Newsletter Vol. 5 No. 2 – February 2025

Posted on February 3, 2025March 6, 2025

NAVIGATION

THE SYNERGY OF HOPE: MY FAMILY’S RECONCILING OF VERMONT’S SECRET JIM CROW PAST

by Jerome Lafayette Narramore

Just before I married in Mom’s hometown of Castleton back in 2001, I pulled her birth record to see the names of my biological grandparents for the first time. She had two redacted ones and the third recorded her father as “Black”, but Mom, an orphan, maintained she was Sicilian. I was skeptical of how to contextualize “Black” as I never saw a Person of Color before in Vermont. As an Autistic individual (and literal processor of information), I previously changed my name to a Sicilian one to honor my mother’s stolen identity. What I was about to encounter set me on a twenty-year path of emotional dysregulation and identity shifting.

If one is fortunate to find literature about Vermont’s minuscule and isolated BIPOC community in history, most likely they will find accounts written from the perspective of non-BIPOC persons. However, our reality differs from what the limited literature suggests. 

However, I have experienced success by using a wide range of utilities and resources to reveal the underbelly of the Black Experience in historical Vermont and bridging it to current day. Various crucial insights came from brave and honest locals who shared their knowledge with me, and this synergy inspires my work.

Throughout Vermont’s classrooms, state mandates taught that it was a safe harbor for enslaved persons. Institutions still maintain Vermont was the first to abolish enslavement and never contained enslaved humans on her soil. Both are dubious claims and a byproduct of revisionist history. We witness examples in Vermont’s statutory laws that allowed segregation in public spaces and implied restrictions of mixed-race marriages from out of state. We also have uncovered census records and manumission letters of enslaved people as late as 1840. Vermont, indeed, was once a silent and complicit partner of Jim Crow sentiments.

I engineered a forensic reconstruction of the state’s history, including obscure laws, social mores, employment trends, land ownership, but discovered the KKK, eugenics, multiple lynchings, state sponsored terrorism (in forced separation of my family, race-based imprisonment of my family, and the allowance of minstrel shows with children in Blackface) in public school fundraisers, and UVM’s Kakewalk. These are not discussed in Vermont’s public square. The vastly outnumbered Black Community has resulted in a lack of accountability in our historical documentation.

I confirmed Mom’s true identity in 2017 when a psychic medium led me to the only known photo of my grandfather: his mugshot after being imprisoned on adultery charges for having two children with my white grandmother. He was Black, not “Sicilian” as Mom maintained. I was his twin, just shades lighter. Seeing is believing, despite what the DNA tests revealed. 

Mom and her brother were born on “Nigger Hill” in Castleton. She was the last Black Woman remaining of 108 BIPOC individuals accounted for in census records between 1840 and 2020 in the Castleton area. When she was born in 1943, Vermont was statistically 99.9% white, making it not only the whitest state in the nation, but among the whitest spaces on planet earth.

Never in Vermont’s history did it have over one thousand Black Folk living there. Very few of us remain who have unbroken generations in the state since 1840. Our threadbare presence has led to an inaccurate recording of our lives.

Further research revealed the murders and rapes of my grandfather and several of his siblings, the expulsion of of Mom and her brother from the state, and several other incendiary acts. Never in my wildest dreams could I envision such a scenario, but why was it hidden?

The remnants of revision are there, and we, the affected, must take stewardship to hold the record accountable. I am working with the State of Vermont’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission as an advising ethnographer and am seeking publication of my expository family memoir. I also lecture on my findings, which have left me feeling confident in Vermont’s future of confronting their truths.

Discovering our truth helped me to contextualize my mother’s lifelong struggles. When recording history, we must seek ourselves in it, or risk the loss of our foundations. It is in this spirit that, in 2020, I changed my name to honor our truths and the suffering endured by grandfather and my family. The synergy of hope calls us all to invest in each other.

About the Author

Jerome Lafayette Narramore is a biracial genetic documentarian, author, and film producer living in New York City. He is currently querying to literary agents his hybrid family-memoir which exposes the race-based institutional cover ups by the state of Vermont which led to the permanent breakage of his family. Exposing an intentionally suppressed Black History only previously known in the Deep South, Narramore writes an impassioned work reconstructing three generations of his unknown family and community while pivoting to a new identity to fulfill the final wishes of his mother before her death.

COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT

news FROM THE NETWORK

EVENTS

February 3 – BIPOC Affinity Woodworking at HatchSpace (5:30 PM – 8:30 PM)
We’ve partnered with HatchSpace to bring our community a FREE BIPOC affinity woodworking space!! Whether you’re a woodworking newbie or pro this space is for you! Come explore something fun or new to you within a safer BIPOC centered space. Bring your own project or build something new! Materials Provided!

February 4 until March 2 – I Am Vermont Too Photo/Story Project Display at the Vermont Statehouse (8:00 AM – 4:00 PM)
Through photographs and personal stories, the project raises awareness about the impact of racial microaggressions on BIPOC and creates a space for BIPOC to share their lived experiences. It also encourages majority-white communities to reflect on their biases and behaviors, many of whom may be unaware of their role in perpetuating racial stereotypes. This marks the fourth time the exhibit has been featured at the Statehouse, following previous showings in 2017, 2019, and 2022.

February 4, 11, 18, 25 (Every Tuesday) – Richard Kemp Center: Got Chess? (5:00 PM – 7:00 PM)
The Youth Chess Club is a dynamic and inclusive program designed to empower young individuals from Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) communities through the timeless game of chess. Our program offers a safe and welcoming space where youth can explore the world of chess, cultivate essential life skills, and experience a range of valuable benefits.

February 5 – Vermont Womenpreneurs: Biz Buzz Zoom (10:00 AM – 11:00 AM)
Our monthly Vermont Womenpreneurs meet-up, on Wednesday of each month at 10am, serves as an opportunity for women business owners across the state to connect, learn of new opportunities and updates from one another. Register to get Zoom link.

February 5 – The Flynn Presents: Chinese New Year (6:00 PM)
Come ring in the Chinese New Year with us at A Single Pebble. This annual fundraiser event supports the Flynn’s artistic and education programming. So join us and support the arts while you enjoy a delicious meal and great company. Cost is $150 per person and includes wine and tax. Reservations are first come, first served. Tables can accommodate parties of 4 or 6.

February 6, 20 – Mandarin Conversation Circle (11:00 AM – 12:00 PM)
Learn or improve your Mandarin and make new friends. Join volunteers from Vermont Chinese School for our Mandarin Conversation Circle. Drop in. No registration.

February 6, 20 – The Root Social Justice Center: BIPOC Writers Group (5:30 PM – 6:30 PM)
Join us every 1st Thursday from 5:30 to 7:30 PM for a special gathering of BIPOC writers to share your work, listen to others, and connect in a safe and inclusive space. Whether you’re working on poetry, fiction, essays, or any other form of writing, this is a space where your voice is valued and celebrated.

February 7, 21 – English Conversation Circle (11:00 AM – 12:00 PM)
Practice your English and make new friends. Join library staff and volunteers for a fun and friendly conversation with other adult English learners. Registration is not required for this program. All are welcome!

February 7 – Human Family Potluck at the Cabot Public Library (5:00 PM – 7:30 PM)
Free / by donation, all ages! Bring your grandmother’s favorite family foods to share – or simply come be fed! Rajnii Eddins & Farmer Ama performing poetry and music, signing books. Local youth poets & storytellers include Mary Rogerson & Losada Stoddard. Poetic tributes to the late great Black Arts Movement poet Nikki Giovanni & our Community Unity Art Project!

February 7 – Richard Kemp Center: Let’s Break Bread Together – Community Dinner to Nourish Ourselves (5:30 PM – 7:30 PM)
Join us for a heartwarming evening of food, laughter, and connection at our community dinner. This event is all about coming together to share delicious meals and create lasting memories. Whether you’re a foodie or just looking for a good time, this dinner is perfect for everyone. Let’s nourish our bodies and souls by breaking bread and building friendships. Don’t miss out on this wonderful opportunity to bond with your community over a shared meal! Featuring Harmony’s Kitchen soul food.

February 7 – Richard Kemp Center: First Friday (6:00 PM – 8:00 PM)
First Friday is a monthly gathering at the Richard Kemp Center, dedicated to fostering cultural empowerment, educating on systemic racism in the nation’s history, and providing practical insights into economic advancement. The event aims to bring together both youth and adults within the African diaspora for a dynamic two-hour session of learning, dialogue, and community building.

February 7, 14, 21, 28 – Fletcher Free Library Presents: USCRI Mother’s Wellness Group for Swahili Speakers (1:00 PM – 2:30 PM)
A mental health and wellness support group for refugee mothers to come together and create community and to learn strategies for mental health support.

