the mural possible and to endow our continued work on this inclusive community art project!
The Alchemist, After Glow on Main St. Salon, Artisan Coffee & Tea, Balance Massage Center, Ben & Jerry’s, Block House Pottery Studio, Bohemian Bakery, Cabot Cheese, Capital Grounds, Cold Hollow Cider Mill, Crossroads Beverage & Deli, Evergreen Gardens, Green Envy VT, Green Mountain Dry Goods, Green Mountain Inn, Lake Champlain Chocolates, Lawson’s Finest Liquids, Mad River Glass Gallery, Red Hen Baking, Roots & Tides Massage, Sarduccis's, Sally Kendall Massage, Stowe Cider, Stowe Street Cafe, Sunflower Natural Market, Taste Place, The Goose Chase Designs, Three Mountain Cafe, Three Penny Taproom, Toast & Eggs, Wild Sings the Bird Apothecary, Woodbury Mountain Toys, and Zen Barn.
Artist and Design Selected for Waterbury Community Mural
May 24, 2023 · WAARC Public Art Team
The WAARC Public Art Team is very excited to announce that we have selected artist Raphaella (Raph) Brice and their design “Madonna’s Earth” for the Waterbury Community Mural project! This selection process was thoughtful and thorough, involving many members of WAARC and the Waterbury community.
Raph (she/they) is a Vermont-based artist living and working in Burlington. You can see the design and an intro video from Raph here and visit Raph’s website here. In the intro video, Raph speaks about their Haitian Catholic background and its influence on their art. Raph also shares information about the Black Madonna, explaining that she is a depiction of influence from the purest divine feminine in human history. Raph states that “the Black Madonna is both a living reality and archetypal embodiment of human behavior.” They share that “through her loving acceptance of all of us and valuing the interrelatedness of life, the Black Madonna brings us to wholeness and stillness.” Raph also shares that the Black Madonna reminds us of the sacredness of life and the need for care and nourishment.
We are thrilled to work with Raph on this project and can’t wait to see it come to life in downtown Waterbury. We are more than halfway to our fundraising goal of $10,000, but we still need fundraising support to reach it by June 30, 2023! Please spread the word about this important inclusive public art initiative and give today to have your donation matched 2 to 1!
Better Places Crowdfunding campaign launched for “Waterbury, Vermont Community Mural Project”
May 01, 2023 · Vermont Department of Housing and Community Development Better Places Program Press Release
$10,000 goal to receive a 2:1 matching grant through DHCD’s Better Places program.
Waterbury residents will soon be able to enjoy a vibrant and inclusive mural thanks to a recently launched crowdfunding campaign. The campaign is sponsored by the Vermont Department of Housing and Community Development’s Better Places program led by the Waterbury Area Anti Racism Coalition (WAARC).
“Public art encourages representation and a sense of belonging,” said Department of Housing and Community Development Commissioner Josh Hanford. “The Waterbury Vermont Community Mural Project will bring a vibrant pop of color to downtown Waterbury.”
If the campaign reaches its $10,000 goal by deadline June 30, 2023 the “Waterbury, Vermont Community Mural Project” will receive a matching grant of $20,000 from DHCD’s Better Places program.
Click HERE for project details and to donate.
The funds raised will cover the artist fees, construction and implementation costs, artist labor, and materials including any equipment rentals, events or programming related to the project, installation, and other miscellaneous costs.
“This mural project has been 3 years in the making” said Chiyomi McKibbin, project Co-Coordinator. “We are incredibly excited that local business owners and WAARC members, Nicole and John Greinier offered their building at 29 Stowe Street for the home of this project. Due to their generosity of using this location, we're able to move forward with this project. We are looking forward to working with community members to carry out the artist's vision and our hope is that this public art piece will allow viewers a moment of pause for reflection and contemplation within their busy lives and, of course, bring joy to viewers and our community. Vermont has many wonderful public art pieces around the state, and we're excited to be able to add to the growing list of vibrant public art.”
Residents, businesses, and neighbors ready to support vibrant public places, community gathering areas, and local opportunities are encouraged to get involved and support these projects. Learn more and donate here.
