October Newsletter: Education Program

The Gottesman Libraries Education Program informs students, faculty and staff about the latest thinking in education, in ways that engage members of the community with one another and with a broad range of educational experts. The program also provides understanding of work being done throughout the College.

 Read more below about offerings in October.

 Workshops

Regularly scheduled instructional offerings include workshops, tours, orientations, and course-specific instruction in coordination with staff and faculty of the College.

Research Basics, Friday, 10/7, 12-1pm

Back by popular demand, this workshop covers the A-Z of using the library, focusing on key tools and strategies for finding books, articles, curriculum, media, and much more. You'll navigate through important resources like catalogs, databases, and federated search engines to find what you need and also explore different options for searching. Come one, come all, but please come with your topic, as well as device (laptop, iPad, or phone) to this hands-on session!

You may rsvp with your interest and details via online support by Thursday, October 6th, and we'll follow up with a Zoom link.

Where: Online

The Narrative Lit Review, Wednesday, 10/12, 4-5pm

A review of literature is an essential step in the process of writing a thesis or dissertation, or any paper for publication. It asks that you read and critique articles, books, and other sources that have already been written on your topic or related topics. In the process, you are required to find sources and evaluate the best way to focus your research so that you can contribute to a body of scholarly literature.
We will assist you in locating the sources you need to conduct your review of the literature and offer some basic guidance on the steps past research -- namely, presenting and organizing your material. 

Please rsvp with your interest and details by Tuesday, October 11th, and we'll follow up with a Zoom link.

Where: Online

Introduction to Course Resource Lists for Instructors, Thursday, 10/13, 3-4pm

Course Resource Lists (powered by Ex Libris Leganto) is the Gottesman Libraries’ new, permanent course reserves platform and collaborative tool for instructors and librarians to create and fulfill reading lists for degree-seeking students in courses taught each semester at Teachers College, Columbia University. Course Resource Lists are available to instructors of all active, credit-bearing courses and can be found on the left navigation menu of their courses in Canvas.

Please join us for our next session on October 13th held over Zoom, in which we will cover all you need to know to place a library course reserve request or create a Course Resource List yourself. Faculty, course assistants, and professional staff are all welcome to attend.

This workshop is co-sponsored by the Digital Futures Institute. Interested persons may rsvp in advance and Zoom details will be shared.

Where: Online

Building Informed Approaches to Research Literacy, Friday, 10/14, 12-1pm

What constitutes excellence in research? This workshop looks at broader frameworks of criteria for high quality higher education pedagogical research, including orientation to design and description; contextualization; argumentation; integrity and integration, with an emphasis on research and practice, or an evidence-based approach (trials, studies, expert opinions, personal experience). Participants will ask a research question; find evidence to answer it; appraise the information; compare or integrate it with their own clinical expertise or experience; and evaluate.

Teachers College faculty and instructors may rsvp with their interest and details to any or all of these sessions. 

Where: 305 Russell

Introducing Zotero, Tuesday, 10/18, 4-5pm

Managing your references has never been easier. Zotero is a free and open-source reference management software that helps you take charge of your bibliographic data and related research materials. Features include: web browser integration; online syncing; generation of in-text citations; footnotes and bibliographies; and integrated PDF reader, note editor, and word processors.

 You may rsvp with your interest and details by Monday, October 17th, and we'll then share a Zoom link.

Where: Online

 Talks

The Gottesman Libraries sponsors talks by leaders in education, psychology, and the applied health sciences to recognize and celebrate scholarly work of interest to the Teachers College community.

Opening: "Peacing Shirley," with Monben Mayon, Thursday, 10/13, 6-7pm

Please join artist Monben Mayon for the opening of her mixed media installation, "Peacing Shirley," an artwork centering on the significant contributions and lasting impact of Teachers College alumna Shirley Anita Chisholm, an American politician who in 1968 became the first black woman elected to the United States Congress. A native New Yorker, Chisholm represented New York's 12th congressional district, a district centered on Bedford–Stuyvesant, for seven terms from 1969 to 1983. She also was the first woman and African American to seek the nomination for president of the United States from one of the two major political parties (1972).

Monben's intention for “Peacing Shirley” is to use the power of artistic imagination to simultaneously invoke Congresswoman Chisholm’s dedication to democracy and public service (symbolized by Capitol Hill); her commitment to peacemaking and collective action for justice (symbolized by the hand gesture); and her everlasting connection to Teachers College (symbolized by the color blue in the painting) -- all in one visual experience. The purpose of having the original painting, executed in acrylic on canvas and photographically reproduced in segments, is that it serves as a play on the homophones “peace/piece”. The original painting will be installed later this year in the landmark Tudor Room, 271 Grace Dodge, a permanent gallery for some of Teachers College's most prized historical portraiture.