February 8, 15, 22 – Richard Kemp Center: Legal Clinic (11:00 AM – 1:00 PM)
We’re promoting racial equity by offering accessible legal support to those who often face systemic barriers within the legal system. Here we empower individuals, protect their civil rights, and offer representation in legal matters where racial discrimination or injustice may be prevalent.

February 8 – Homegoings LIVE: Sex and Racism in America: How to love each other better with Sexologist Tyomi Morgan (5:00 PM)
Go behind the scenes and be part of the audience for a live recording of our Homegoings podcast. Just in time for Valentine’s day, Host Myra Flynn sits down with sexologist Tyomi Morgan to talk about sex and racism in America, and the barriers of bias that keep us from loving one another the best we can. Following the live conversation, Tyomi will lead us in a “speed dating” exercise, where you’ll be invited to get to know your audience neighbor more deeply through a series of honest and thought-provoking questions. You don’t need to be single to participate, this is a platonic activity! After that we invite you to mix and mingle while enjoying Jamaican food from Thingz From Yaad and the soundtrack of DJ Fernetic’s vinyl soundscape. And if you really want to keep the love flowing, meet us at 9 p.m. at Monkey House in Winooski for an afterparty. Myra Flynn and Fernetic will be spinning there until midnight.

February 9 – The Root Social Justice Center: Soul Food Sunday (1:00 PM – 4:00 PM)
We invite BIPOC of all ages to bring a dish or non alcoholic drink that nourishes them to share. If you can’t bring food no worries, just bring yourself and your loved ones! If you’d like to promote your business, entrepreneurship, resources, knowledge or other gifts this is a space to shout yourself out and make lasting connections that keep us growing, empowered, and supported!

February 9 – Fletcher Free Library Presents: Dad Guild (3:30 PM – 5:00 PM)
Fathers (and parents of all genders) and their kids ages 5 and under drop in for playtime and connection. Ages 0-5. dadguild.weebly.com

February 9 – Vermont Jazz Center Presents: Billy Childs Quartet (4:00 PM)
Billy Childs is one of North America’s most lauded musicians. He has earned seventeen Grammy nominations and six Grammy awards. He is also the recipient of Chamber Music America’s Composer’s Grant, a Doris Duke Performing Artist Award, a Guggenheim Fellowship, and a music award from the American Academy of Arts and Letters. This year he continued his success by winning Best Instrumental Jazz Album for his album “The Winds of Change” (2024).

February 10, 24 – Fletcher Free Library Presents: English Classes for Mothers (12:30 PM – 2:00 PM)
USCRI VT will host mixed English classes for women in one room while having childcare provided in another room.

February 10 – Vermont Womenpreneurs: Biz Buzz Barre Soirée (6:00 PM – 8:15 PM)
Come join us for a night of networking and fun at Barre Social Club! This in-person event is the perfect opportunity to mingle with other womenpreneurs in Barre’s newest coworking and community event space . Whether you’re looking to make new connections or simply unwind after a long day, this soirée is the place to be. Don’t miss out on the chance to mix, mingle, and maybe even bust a move on the dance floor. See you there!

February 13 – Morning Book Group: Crying in H Mart (10:30 AM – 11:30 AM)
Join the Library’s morning book group in reading and discussing Crying in H Mart: A Memoir, by Michelle Zauner. In this exquisite story of family, food, grief, and endurance, Michelle Zauner proves herself far more than a dazzling singer, songwriter, and guitarist. With humor and heart, she tells of growing up one of the few Asian American kids at her school in Eugene, Oregon; of struggling with her mother’s particular, high expectations of her; of a painful adolescence; of treasured months spent in her grandmother’s tiny apartment in Seoul, where she and her mother would bond, late at night, over heaping plates of food.

February 13 – Middle School Makers: Cooking – Pot Stickers (4:00 PM – 5:00 PM)
Middle School Makers for students in Grades 4-8 will be making pot stickers! Bring a friend and join us!

February 13 – Vermont Womenpreneurs: Biz Buzz Burlington (10:00 AM – 11:00 AM)
Our monthly Burlington Vermont Womenpreneurs meet-up at 10am is an opportunity for women business owners in Chittenden County to connect, learn of new opportunities and updates from one another. Registration ($8) covers your beverage (coffee, tea, juice, etc.) and light breakfast fare from Deep City’s kitchen. VTW PRO Members are free (promo code will be sent to you via member email.)