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About Better Places
Better Places is a community matching grant program empowering Vermonters to create inclusive and vibrant public places serving Vermont’s designated downtowns, village centers, new town centers, or neighborhood development areas. The program is led by the Vermont Department of Housing and Community Development in partnership with the Vermont Department of Health, the Vermont Community Foundation, and Patronicity, our crowdfunding experts. The program supports community-led projects that create, revitalize, or activate community gathering areas that bring people together to build welcoming and thriving places across Vermont.
Public Art Planning Underway
April 23, 2023 · WAARC Steering Committee
On Saturday April 22, 2023 a group of WAARC members gathered for an in-person meeting at Stowe Street Cafe in Waterbury, VT to plan the next phase of the mural project (see the March 1, 2023 blog post for details on the project launch). As a large collective that spans multiple towns, in-person meetings are rare for WAARC. Some much needed face-to-face collaboration made for an energizing planning session.
WAARC released a Request for Proposals (RFP) from local artists in April to create a “complex, engaging, and meaningful mural on the backside of Stowe Street Cafe.” The RFP deadline was April 16, 2023 and the WAARC Selection Committee has been reviewing each submission carefully. An artist will be selected by May at which point the proposed design will be shared on the WAARC website along with details on how to support the project.
The group that met on April 22 discussed plans to keep the surrounding community updated on the mural as it progresses, ideas to raise funds for its creation, and preparations for a celebratory event in June. Stay tuned to this blog, the WAARC Facebook page, and the WAARC email list for the latest on this exciting project!
WAARC Request for Proposals for Waterbury Mural
March 01, 2023 · WAARC Public Art Team
Waterbury Area Anti-Racism Coalition (WAARC) is releasing a Request for Proposals (RFP) from Vermont-based artists to design and work with the community to paint an original artwork to be installed on the back of the Stowe Street Cafe, located in Waterbury, Vermont (29 Stowe St #1, Waterbury Village Historic District, VT 05676)
WAARC is seeking experienced mural artists with a unique aesthetic to create a complex, engaging, and meaningful mural. Artists are asked to submit designs that reflect the WAARC mission: The Waterbury Area Anti-Racism Coalition (WAARC) works to create a community where every person can fully experience freedom, belonging, and love on a daily basis.
We are strongly encouraging applications from those who identify as people of color, as LGBTQ+, or with disabilities, those who are immigrants, low-income citizens, or veterans.
See the attached PDF for more detailed information and requirements.
Applications must be submitted by emailing: Life LeGeros at: WAARCpublicartproject@gmail.com and are due on Sunday, April 16, 2023. The selected artist(s) will be notified by Friday, April 28, 2023.
Learn moreStudent-created Public Art Brightens our Town!
September 20, 2022 · WAARC Public Art Team
If you’ve driven through Waterbury recently, you’ve probably noticed two brilliantly colorful electrical boxes, transformed from mere utility units into representations of our community’s care for this place we live.
These electrical boxes were a collaborative project led by MK Monley of both WAARC and MakerSphere. MK coordinated with talented Burlington-based artist, Julio Desmont, to involve local students in this beautification process. Julio was an artist-in-residence at Brookside Primary School in 2021 so this was a natural extension of his already strong connection with the school community. Julio led two small groups of middle and high school students in determining a theme and creative design for each of the boxes. Then he and the students got to work on the boxes, leaving marks of care and community pride with every brush stroke.
At WAARC, we believe that public art is an important element of strong and inclusive communities. Since WAARC’s inception, a small and mighty group of members on the Public Art Team (led by Chiyomi McKibbin and MK Monley) have been looking for opportunities to create public art. Our goal is for this to be the first of many public art displays facilitated by WAARC. A special thanks to MK Monley and Julio Desmont for their thoughtful efforts not just in creating something beautiful but doing so in a way that embodies WAARC’s principles. This project specifically prioritized leadership from people of color, empowered students and families, and contributed tangibly to the Waterbury community. Way to go team!
Celebrating Freedom and Unity at the NQID Parade
June 26, 2022 · WAARC Steering Committee
For the second year in a row, WAARC brought dazzling smiles and messages of inclusivity, joy, and love to the Not Quite Independence Day annual celebration of hometown pride.
On the last Saturday in June, our convoy that included a proudly decorated pickup truck and Ben & Jerry’s Tesla pulled into the parade line-up behind a small herd of patriotic miniature horses. Our crew of 20 paraders included members of WAARC and our friends from the Mad River Valley Anti-Racism Initiative. Marchers were adorned with matching Black Lives Matter tee-shirts and carried hand-made signs with messages about what WAARC stands for. This year’s parade theme, Freedom & Unity, was an easy match for WAARC, since our mission is to create a community where everyone can experience freedom, belonging, and love on a daily basis.