"Peacing Shirley" doubles as an allusion to a contemporary register of English spoken by [Black] Americans on the East Coast in places like New York and New Jersey, where to “peace” someone (i.e. “She peaced me when she saw me”) means to greet them or say hello to them.

The accompanying Everett Cafe book display, Representations of Black Women in Twentieth Century United States and Beyond, curated by Monben, pieces together different aspects of congresswoman Shirley Chisholm's multi-faceted and wide-reaching legacy and serves to illuminate the artwork on display in the Kasser Family Exhibition Space, library atrium.

Monben Mayon is a graduate student in TC's Anthropology and Education Program (MA, 2023). She earned her BA in African American and African Studies from Rutgers University (2020). A poet, scholar, and painter from Newark, New Jersey, she was born in Monrovia, Liberia. Her immigration to the United States in her childhood, as well as her reflections on Liberian and African-American culture, have sparked her research interests in the African diaspora. Monben is a 2022 Gottesman Libraries' commissioned artist whose work is graciously supported by the generosity of the Myers Foundations.

Please rsvp no later than Monday, October 3rd, with your interest and details to assure a seat.

Where: Kasser / 104b Russell

Book Talk: A Visit to the Bahamas from A-Z, with Veronica McFall & RJ Jenkins , Friday, 10/14, 12-1pm

Please join TC alumna Veronica McFall and illustrator RJ Jenkins for a book discussion of their recent work, A Visit to the Bahamas from A-Z (Knowledge is Capital Publishing & Educational Programs, 2020). In this children's work Vanessa, Evan, Andrew, and Dato the Fact Cat embark on an alphabetical adventure to learn more facts about the country of their grandparents birth. By the end of their adventure, the cousins gain a deeper appreciation for The Bahamas and learn the importance and value of travel to other places.

Veronica McFall is a first generation Bahamian-American. A Visit to The Bahamas from A to Z was inspired by the author’s childhood trips to visit her grandmother and extended family in The Bahamas. Veronica has a passion for the limitless opportunities education provides. This is her first book and the inaugural title in a series that aims to encourage youth travel and cross cultural understanding.

Veronica has over 25 years of experience in K-12, higher education, and educational not-for-profit organizations. Veronica is a graduate of Colgate University and was a Mellon Fellow at Teachers College, Columbia University where she earned a Master of Arts in Bilingual Education (Spanish) and a Masters of Education in Curriculum and Instruction.

Veronica lives in New Jersey with her husband. They have three children who are on their own voyage into adulthood.

RJ Jenkins is a graduate of Bates College, visual arts teacher and basketball, track and cross country coach at Kents Hill School in Kents Hill, Maine. RJ has a passion for helping young people realize their creative talents.  In his 18 years of teaching, he has taught a wide range of art, design, and film production courses, and has also worked on a number of design and marketing projects for the school.

When not on the school’s 400-acre campus, RJ enjoys spending time with his wife and two children being active in the outdoors of Maine, watching movies, drawing and painting, and sharing time with extended family.

This book talk is co-sponsored by the Office of Alumni and Community Engagement. All who wish to attend may rsvp with their interest and details by Thursday, October 13th and a Zoom link will be shared.

Where: Online

 Book Talk: Eating Together, Being Together, with Caroline S. and Julian Clauss-Ehlers, Wednesday, 10/19, 4-5pm

Please join Caroline S. Clauss-Ehlers and Julian Clauss-Ehlers to congratulate them on their new book, Eating Together, Being Together (Princeton Architectural Press, 2022) and learn how to "grow closer as a family through mealtime bonding. The Clauss-Ehlers' new book contains more than 80 recipes plus essays, tips, and activities for the whole family to show how cooking together and sharing family meals can help build healthy relationships with food and with each other.

"With unique insights from a New York Times–starred chef dad and an award-winning psychologist mom, Eating Together, Being Together is much more than a cookbook. It teaches parents and children from toddlerhood through the teen years how to engage around cooking and mealtime. Each chapter offers easy-to-make recipes using fresh ingredients accompanied by thoughts and tips on using mindfulness to deal with picky eating, listening skills, academic stress, and more. This structure allows preparing and eating meals together to be meaningful, where kids and their parents, guardians, and caregivers can learn from one another and grow closer.

Recipes include a range of food options to accommodate varying tastes with accessible step-by-step instructions for parents and kids. Activities for each chapter tie in key themes for cooking and for life and are presented in a developmentally thoughtful way for young children, preteens, teens, and grown-ups. From eating mindfulness and having honest food conversations to building rituals that support togetherness, this book explores how the family meal, whether cooking or eating, can bring families closer together.