February 13 – Vermont Womenpreneurs: Biz Buzz Brattleboro (10:00 AM – 11:00 AM)
Hosted by Luella Strattner with support from Vermont Womenpreneurs and Downtown Brattleboro Alliance. The Biz Buzz Brattleboro Meetups are monthly networking events for women and gender expansive folk who feel comfortable in women-centered spaces where we can be witnessed in community, share resources and encouragement, and connect around the joys and growth of solo/entrepreneur, small business, and leadership life in southern Vermont.

February 14, 28 – Richard Kemp Center: Youth Movie Night (6:00 PM – 8:00 PM)
Youth Movie Night is a community-centered initiative aimed at promoting awareness, understanding, and dialogue on racial justice issues through the medium of film. This program creates a safe and inclusive space where youth from 8 to 18 can come together to watch thought-provoking movies with cultural themes, engage in meaningful discussions, and share food in a welcoming and collaborative environment.

February 15 – Conscious Homestead & Joy Riders: Roller Bounce Roller Disco (4:00 PM – 9:00 PM)
Join us at the Old North End Community Center for a 70s themed roller disco. Come dressed in your grooviest fits and skate along to some jammin’ tunes provided by DJ V and dj tonybonez! We’ll have two sessions: Youth/Family – 4-6pm Grown Folks (18+) – 7-9pm.

February 15 – Poetry & Love with Farmer Ama & Rajnii Eddins at Whirlgig Brewing (5:00 PM – 7:00 PM)
Celebrate a Valentine’s night out featuring Rajnii Eddins and Farmer Ama, who will honor the late, great Nikki Giovanni with poetry performances and book signings. This event is open to all ages and offers a special menu crafted with locally sourced ingredients from the Whirligig kitchen, plus bistro food and bar drinks available for purchase.

February 18 – The Flynn Presents: New Orleans Songbook (7:00 PM)
Jazz at Lincoln Center brings the soul of New Orleans and the spirit of Mardi Gras to this amazing show, celebrating the composers and inspired songs of the Crescent City, the historic epicenter of jazz. From Jelly Roll Morton and Louis Armstrong to Ellis Marsalis and James Black, New Orleans has long been an apex of innovation and inspiration. Led by pianist Luther S. Allison and vocalists Quiana Lynell and Milton Suggs, New Orleans Songbook immerses audiences in the captivating and timeless spirit of this vibrant city.

February 19 – Richard Kemp Center: Front Door – Growing Homes (6:00 PM – 8:00 PM)
We’re opening the front door for folks to come and join us in the Growing Homes Initiative. Front Door is a great way to start the journey with us. Here we’ll provide an overview of the initiative and get you introduced to our coaches who will get you started on the journey to learning, growing, healing and economic empowerment! The Growing Homes Initiative aims to support community members with lived experiences of racial trauma. It offers cultural access, community involvement, and guidance on the path to overall wellness, including economic wellness. Phase One (six months) of Growing Homes is the first step in the roll-out of a program targeted at healing and reducing the racial wealth gap, up to and including home and land ownership!

February 20, 21, 22 – Vermont Comedy Club Presents: Leslie Liao (7:00 PM, 9:00 PM)
Leslie Liao is a stand-up comedian, actress, and writer. Audiences around the world have been drawn to her relatable, introspective, and matter-of-fact style of humor which is often anchored around her experiences as a single Chinese-American woman living in Los Angeles.

February 21 – Richard Kemp Center: Game Night (6:00 PM – 8:00 PM)
The Game Night is a unique and inclusive community event designed to foster unity, understanding, and celebration of diverse cultures while promoting racial equity and social justice. This is a welcoming space for people from all racial backgrounds to come together, have fun, and engage in meaningful conversations. You can expect Inclusive Games, Cultural Exchange, Racial Justice Discussions, Networking and Building, Community, Food and Refreshments and a Family-Friendly Environment.

February 22 – The Root Social Justice Center: Mini BIPOC Hair Clinic (9:00 AM – 6:00 PM)
Starting February 22nd and happening every last Saturday of the month! You asked for it, and now we’re giving it to you! We’re excited to announce the Mini BIPOC Hair Clinic, starting February 22nd and continuing every last Saturday of the month! This is a unique opportunity to connect with talented stylists who specialize in providing services for textured, natural, and other BIPOC hair types.