Just like all WAARC events, this was a team effort. Special thanks to the team who made this happen and all those who showed up to share our message of inclusivity and love. We’ll see you in the parade next year!!
BOOK SUGGESTION: They Were Her Property
August 05, 2021 · WAARC Steering Committee
They Were Her Property: White Women as Slave Owners in the American South is a soul and mind-changing book about white women’s participation in the slave industry written by Stephanie E Jones-Rogers, a Black female historian.
This book uses primary sources to uncover the truth about how white women benefited from and propelled the slave industry in America. This book truly looks at how the notion of female fragility kept so much of this story hidden and how the capitalist system build on slavery in America also includes white women as slave owners and sellers. As white women, this is critical history to absorb. As humans, this is the history we should all know.
Learn moreCelebrating Bob Moses, civil rights activist
July 31, 2021 · WAARC Steering Committee
WAARC is proud to celebrate, acknowledge and raise awareness of BIPOC contributions to our collective history.
Robert “Bob” Moses, civil rights activist and education advocate, has died at 86
Robert Parris Moses, a civil rights activist who endured beatings and jail while leading Black voter registration drives in the South during the 1960s and later helped improve minority education in math, has died.
"What a brilliant, conscious, compassionately active human being," tweeted The Martin Luther King Jr. Center in response to Moses' death.
Additional resources: https://www.americanswhotellthetruth.org/portraits/bob-moses
Learn more about Robert Moses and his contribution to civil rightsPOC & BIPOC - What's the Difference?
July 23, 2021 · WAARC Steering Committee
“POC,” which stands for “people of color,” is a general umbrella term that collectively refers to all people of color — anyone who isn’t white.
But because the term is so broad, it tends to lose some of its power, particularly when used to discuss the specific, separate struggles faced by people of color with different ethnic backgrounds.
The term “BIPOC“ is an acronym for Black, Indigenous, People of Color.
“BIPOC” emphasizes, more specifically than the term “People of Color,” the following:
- People of Color face varying types of discrimination and prejudice.
- Systemic racism continues to oppress, invalidate, and deeply affect the lives of Black and Indigenous people in ways other People of Color may not necessarily experience.
- Black and Indigenous individuals and communities still bear the impact of slavery and genocide.
In other words, the term aims to bring to center stage the specific violence, cultural erasure, and discrimination experienced by Black and Indigenous people.
It reinforces the fact that not all People of Color have the same experience, particularly when it comes to legislation and systemic oppression.
When should you use BIPOC, and when should you be more specific? Click here to find out!Nice White Parents Podcast
July 16, 2021 · WAARC Steering Committee
Have you ever wondered how white parents’ privilege can impact and shape our public schools? This five-part listen chronicles barriers in the face of changemakers in New York City public schools.
Listen to the PodcastWhat is Critical Race Theory?
July 09, 2021 · WAARC Steering Committee
Critical race theory is an academic concept that is more than 40 years old. The core idea is that racism is a social construct, and that it is not merely the product of individual bias or prejudice, but also something embedded in legal systems and policies. The basic tenets of critical race theory, or CRT, emerged out of a framework for legal analysis in the late 1970s and early 1980s created by legal scholars Derrick Bell, Kimberlé Crenshaw, and Richard Delgado, among others.
Learn more here: https://www.edweek.org/leadership/what-is-critical-race-theory-and-why-is-it-under-attack/2021/05
See more articles about Critical Race TheoryWhere did American BBQ come from?
July 03, 2021 · WAARC Steering Committee
WAARC is proud to celebrate, acknowledge and raise awareness of BIPOC contributions to our collective history.
There are many styles of BBQ drawing on traditions from Native Americans, Germans, the Caribbean and beyond. But it’s the slow-cooked meat cooked over hot coals or flame with a tangy, smoky mopped-on sauce that truly defines American BBQ - and it started with Black cooks on Southern plantations. Their Afro-Southern style of cooking radiated through the south, then to the north and west where regional BBQ styles developed.
As you’re celebrating this weekend with friends, family and delicious BBQ, take a moment to honor the Southern Black free and enslaved people who created American BBQ.
