2021 Community Projects
BPD Awareness and Research Fundraiser
In just over a week, we raised over $250 for the National Education Alliance for Borderline Personality Disorder. I agreed to shave my head if we hit my personal goal (which was $50 from such a small fundraiser based solely on donations from unsponsored social media sharing), and we sure did!
“The mission of National Education Alliance for Borderline Personality Disorder is to provide education, raise public awareness and understanding, decrease stigma, promote research, and enhance the quality of life of those affected by Borderline Personality Disorder and/or related problems, including emotion dysregulation.”
You can find NEABPD at https://www.borderlinepersonalitydisorder.org/.
2020 Community Projects
SUMMER EXHIBITIONS: MAKING ART ACCESSIBLE.
This summer, I applied for an internship and a grant through my liberal arts college, Middlebury. I wanted to create virtual arts programming, particularly for youth, geriatric, and disabled communities, and to make it accessible despite our current pandemic and carious socioeconomic situations. I also wanted to learn more about accessibility and activism. This project came soon after.
In short, I was graciously granted funding for a virtual internship and a self-led project. With this funding, I can participate in a self-led internship with help from my academic advisor, and can also participate in an internship on accessibility.
I will customize repertoire to the needs and wants of Elderly Service’s geriatric community and perform thirty minutes to one hour of live music via Zoom each week. Additionally, I will be teaching a contemporary, largely improvisational dance course on Autonomy and Body Acceptance. Lastly, I will be participating in an internship about museum accessibility.
The Refugee Outreach Club is a student-led initiative to support refugee & migrant communities in VT. Teaming up with Movimienta Cosecha, the ROC’s Open Mic Night raised funds for our neighbors during COVID-19.
Check out the ROC on Instagram @refugeeoutreachclub.
ROC Open-Mic Night Fundraiser
Here’s what the ROC, Migrant Justice, and the Movimienta Cosecha team have to say:
“During this global health crisis, undocumented and immigrant communities are particularly at risk. In times of need, undocumented families don't have access to basic necessities like health insurance, paid sick leave, and unemployment.
This means that immigrant workers laid off from work because of COVID-19 or quarantining at home may not have enough money to buy food and pay rent, utilities, and other monthly bills. Your donation goes directly to immigrants impacted by the current crisis.”
MiddKids Support COVID-19 Relief
After being quarantined for a few weeks, my friends and I were looking for some (safe) community engagement. My friend Trey Atkins, pictured here, organized a fundraiser to support the World Health Organization’s COVID-19 Relief Fund. Myself and roughly a dozen others collected donations in preparation for a livestream on Twitch where we’d told our loved ones that we’d all shave our heads live if we met our $1,000 goal! We feel overjoyed to say that we did, and have currently raised over $3,400 for the WHO. Thank you, Trey and friends, for the fresh new style and a smile on my face.
J-TERM GAY-TERM
This January, I had the honor of participating in a drag show led by Middlebury’s Queers and Allies. This free performance showcased both newer & more experienced performers, and allows all members of the community to experience and learn more about Queer culture and Drag.
I choreographed a piece to be performed alongside writer and activist Regina Fontanelli. Our performance is set to Panic! at the Disco’s “Girls / Girls / Boys” and is centered around sexuality, gender identity, and deconstructing the binary. Thank you to Alexis for the photos!