February 22 – The Art of Creating Community Through Hip-Hop (1:00 PM – 2:00 PM)
The origins of Hip-Hop are rooted in the upliftment, consciousness raising, and creative expression of the Black and Brown community. This talk, The Art of Creating Community Through Hip-Hop, will center these themes, provide historical background of the elements of Hip-Hop, and discuss them in context to the current times, with the hopes of inspiring a revival of the spirit of Hip-Hop as a community-building art form. Will Kasso Condry, co-founder of Juniper Creative Arts, speaks in depth about resilience, authenticity, and the importance of keeping art and creativity at the center of one’s life.

February 22 – nuwave and the Flynn present: The Black Experience ’25 (7:00 PM)
The Black Experience 2025 (BX25) is a holistic celebration of Vermont’s Black lived experience (cultural, communal, educational), and a welcomed addition to Burlington’s observation of Black History Month.

February 23 – Chenyu Wang at the Roots & Wings Coffeehouse at UUCUV (2:00 PM – 3:00 PM)
Dr. Chenyu Wang grew up in China and began her piano studies at age 5. Her primary teachers include Minjuan Fan and Shuo Huang (Shanghai Conservatory of Music), Barry Snyder (Eastman School of Music), Emile Naoumoff (Indiana University) and Paul Rutman (Hartt School, University of Hartford). She also performed at masterclasses for legendary pianists such as Robert McDonald, Julian Martin, Luiz Castro, Boris Slutsky, Rebecca Pennys, Autur Pizarro, Jose Ramon Mendez, Blanca Uribe, Thomas Schumacher, Roberta Rust, and many others. Dr. Wang has been awarded several prizes in national and international competitions, including The American Prize (2019-2022), IBLA Annual International Music Competition (2019), and Bartok-Kabalevsky-Prokofiev International Piano Competition (2019).

February 26 – The Root Social Justice Center: BIPOC Adoptees Group (5:30 PM – 7:30 PM)
Adoptees deserve a space to share our whole selves, the painful truths, the unmet needs, our journeys with trauma, healing and more. The Root aims to provide exactly that and more in our new BIPOC Adoptee Affinity group. Together, we’ll center our narratives, experiences and needs, while affirming all the complexities of our identities as BIPOC Adoptees! Come to build connections, share ideas for future experiences and projects, and simply to be seen, affirmed and loved! 💜

February 27 – The Root Social Justice Center: BIPOC Legal Aid Clinic (2:30 PM – 6:00 PM)
These clinics address systemic barriers and promote equity by offering guidance on tenant rights, eviction support exclusively for tenants, and advice on addressing unsafe or substandard housing conditions. Additionally, the clinics assist with drafting forms and navigating the process to clear criminal records, helping participants remove legal barriers and create new opportunities. By offering culturally responsive legal services, these clinics empower the BIPOC community to advocate for justice, housing stability, and self-determination.

February 27 – Evening Book Group: Black is the Body (6:00 PM – 7:00 PM)
Enjoy a stimulating conversation about books and exchange perspectives about characters and plot while getting to know your neighbors. Join us in February as we talk about Black is the Body, by South Burlington author and UVM professor Emily Bernard.

March 19 to Apr 6, 2025 – PRIMARY TRUST: A Play (6:00 PM – 7:00 PM)
Winner of the 2024 Pulitzer Prize in Drama, this outstanding play revolves around Kenneth, a 38-year-old bookstore worker who spends his evenings sipping mai tais at the local tiki bar. When he’s suddenly laid off, Kenneth finally begins to face a world he’s long avoided – with transformative and even comical results. “Primary Trust” is a touching and inventive play about new beginnings, old friends and seeing the world for the first time. This regional premiere runs 90 minutes with no intermission. Appropriate for ages 13 and up. Members – check your emails for a promo code!

trainings & professional development

February 6 – CWEVT – Financing Your Business: Exploring the Options (10:00 AM – 11:30 AM)
Looking to start or grow your business and suspect you need some extra cash to do it – and not sure where it’ll come from? Join CWEVT for this informal conversation that will put the FUN in funding. Together, we’ll explore the spectrum of financing options that might be available as you pursue business financing, from grants to venture capital and everything in between. We promise to use real-people-language and to keep a relaxed, conversational environment so you can ask questions and share your experiences.

February 6, 13 – CVOEO: Spend SMART (10:00 AM – 12:00 PM)
Spend SMART (2 Sessions): Build skills to track spending. Learn how to develop a budget that works for you, and develop SMART savings goals.