Read more about the Black contribution to American BBQ hereAngela Davis: Turning Living History Into Action
June 25, 2021 · WAARC Steering Committee
WAARC is proud to celebrate, acknowledge and raise awareness of BIPOC contributions to our collective history.
Students at the University of California at Santa Cruz can be taught today by Angela Davis, Professor Emeritus of History of Consciousness and Feminist Studies.
This powerful woman grew up in a neighborhood named “dynamite hill” because of the violence perpetrated in the area by the KKK. She grew up in a time when her mother’s association with the NAACP was considered dangerous. The KKK bombing of Sixteenth Street Baptist Church - where four girls were killed - happened in her hometown while she was at college. She was a young post-graduate student when the civil right movement was in full swing.
Angela Davis has been fired and imprisoned for being outspoken. She has been an activist for prison reform, is an author of 11 books, and even ran for Vice President of the United States in 1980 and 1984.
But she is not done - she is still active and talking about feminism, police reform, capitalism, and the fact that “racism is embedded in the fabric of this country.” Watch an interview where she talks about this moment in our history in this video from June 2020: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9LiMOThNpxU
It’s hard to say racism is ancient history when faced with someone like Angela Davis, who famously said “I’m no longer accepting the things I cannot change… I’m changing the things I cannot accept.”
Learn more about Angela Davis’ story hereJUNETEENTH 2021 - LIVING LIBERATION
June 19, 2021 · WAARC Steering Committee
WAARC is proud to join other anti-racist organizations to commemorate Juneteenth this year with a celebratory evening on the State House Lawn in Montpelier.
JUNETEENTH 2021 - LIVING LIBERATION
Location: State House Lawn, Montpelier, VT
Time: Saturday June 19th, 5pm-8pm
See call for support and volunteers below!
We will be commemorating Juneteenth this year with a celebratory evening on the State House Lawn in Montpelier. Our celebration and reflections will be focused on the word ‘Liberation’ as we share Black History in Vermont and make space to discuss the continued impacts of systemic racism in our state. This community event will include food available for pre-order from Black businesses and home cooks and a slate of speakers and performers from across the state. Similar to last year, this is a laid, back lawn party with opportunities to connect! Check out our Facebook event for updates and invite your neighbors: https://www.facebook.com/events/1328741564188837
CALL FOR COLLABORATORS: We are welcoming Black Vermonters and anti-racist organizations and businesses to join us in putting on this event.
- Black Vermonters: We are seeking performers, speakers and musicians to share on the mic. We also welcome Black Vermonters to reach out with ideas of how they would like to share their talents, work and perspective during the event and hopefully we can make it a reality. It is our goal to compensate performers and help with accommodations for those traveling from far away. Also, we will have an open mic during the event for any Black people to share their thoughts and stories.
- Anti-racist organizations: Support us by co-sponsoring this event financially or through in-kind donations, promoting this event to your networks and supporting members to attend (if distance is an obstacle).
CALL FOR SUPPORT: We hope that our allies can support us through sponsoring the event to compensate performers, offering in-kind donations for a smooth and safe event as well as volunteers for set-up, during the event and breakdown. Please reach out with what you are interested in offering to laporte.jt@gmail.com subject line: Juneteenth
1. Fundraising goal: $5,000. Funds will be used to compensate performers and speakers, purchase supplies.
2. Sign-up to volunteer here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScxpdsBSyOOHk3F6gRSQN7bMSwCKt8v-YrJnPpqTAma9-vBuQ/viewform
- Volunteer time slots are:
- Set-up: 3:45-5pm
- Event Support: 4:30-7pm & 6-8pm
- Clean-up: 7:30-8:30pm
3. Sign-up to donate supplies here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScxpdsBSyOOHk3F6gRSQN7bMSwCKt8v-YrJnPpqTAma9-vBuQ/viewform.
Items we are looking to secure through in-kind donations:
- Masks - cloth (preferred)
- Disinfecting wipes (4-5 pouches)
- First Aid Kits
- Granola Bars, snacks
- Water
- Trash bags
- Tape
- Poster board for signs
- Tables - plastic folding (to borrow)
Sign-up to volunteer here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScxpdsBSyOOHk3F6gRSQN7bMSwCKt8v-YrJnPpqTAma9-vBuQ/viewform
Sign-up to donate supplies here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScxpdsBSyOOHk3F6gRSQN7bMSwCKt8v-YrJnPpqTAma9-vBuQ/viewform.