Whether it's kids sharing their feelings while they mix batter, or adults telling stories of their childhood while enjoying a favorite recipe, a special kind of bonding happens around food. Eating Together, Being Together gives you the recipes and activities for that bonding experience and helps set the table for connection."

-- publisher's description

Dr. Caroline Clauss-Ehlers is an internationally known award-winning psychologist whose research, teaching, and writing have focused on supporting children, adolescents, and their families. Dr. Clauss-Ehlers is a licensed psychologist in New York and a professor at Long Island University, Brooklyn. She completed her master's degrees and PhD at Teachers College in counseling psychology.

Julian Clauss-Ehlers is a classically trained executive chef who has cooked in five Michelin starred restaurants. Currently he is the executive chef at Butcher and Banker and Trattoria Bianca at the New Yorker Hotel in Manhattan.

This book talk is co-sponsored by the Office of Alumni and Community Engagement. Please rsvp no later than Tuesday, October 18th with your interest and details.

Where: 306 Russell

ARTIVISM

The vision of Artivism: The Power of Art for Social Transformation is to generate a movement with committed social artivists in response to historic global unrest. Artivism aims to generate community through multi-disciplinary teamwork for a more dignified and meaningful coexistence, however you define these terms. The goal of this initiative is to nurture confidence in taking continuous action from wherever you are by means of reciprocity.

The Power of Art for Social Transformative Life Progressing Experiences, with Carolina Cambronero Varela and Argie Moutafis Agelarakis, Saturday, 10/1, 10:30-11:15am

The session will include an overview of Artivism: The Power of Art for Social Transformation, an interdisciplinary, multi-institutional global collaboration, with the aim to engage people in transforming society through the power of art.

Artivism aims to generate community through multi-disciplinary teamwork for a more dignified and meaningful coexistence, however you define these terms. The goal of this initiative is to nurture confidence in taking continuous action from wherever you are by means of reciprocity. We will explore how to develop the infrastructures needed in creating programs and refer to strategies through case studies within the Artivism network and organizations using the arts. Participants will be inspired by this session to incorporate art in their own practices to nurture confidence in their students, creating a mindset pertaining to inclusiveness and diversity. Using this interdisciplinary and interactive approach, students gain a better understanding of their class subjects/studies, enabling life progressing experiences that may foster change for a more just and dignified society.
The connections and networking made possible by Artivism will be discussed. Examples of multi-generational interdisciplinary based learning and the use of art will be explored through: The Artivism design poster, student ambassador program, establishment of the Artivism club, to name a few. Participants experience community building and the concept of art as a human right from lessons using art history as a basis for learning about different cultures, and through hands-on arts projects, to better understand not only how to practice these rights but how to better convey their messages. This workshop will also focus on how Artivism’s efforts build relationships with various communities, empowering them through education and multi-generational involvement.

Presenters’ Bios:

Carolina Cambronero Varela, M.A. is engaged in community endeavors that promote a better environment and future through the arts and peace education. She believes these are human rights that will guide all, primarily children, to a deeper understanding of the power of transformation that each person has within. Carolina envisions the creation of these opportunities as integral components for a dignified life (please refer to The International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights, 1966).
While at Columbia University, Carolina was president of Student Advocates for the Arts, co-chair of the Peace Education Network, and program representative in the Arts and Humanities Department Student Council. She also became a member of Kappa Chapter of Kappa Delta Pi International Honor Society in Education, Global Citizens Club, and Columbia’s University Life Events Council.
Carolina co-founded and co-produces the initiative Artivism: The Power of Art for Social Transformation, an ongoing, multimodal collaboration sponsored by Sing for Hope, Adelphi University and Gottesman Libraries, Teachers College, Columbia University.

Argie Moutafis Agelarakis, M.A. is a scientific/archaeological illustrator and painter. She earned her B.F.A. at The School of Visual Arts and her M.A. at Adelphi University. Drawing from her experience in archaeology, anthropology, and art, she has developed courses in technical drawing in archaeology and forensics, scientific illustration, food-culture-and art, ethnobotany, the benefits of art programs within the criminal justice system, and classes that explore the relationship of art and science.
She co-founded and co-produces Artivism: The Power of Art for Social Transformation, now in its fourth season. The initiative hosts weekly presentations by artivists and organizations worldwide that aim to inspire social change through the power of art. Argie teaches at Adelphi University and the School of Visual Arts, is a board member at The Center for the Women of New York (CWNY), an Advisory Council Member and Workshop Facilitator with Felicia’s Promise, and board member at The Hellenic Women’s Alliance. She hopes to inspire change through the arts for a more just and humane society, creating programs and network opportunities for her students and members of the community.

