Newsletter Vol. 6 No. 4 – April 2026

Posted on April 2, 2026April 2, 2026

NAVIGATION

The Seasons of Eclipses

by Jessica Robles

Content warning: Parental illness and death.

When the total solar eclipse swept across Vermont in April 2024, thousands of tourists poured in to witness it. I didn’t have to go far; my backyard in Barre was one of the best places to watch the sky darken in the middle of the day. As the moon crossed the sun, I held both awe and a strange sadness. At that same moment, 3,200 miles away in Lima, my mother was beginning her own eclipse—the slow dimming of her life.

Prior to that year, my mother’s health had been fragile, yet her spirit was fierce. She would say, “Yo hago lo que me da la regalada gana”—I do whatever I want, whenever I want. Her attitude was well known as she was the matriarch of our family. But in early April, a broken hip changed everything. When my sister sent a text in WhatsApp, I jumped on a plane, grateful that my U.S. citizenship allowed me to travel freely, yet aching that I was still an immigrant with a mother dying on another continent.

In the weeks that followed, I traveled back and forth between Vermont and Peru. The flights, the credit card debt, the exhaustion—they all became irrelevant. Distance was not going to keep me from her. One day I was standing in my front yard watching the sky turn black; days later, I was in a hospital room where my mother’s heartbeats were fading.

In my family, no one wanted to admit she was dying. “She’ll get better,” they insisted. “She’ll walk again.” Hope was mandatory, even as the truth unfolded before our eyes. When I spoke openly about her decline, I was told I was heartless. Back in Vermont, people offered polite condolences, but the silence around grief felt just as isolating. I was between two worlds: too direct for one, too emotional for the other.

A close friend reminded me that these contradictions are part of our immigrant lives. We learn to hold two truths at once: belonging and longing, love and loss, light and dark. My mother’s passing—and the eclipse—showed me how universal that in-between place can be.

For many of us in Vermont’s immigrant community, distance is part of our story. Whether it’s family across borders or the emotional space we navigate here, we live with layers of identity that few see. Yet we still find connection: in fellow country people who bring food, in friends who listen without judgment, in the quiet beauty of this state that so often feels far from home.

The eclipse passed, but its image stayed with me: that suspended moment between light and darkness, when everything is still. My mother’s death felt the same—a pause that shifted my world. Both reminded me that even in the dimmest moments, light returns. We just have to stand still long enough to notice it.

About the Author

Jessica Robles is a Peruvian-born lettering artist and writer based in Vermont. Her creative work explores identity, migration, and motherhood through visual and written storytelling.

COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT

news FROM THE NETWORK

Other Resources
Closing April 21: Leadership Champlain Applications	The Lake Champlain Chamber is now accepting applications for the Class of 2027 of Leadership Champlain, its flagship leadership development program. Since 1988, Leadership Champlain has graduated more than 1,200 professionals who now serve in executive roles, on nonprofit boards, in municipal leadership, and across key industries that power the regional economy.
Closing April 30: Juneteenth 2026 Celebration Award Nominations	The Racial Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (REIB) Office at the City of Burlington is seeking nominations for the Juneteenth 2026 Celebration Awards. We invite you to submit nominations for the following categories: Youth Leadership Award, Sustainability Award, Community Impact Award, Innovator Award, Legacy Award.
50% Off Slope Space Membership for VT PoC Members!	Slope Space is a coworking community at Mountain Green Resort in Killington, Vermont — the only dedicated coworking space at a major East Coast ski resort. We offer flexible workspace solutions for freelancers, remote workers, and small businesses, including hourly drop-ins, shared desks, and dedicated desks, all backed by 1 Gbps business fiber. Check the newsletter in your email for the code!
BIPOC Grower Needs Assessment: Farm to School Institutional Markets	This effort is being conducted to guide resource development and programmatic direction for NFSN and partners, ensuring that future farm to school initiatives are grounded in the lived experiences, priorities, and market realities of BIPOC growers.
BIPOC Pregnancy Support Group Interest Form	A pilot program trying to find interested participants!
Dawn Land Farm: 2026 Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) Program	Black and Indigenous-owned organic farm in Barre offering weekly vegetables, flowers, and herbs. Weekly on-farm pickup, sliding scale pricing available.
Pride Center of Vermont Community Mapping & Wisdom Gathering Initiative	The Pride Center of Vermont is conducting a Community Mapping & Wisdom Gathering exercise with the intent to better understand the needs, wisdom, and aspirations of 2STLGBQIA+ Vermonters statewide.
Vermont Village School: Burlington Pilot Program Interest Form	Vermont Village School is offering a pilot program based out of Burlington area. This form will inform us of your students’ and families’ needs. The Vermont Village School pilot is an alternative educational space for BIPOC students to engage in liberation-oriented, student-led curriculum designed to encourage self-expression and cultivate learning in a social-oriented and communal classroom setting. The 6-hour Saturday courses are for existing home-schooled students and public school students alike. ANY AGES.
Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission: Shelburne Town Plan Community Survey	Shelburne is updating portions of its 2019 Town Plan, with a focus on housing, economic development, transportation, mobility, the environment, and community wellbeing. Your responses will help shape how Shelburne grows and invests in the future. This survey is anonymous. As a thank-you for your time, you may choose to enter a drawing for one of four $50 gift certificates to a local business.
Community Health Investment Fund Emerging Need Funding Application Fiscal Year 2026	University of Vermont Medical Center seeks to address the top community health priorities by investing in local organizations. Applicants for funding must be non-profit, municipal, or other government organizations. Projects must primarily support community members in UVM Medical Center’s Health Service Area (Chittenden and Grand Isle Counties) and applications are accepted on a rolling basis.

EVENTS

Date	Event	Time	Location
Apr 6, 13	BIPOC Maker Workshop: Edge-Grain Cutting Boards	5:30 PM – 8:00 PM	Brattleboro
Apr 8, 22	Ray Vega Afro-Caribbean Ensemble	8:30 PM – 10:30 PM	Burlington
Apr 7	Latin Dance Night	5:00 PM – 9:00 PM	Burlington
Apr 7	Cookbook Club: Imad’s Syrian Kitchen	5:30 PM – 6:45 PM	South Burlington
Apr 8	Volunteers Helping People Seeking Asylum: An Introduction	4:30 PM – 6:00 PM	South Burlington
Apr 8	Poetry Reading with Tina Cane	6:00 PM – 7:30 PM	Montpelier
Apr 8	Fault Lines: Inside America’s Housing Crisis Movie Screening ($$)	7:00 PM	Burlington
Apr 9	Jazz at Lincoln Center Presents: Great American Crooners ($$)	7:00 PM	Greensboro
Apr 11, 18, 25	Free Access Health Clinic	8:30 AM – 12:30 PM	South Burlington
Apr 11, 12	The 4th Annual Vermont Spring Market ($$)	10:00 AM – 5:00 PM	Essex Junction
Apr 11	The Root Social Justice Center: Ready Response Team Meeting	5:30 PM – 7:30 PM	Brattleboro
Apr 12-17	Land Access and Opportunity Board: Spring Celebration Week (Register by 4/7)	Various	Various
Apr 12	The Root Social Justice Center: Soul Food Sunday	1:00 PM – 4:00 PM	Brattleboro
Apr 14	Fault Lines: Inside America’s Housing Crisis Movie Screening ($$)	6:30 PM	Montpelier
Apr 15, 29	The Ray Vega QuARTet	8:30 PM – 10:30 PM	Burlington
Apr 17	The Flynn: Nuttin’ But a Word ($$)	6:00 PM	Burlington
Apr 17	Golden! A K-Pop Demon Hunters Party ($$)	9:00 PM – 11:00 PM	South Burlington
April 18	Kingdom Maple Festival	All Day	St. Johnsbury
Apr 22	The Chandler Center Presents: Béla Fleck’s BEATrio ($$)	7:00 PM – 9:00 PM	Randolph
Apr 24, 25, 26	Vermont Maple Festival	Various Times	St. Albans
Apr 24, 25	Vermont Comedy Club Presents: Dina Hashem ($$)	5:00 PM, 9:00 PM	Burlington
Apr 24, 25	Illuminate Vermont	5:00 PM – 9:00 PM	South Burlington
Apr 25, 26	Vermont Sci-Fi, Fantasy & Horror Expo ($$)	10:00 AM – 5:00 PM	Essex Junction
Apr 26	Burlington Anime-Fest ($$)	10:00 AM – 5:00 PM	Burlington
Apr 30	Vermont Womenpreneurs: Biz Buzz Brattleboro	5:00 PM – 6:00 PM	Brattleboro
May 2	Nature Poetry Affinity Group Program for LGBTQ+ and BIPOC Community Members	1:00 PM – 3:00 PM	Montpelier
May 14	36th Annual VBSR Conference ($$, check the newsletter in your email for BIPOC discount code!)	8:00 AM – 6:00 PM	Burlington