RSVP and invite Friends on the Facebook Event Page!Audre Lorde: Poet, Essayist, Civil Rights Activist
June 17, 2021 · WAARC Steering Committee
WAARC is proud to celebrate, acknowledge and raise awareness of BIPOC contributions to our collective history.
Audre Lorde was an African American writer, feminist, librarian, professor, and civil rights activist who spent her life fighting against the injustices of racism, sexism, classism, capitalism and homophobia. Born in New York City to Caribbean immigrant parents, Lorde was drawn to poetry at a young age. Lorde’s experiences as a black, queer woman in white academia greatly influenced her life and her writing. In her essays, she made significant contributions to feminist theory, critical race studies and LGBTQ theory.
Lorde’s poetry was often based on experiences taken from her journals. She wrote poems of protest such as “Power,” a poem about a police officer acquitted in the shooting of a ten-year-old black child. Lorde said she had “a duty to speak the truth as I see it and to share not just my triumphs, not just the things that felt good, but the pain, the intense, often unmitigating pain.”
Lorde co-founded Kitchen Table: Women of Color Press, a group dedicated to promoting black feminist writers. As a social activist against apartheid in South Africa, Lorde created Sisterhood in Support of Sisters in South Africa to address the plight of black women there. Lorde’s message throughout her writings encouraged a celebration of differences in race, class and other categories of people instead of the marginalization and isolation that society imposes based on these differences.
Lorde’s writings include: From a Land Where Other People Live, Coal, The Black Unicorn and Sister Outsider: Essays and Speeches. Among Lorde’s achievements, honors and awards, she held professorships at several colleges; earned a fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts; and, won the National Book Award for her collection of essays in A Burst of Light, among others.
Listen to Audre Lorde’s “There is No Hierarchy of Oppressions,” read by Lauren LyonsAlvin Ailey - 1950s Dancer, Arts Activist
June 11, 2021 · WAARC Steering Committee
WAARC is proud to celebrate, acknowledge and raise awareness of BIPOC contributions to our collective history.
Alvin Ailey ( Jan. 5, 1931 – Dec. 1, 1989)
Alvin Ailey was an African-American dancer, director, choreographer and activist. He grew up poor and was raised by his mother in a small Texas town where he was influenced by music from his church services and from the local dance hall. Ailey and his mother moved to Los Angeles when he was 12, where did well in school and athletics and went on to study languages and writing at UCLA. At age 18, Ailey was first exposed to concert dance at a Russian ballet performance and a performance of the African American modern dance of Katherine Dunham. These concerts inspired Ailey to take up dance seriously. He studied a wide range of dance styles including ballet, modern, jazz and Native American movement studies.
In 1958, Ailey founded the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre in New York which honored black culture through dance. The company was inspired by the blues, spirituals and gospels Ailey experienced as a Texas youth. The AAADT provided performances for black dancers who were frequently denied opportunities due to the racist policies of the time. Ailey choreographed more than 100 ballets for his dancers and also had his company perform pieces by a wide range of other choreographers. Ailey’s most famous pieces included Blues Suite, Revelations and Masakela Language; and his independent dance performances included the Broadway musicals House of Flowers, The Carefree Tree and Jamaica.
Ailey was notoriously private about his personal life and kept his romantic affairs and orientation as a gay man hidden. Ailey will be remembered as a pioneer who promoted programs for the arts in education benefitting underserved communities. He received numerous awards including the Kennedy Center Honor (1988) and the Presidential Medal of Freedom (2014, posthumously) in recognition of his contributions to civil rights and dance in America.
Watch excerpts from Alvin Ailey’s Revelations:Have You Heard of Marsha P Johnson, Stonewall Activist?
June 04, 2021 · WAARC Steering Committee
[This History snippet is part of our commitment to celebrate, acknowledge and raise awareness of BIPOC contributions to our collective history.]
Marsha “Pay It No Mind” Johnson was a Black trans social activist and drag performer who participated in the Stonewall Uprising in June, 1969. Sometimes referred to as riots, the patrons of the Stonewall Inn bar in New York City, led by Johnson and other trans women and femmes of color, fought back against another discriminatory (but routine) police raid.
