
From left, Kenya Gadsden, facilitator, with state Sen. Michelle Hinchey and U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand at the Northern Dutchess Democrat get-together at the Stissing Center in Pine Plains Sunday, March 3.
Judith O'Hara Balfe
From left, Kenya Gadsden, facilitator, with state Sen. Michelle Hinchey and U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand at the Northern Dutchess Democrat get-together at the Stissing Center in Pine Plains Sunday, March 3.
PINE PLAINS — Motivating New York Democrats in 2024, a conversation with U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand and state Sen. Michelle Hinchey was held Sunday, March 3, at the Stissing Center for Arts and Culture.
Kenya Gadsden, who is running on the Democratic ticket for Dutchess County clerk, talked briefly about the importance of this year’s political contests, asking if the audience understood the enormousness of the outcome of the vote.
She introduced Hinchey, saying that she had been voted “Advocate of the Year 2022” for her work in affordable housing, and also noted her work on aging water infrastructure and other environmental issues.
Gadsden introduced Gillibrand by saying that she was originally voted into Congress in 2006 and, in 2009, was appointed to fill the seat in the Senate left by Hillary Clinton. In 2010 she was voted into the Senate, where she has served since, advocating for health care, the environment, jobs and equality.
The discussion centered on the need for the Democrats to mobilize, to come together working toward the 2024 election.
Upstate priorities
Hinchey said that in many matters, the interests of upstate New York are left on the table. Reliable internet, accessible health care and other interests are left wanting because the communities are small. Getting the message out is imperative and can make a difference, she said.
Getting free breakfast and lunch to schoolchildren was a priority, she said; last year, that goal was 88% attained.
Chris Drago, county legislator for Dutchess County District 19 — which includes Stanford, Pine Plains, North East/Millerton — cited the need for change. In particular, he underscored the need for broadband accessibility and emergency services in the area.
Gillibrand said that violence is one of the main problems facing New York, but that while people think it is being caused by gun proliferation, the actual problem is illegal gun trafficking.
She also brought up some of the problems including sexual abuse in the military and the lack of equality for transgender and LGBTQ people.
She is sponsoring a bill that will provide free college tuition to 1,000 students, provided they serve the government for five years in a cyber-related discipline after their education.
About 25 protesters, some carrying signs, disrupted the discussion at the Stissing Center in Pine Plains Sunday, March 3.Judith O'Hara Balfe
War in the Middle East, division at home
Shortly after she began to speak, several audience members rose, some holding signs, chanting, “No cease fire, no vote,” referencing the ongoing devastation in Israel and Gaza. Some of the signs stated, “Stop the genocide.”
Gillibrand acknowledged that there was a need for discussion on the subject because it is a situation everyone cares deeply about. She tried to speak to the protestors while they continued to chant.
Gadsden began to sing, “There’s a train coming, you don’t need a ticket, you just get on board.”
Pine Plains and state police escorted the protestors out. Gillibrand said that the Middle East situation is dividing us. She summarized that on Oct. 6, a plan had been devised to allow for a two-state solution, that Jordan was providing support for the process, and that the attacks on Oct. 7 ended that plan.
She said that Hamas are not freedom fighters, but are paid by Russia. She said that the money the United States gives to Israel is for defense purposes, and that Biden is pushing Israel to the peace table.
At this juncture, the Rev. Peter Cook, executive director of the New York State Council of Churches, rose and questioned the accuracy of her statements. Gadsden offered to see him afterward and exchange phone numbers.
Hinchey, like Gillibrand, encouraged everyone to work for the reelection of President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, naming the accomplishments of their administration, and adding, “The House of Representatives is a s— show. They don’t want to stop assaults on the LGBTQ community, don’t want to help kids with food or college,” she said.
Both Hinchey and Gillibrand agreed that the party has to be united and lift up the Biden and Harris team. Gillibrand said, “The great protector of our nation is democracy, but,” she admonished, “to be strong, democracy must be exercised” by voters.
Climate crisis
Hinchey said that we are not talking enough about the ongoing climate crisis, and that we’re not doing enough to mitigate it.
“We need to have sweeping change,” she stated, “or our kids and grandkids won’t have a future. This is uncomfortable, but necessary. Young people are asking, ‘Can we have a family?’ We have to make changes.”
