By Maya McFadden
Too many potholes. Too much gun violence. Not enough affordable housing.
Adult Education students identified those problems in a new art exhibit now up at City Hall as they thought through, and interviewed fellow New Haveners about, how to improve the city over the next decade.
The students’ art work was on display at City Hall Wednesday as part of a partnership with the City Plan Department, which is taking the lead in developing Vision 2034, a once-a-decade planning document that identifies goals for how the city can and should change in the years ahead.
Students art pieces spelled out words like “equality,” “stop the violence,” and “homelessness” to call attention to the many problems they see on a daily basis across New Haven
Other pieces focused on pleas for city government to address rival gangs, gentrification, insufficient youth programming, littered streets, and unsafe drivers.
City Assistant Director of Comprehensive Planning Esther Rose-Wilen reached out to Adult Ed to form the partnership that resulted in Wednesday’s art display. She did so in a hope to hear from people in the city “who have historically been excluded from planning processes.”
The art exhibit coincides with the release of a draft version of the Vision 2034 plan, which can be read here. Rose-Wilen told the audience of about two dozen that next Wednesday, June 18, the City Plan Commission will meet to provide updates about the drafted plan virtually on Zoom.
Adult Ed school counselor Mark Landow thanked each student who created art for the exhibit. He also thanked Gateway professor Willie Pender, who has collaborated with Adult Ed for the past two years, teaching students about photography and videography. Landow, who retired this week, has been an educator for 32 years and a counselor at Adult Ed for the past 12 years.
Students in Adult Ed’s civics and Black studies classes worked on the project, which tasked them with depicting the issues they see in New Haven and would like city government to focus on addressing over the next decade.
Attendees also watched on Wednesday a newly released promotional video for Adult Ed, which will be moving from the Hill to Newhallville next year. Pender helped students make the documentary about what Adult Ed has to offer. It noted that one in every six New Haven residents has no high school diploma and highlighted the many programs the center has to help learners of all ages and walks of life.
Three of the four video producers of the 27-minute joined Wednesday’s event to share about their experiences interviewing New Haveners about what issues they want to see addressed in the Vision 2034 plan.
In the video, New Haveners shared stories about battling against substance abuse, high costs of living, and more.
The art on display was made by students using hot glue and oil pastels. Landow highlighted that while student retention is one of Adult Ed’s biggest challenges, the students that participated in Wednesday’s art voluntarily stayed after school for an hour a day for three days a week to make their voices heard. Two additional students joined the course to collaborate on the project despite receiving no credit.
The student artists included Nary Bazemore, Isaiah Berrios, Gustavo Morales, Taniya Williams, and Tyron Maclaurin. A total of 27 students worked on the project.
Landow said that students gained life skills like problem solving, working in groups, and managing their time.
“At the heart of this work is a simple but powerful belief: When students are given the opportunity to engage with content that is relevant, challenging, and connected to the world around them, they rise,” he concluded.
In brief remarks Wednesday, two of the four students that created the documentary, Christina “Mellow” Arnold and Lamar Lawrence said that the project was fun and insightful.
Lawrence, who has one semester left at Adult Ed then plans to enlist in the military before getting into politics, said he hopes to see more mentorship opportunities for New Haveners, positive outlets and programs for youth, affordable house, and a police department with reformed policing practices that aim to better protect the community.
“We can do better and we must do better,” Lawrence concluded.
When one New Havener was asked what they hope New Haven will be like in ten years as part of the students’ documentary, the interviewee told them they hope for more youth programs but more likely believe the only change he will see in ten years is “more Yale signs everywhere.”
Another person interviewed spoke about battling substance abuse before checking into rehab. He said he struggles with anxiety and believes that played a huge part in his substance abuse. He concluded that he hopes for New Haven to have more resources for residents to access mental health supports and therapy.
Others mentioned needing more affordable housing as well as rent control and limits on landlords from monopolizing more rental housing.
Arnold, who graduated from Adult Ed’s high school program two years ago, and Lawrence make up a budding production company along with two other friends. They all met at Adult Ed.
Arnold said their documentary was just the start of conversations they want to highlight around New Haven, including an idea she hopes to soon develop about residents’ experiences with the Department of Children and Families (DCF).
“It was my first time [interviewing] but not my last time,” Arnold said about the documentary.
Adult Ed student Milane Williams also helped Lawrence and Arnold to create the documentary. The group plans to name their production company Blood Moon Studios.
Williams, who grew up in North Carolina, said Wednesday’s event made her feel supported, loved, and “overwhelming heard.”
She said the art exhibit means a lot to her and her peers because it gave Adult Ed students a voice.
“I thought Adult Ed was just going to be like the alternative school I already came from,” Williams said.
Instead, Adult Ed has become a place Williams enjoys going to to connect with staff who have high expectations, speak up for you, and empower student voices. “I come from a place where people will look at you and give up on you. But not here,” she said.
Lawrence added that he enjoyed Wednesday but was bummed the mayor did not make an appearance to hear from students like him. He also was saddened during the interviewing process that many New Haveners declined interviews, telling him “they don’t care about us so why participate.”
He concluded that the documentary “shows that we are here, that we are not going anywhere and that it can be better.”