Register Here.

 Mariposa / Butterfly: An Inspirational Flight!, with Polly Ferman, Monday, 10/3, 4:30-5:30pm

"The name of my presentation is Mariposa / Butterfly - An Inspirational flight! It is about my life, my profession as a pianist as music director and about my creations as cultural entrepreneur.

I will be talking about inspiration, endurance, creativity, intuition, emotions, positivism, and the ability of falling and getting up stronger each time.

It will be a life story that aims to share the importance of discovering our love for the Arts and how to make it the Soul of our life. To discover the importance of generosity with our colleagues as opposite to competition. It is my intention to talk, share and guide if requested by participants in the audience, my long-life experience in the Arts and as a Human being."

Presenter Bio
Pianist/music director

A leading interpreter of the music of the Americas, pianist Polly Ferman captivates audiences with outstanding performances of works by Latin American composers. Recognized by The Japan Times as “ Musical Ambassador of the Americas.” Ferman’s numerous recordings include: “Ernesto Lecuona Danzas Cubanas”, “Habaneras, Milongas, Tangos”, Música para piano de Ariel Ramírez”, Argentine Piano Music”, “Ariel Ramirez, La Ultima Palabra”, “Waltzes of the Americas”, “Piano Music by Ernesto Nazareth”, “Imágenes”, “Orquestango I”, “Orquestango II”, “New Tango Vision”, “Tango Reunion, recorded live in Poland”. “Tango Fado”, “Tango Ahora”, “GlamourTango”, “Homage to Tango, The Music of Daniel Binelli” “Loving, The Tango of Astor Piazzolla”, and “Tango Metropolis” www.pollyferman.net

Ferman’s tours as a soloist have included performances with prestigious orchestras around the world, including the San Francisco, Sacramento, Indianapolis, Tokyo, Philippines, Jarkov and Argentine National Symphonies, among others, as well as recitals stages such as New York’s Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Tokyo’s Takemitsu Hall, London’s St. Martin in the Fields, Buenos Aires’ Teatro Colón, Beijing National Centre for the Performing Arts, Shanghai Oriental Art Centre and Bogota’s Teatro Mayor.

Ferman created, directs and performs in GlamourTango, EL TANGO HECHO MUJER a unique all-female international multimedia music and dance show. The ultimate homage to Women’s Empowerment. www.glamourtango.com

A cultural entrepreneur, Ferman is the founder and artistic director of Pan American Musical Art Research, a 501(c) (3) organization she founded in 1984 to promote awareness of and appreciation for the cultures of Latin America.

Register Here.

Resources:

Polly Ferman Website
Pan American Musical Art Research Website
LACW Website
GlamourTango Website

The Inspiration Show, with Alison Cohen, Monday, 10/10, 4:30-5:30pm

Alison Cohen will be discussing The Inspiration Show, the virtual show she created on Instagram. She will share her vision, mission, and some of the stories that have been featured.

Presenter’s/Organization Bio
Alison Cohen (@alisoncohen27) created a virtual show during the Covid 19 pandemic with a mission to inspire. The Inspiration Show is a virtual show where Alison interviews people who have inspired her as well as people with inspiring stories.

She has had over 40 guests including celebrities, TV stars and people with life-altering inspiring stories. The mission of The Inspiration Show is to inspire others through stories and courageous efforts. Each story has an inspirational message of individual courage and hope; it will leave you feeling more positive about life.

Register Here.

Using Creativity to Drive Sustainable Change, with Andrea Samantha Paltzer, Monday, 10/17, 4:30-5:30pm

Andrea Samantha Paltzer will speak about how she’s used creativity to drive sustainable change and educate on stereotypes around race and gender.

Founder of the NGO XtraOrdinary Women, an alternative job training program for disadvantaged women in Nicaragua and jewelry brand Chureca Chic that empowers social change in Central America’s largest landfill, Andrea will discuss her ideation process and inspirations, her motivation, and strategies behind creating an organization to tackle social issues.

Presenter’s/Organization Bio

Andrea Samantha Paltzer
Development professional, impact entrepreneur, NGO founder.

Andrea believes in challenging traditional forms of development and in social entrepreneurship as a solution to persistent social and environmental problems. In 2009 she founded the charity XtraOrdinary Women, an alternative job training program for disadvantaged women in Nicaragua. In 2013 the Chureca Chic brand was born as part of the path of social entrepreneurship. Andrea is committed to facilitating opportunities that drive sustainable change and currently works as a consultant advising SMEs on sustainability and community impact strategies.

