The Senate returned last week from August recess and House Members returned yesterday. They will spend September trying to avoid a government shutdown that would occur if they do not pass a continuing resolution by Midnight, September 30. Prior to the August recess, the House Appropriations Committee passed 10 of 12 measures in the full Appropriations Committee, leaving only the Labor, Health and Human Services and Commerce, Justice, and Science measures unresolved. The full House has also passed its FY 2024 Military Construction and Veterans Affairs bill. Meanwhile, The Senate has made great ..read more

Representative Leslie Herod (HD-8) was elected in 2016 as the first LGBTQ African American in the Colorado General Assembly, while receiving the highest number of votes of any candidate running in a contested election. Since then, she has passed over 150 bills, addressing criminal justice reform, mental health, addiction, youth homelessness, business and the arts, and civil rights protections. Her legislative agenda underscores her commitment to improving the lives of all Coloradans, especially those caught in the cycle of poverty or mired in the criminal justice system. Representative Lesli ..read more

Kwanzaa, an annual celebration of Black culture from December 26-January 1, was created by activist Maulana Karenga and is based on African harvest festival traditions from various parts of West and Southeast Africa. During the holiday, families and communities organize activities around the Nguzo Saba, or The Seven Principles, which are: Umoja (Unity), Kujichagulia (Self-Determination), Ujima (Collective Work and Responsibility), Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics), Nia (Purpose), Kuumba (Creativity), and Imani (Faith). Celebrants attend feasts (karamu), storytelling, and multiple other forms of ..read more

At the age of seven, I was involved in a car accident that nearly amputated my left hand. Since the accident, I have journeyed from denying my disability to embracing it. With this progression, I have frequently rethought concepts that are considered critical to what disability is and can mean, such as being weak, helpless, and incurable.   This thinking progressed in a dialogue with legendary activist Judith Heumann, known for contributions to the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and foreign service with disability rights. During a conversation in 2019, Heumann asked why I ref ..read more

Note for readers: As the community continues to navigate how we’d like to be addressed, you’ll see me use both Latiné and Latin@ to capture multiple genders and identities. Both are used throughout the community as well as the more frequently seen Latino, Latina, Latinx and Hispanic. I personally try to navigate this with the inclusion of non-binary and trans folks, understanding that with time and reflection this will grow and change. For now, I try to use Latiné in general for the community and Latin@ if I’m addressing a noun that might typically be gendered. I understand that this is an on ..read more

National Arts in Education Week is upon us, and it is a wonderful time to reflect on where arts education has been and where it can go with impassioned arts advocacy. K-12 arts students and educators have endured a rocky road through the pandemic, and their perseverance must continue as we head into a new normal of education in the United States.  The path to a new normal began with the complete shutdown of in-person learning. Many schools stopped useful learning activities in March 2020 for the remainder of the school year. Schools were quickly forced to implement a virtual learning pla ..read more

Russia’s assault on Ukraine began on February 24, 2022, with a series of missile attacks and the use of long-range artillery. My mother called me from Ukraine in the middle of the night, crying. I assured her that everything will be alright. The next day I was headed south from my home in Florida for a ribbon-cutting event and the idea of war seemed to be surreal. How can we celebrate a new mural when people are being killed by invaders from a neighboring country? As an art administrator, I have always been committed to meaningful projects that raise awareness about political, social, or envi ..read more

As Arts & Culture Manager for the City of Reno, Nevada, Megan Berner manages a public art collection of over 200 artworks, project manages all new public art projects, works with artists, manages the City’s Arts & Culture Grants program, oversees the City’s various gallery spaces, and serves as staff liaison to the City of Reno Arts & Culture Commission and their Public Art Committee. She is also a visual artist. What do you enjoy most about your work as the Arts & Culture Manager for the City of Reno? Megan Berner, photo by David Smith. The best part of what I do is working ..read more

Lucy Gellman is the editor of the Arts Paper and co-founder of the Youth Arts Journalism Initiative at the Arts Council of Greater New Haven. As a reporter and editor, she covers arts, culture, and community with an eye toward social justice and anti-racism. Prior to her time at the Arts Paper, she worked as a general assignment reporter for the New Haven Independent and a station manager at WNHH Community Radio. She holds degrees from Washington University in St. Louis and the Courtauld Institute of Art, both in art history, and is a former Fulbright fellow and the winner of a 2020 Connectic ..read more

Compassionate Artists, a nonprofit in Long Beach, California, brings music, dance, and art to financially disadvantaged seniors living in residential care facilities in Southeast Los Angeles County. Founder and Executive Director Carol Gibson launched Compassionate Artists in 2016. For six years, the team has offered live performances and activities, bringing joy and creativity to seniors. Carol Gibson, photo by Daniel Wilson (@danielwilsonpix) Something I love about your work is your understanding that a person’s love of art doesn’t end as we age, and that the arts improve our physical ..read more