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Guest Speaker Jim B Area 11  4:00

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Guest Speaker Devon  3:53

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In Conversation: Katie Zimmerli Think First Coordinator & VIP (Voice of Injury Prevention Meagan Ricci

AA Preamble

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Guest Speaker Ed  4:30

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Full story here: Glimpses Through Stained Glass Blogspot

Happy birthday America, land of contradictions—and of truths, still becoming

As I read, I learn, or relearn ...

The rare book library ultimately helped me value writing as, not only a process and a legacy, but a means to formulate ourselves. 

Red White and Bicentennial Blues

Revisiting the nation’s founding exhibit at the The Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library a second time triggered different memories. My demo cassette tape of Red, White and Blues had mixed reviews. Ultimately, prospective funders deemed it too controversial. I was not willing to abandon my words a second time. The song that remains foremost in my memory speaks to the paradox that is America.

America is both sides of the coin we come to make, that’s what makes her great.

…the original poem reminisced about seeing the Statue of Liberty for the first time. The “I” in that poem is me—a girl not yet sure she had the standing to call herself a writer, or to claim the liberty Lady Liberty promised. Women’s right to vote was barely fifty years old. My right to my own credit card, not yet won. I did not struggle free of that in the writing. But that struggle is mine. 

Red, White and Blues 

I was looking up, at Lady Liberty,
in the harbor of immigrant city,
when an old man, cautions questioningly,
What does this lady speak to me?
My knotted thoughts they struggled free…
What America means… What does America
mean? To me?
Grandma was an immigrant. Grandpa philosophized.
America is both sides of the coin
we come to make. That’s what makes her great.
So he set his hands to working, until they ached.
Grandma prayed for my Daddy’s sake.
I believe that you, can show me too,
Red, White and Blue.
Because you’re part of me, and I am part of you.
Then my dad inherited what they had done,
he continued on, it was for his son.
Now I’ve 16 years of schooling
where in something lies, ‘bout what Grandpa philosophized.
America it’s you I make, and when you ache,
I am aching too. But I believe in me,
And so you see, I believe in you.
My knotted thoughts they struggled free…
That’s what America means,
what America means, to me.

Another song in the collection, Never A Sunshine Patriot, embodied in stanzas the biography of the inconvenient revolutionary, Thomas Paine. 

Two hundred and fifty years on, the contradictions have not resolved. They have accumulated. Jefferson’s self-doubt and Paine’s inconvenient truths, the Dunlap Broadside and the Declaration of Sentiments, the man honored at the cemetery and the man erased from it—these are not footnotes to the founding. They are the founding, still unfinished. The bus pass expires. The voices stay. That, too, is America.

(0:30) I'm Georgian Lussier, your host, and I'm delighted to introduce today's guests, Paulette (0:35) Fox and Marchelle Pendelton with OIC of New Britain. (0:41) Paulette is the executive director, and she's been there many years. (0:46) And Marchelle is the youth prevention coordinator, and she's also been there at least 15 years.(0:53) Paulette is an award-winning executive director, and Marchelle belongs to many community organizations (0:59) and boards, including the Breast Health Initiative. (1:03) Welcome ladies. (1:04) Welcome.(1:05) Good evening, Georgie. (1:06) Paulette, congrats on another successful, at least 10 years, since the last time you (1:12) were on our show here at OIC New Britain. (1:16) And you've continued to emphasize the importance of collaboration and partnerships as being (1:21) key to OIC's success.(1:24) Absolutely. (1:25) If you don't collaborate, you will evaporate. (1:28) And I use that phrase because, more so today, in the last five years, you have to collaborate (1:36) on grants, on partnerships.(1:39) You have to be in bed with everybody in your community. (1:42) It's no longer applying for grants in isolation. (1:46) You have to be at the table with multiple partners.(1:51) Capital Workforce Partners and I have been a partner now for over 41 years. (1:56) The United Way and I have been partners since 2001. (2:00) The school district is 41 years.(2:02) I've been a partner with them. (2:04) The New Britain Chamber of Commerce is a partner. (2:06) The police department, fire department and, of course, the city of New Britain.(2:10) And I can go on with all of the nonprofits. (2:13) We gather together once a month, and we have a local prevention council, where everybody (2:19) in New Britain is a member. (2:21) So collaboration and partnership is critical.(2:25) And what do you see as the big picture, as we look forward for OIC, of New Britain, in (2:31) terms of programming, emphasis? (2:34) I'm excited because OIC has always been ahead of the curve. (2:38) And right now, we are focusing on career pathways for youth who are entering sixth grade all (2:45) the way through high school and out-of-school youth. (2:48) We want to make sure that youth develop a career pathway when they leave fifth grade.(2:53) They need to have an idea of what they want to be. (2:57) And parents need to help us with this. (2:59) The community needs to help us, and the school district, because it's doable.(3:04) By having a lot of partners and collaborating with people, we can put youth in the different (3:10) departments at the city, the police department, the fire department. (3:13) We can have them role model as teachers to see what a teacher's day is actually like. (3:19) So we have the opportunity to really be real creative in New Britain.(3:23) And I'm excited about that. (3:25) Terrific. (3:25) So I've always thought of OIC as being a forward-moving workforce development.(3:32) Are there other auxiliary programs, or is it largely workforce development? (3:37) It's largely workforce development and education. (3:41) And now we're looking at the different opportunities that our youth can go into, especially at (3:48) New Britain High School with the academies. (3:49) And my favorite one has always been the Allied Health Academy up there, because there's such (3:56) a great need.(3:57) I'm in that age group where we are going to need certified nurses assistants, licensed (4:03) practical nurses, RNs. (4:05) We are going to need an array of people in the Allied Health fields. (4:09) Great opportunities for youth.(4:11) And that's where I first met you, actually, through Maria, in my involvement with the (4:17) board of the Hospital for Special Care. (4:20) They were a partner in that program. (4:23) Right? (4:23) Absolutely.(4:23) Again, a number of years ago, and having all those work experiences, and whether they work (4:28) in the summer, after school, part of the school curricul