She added, “If we lose next year, we’ll be asking, ‘How do we stop the damage?’”
Paquito D’Rivera performs at the Mahaiwe in Great Barrington on April 5.
Natalia Bernal is the Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center’s education and community engagement manager and is, in her own words, “the one who makes sure that Mahaiwe events are accessible to all.”
The Mahaiwe’s community engagement program is rooted in the belief that the performing arts should be for everyone. “We are committed to establishing and growing partnerships with neighboring community and arts organizations to develop pathways for overcoming social and practical barriers,” Bernal explained. “Immigrants, people of color, communities with low income, those who have traditionally been underserved in the performing arts, should feel welcomed at the Mahaiwe.”
Partnerships with organizations like Volunteers in Medicine Berkshires (VIM), the W.E.B. Du Bois Legacy Committee, and Community Access to the Arts (CATA) have helped bridge that gap. But for the Latinx community, there’s an even more targeted effort: the Spanish-language Community Advisory Network (SCAN).
“Six years ago, we started an advisory group of Spanish speakers in the community,” Bernal said. “They tell us what the community wants to see, how they’d like their culture represented. Today, SCAN has 12 members. We meet four times a year and are in constant communication. It’s because of them that we’ve hosted free Spanish-language film screenings and live performances.”
For Bernal, this work is personal. “When I first moved to the U.S. in 2003, it was because I got a Latin American scholarship to study at Berklee College of Music. That first year, I went home to Uruguay for Christmas and saw Paquito D’Rivera perform at a jazz festival. I was determined to meet him, and I did. Later that year, Paquito came to Berklee and invited me on stage.”
Now, two decades and 16 Grammys later, Paquito D’Rivera is coming to the Mahaiwe on April 5, and there’s a chance history might repeat itself. “He saw a post we made about his concert and commented, ‘Ay, chica, que maravilla, are you gonna sing a song with us?’ I almost died,” Bernal laughed. “I don’t know if it will happen, but it would be a dream.”
About the possibility of a guest appearance by Bernal, D’Rivera said, “Natalia is a very dear, valuable colleague, and jazz is about improvisation, so the surprise factor is always part of the fun here.”
D’Rivera’s concert is just one example of how the Mahaiwe is making world-class performances accessible. “My whole day has been about offering ‘pay what you can’ tickets for this show,” Bernal says. “We also issued a 50% discount to our partners. We work with ESL teachers, public libraries, literacy agencies, anyone who can help us get the word out.”
That kind of grassroots effort has been transformative. “Last year, we screened ‘Florencia en el Amazonas,’ the first opera written in Spanish ever performed at the Met,” Bernal said. “I sat in the Mahaiwe in tears. As someone who loves opera, it was the first time I heard one written in my own language. It was so powerful.”
Natalia Bernal, Mahaiwe’s education and community engagement managerPhoto by Martin Cohen
For Bernal, it all comes back to representation, on stage and in the audience. “My son is eight. I bring him to everything I can. Spanish shouldn’t just be something that happens at the dinner table. It should be in the world, in all these shapes and forms.”
And that’s what SCAN is helping build: a future where Latinx voices aren’t just included, they are central. “Our SCAN advisors are volunteers, cultural ambassadors,” Bernal said. “They help us distribute surveys, talk to the audience, and strengthen the community. Nobody should feel alone. Everybody should feel like they belong here.”
Education and outreach are central to D’Rivera’s work as well. He said, “It is an important part of our mission to plant and nurture the seed of quality music in our communities.” He continued to say, “Using our visibility and influence in favor of justice is always a very effective vehicle in denouncing violations of human rights around the world.”
This shared mission of education and social justice extends beyond the Mahaiwe. “We are one of the few arts organizations in a monthly meeting with BASIC (Berkshire Alliance for Immigrant Services). We have direct ties to the Berkshire Immigrant Center, VIM, and others so that we are well-informed and ready to serve,” said Bernal.
That commitment to community, culture, and access is why Bernal’s dream panel—Women in the Music Business—would feature Paquito’s wife and longtime manager, Brenda Feliciano. “She’s a tower of power. She’s been managing his career for at least 45 years. If I could organize an event one day, she would be the cherry on the cake.”