trainings & professional development

Date	Workshop	Time	Location
All Month	Vermont Joblink: Interview Skills, Career Guidance, Resume Prep, Etc.	Multiple
All Month	FREE Professional Development Workshops for Artists	Multiple
Apr 7	CVOEO: Tenant Skills	12:00 PM – 1:30 PM	Virtual
Apr 7	Trauma-Informed Teaching During Ongoing Crisis	4:30 PM – 6:30 PM	Virtual
Apr 8	CVOEO: Sustaining the Rent	5:00 PM – 6:30 PM	Virtual
Apr 8	Workshop Topic: How Do I Find Funding for My Small Business?	5:30 PM – 7:00 PM	St. Johnsbury
Apr 9, 16	CVOEO: Spend SMART	4:00 PM – 6:00 PM	Virtual
Apr 9	VT Nonprofits and Immigration Enforcement: How Your Organization Can Respond	1:00 PM – 2:30 PM	Virtual
Apr 11	Vermont Changemakers Summit	9:00 AM – 4:00 PM	Moretown
Apr 13-May 4	Passumpsic Bank & VtSBDC: 4-Week Small Business Incubator Program	5:30 PM – 7:30 PM	Barre
Apr 14	CVOEO: Finding Housing	5:00 PM – 6:00 PM	Virtual
Apr 28	Local Food in Practice: Restaurant & Farm Partnerships Networking Event	4:00 PM – 6:00 PM	Bristol

FUNDING & GRANTS

Due Date	Grant	Purpose
April 7	Samara Fund	Supports transformational grants and scholarships for individuals and organizations working to strengthen the power, health, joy, and safety of LGBTQ+ and HIV-positive people across Vermont.
November 1	Nonprofit Development and Support Grant Program	Supports projects that strengthen organizational effectiveness and long-term sustainability, helping nonprofits better serve their communities.
Rolling	Green Mountain Home Repair	Offering grants up for home health & safety repairs for income eligible homeowners in the following towns: Andover, Jamaica, Londonderry, Weston, and Windham. Income limits are based on household size.
Rolling	Haymarket People’s Fund: Urgent Response Grants	Up to $5,000 to help grassroots social change organizations respond quickly to unforeseen crises or opportunities that critically affect your organization and constituency. Includes unexpected events, political crises, or organizing opportunities. Grants are NOT to be used for ongoing program work (including expenses the organization should have anticipated), for financial crises, a projected funding shortfall, or because the group missed a funding deadline.
Rolling	Nonprofit Enhanced Rebate	For eligible 501(c)(3) nonprofits to purchase qualifying equipment or complete a custom project.
Rolling	Vermont Humanities Rapid Response Grants	Quick turn-around small grants for humanities-focused community projects. Awards up to $1,000.
Rolling	Grassroots Fund: Seed Grants	Support for community groups who represent a broad range of voices in their community and who are not being reached by other funders.
Rolling	New England Presenter Travel Fund	Supports travel costs associated with researching artistic work that may eventually be presented in New England.
Rolling	Community Action Team	Offers general or project support within the broad guidelines and funding provided by the Ben & Jerry’s Foundation.
Rolling	USDA Small Business Cost Share Program	Businesses with fewer than 50 employees and gross profit under $1,000,000 are eligible.
Rolling	Social Equity: Vermont Cannabis Control Board	Individuals determined to meet social equity status by the Vermont Cannabis Control Board may be eligible.

NEWS