Some interesting segments from the ACMI studio.

Voting Rights discussion with Neil Osborne, Esq.
https://youtu.be/xMKX411Hbrs

Transgender Day of Remembrance with Valerie Oberton
https://youtu.be/ZUHp3dxgVyc

Gender Identity – One Person’s Perspective with Noah Stang-Osborne
https://youtu.be/7e7tvjy-YlM

Hi, I’m Maren, the DTG intern from Arlington High. I’m working on a culminating project for this internship which is focused on the unmarked graves in the Old Burying Ground in Arlington Center. These graves are the burial ground for some of the enslaved people who lived in Menotomy before the revolutionary war. I hope this project will bring awareness to Arlington’s history of slavery, as well as honor the memories of those who were buried without proper identification. This is a compilation of my work so far, and I will post updates as I continue to research.

I am very inspired by this project led by Medford students. It is difficult to find the exact identities of those buried as slaves because society did not award them the same respect that was given to white people who passed away. Slave masters sometimes recorded the birth of slaves, but only because it was essentially as an addition to their possessions. It was uncommon for masters to keep detailed records of birth and death dates and burial locations. For this reason, a generalized plaque seems like a good way to honor those who we cannot precisely identify.

An interesting collaboration between Waltham students and a local historian to uncover identities of mental hospital patients buried in Metfern Cemetery. A potential route for this project, if a local historian has the records to support such research.

• https://arlingtonhistorical.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Buried-Secrets.pdf
  • A paper written by Beverly Douhan. This has been a great resource for me. I plan to meet with her in the future to continue discussing her wealth of knowledge on the subject.

• Slaves in Menotomy 
  • Kate – Jason Russel House (no death date)
    • 2 unnamed children – died 1755 and 1767
  • Rose – Cutler Tavern (Died 1796)
    • Venus – born 1759
    • Prince – born 1762 (freed bc he fought as a soldier)
    • Ishmael – no date
    • Dinah – born 1756
    • Tobey – died 1774
  • Flora – Fowle/ Reed/ Wyman House on Old Mystic (no death date)
    • “What happened to her after 1789 is unknown. She gave birth to six children whose birth dates, but not their names nor the names of their fathers, were recorded in Rev. Cooke’s diary. First, a son on 4 Sept 1763, then a daughter born in June 1765, a child born in 1768, a child in 1770, a child born 3 Nov 1773 who died on 9 Nov 1773, and then another child born in 1779” (Douhan)
  • Pegg – Captain de Carteret (no death date)
    • “Slave Boy of Capt. de Carteret died on 12 April 1747 at six years of age. Slave Girl of Capt. de Carteret was born in July 1751.47 Slave Girl of Capt. de Carteret was born 15 August 1753. Slave Girl of Capt. de Carteret was born in 1754” (Douhan)
    • Cuff Cartwright – died 1826
• Writings
  • No slave narratives have surfaced as of present day
  • Benjamin and William R. Cutter wrote History of the Town of Arlington in 1880.
    • “Some of the genealogical material in their book came from the ministerial journals and diaries of the Rev. Samuel Cooke and the Rev. Thaddeus Fiske. They also drew information from the Rev. Dr. Paige’s book History of Cambridge, 1630-1877 and from History of Charlestown by Thomas B. Wyman. Another source is Chas. S. Parker’s Town of Arlington – Past and Present 1637 – 1907. It is from these documents that we know about colonial-era Arlington.” (Douhan)

This link will take you to a video of a four-hour aging in a place symposium that addresses many intersecting issues that concern planners, architects, policy makers, senior services and other groups. It is an excellent look at research studies, projects and challenges related to housing a growing senior population.