Until then, Bernal will keep doing what she does best: making sure the Mahaiwe is a place where everyone, regardless of language, income, or background, feels at home. And maybe, just maybe, she’ll find herself back on stage with Paquito D’Rivera, just like that first time, all those years ago.
For more info and tickets to Paquito D’Rivera, visit mahaiwe.org
There is magic in a home filled with the things we love, and Mary Randolph Carter, affectionately known as “Carter,” has spent a lifetime embracing that magic. Her latest book, “Live with the Things You Love … and You’ll Live Happily Ever After,” is about storytelling, joy, and honoring life’s poetry through the objects we keep.
“This is my tenth book,” Carter said. “At the root of each is my love of collecting, the thrill of the hunt, and living surrounded by things that conjure up family, friends, and memories.”
The creative director at Ralph Lauren for almost four decades, Carter began writing this book during the pandemic, a time of rediscovering comfort. “I found more time to appreciate those special things that give our homes warmth and connection.” Working with Ralph Lauren, she learned that the best spaces tell a personal story. “His desk was filled with toy cars, miniature shoes, superheroes, English dandies, cowboys on horseback. The walls? A gallery of his children’s paintings, iconic photos of Frank Sinatra and Gary Cooper. Everything told a story.”
Carter acknowledges how homes can become overwhelmed with stuff but sees a difference between clutter and collection. “To live happily, create environments that inspire and comfort rather than encumber you! Look around and ask, ‘What is truly meaningful? What makes you smile? What recalls the people and places you cherish?’” Then, she added, “weed out the rest with discipline and courage!”
Provided
Each home in Carter’s book reflects its inhabitant’s spirit. “The first time I walked into Bethann Hardison’s apartment, I knew right away how authentic it was to who she is.” Hardison’s walls are lined with artwork from friends Keith Haring, Jean-Michel Basquiat, and Haitian paintings, testaments to a life well lived. “Though her mantra is, ‘the lighter the load, the freer the journey,’ she also admits some things ‘delight your environment’ and can’t be parted with. Amen to that!”
Having survived two childhood fires, Carter deeply understands what truly matters. “It’s not the things, but the people and memories they evoke.” She loves her collections, but they don’t possess her. “They make me happy, but they do not define me.”
She delights in how people showcase treasures. Paula Grief, for instance, lives in a ten-foot-wide house and had to part with many books. “She tucks the ones she can’t live without through the rungs of her staircase. I love that ingenuity!”
When asked about her most cherished possession, Carter tells a story of loss and serendipity. A childhood portrait of her in a blue velvet dress was lost in a fire. “Years later, the artist’s daughter found another version. Now, it hangs in our apartment, surrounded by flea market art and one of my favorite saints, Our Lady of Guadalupe.”
Adding to the cozy feeling of this book, Carter’s son, Carter Berg, took the photographs, and her sister, Cary, contributed the illustrations. “Cary once stayed in our apartment and painted a dozen objects from our cluttered kitchen. I hung them immediately. When I started this book, I knew she had to capture my favorite objects.”
Four of the featured homes are local to the Northwest Corner, including Carter’s in Millerton, Joan Osofsky’s in Lakeville, Robin Bell’s in Salisbury, and Paula Grief’s in Hudson. They all gathered at the White Hart/Oblong Speaker Series on March 27.
After perusing the richly colored pages of this book, you may feel tempted to shop. “You don’t need money to create a meaningful home,” Carter insisted. “Some of my favorite paintings cost no more than $10 or $25. Value is personal. It’s not about provenance but the story an object tells you or the one you make up.”
Carter’s advice? “Fall in love with the wackiest thing. Surround yourself with what matters, and you’ll live happily ever after.”
The first play in four years returned to the Webutuck Auditorium Friday, March 28. The production of Clue was put on entirely by students from the Webutuck Middle School and starred an ensemble cast of, from left to right, Jacob Dean as Mr. Green, Caroline Eschbach as Mrs. White, Brooke Bozydaj as Yvette, Liam Diaz as Wadsworth, Nolan Howard as Colonel Mustard, Mariah Bradley as Miss Scarlett and Lois Musgrave as Mrs. Peacock who is pictured on the floor of the stage.