One year later, a march and “be-in” was organized to commemorate the anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising. This event is recognized as the first PRIDE march, and June has since become PRIDE month in the US and around the world.
While the Stonewall Uprising was not the beginning of LGBTQIA+ fight for equality, it was a significant event that helped raise public awareness. The work toward equality and safety for LGBTQIA+ continues today.
We recognize and celebrate the contributions of BIPOC LGBTQIA+ leaders and activists in raising awareness and advancing equity during PRIDE month and throughout the year.
Learn more about Marsha P JohnsonWAARC Statement: Stolen Yard Signs and Flags
May 12, 2021 · WAARC Steering Committee
A number of community members have reported signs and flags stolen from their properties, specifically signs & flags showing support for Black Lives Matter and other marginalized groups.
To those whose signs have been stolen: We know that a stolen sign won’t diminish your commitment to this work. Nevertheless, WAARC has been replacing stolen signs as much as possible. Please reach out to us by emailing outreachWAARC@gmail.com if you need a replacement.
To the person(s) taking the signs: We invite you to reflect on what about these signs is so threatening that you would break the law (and likely go against your own values) to steal from your neighbors? We also invite you to reach out to WAARC to have a private conversation and to join us in tackling our fear and discomfort so we can name and dismantle racism and white supremacy.
One of WAARC’s core beliefs is that every person and organization can grow through continuous learning, unlearning, and reflection. While white supremacy is a pervasive system in our country and community, nobody is inherently or permanently racist or antiracist. By continuing to do better as individuals while learning together in community, we can be more antiracist more of the time and transform systems to create a community where every person can be their whole human self in all spaces.
Visit our Glossary for the definition of "White Supremacy"Correction to post regarding disc-golf player
May 11, 2021 · WAARC Steering Committee
Waterbury Area Anti-Racism Coalition (WAARC) recently posted a statement regarding a disc golf player with a racist tattoo. After further research and a conversation with Chris Young, owner of Disc Golf Vermont, we are aware some of the information in the statement was incorrect. We are deeply sorry for the mistake, and want to take this opportunity to share the facts.
The disc golf player with the harmful tattoo, Josh Anthon, is no longer representing Innova. And while there is a disc golf tournament coming up in Waterbury, Josh Anthon was never expected to attend. Once again, we apologize for the misinformation, and commit to more thorough and inclusive research going forward.
Disc Golf Vermont is dedicated to diversity, equity and inclusion, and is actively working to bring more people into the sport of disc golf. As a community-minded organization, Disc Golf Vermont has raised over $110,000 for area food shelves.
The Sap Bucket Tournament will be held June 5-6 at Hope Davey Park in Waterbury.
Click Here for more information about The Sap Bucket Tournament and Disc Golf VermontWAARC Statement: Disc Golf Player with Racist Tattoo
May 07, 2021 · WAARC Steering Committee
Recently WAARC was informed that a representative from a disc golf team who has a racist tattoo will be attending an event in Waterbury this summer. WAARC has closely reviewed and considered the situation, including listening to the statement made by the disc-golfer regarding the background of the tattoo and his plans to have it covered with a new tattoo, and reading the statement of support by his sponsor, Innova.
It’s clear this individual is on a journey to understand the meaning and impact of his tattoo, and is taking ownership of his past decision by making this statement of apology, and by agreeing to cover the tattoo. It is also clear that his corporate sponsor Innova is taking the issue seriously as well.
WAARC is supportive of individuals, organizations and communities who are actively working to understand and take accountability for their connection to racism, and who are committed to standing up against racism in all forms. Our energies are focused on fostering a safe, welcoming community for all people in and around Waterbury, Vermont. With these principles in mind, WAARC will not be taking any action at this time regarding the disc golfer’s attendance at the upcoming event.
If you are interested in exploring anti-racism action and self-reflection, please visit waterburyantiracism.com or follow up on Facebook at facebook.com/WAARCVT
See Mr. Anthon's statement committing to covering his tattooRethink and Resist Standardized Testing: Why do we test? What could we do instead?
April 21, 2021 · WAARC Steering Committee
WAARC Position Statement
Statewide standardized testing for accountability is a mechanism of inequality and systemic racism. These tests are flawed in many ways, including the fact that they aren't culturally responsive. They have outsized influence on our education system, making it harder for schools to prioritize what is most important: relationships, belonging, and learning that is personally and socially meaningful. Additionally, these tests do not measure student growth in areas such as the creative arts, technical and hands-on subjects, and real-world community-centered projects.