February 6 – Immigration & ICE: Rights, Obligations, & Support for Businesses (11:00 AM – 12:30 PM)
What do the new federal actions mean for your business or non-profit? Does your team know their rights and obligations should ICE come to your place of work? Join an expert panel of Vermont and national leaders to get your questions answered. This webinar is offered as a partnership of the Vermont Chamber of Commerce, Vermont Businesses for Social Responsibility, and the State Treasurer’s Office. All are welcome!

February 8 – Lunch with Lenders: Exploring Funding Opportunities for Small Businesses (9:00 AM – 4:00 PM)
An event in celebration of Black History Month. Conversations on accessing capital with traditional and non-traditional lenders from Burlington Revolving Loan Fund, Opportunities Credit Union, and the Vermont Community Loan Fund. Bring you questions and come ready to share your experiences. Lunch will be provided! In-Person at Winooski High School.

February 11 – CVOEO: Tenant Skills (12:00 PM – 1:30 PM)
Tenant Skills includes the fundamentals of tenant rights and responsibilities, leases, security deposits, repairs, health code violations, terminations, evictions, fair housing and disability law. The workshop is currently offered via Zoom several times a month. If you have questions, need help registering, or would like to schedule an interpreted class, please email classcoord@cvoeo.org or call 802-660-3455 ext. 205.

February 11 – CVOEO: Keys to Credit (6:00 PM – 8:00 PM)
If you are interested in learning how credit affects your day to day life, what influences your credit score, and how to build and repair your credit, this class is for you! This class is offered multiple times a month over Zoom. Choose a date and time that works for you, then click register! For questions, please email growingmoney@cvoeo.org.

February 12 – CVOEO: Sustaining the Rent (5:00 PM – 6:30 PM)
Sustaining the Rent focuses on strategies to financially prepare for renting, including determining what “affordable” rent would be and comparing costs of apartments, and understanding how credit affects the ability to pay rent, as well as developing the knowledge and skills needed to track spending, build a budget, and find resources to help meet housing and basic needs. This workshop is currently offered via Zoom once a month. Sustaining the Rent is also also offered as a fully online, self-paced course, accessible whenever suits your schedule! Click here to sign up for Sustaining the Rent On-Demand If you have questions, please email classcoord@cvoeo.org or call 802-660-3455 ext. 205.

February 15, 16 – NOFA-VT Winter Conference
The NOFA-VT Winter Conference provides a valuable opportunity for farmers, gardeners, land stewards, educators, students, policy-makers, and other food system activists to share ideas, resources, and skills. This year’s theme is Growing Together. From corporate consolidation to land access barriers, it’s easy to feel like “the powers that be” are constantly fighting against a localized, just, ecological food system. But, as eons of societal change show us, we all have the power to create better conditions when we come together; if one person alone is a single thread, a community of people sharing knowledge, humanity, and inspiration is the thread woven together into a strong, vibrant social fabric. Note: NOFA-VT programs are free for BIPOC!

February 19 – BIPOC Home & Business Ownership Project Virtual Gathering (4:30 PM – 6:30 PM)
Join the BIPOC Home and Business Ownership (BHBO) project crew as we unveil a resource guide highlighting local orgs in the Upper Valley ready to boost your homeownership and business dreams! We’ll also introduce other bold solutions brainstormed during the project kick-off in October that will allow you to shape the future of this project!

February 19 – CVOEO: Avoiding Scams and Financial Fraud (11:00 AM – 12:00 PM)
Learn how to spot and avoid scams and financial fraud so you may protect yourself and your family. Knowledge is power! It is important to safeguard your personal and financial information to minimize the risk of financial exploitation and identity theft. If you are educated about the latest frauds and scams, you will be well prepared with tools to recognize potential red flags.

**APPLICATIONS OPEN NOW** Starting February 19 – Start Up Business Planning Class (5:00 PM – 7:30 PM)
Start Up Business Planning Class is a semester-long business planning course for women, transgender, nonbinary, and gender non-conforming adults. If you’ve dreamed of starting or growing your own Vermont-based business, consider this email is the sign you’ve been looking for to get started! You will graduate knowing what you need to do to start and operate a successful business, and you’ll have completed a comprehensive, realistic business plan that you can use to guide you and to take to a lender if you decide you’ll need funding. This course is also great for people who are already in business and want to reinvent their business or take it to the next level.

February 18 – Assets for Artists: Cultural Organizing for Artists (12:00 PM)
This workshop will present participants with various ways in which artists collaborate with city government and policy-making, what it means to have a civic role in our communities, how we can move power alongside community, and how to build more robust cultural ecosystems together.