https://www.jchs.harvard.edu/calendar/aging-in-a-place

Major topic areas include Thinking and Doing Where Aging, Inequality, and Spatial Justice Meet; The Just City in the Aging Society: Identifying Values to Support Better Design; Ideals VS Reality; Aging Well in a Place: Bringing a Spatial Justice Lens to the Age-Friendly Movement; Aging Well in the City: Values Supporting Policy, Practice, and Public Life.
The brochure description produced by the Joint Center for Housing Studies Harvard University is quoted below.
“The United States is an aging society with growing economic inequality and socio-cultural diversity. Age-associated disadvantages, such as declining health, overlap with unequal access to healthy places, suitable housing, and other social determinants of health. These have in many cases affected people throughout life. As a result, there are vast differences in people’s experiences of late life. “Today, public discussion and policy focuses on “aging in place” as a way to improve quality of life and reduce costs. However, in part because of socioeconomic differences and structural inequalities, not all older adults can live in or move to age-supportive communities, neighborhoods, or homes that match their values and needs. Differences in access to places to age well can take the form of spatial inequalities, such as inadequate market rate housing for older adults on fixed incomes.
“Co-sponsored by The Hastings Center, the symposium will apply a spatial justice lens to this challenge, asking, who has access to age-friendly communities, accessible housing to prolong independence, and sufficient funds to cover housing and care? How can planners, policymakers, designers, and citizens make progress on social inequalities among older adults through planning and design? How can the fields of medicine, public health, and planning/design work together to effect change?”

Please join us THIS THURSDAY for a learning panel about what “Safe Community” legislation means and how advancing such a designation on the town-level could impact Winchester, based on towns who have successfully achieved this.
Confirmed panelists include Laura Rotolo, Staff Counsel and Community Advocate for the Massachusetts ACLU, and Todd Burger, co-chair of People Power Lexington, a grassroots group who advocated for the successful passage of Safe Community language in Lexington, MA.
As the rhetoric around immigration has intensified, the Supreme Court considers DACA legislation, and ICE continues to conduct raids, now is a critical time to examine the “Safe Communities Act” currently under consideration by the Massachusetts legislature. Come out to learn about what the Network’s Immigrant Justice Committee is doing to advance Safe Community legislation. 
Registration is recommended and can be done here.

On October 18th, the Joint Center for Housing Studies held a symposium, focusing on providing housing to our aging population. The JCHS site describes it as following:

The United States is an aging society with growing economic inequality and socio-cultural diversity. Age-associated disadvantages, such as declining health, overlap with unequal access to healthy places, suitable housing, and other social determinants of health. These have in many cases affected people throughout life. As a result, there are vast differences in people’s experiences of late life.

Today, public discussion and policy focuses on “aging in place” as a way to improve quality of life and reduce costs. However, in part because of socioeconomic differences and structural inequalities, not all older adults can live in or move to age-supportive communities, neighborhoods, or homes that match their values and needs. Differences in access to places to age well can take the form of spatial inequalities, such as inadequate market rate housing for older adults on fixed incomes.

Co-sponsored by The Hastings Center,  the symposium will apply a spatial justice lens to this challenge, asking, who has access to age-friendly communities, accessible housing to prolong independence, and sufficient funds to cover housing and care? How can planners, policymakers, designers, and citizens make progress on social inequalities among older adults through planning and design? How can the fields of medicine, public health, and planning/design work together to effect change?

More information: https://www.jchs.harvard.edu/calendar/aging-in-a-place

Updates to come as the symposium will be posted on the JCHS youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/HarvardJCHS/videos

All are Welcomed to an APS Diversity Inclusion Group (DIG) Potluck and Meet & Greet

When: Sunday, November 3rd. 5-7:30PM

Where: Arlington Senior Center, 27 Maple Street

Featuring a Performance by True Story Theatre

The Diversity and Inclusion Groups of the Arlington Public Schools (APS) invite all families to a Potluck and Meet & Greet. The DIGs mission is to support the diversity of our families and advance equity and inclusion in the APS. We work in collaboration with school administrators toward making our schools safe and welcoming learning spaces for all our children and their families, inclusive of all identities. We believe this work will prepare our children to be successful in an increasingly diverse world.