The state of Vermont should design models for school accountability that do not rely on standardized tests. Due to the special circumstances of the pandemic, the data for this year is likely to be invalid and so the government has waived accountability and participation requirements, which makes this a perfect moment to have our voices heard without worry of negative consequences for our schools.
WAARC recommends that families have conversations about whether their children should refuse to take the tests to protect their own wellbeing and to send a message together that we demand transformative schooling aligned with our community’s values.
See our (link: https://docs.google.com/document/d/18N1c-RJMA4advE8babuWK_jhBOqj2U0VVsGLoz9QLUI/edit?usp=sharing text: information page) that includes myths about standardized testing and how to talk to your children about opting out of the tests.
Sign up to receive more info on standardized testing actions in the future2/21/21 UPDATE: Follow Up Q&A Now Available! Waterbury Selectboard Candidate Forum
February 18, 2021 · WAARC Steering Committee
Thank you to the candidates who could attend our forum: Scott Culver - running for a 3 year term; Dani Kehlmann - running for a 3 year term; Brock Coderre - running for a 1 year term; Noah Fishman - running for a 1 year term; Mark Frier - running for a 1 year term.
If you couldn’t make the live event, or would like to watch again, please see the recording below
2/21/21 UPDATE: We couldn’t get to all of the questions live, but all candidates were sent follow up questions. Mark Frier, Katie Martin, and Dani Kehlmann were able to answer by the Friday deadline. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1JQvqodZHEMMQPhCC5bGNDILH1vgF4J1b/view?usp=sharing
2/21/21 UPDATE: Follow UP Q&A Available! HUUSD School Board Candidate Forum
February 17, 2021 · WAARC Steering Committee
Thank you to the candidates who could attend our forum: Theresa Membrino from Fayston, Sam Rosenberg from Moretown, Jonathan Young from Warren, Caitlin Hollister from Waterbury, Scott Culver from Waterbury, Michael Frank from Waterbury, and Marlena Tucker-Fishman from Waterbury.
If you couldn’t make the live event, or would like to watch again, please see the recording below
2/21/21 Update: We couldn't get to all of the questions live, but candidates were emailed additional questions and asked to provide responses. Caitlin Hollister (Waterbury), Michael Frank (Waterbury), and Sam Rosenberg (Moretown) sent in their answers before the Friday deadline. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ep0qhnY-DOxJzGonJ5WAFiavCpwclAvh/view?usp=sharing
Waterbury Selectboard Candidate Forum hosted by WAARC
February 17, 2021 · WAARC Steering Committee
Join the Waterbury Selectboard Candidates for the Waterbury Area Anti-Racism (WAARC) Candidate Forum where our future representatives will be sharing their views and ideas and answering your questions surrounding race and social justice in our community.
Wednesday 2/17/21 @ 7pm - Waterbury Selectboard Candidates
Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86273862860
If you have a question for the candidates relating to anti-racism/social justice, please send them in via this form by Saturday 2/13: https://forms.gle/fvQ4XfWsS9nsyHT77
We hope to see you there!
Join via ZoomHUUSD School Board Candidate Forum hosted by WAARC
February 16, 2021 · WAARC Steering Committee
Join the HUUSD School Board Candidates for the Waterbury Area Anti-Racism (WAARC) Candidate Forum where our future representatives will be sharing their views and ideas and answering your questions surrounding race and social justice in our community.
Tuesday 2/16/21 @ 7pm - HUUSD School Board Candidates
Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86705581807
If you have a question for the candidates relating to anti-racism/social justice, please send them in via this form by Saturday 2/13: https://forms.gle/fvQ4XfWsS9nsyHT77
We hope to see you there!
Join via ZoomStand for Peace and Justice with WAARC Online Jan 17-20
January 17, 2021 · WAARC Steering Committee
Waterbury Area Anti Racism Coalition (WAARC) condemns the violence at the Capitol in Washington DC on January 6th and the rumored planned acts of violence in the days leading up to the Presidential Inauguration. While we believe responsibility and accountability are critical to creating a more just and inclusive society, we also call on all of our neighbors to refrain from participating in or protesting against armed demonstrations - and instead look for ways to be safe and engage in peaceful and respectful civil discourse.