Register Now.

Suggested Resources:

The Purpose Economy – Aaron Hurst
Grit: Why Passion and Resilience Are the Secrets to Success – Angela Duckworth
DO PURPOSE: Why Brands with a Purpose Do Better and Matter More – David Hieatt

Theater as a Tool for Liberation, with Margarita Espada, Monday, 10/24, 4:30-5:30pm

Margarita Espada will talk about her theatrical piece “What killed Marcelo Lucero? a work created with the community as a response to the Hate Crime committed by young white men in Patchogue, Long Island against Marcelo Lucero, an Ecuadorian immigrant in 2008. She will talk about the artistic process and the civic dialogues and a reflection on where we are today.

Presenter’s Bio
Margarita Espada, MFA

Founder and Director Teatro Yerbabruja

Margarita Espada has traveled the world in her careers as an artist, educator and cultural organizer, training in physical approach to theater practice. Margarita is the founder and director of Teatro Experimenantal Yerbabuja, an art organization with the mission to use the arts as a tool for social change (www.teatroyerbabruja.org) . She is part of the faculty at the Department of Women Study at Stony Brook University where she teaches theater and activism.

Margarita received her Master of Fine Art in Dramaturgy from Stony Brook University and her Bachelor of Art in Education from Puerto Rico University. She is a New York State and Puerto Rico-certified theatre teacher with over 30 years of experience as an educator, performer, playwriter, arts activist, and cultural and community organizer.

She has conducted research, supported school and organization change efforts, and facilitated teacher / professional learning around applied theater, culturally responsive practice, curriculum design, problem-solving, and reflective communication. Margarita also works as a project manager for Center for Community Inclusion, Long Island University. Her works include coordinating with Family Engagement Specialists/Parent Liaisons in various districts to develop and conduct family-friendly practices within schools. Margarita has won multiple awards for her arts excellence and community work including Suffolk County Proclamation, 2019, Recognition Senator Boyle, 2019. Martin Luther King Living Legend Award, NAACP Islip, NY, 2018. Citation for Cultural Organizer, Governor Andrew Cuomo’s office, 2018, Artist of the Year, Legislator Monica Martinez, Suffolk County, NY, 2016. She has received numerous awards and proclamations for her leadership, her art and community work including Suffolk County Proclamation, 2019, Recognition Senator Boyle, 2019. Martin Luther King Living Legend Award, NAACP Islip, NY, 2018. Citation for Cultural Organizer, Governor Andrew Cuomo’s office, 2018, Artist of the Year, Legislator Monica Martinez, Suffolk County, NY,2016. Her work has been reviewed in the New York Times and by the Associated Press, Newsday, and numerous other media outlets.

Register Now.

Artivism:  Social Justice, Theatre, and Learning, with Rachael Feldman, Marlee Koenigsberg & Maggie Lally, Monday, 10/31, 4:45-5:45pm

The journey and work of three related theatre artists at Adelphi University and where their passions for theatre and social justice are taking them.

Two Theatre Department alumni and a faculty member discuss their work as artivists and speak about the collaborations and experiences that have informed their current career directions.

Presenters:

Rachael Feldman (they/them) is a teaching artist, facilitator, consultant, and performer local to Brooklyn, NY. They hold a BFA in Acting from Adelphi University as well as an MA in Applied Theatre from CUNY School of Professional Studies. They are co-founder of GenderWise Trainings, an organization that brings gender diversity trainings to schools, companies, and theatre spaces using applied theatre techniques. They also work as a consultant and facilitator with Outsmart NYC, an organization that brings sexual assault prevention training to nightlife spaces. In addition, they work as a teaching artist with New York City Children’s Theatre, CUNY Creative Arts Team, and Broadway Bound Kids, where they have the joy of working through social and emotional learning through theatre with young people of all ages.

 Marlee Koenigsberg (she/her) ​​is a theatre director and teaching artist in the New York City area. She is currently pursuing her Master of Arts in Applied Theatre at CUNY School of Professional Studies. In her work, Marlee has collaborated with a myriad of organizations such as New York Deaf Theatre, Underground Skills Exchange, Roundabout Theatre Company, The Shadow Box Theatre, Westport Country Playhouse and Chautauqua Theatre Company. Marlee is passionate about access and inclusion in the arts, as it is part of her mission to help create accessible theatre that centers disability and dismantles ableism. At CUNY, Marlee is a member of the student run Disability Access Coalition (DAC) as Vice Chair of Accessibility. Marlee earned her B.F.A. from Adelphi University in Acting/Theatre Arts. Since graduating from Adelphi, Marlee has returned as a Guest director for: O’Neil & Williams Shorts, Silent Sky and Fall Arts Festival 2021.