All are welcome to this family friendly event. If you feel inclined, please bring any food or dish that is significant to your family’s culture.

True Story Theater of Arlington will provide a short participatory improvisational skit at 6:45 PM.

Space is limited, please RSVP on Facebook or email gibbsottosondig@gmail.com.

We look forward to celebrating with you.

– APS Diversity and Inclusion Group, Advisory members

co-sponsored by Arlington’s Diversity Task Groupand the Arlington–Teosinte Sister City Project  

Spanish/Español

Los grupos DIG (Diversity Inclusion Groups), encabezados y dirigidos por padres de los alumnos de APS (Escuelas Públicas de Arlington), brindan una cálida bienvenida a todas las familias e invitan a una reunión y cena colectiva de tipo potluck, con actuación del grupo de teatro True Story Theatre. Dicho evento tendrá lugar el domingo, 3 de noviembre, de 5 a 7:30 PM en el Arlington Senior Center, 27 Maple St.

La misión de los DIGs es respaldar la diversidad de nuestras familias y respaldar la equidad e inclusión social para todos los alumnos de APS. Con ese fin, colaboramos con los administradores de las escuelas públicas para crear espacios de enseñanza y aprendizaje inclusivos donde todos los alumnos y sus familiares puedan sentirse bienvenidos y seguros. Confiamos en que esta labor los preparará para el éxito en un mundo cada día más diverso.

Hacemos extensiva la invitación a todas las familias de las escuelas públicas de Arlington. Asimismo, sugerimos que cada grupo familiar concurra con un plato para compartir propio, o representativo, de su cultura familiar.

A las 6:45 PM, True Story Theater de Arlington hará una breve actuación improvisada, con participación del público.

Como hay espacio limitado, se ruega confirmar la asistencia, ya sea por Facebook o email a gibbsottosondig@gmail.com.

Esperamos que puedan acompañarnos para este evento, donde tendrán la oportunidad de conocernos a nosotros y a otras familias de Arlington.

–       APS Diversity and Inclusion Groups, comité asesor

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Chinese/ 中文

欢迎大家参加阿灵顿公立学校多元化包容小组(DIG)的聚餐见面会

届时会有True Story Theatre的表演

由家长发起的阿灵顿公校多元化包容小组邀请所有家庭参加一个聚餐见面会。时间: 十一月3日（星期日）5-7:30 pm。地点：阿灵顿老年中心 (27 Maple Street)。

DIG的目的是支持我们家庭的多元化和推进阿灵顿公校系统内的平等与包容。我们与校方合作来让我们的学校成为一个对所有孩子和他/她们的家庭都安全的、包容的学习空间。我们相信这份工作会帮助我们的孩子成功适应一个越发多元化的世界。

我们欢迎所有人来参加这个家庭聚会。如果你愿意，请准备一些有你的文化特色的食物来与我们分享。True Story Theater将会准备一个小节目在6:45pm 上演。

由于座位有限，请通过脸书（Facebook）或电子邮件（gibbsottosondig@gmail.com）告知我们您的参加意向。我们期待与您见面。

阿灵顿公校多元化包容小组（DIG），顾问小组

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歡迎大家參加阿靈頓公立學校多元化包容小組(DIG)的聚餐見面會

屆時會有True Story Theatre的表演

由家長發起的阿靈頓公校多元化包容小組邀請所有家庭參加一個聚餐見面會。時間: 十一月3日（星期日）5-7:30 pm。地點：阿靈頓老年中心 (27 Maple Street)。

DIG的目的是支持我們家庭的多元化和推進阿靈頓公校系統內的平等與包容。我們與校方合作來讓我們的學校成為一個對所有孩子和他/她們的家庭都安全的、包容的學習空間。我們相信這份工作會幫助我們的孩子成功適應一個越發多元化的世界。

我們歡迎所有人來參加這個家庭聚會。如果你願意，請準備一些有你的文化特色的食物來與我們分享。 True Story Theater將會準備一個小節目在6:45pm 上演。