STAY HOME
Please do not engage with or against reckless calls to arms. Stay home and stay safe.
JOIN US LIVE JAN 17-20 AT 5:00PM | 4 DAYS, 15 MINUTES A DAY
Please join us on Facebook live - 15 minutes a day for 4 days - for a peaceful counter-action. Join us via the WAARC Facebook page at 5 pm on January 17, 18, 19, and 20. In each 15 minute session, we will come together as a community, reflect on a short video or reading about important issues of our time, and engage in a shared 5 minutes of silence and intention-setting. The recordings will be posted on the page so those who can’t make it at 5pm can participate at another time.
With this Facebook Live series, we hope to offer an opportunity to build shared energy around peace, healing, and reconciliation - while at the same time keeping people safe from violence and virus alike.
WINDOW CANDLES AND ART
We encourage our neighbors to place a candle or light in your window beginning at sundown each night January 17 - 20th to show your support for peace and justice. Share pictures of your candles on the WAARC facebook page to share the light throughout our community! If art or writing inspires your personal light, share that on our page, too!
Please also consider these additional steps you can take to make a positive difference:
• Contact your representatives at every level to let them know violence will not be tolerated, and demand accountability from those who incite or engage in violent acts.
• If you have the means, make a donation to WAARC and/or the Peace and Justice Center to advance peace and justice in our community.
• Become a WAARC member and take direct, positive anti-racism action.
We hope you’ll join WAARC in these peaceful counter-action steps and work with us to advance peace and justice in our community.
Join us on Facebook LiveIt's a Soul-Ebration!
December 27, 2020 · WAARC Steering Committee
The Waterbury Area Anti-Racism Coalition is thrilled to present an evening of soul food, soul music and soul stories in a very special holiday event in honor of Kwanzaa and in celebration of the culture of the African diaspora.
This is an online and limited in-person event featuring soul food provided by Zenbarn and story-telling and music by Craig Mitchell and Ferene Paris-Meyer!
For the night:
-5:00: DJ opening set w/ Craig Mitchell
-6:00: Main event with stories and music featuring Craig and Ferene
-7:30: Closing discussion, Q&A and wrap-up
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How to participate:
-Pre-Order a meal from Zenbarn. The full menu is (link: https://www.zenbarnvt.com/menus/#holiday-meal-kits-togo text: HERE). Email lin@zenbarnvt.com to reserve your meal. You can also order additional items/beverages and more day-of at (link: http://zenbarnvt.com/ text: zenbarnvt.com) or by calling 1-888-Zenbarn.
-Pick-up your meal before the event begins. Best Pickup times to attend the event will be 4-530pm.
-Attend the event through the following (link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84780899419?pwd=QndDQi9OSHFoV2hSVE1HeDVnM0xIZz09 text: ZOOM), (link: https://fb.me/e/1WWJ84TjJ text: FACEBOOK) OR IN-PERSON (limited seating available).
This is a free community event. Donations to support the continued work of WAARC are encouraged. You can donate using the DONATE tab above.
Click here for more infoWhat's in a name?
December 15, 2020 · WAARC Steering Committee
How do we react to the information that Partridge Thatcher was a slaveholder?
Join the online community conversation on Tuesday, December 15, 2020 | 7:00-8:30
Prepare in advance with these (link: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1i5sGg62g7Y9jvU6g5EXUC1nRcD9vuC9zBJ8u2OO_Lcc/edit?usp=sharing text: informational materials).
As a co-host of this community conversation, WAARC wants to note that we do not currently have an organizational stance on whether the name of the school should be changed. At this point our focus is supporting the conversation as a vehicle for advancing our collective understanding of racism and its connection to and impacts on our community.
As an anti-racist organization, it is important to be clear that we condemn slavery in any of its forms throughout history. In the context of this conversation, we consider Partridge Thatcher's acts of enslavement to be morally reprehensible. There were many people who took this position during Thatcher's lifetime, refusing to own other human beings for their personal enrichment or fighting against the institution of slavery at risk and sacrifice to themselves. Relatedly, benevolent slave ownership is a dangerous myth that directly contributes to present day systemic racism.
The fact that Partridge Thatcher's participation in enslavement was an atrocity is not debatable. The question at hand is how our community should react to this information.
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