Celebrating Earth Day
We’ve shared the announcement on our social media accounts, but in case you missed it – VTPoC is now officially a Vermont 501(c)(3) Non-Profit!
And, we’re doing big things: in collaboration with Winooski Strong, the VT Racial Justice Alliance, New Alpha Missionary Baptist Church and the Black Perspective, we have been hosting vaccination clinics for vaccinating BIPOC and their households in Burlington each Saturday for the past few weeks. As of April 1st, all BIPOC 16+ are eligible with the state at any clinic. Follow us on Instagram and Facebook for the latest updates on COVID-19 vaccination.
Additionally, we aim to uplift BIPOC by providing resources to support one another. We are working on developing a Vermont BIPOC-owned Business Directory for our website, and we want YOU to be a part of it! If you or a BIPOC you know are starting a new business in Vermont, let us know!
This month, we celebrate our Earth. Earth Day.
While Earth Day falls on April 22nd this year, it is important all month AND all year to celebrate and uplift BIPOC who work in farming and agriculture. That’s why this month we have two spotlight features from Vermont ReLeaf Collective, a network of BIPOC that work in cultivating land and food systems. You can get connected with ReLeaf on Instagram and Facebook – look out for their dinners, workshops, and outdoor adventures. This month’s newsletter also has loads of events and news related to cherishing the outdoors and supporting farmers of color across the state.
Don’t forget about our upcoming event, the Financial Literacy Workshop, on April 21st! Panelists include Peter Deng (Tax Advising), Jodie Ducharme (of Vermont Student Assistance Programs), Zerihune Finn (Financial Advisor), and Prabin Pokhrel (Mortgage Loan Originator). Click this link to register!
Get to Know VT PoC
Businesses and People
Jake McBride
WILDERNESS THERAPIST & RELEAF COLLECTIVE MEMBER
Jake McBride was born in New York City but moved to northeastern Massachusetts when he was young, where he was raised on the edge of 300 acres of preserved land. Post-grad, Jake moved to Vermont to pursue work in Wilderness Therapy. Outside of his role as a Wilderness Therapist, he is the Social Media Coordinator for the Vermont ReLeaf Collective.
Read the rest of Jake’s story at this link.
Natanya Vanderlaan
DEVELOPMENT AT WHOLEHEART INC. & RELEAF COLLECTIVE MEMBER
Natanya Vanderlaan, a first-generation Haitian-American, relocated to Vermont from Boston five years ago. As the Development and Community Engagement Director at WholeHeart, Inc. Natanya “finds joy in all the connections and practices [she] is able to hold and support through [her] work.” The pandemic, she says, has fostered an environment for change and a need for restorative space and community for BIPOC. Fortunately, she has found that space to uplift BIPOC work through Vermont ReLeaf Collective.
Check out the rest of our profile on Natanya here.
Updates and Resources
Events
- BIPOC Grow Teams
Shift Meals is partnering with Conscious Homestead to design a space for BIPOC interested in food & land stewardship. To learn more, go to:
ShiftMeals.org. - Call for Poets
Vermont ReLeaf is partnering with Burlington Parks for a Poetry Walk on the Intersection of Healing, Nature, and Revolution from Black and Indigenous perspectives.See event details here.
- Abenaki Heritage Event
Save the date! Join the Native American community for a virtual Abenaki Heritage Weekend from June 16th to June 20th. Find out more at this link.
- Community Grants
Check out these new Vermont-based grants available starting in April.Apply to the Community Fund Grant in Burlington at this link and the Vermont Sole Proprietor Stabilization Program by clicking here.
- BIPOC Healing & Meditation
Drop-in sessions are a dedicated space for BIPOC UVM students to begin or deepen their mindfulness practice and engage in mindful dialogue.Get the details here.
Events
- BIPOC Vaccination Clinics
BIPOC-specific vaccination clinics for eligible Vermonters have opened in across the state. For more info, visit the Vermont Health Department’s website here. Click this link to register now.
- “Black Farmers Have Long Faced Discrimination. New Aid Aims To Right Past Wrongs”
VPR explores the provisions in Biden’s coronavirus relief bill meant to aid Black farmers.Click here to read.
- SUSU commUNITY Farm
Formerly known as the BIPOC Land and Food Sovereignty Project, it will be a Black and Indigenous stewarded farm in Southern Vermont. They are seeking donations:click this link to contribute
- 90 years after Vermont eugenics survey, lawmakers propose apology to those affected
Abenaki people in Vermont say the ripple effects of the eugenics movement are still felt today, but an apology is “an important step.”Read the story at VTDigger.
- US Refugee Program “On Life Support” says VPR Article
VPR describes in this article the challenges surrounding refugee support & resettlement in the US, especially as the Biden Administration strives to keep up with its lofty goals.Read more about about the story at this link.