February 20 – VT Law School: Employment Webinar (11:00 AM – 1:00 PM)
Taking the leap to hire your first employee as a business owner is both thrilling and daunting. Navigating the complexities of employment laws—from onboarding to handling taxes and addressing unemployment claims—can be a challenge. Join Vermont Law and Graduate School Professor Jeanne Eicks, alongside VLGS’ Small Business Law Clinic students, in this informative webinar. Together, they’ll explain these legal hurdles, supporting you as you plan the expansion of your business with confidence and clarity. This class is appropriate for anyone starting a business or currently in business.

February 26 – Discover St. Johnsbury’s Economic Development Committee Workshop: How do I get the word out about my business? (5:30 PM – 7:00 PM)
The number of ways to let people know about your business can be overwhelming. It feels like everyone gets information differently these days, and it can be hard to navigate the myriad (sometimes expensive) outlets and tools to connect with new customers. Maggie will provide an introduction on clarifying your brand and presenting yourself on social media (including tips for taking better pictures), and Gillian will provide an overview of the best listing and marketing services to connect with locals and visitors alike, as well as a quick triage tool to help you choose which services are right for your situation.

February 25 – CWE – Steps to Starting A Mission Driven Business (12:00 PM – 1:30 PM)
Are you starting a business with changing the world or impacting your community as its focus? Are you not sure if you want to start a non-profit or a for-profit? If so, this workshop will help you to learn how to obtain an employer identification number, licenses, permits and insurance, develop your business ideas and planning, decide on the right legal structure for your goals, and choose a name and develop a brand identity.

February 27 – Social Media Made Simple: A Beginner’s Guide to Growing Your Business Webinar (10:00 AM – 12:00 PM)
Social media doesn’t have to be overwhelming! In this beginner-friendly webinar, we’ll break down the basics of using platforms like Facebook and Instagram to connect with your customers and grow your business. You’ll learn what to post, how to engage your audience, and simple tips to stay consistent without feeling overwhelmed. Perfect for small business owners who want to build their brand online with limited time and resources.

FUNDING & GRANTS

The Current (Stowe): Call to Artists for Outdoor Sculpture Exhibition
The Current, a center for contemporary art in Stowe, Vermont, invites artists to submit proposals for the annual outdoor sculpture exhibition Exposed. Selected works will be exhibited throughout the village of Stowe. Applications due on February 9, 2025.

Cultivate’s Roots & Blossoms Fund
Cultivate’s initiative to support artistic and cultural programs for Vermont youth. Aimed at ensuring the arts are accessible for all, our fund offers vital support to nonprofits that provide opportunities for young artists and storytellers from underrepresented communities to share their voices and grow their talents. Applications due on February 21, 2025.

Vermont Humanities Project Grant
Our Project Grants fund community and curriculum development projects with awards up to $5,000. Both new and existing projects are eligible to apply. Applications due on February 26, 2025.

Alfred Nash Patterson Grants
Grants may be used in a wide variety of ways to support choruses and choral singing, such as to help fund a performance, to commission new choral works, to enable outreach activities, and for seminars or other special activities that broadly benefit the choral community. We encourage ambitious and collaborative projects, and generally will happily consider applications for well-considered projects conducted more than one year in the future, to allow time for planning. Applications due on February 28, 2025.

National Dance Project Production Grant
NDP Production Grants are made to projects led by professional choreographers or companies to support the creation and U.S. touring and/or sharing of a new dance project. Applications due on February 28, 2025.

Access/VSA Emerging Young Artists Program: Catalyst
Catalyst asks artists to explore how their art interacts with their disability identity to spark something new. Applications due on February 28, 2025.

Efficiency Vermont’s Equity Scholarship
These scholarships are offered to support and inspire women and BIPOC applicants in advancement of energy efficiency and social equity. There are 10 scholarships on a first come, first served basis while funds last. Applications due on March 1, 2025.

Vermont Women’s Fund 2025 Grant Applications
We support programs that seek to address systemic barriers to economic well-being, and those that recognize the disproportionate impact of these barriers on women and girls by race, gender identity, sexuality, class, age, and ability. We award single or multi-year grants that support programmatic expenses for pilot or established programs and/or general operating costs. We consider funding proposals that supports work at any phase of development (including pilots). Applications due on March 4, 2025.

Walking Together: Investing in Folklife in Communities of Color
Walking Together serves traditional artists/practitioners and organizations that show a deep commitment to sustaining folklife rooted in communities of color. $15,000 grants for traditional artists/practitioners, $50,000 grants for community organizations. Grant funds have limited restrictions and do not have to be used for a specific project. They may be used to grow your work and help you support your community’s traditions into the future. Applications due on March 19, 2025.