After the AA Preamble & How It Works

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Guest Speaker 4:30 Tim

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Welcome

Q1: When you were in the classroom, how did you help fourth graders understand why history matters to them? 

Q2: You've been a teacher, a principal, and now the former Secretary of Education. How has your view of the fourth-grade history curriculum changed along the way? 

Q3: Was there a moment in your own life when you realized history isn't just about the past, but how we understand ourselves in the present?

Q4: Do you have any suggestions for how we can move from memorization to the discovery of history in schools?

Video submitted to #studentCam2026 #CSPAN

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AA Preamble

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Guest Speaker Josh  4:30

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After the AA Preamble & How It Works

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My name is Adam and I'm here with Apollo who is an artist and creator from Middletown, Connecticut. Apollo, welcome. (See transcript)

Apollo says:  I create everything from augmented reality, canvas paintings, robotics, electronics. I do a lot of puppetry. I do 3D designing.  I'm just an all around artist. I'm a tinkerer. I like to build things. I don't like to put myself in a little box. I'm just a guy who likes to create things. 

She discusses involving the community in intergenerational ways, Farmers Market featuring Veteran Farmers, Annual events, and the 4our pillars of the agency's service. 

At about 15 minutes in we hear her story, learn her favorite quote and what her younger self may hear from her today.

Questions Asked:

1. What do you see as the most pressing issue facing Wallingford right now, and how would you address it?
2. What strategies would you use to support small businesses in Wallingford?
3. How can Wallingford attract new industries and jobs?
4. What role should the town play in supporting workforce development and partnerships with local schools or community colleges?
5. If faced with an economic downturn or local business challenges, how would you work with the Chamber to support affected businesses and maintain community stability?
6. How would you balance fiscal responsibility with the need for town services?
7. If faced with a budget shortfall, what areas would you prioritize for funding, and where would you consider cuts?
8. Where do you see Wallingford in 10 years, and what specific steps would you take to get us there?

Origins & Evolution
 Can you take us back to the moment you first knew you wanted to become a photographer? How has your relationship with the craft shifted or deepened since that beginning? 

Follow up: I know you do a lot of aerial photography in your work. Can you touch on how drones have impacted your evolution as a photographer?
 
 Scope & Style
Your portfolio suggests a wide range of travel from our local reservoir, to national parks, to other continents. Can you take us through a few stories about what stands out to you as the most beautiful, the most dangerous, and the most challenging, and why?
 

Did you begin your career in landscape photography, or did you explore other genres or industries first? What was the hardest skill you had to master as you honed your voice as a landscape photographer?

You’ve developed a distinctive handheld style , sometimes paired with poetry before key shots. How did that approach originate, and in what ways has it evolved over time?
 
Looking at your earliest YouTube videos compared with your most recent work , what do you see as the biggest areas of growth or transformation in your content?
 