Maggie Lally (she/her) is a director and is the Associate Dean for Faculty and Programs in the College of Arts and Sciences. She is an associate professor in the Department of Theatre who has taught and directed there for over 25 years. Maggie has been intentional about directing productions that have social justice issues as core themes including: THE WOLVES (young women’s agency in the modern world), LYSISTRATA (war and peace), MACHINAL (gender politics and the industrial age), ANGELS IN AMERICA (AIDS), TOPDOG UNDERDOG (race and oppression) and the original devised play, THE TRIANGLE SHIRTWAIST FIRE PROJECT (labor in the US). She is currently collaborating with The Bridges Program and Epic Players (a professional neuro inclusive theatre company in NYC) on the current production of THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHTTIME. There will be a “relaxed” performance on Friday, November 4 for members of the neurodivergent community. She has created courses in Devising Theatre, Theatrical Outreach and currently she teaches the interdisciplinary course: Exploring Disability Through Theatre with her colleague in Sociology, Professor Deb Little. Maggie has been a recipient of the Faculty Excellence Award for tenured faculty, and she has been honored to receive the Community Service award by the Center for African, Black and Caribbean Studies for her work in community engagement. She is a member of SDC, the professional director’s union.

Register here.

 ---

Artivism: The Power of Art Social Transformation, grew out of Illuminations of Social Imagination: Learning From Maxine Greene, (Dio Press, 2019), edited by Teachers College alumni Courtney Weida and Carolina Cambronero-Varela, and Dolapo Adeniji-Neill, of Adelphi University. "The concept for this book is inspired by the late Maxine Greene (2000), who described her enduring philosophical focus and legacy of social imagination as “the capacity to invent visions of what should be and what might be in our deficient society, on the streets where we live, in our schools” (p. 5). The purpose of this volume is to examine and illuminate the roles of community organizers and educators who are changing lives through public art and community arts projects. This research originally emerged from a well-attended 2018 conference presentation and exhibition at Teachers College, Columbia University, engaging with the local and international community of arts education and arts administration."

-- Publisher's Description

 Artivism: The Power of Art Social Transformation is jointly sponsored by Adelphi University, Sing for Hope, and the Gottesman Libraries.

Live Music

The Everett Cafe Music Program sponsors performances by TC student and affiliated musicians. Come enjoy a variety of genres and styles! Please contact us if you are interested in playing! We welcome solos, duets, and trios.

Claremont Strings & Ensemble, Wednesday, 10/19, 4-5:30pm

Claremont Strings and Ensemble features music for classical strings, from the symphonies of Mozart and Haydn, to well known arias from the operas of Puccini and Bizet. You may hear a selection of continental Viennese waltzes and French cabaret. Musicians of The Claremont Strings Ensemble have performed collectively at Weill Hall, Carnegie Hall, Avery Fisher Hall and throughout the Northeast, playing a diverse range of symphonic and chamber music, eclectic jazz, and gypsy swing. Wadsworth Strings, emanating from the Washington Heights area, is a division of Claremont Strings, founded by Vivian Penham, a graduate of the Juilliard School and Columbia University.

Nicholas DiMaria Trio, Tuesday, 10/25, 4-5pm

 Nicholas DiMaria is a trumpeter, teacher, and composer based in New York City. He draws inspiration from multiple genres and art forms in his compositions and is continuously inspired by expressing visual art in a musical medium. His music is described by audiences as introspective, passionate, and eclectic; influenced by jazz, hip-hop, and classical music.

Nicholas has lead groups at Carnegie Hall, The Northeast Wine and Jazz Festival, The Syracuse Jazz Festival, The Central New York Pride Festival, and restaurants and clubs across New York State. He has also performed at The Great New York State Fair, The CNY January Jazz Festival, the Disneyland All-American College Band, and opened for Grammy-Winner Lalah Hathaway. Nicholas is well-adapted to playing with jazz ensembles, wedding bands, and funk groups. He currently holds a weekly performance residency at Oliva Tapas, NYC (Thursdays and Fridays from 6-8pm). Nicholas is also a faculty member at Larchmont Music Academy, where he teaches trumpet and a jazz ensemble. In 2020, he received his Bachelor's in Jazz Arts from Manhattan School of Music where he studied with Scott Wendholt, Ingrid Jensen, Jim McNeely, and Jon Faddis.