由於座位有限，請通過臉書（Facebook）或電子郵件（gibbsottosondig@gmail.com）告知我們您的參加意向。我們期待與您見面。

阿靈頓公校多元化包容小組（DIG），顧問小組

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Japanese / 日本語

アーリントン公立校　Diversity Inclusion Group (DIG;多様性、包括性の啓蒙促進グループ)のポットラックで皆さんをお待ちしています

True Story Theatreのパフォーマンス付き

保護者により運営されているアーリントン公立校のDIGはすべての家族をポットラックに招待します。

日時：11月3日（日）5時から7時半

場所：アーリントン高齢者センター

（Arlington Senior Center; 27 Maple Street）

DIGのミッションはアーリントン公立校における家族の多様性及び公平性と包括性の向上を支援することです。私たちは学校の運営陣と協力して、学校が全ての子供とその家族が個人のアイデンティティを包容し、安全で温かく迎えられる学びの場になるよう活動しています。

私たちはこのような活動は子供たちが今後ますます多様化していく社会で成功していくための練習になると考えています。

どなたでもこの家族向けのイベントに歓迎します。もし気が向いたらあなたの文化で大切にされている一品をお持ちよりください。

アーリントンをベースに活動するTrue Story Theatreが６:４５から即興的な参加型寸劇を行います。

席に限りがありますので、FacebookかEmail：gibbsottosondig@gmail.comへ参加の連絡をして下さい。お会いして一緒にお祝いできるのを楽しみにしています。

アーリントン公立校DIG、アドバイザリーメンバー

The Vassar Haiti Project will partner with First Parish having its first Haitian Art and Handcraft Sale on Friday and Saturday, Nov. 1^st and 2^nd. The sale features over 100 pieces of original Haitian art and handcrafts. Affordable prices for unique crafts start at $5 and paintings at $50 make the perfect holiday gift!

Proceeds support a medical clinic, education, reforestation, water access and purification and other programs in the village of Chermaitre and 42 surrounding villages.

The event will be held at FPUUCARL in the Vestry 

Hours are:

11/1   Friday       6pm – 9pm

11/2   Saturday 10am – 4pm

Information: www.thehaitiproject.org or call 845.797.2123

Hi! I’m Maren Larkin, and I’m a senior at Arlington High School. I’m looking forward to my internship with the Arlington DTG this year. I’m very active in the Arlington First Parish Youth Group, and I hope to utilize the skills I’ve learned there. I have been a member of the leadership committee at my church since freshman year, and I’ve served on both of our service trip planning committees. I am passionate about activism, both through my church and through my school. I’ve participated in a service trip to Pittsburgh centered around food insecurity, and a service trip to West Virginia where we learned about environmental protection and sustainability. My peers and I have been active in protests, most notably the Women’s March, the March for our Lives, and various Climate Strikes. It’s been very exciting for me to see the recent surge of youth-led activism, and I hope to support Arlington youth in their social action efforts.

In my free time, I enjoy creating art. I am the co-founder of an online teen art magazine, called Angelhead magazine. I think that art is a valuable resource in community building, and I hope to incorporate my love of art into a project this year. Some of my other extracurriculars include Mock Trial, Young Democrats, and my job at Butternut Bakehouse.

I can’t wait to get more involved with the DTG. I chose this internship because I feel like it reflects my values and I admire the goals of the group. I’m looking forward to getting to know everyone!

Apple Picking Family and Friends Event AT HONEY POT HILL ORCHARD 

138 Sudbury Road

Stow, Massachusetts

Farm Fun Junior Pack available for $18.00

Saturday, September 21, 2019

10:00 AM to 2:00 PM

A charter bus will be leaving METCO Inc. at 9:00 AM

Please RSVP to your METCO Director Friday, September 13, 2019.

Margaret Thomas –mthomas@arlington.k12.ma.us