 Craft & Process
Can you walk us through the gear you rely on most? Which piece has proven the most indispensable, and which would you call your most specialized, or even your fanciest?

 In your videos, such as the one where you find yourself in a cemetery on a cloudy day because your original plans were foiled, you show several shot compositions.  This appears essential to the training aspect of your work. How is framing for video different from composing for still photography?

Is there an average number of hours you invest in your weekly YouTube videos, from idea to post-production?  Which part of the process consumes the most time, and Why?

Contemporary Issues & Challenges
The rise of AI is reshaping creative industries everywhere. How do you think it will impact photography? And does it make you feel more hopeful, more cautious, or both?
 
 How do you navigate the tension between being structured and organized, and your desire to remain natural and present in the moment?

Vision & Future
Looking ahead, what are your hopes for the future of your channel? Are there particular landscapes or locations you still dream of photographing one day?
 

OUTRO:
Mark, on behalf of Teen Tiger TV, I’d like to thank you for sharing your journey and insights with us today. Your work reminds us that photography is not only about capturing what we see… but about shaping how we experience the world around us.
 
 We look forward to seeing where your lens takes you next!

Recorded on Flag Day aka No Kings Day  - June 14 2025 

Contributors

Not Just Us Brian Donahue & Wayne Winston

50501 Carly Corrigan & David Rooney

Justin Crum Of Meriden 

Sal DelGreco Of Wallingford

In conversation
Sunnie Scarpa (She/Her)
Library Director
and
Rachel Taylor (she/her)
Head of Adult Programming

This conversation provides so insight into the initiation of and goals of this community-centric program made possible with #greatGive donations each yea

Guest Jimmy

Former Jewish Film Festival Organizer Boston

Former School Librarian Wallingford

Keen interest in land conservation

A Marketing professional, Jill describes her commitment to helping people navigate as "Solo Agers" -- People over 50 who make things happen for themselves, without a partner, spouse, children or nearby family. Jill is launching a site with valuable information on a wide range of services and issues for this growing population.

Host: Georgian Lussier

Luke Melonakos-Harrison
Union Vice President & Political Director

Who, What, When, Why because when you are here the Where is always Wallingford.

From Corporate career to stay-at-home Mom to NP Chief Giving Officer.  Starting with her current role with Connecticut Foodshare, Beverly reflects on her life decisions and lessons.  Her story continues, including pickleball player and theatre usher, just for fun.

Who, What, When, Why because when you are here the Where is always Wallingford.

Goals: To create brave spaces that will serve as lights in the coming years. To activate a network of people across the country working to support vulnerable communities.

ACTORvists: (Alphabetically)
Aldon Hynes
Darwin Ashby
Emily Diedrich
Gabriel J Bradley
George Robert McTyre
Gunther Grambo
Helen Miller
Jared Anderson
Jenna Bullock Eckman Papcin
Kathryn Shasha
Noël Ramos
Phil Hall
Robert James
Sal DelGreco
Shawn Murray

Perseverance is an understatement to describe the unbelievable hardships Holocaust survivor Judith Altmann faced in the mid 1930s and 40s.  The level of respect I hold for this spectacular woman is unmatched as she has the courage to still talk about her dreadful experiences to inform the rest of the world about this horrible event as well as prevent it. Judith reflects on her worst fears becoming reality in this podcast and tells us how she did all that she could do to save the human beings around her along with herself. We all should be grateful to have this hero talk to us about the horrid conditions she survived through when she was only a young teenager.  

Updated May 9, 2025 

What a privilege to have helped Ms. Altmann with her mission to tell her story to thousands.  Susan Huizenga, Executive Director

Judith Altmann was born in Jasina, Czechoslovakia on October 10, 1924. She passed on April 30, 2025 at 100-years-old in Paramus, NJ.

A notable public speaker and human rights activist, she dedicated her life to sharing her story as a Holocaust survivor. Judy immigrated to the U.S. in 1948 and met her late husband Kurt Altmann in Fleischmanns, New York. She was a fashion designer who wrote patterns for Good Housekeeping, Needlecraft and Vogue, a member of the Holocaust & Human Rights Education Speakers Bureau, VP of the Holocaust Child Survivors of Connecticut, and VP of fundraising for the Brandeis Women's Committee. In 2016, Fordham University awarded her an Honorary Doctorate. Her oral legacy is part of a permanent installation at The National WWII Museum's Liberation Pavilion.