News Displays

Need to keep current, look to the past, teach a topic? The Everett Cafe features daily postings of news from around the world, and also promotes awareness of historical events from an educational context. Be sure to check the Cafe News postings on the library blog.

Remembering Mary Adelaide Nutting, Monday, 10/3

Columbus Day, Monday, 10/10

Moby Dick Is Published, Tuesday, 10/18

The World's Fair Closes in New York, Thursday, 10/27

Book Displays

Everett Cafe: Representations of Black Women in 20th Century United States & Beyond, through October

The experience of the Black woman in the United States during the twentieth century is one that is highly complex and variable. Towards the earlier half of the twentieth century, less than fifty years following the abolition of chattel slavery, Black women became the first to record Blues music. This music, which was influenced by the Negro spirituals sung on slave plantations, often contained accounts of the everyday problems faced by working class people at the time whose everyday problems included issues with racism, dealing with poverty, losing love, migration, and keeping a family. Despite the level of fame and notoriety Blues women often gained, their music remained relatable to other working class Black women. Titles such as Blues Legacies and Black Feminism paint an image of this time in history, while novels such as The Bluest Eye and The Color Purple allow readers to “travel” to this time period through the subjecthood of their working-class protagonists.

Towards the mid-twentieth century, most Black women [and people] in the United States held interest in the Civil Rights Movement. Some Black women entertainers, such as Billie Holiday, Mariam Makeba and Nina Simone, played an important role in disseminating political messages to mass audiences through song and performance, while working class Black women held foundational roles as local community organizers and activists. An important aspect of this period is that a lot of intra-communal social scrutiny was placed on Black women due to respectability politics. More than ever, with the entire nation paying attention to Civil Rights, Black women were expected to embody perfect moral piety, so as to “disprove” existing stereotypes. But, not all Black women would agree to this social code, and many-faced social consequences for it. Titles such as In Search of Billie Holiday, How It Feels to Be Free, Unbought and Unbossed, and Black Women & Politics in NYC paint a vivid historical image of this political moment.

It was this political climate which bred the careers of politicians such as Shirley Chisholm, who became the first Black woman elected to Congress in 1968. The lasting impact of Shirley Chisholm inspired the curation of literary and other works which also do the important work of providing representation—particularly, representation of Black women’s experiences in the United States.

Representations of Black Women in 20th Century United States and Beyond is curated by Monben Mayon, 2022 awardee of the Gottesman Libraries’ commissioned artwork, Peacing Shirley, an installation which pieces together different aspects of congresswoman Shirley Chisholm’s multifaceted and wide-reaching legacy. The book display is designed by Trisha Barton, Gottesman’s Lead Designer.

At the Everett News Cafe, you'll find a new book collection every few weeks that relates to current events, education, or learning environments.

Staff Picks: School Choice

"As students returned to the classroom last month across New York City, families and educators continue to adjust to school after multiple years of pandemic affected learning. Today, students’ academic lives and mental health are more important than ever, and families continue to wrestle with where to send their children to school that best fits their needs. This concept of school choice is not new. However, the ability to send your children to alternative schools outside the public school system – charter or private schools – is a contested issue. For years, education professionals have discussed the ways in which school choice affects public schools and our society as a whole. The books included in this collection will analyze these effects both in and outside of New York City, and explore better solutions for families, students, and educators."

-- Katie Blake, Library Associate 

This collection is curated by Katie Blake, Library Associate, and designed by Emily Sang, Library Associate / Art and Design.

Staff Picks is curated and designed each month by the Gottesman Libraries' staff to highlight resources on educational topics and themes of special interest.

Where: Reading Room, Second Floor

New and Now: Award-Winning Children's Literature

Looking for a new read? Integrating exciting titles into your lesson plans? Building a curriculum for today's young learners? Blast off with the latest and greatest! Books on our "Rocketship" shelves are all award-winning and honoree titles for children's, middle grade, and young adult readers to bring into your orbit.

Where: Reading Room, Second Floor

 Featured Databases: Diversity, Equity, Inclusion

In October we highlight research resources that address the topic of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, a term used in describing policies and programs that promote the representation and participation of different groups of individuals, including people of different ages, races and ethnicities, abilities and disabilities, genders, religions, cultures and sexual orientations. With broad scope of application, DEI encourages us to be more aware of our unconscious or implicit biases, training needs, pay equity, cultural traditions, and much more, with understanding of and respect for our differences that often create a richer workplace or learning environment.