Vermont Arts Council Creation Grant
Creation Grants support Vermont artists or artist groups in creating new work. Grant funds may be used to compensate the artists for time spent creating new work, to purchase materials, or to rent equipment or space for the process. This highly competitive program is reviewed by an independent panel of practicing artists and arts professionals. Both established and emerging artists are encouraged to apply. Applications due on April 8, 2025.

Vermont Humanities Rapid Response Grants
Our Rapid Response Grants are quick turn-around small grants for humanities-focused community projects. We award Rapid Response Grants of up to $1,000. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis.

Waterbury Arts Grant Application
Waterbury Arts is offering a total of $3000 in grant awards in 2024. Grant applications are accepted and awarded on a rolling basis throughout the year. The decision to support a project or projects is determined by members of Waterbury Arts. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis.

Grassroots Fund: Seed Grants
Seed grants prioritize support for community groups who represent a broad range of voices in their community and who are not being reached by other funders. The Grassroots Fund interprets the word ‘environment’ broadly and provides funding for a wide range of activities. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis.

New England Presenter Travel Fund
Presenter Travel Fund enhances the performing arts in the region by supporting travel costs associated with researching artistic work that may eventually be presented in New England. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis.

VT Main Street Flood Recovery Fund
The Vermont Main Street Flood Recovery Fund was established last year to provide grants to Vermont’s small business owners impacted by the July 10, 2023 flooding. July 2024 brought more extreme weather and catastrophic flooding to Vermont, devastating numerous small businesses, particularly in the Northeast Kingdom. In response, The Fund is once again raising money and taking applications. Grants up to $2,500 are intended to cover operating expenses or costs such as equipment replacement, supplies, and help with clean-up. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis.

Community Action Team
The Vermont Community Action Teams (CATs) are groups of employees at each of Ben & Jerry’s three Vermont manufacturing and office facilities. They offer general or project support within the broad guidelines and funding provided by the Ben & Jerry’s Foundation. Applications are reviewed monthly.

USDA Small Business Cost Share Program
Funds are available for businesses through the USDA Small Business Cost Share Program. Businesses with fewer than 50 employees and gross profit under $1,000,000 are eligible. Grants can cover as much as 70% of the project cost with the business cost-share component at 30%. For more information, please contact Annie McLean at amclean@nvda.net.

Awesome Grant
Have a crazy brilliant idea that needs funding? We award $1,000 grants every month. It couldn’t be simpler! Your idea is yours alone. We don’t want a stake in it. We just want to help you make it happen! Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis.

Social Equity: Vermont Cannabis Control Board
Individuals that have been determined to meet social equity status by the Vermont Cannabis Control Board may be eligible to receive a beneficiary payment from this program. Eligible applicants must have completed the intake process with Roads Consulting, the state’s provider of cannabis business technical assistance. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis.

Flood Recovery Rebates for Residents
Qualifying low- and moderate-income Vermont homeowners and renters are eligible for up to $29,500 per household to replace flood-damaged appliances and equipment. Damage must have occurred between July 10 – July 31, 2023 (or July 10 – August 10 for residents of Addison County). Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis.

Flood Recovery Rebates for Businesses
Businesses whose heating, cooling, refrigeration, or commercial kitchen equipment was damaged by recent floods can receive a flood recovery rebate of 100% of costs up to $4,000 per product for up to four products, in addition to standard offers. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis.

NEWS

For Afghan refugees in Vermont, homeownership can become reality with new program
Hundreds of Afghan refugees have settled in Vermont in recent years. Now, one of those families wants to make the state feel more like home by buying a house. And they’re taking advantage of a new partnership intended to make that dream more achievable.

A new Indigenous photography exhibit brings ‘Living Light’ to Dartmouth
“Cara Romero: Panûpünüwügai” made its debut at the Hood Museum, and includes photos of Indigenous Dartmouth students.

Vermont Conversation: Journalist and artist Myra Flynn on creating a ‘righteous space for art and race’
“I wanted to find a way to talk about race that was going to speak in a language that everyone understood and wasn’t going to make anyone feel shame or fear around talking about it.”

Vermont’s economy is going strong, experts tell state officials
Economists say the Vermont and national economies are performing far better than economists predicted six months ago, and that “aggregate measures of economic activity have rarely been better.”