 Exhibits: 

Mixed Media Installation: Peacing Shirley, by Monben Mayon, Friday, 10/7 - Monday, 11/21

Monben Mayon is a graduate student in TC's Anthropology and Education Program (MA, 2023). She earned her BA in African American and African Studies from Rutgers University (2021). She is a painter, poet, and scholar from Newark, New Jersey, and was born in Monrovia, Liberia. Her immigration to the United States in her childhood, as well as her reflections on Liberian and African-American culture, have sparked her research interests in the African diaspora. Monben is a 2022 Gottesman Libraries' commissioned artist whose work is graciously supported by the generosity of the Myers Foundations.

Where:

Kasser Exhibition Space, First Floor

Everett Cafe

When:

Friday, 9/2 - Monday, 10/31 (book display)

Friday, 10/7 - Monday, 11/21 (exhibition)

Thursday, 10/13, 6-7pm (opening reception, Kasser / 104b Russell)

Monday, 11/7, 6-7pm  (artist panel, details forthcoming)

Monday, 1/23, 6-7pm  (artist panel, details forthcoming)

Exhibition: "Let Us Put Out the Fire of War": The Passow Collection of Israeli Children's Peace Art, Part One

A. Harry Passow (November 9, 1920 - March 28, 1996), Jacob H. Schiff Professor Emeritus at Teachers College, Columbia University, was one of the first educators to study the needs of intellectually gifted children. He wrote extensive books, chapters, and articles on education, among them, Learning Together: Israeli Innovations in Education That Could Benefit Americans (American-Israeli Cooperative Enterprise, 1995), co-authored by Geoffrey Bard Mitchell. He was appointed Visiting Professor of Education at Tel-Aviv and Bar-Ilan Universities (Spring, 1981) and Senior Researcher at Hadassah-Wizo-Canada Research Institute, Jerusalem (Spring, 1973). Dr. Passow advised the Government of Israel on creating that country's first school for gifted adolescents, and he also served as President of the World Council on Gifted and Talented Children.

The Passow Collection of Israeli Children’s Peace Art was donated to Teachers College, Columbia University by Dr. Passow in the 1990s; it consists of 53 drawings and paintings, most in watercolor, by Israeli children, both Jewish and Arab. It is significant that both cultures are represented and they share similar representations in their paintings. The children were asked to depict "what peace would look like," and they made their artworks in a school program sponsored by the International Cultural Center for Youth, in Jerusalem, shortly after the 1967 Six-Day War. 

Also known as the June War, the 1967 Arab–Israeli War, or the Third Arab–Israeli War, the Six Day War was an armed conflict fought in The Levant, Middle East, from the 5th to the 10th of June, 1967, between Israel and a coalition of Arab states, namely Jordan, Syria and Egypt (then known as United Arab Republic), Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and Lebanon. Israel captured and occupied the Golan Heights, the West Bank (including East Jerusalem), the Gaza Strip, and the Sinai Peninsula – resulting in the death of over 20,000 Arab troops and the displacement of hundreds of thousands of civilians who fled or were expelled. The Israeli-Palestinian struggle followed Israeli military occupation of the Palestinian territories in the 1967 Six-Day War, and it has lasted fifty-five years. Actions by the Israeli government, the Palestinian Authority, and Hamas governments all have resulted in the suffering of their citizens; the peace that the children dreamt of in their beautiful, vivid work lives through their art and other peace-building efforts.

There have been formal discussions and treaties, such as: the Camp David Accords of 1978; the staged withdrawal from Sinai in 1982; the Israel-Jordan Peace Treaty in 1994; and Israeli disengagement from Gaza in 2005. Importantly, grassroots peace-building movements are viable in Israel, Palestine, Jordan, and other parts of the Arab-world. They call for positive partnerships and constructive action among citizens, with such organizations as Combatants for Peace, Women Wage Peace, Hand in Hand, and the Parents Circle - Families Forum. These initiatives help remind us that ordinary people, not just governments, can bring peace.

The Gottesman Libraries presents Part I of the newly conserved collection. These artworks were chosen to highlight long lasting hope for peace, with shared symbols of our humanity and respect for national identity, humane treatment, friendship, world heritage, trade, agriculture, and most importantly, learning. While the artworks were created in a time outwith children living under the Occupation, they add significant depth, breadth, and scope to our complex thoughts and continuing conversations about peace. 

This exhibit is designed by Emily Sang, Library Associate, Art and Design, in collaboration with Jennifer Govan, Library Director and Senior Librarian, and in consultation with the faculty and staff of Teachers College, Columbia University.

Let Us Put Out the Fire Of War is made possible thanks to the generous support of the Myers Foundations. Part Two of the Passow Collection of Israeli Children’s Peace Art will be exhibited in 2023.

Where: Offit Gallery

When: 

Monday, 10/10- Sunday, 11/27 

Opening Reception, TBA