Arts Paper
As the editorially independent arm of The Arts Council of Greater New Haven, the Arts Paper seeks to celebrate, explore, and investigate the fine, visual, performing and culinary arts in and around New Haven.
Crystal Emery can't remember exactly when she began to find the laugh lines in her life. Maybe it was during a hospital stay, when a particularly chatty nurse led to a long and unexpected ordeal with Hamden law enforcement. Or a personal interest in film that led her to too many bad depictions of disabled people. Or a belief that she could change someone’s outlook, one giggle at a time.
Share
Eight-year-old Amiina Brown, who belongs to a New Britain based Girl Scouts of the USA Troop, works on her puppet, Monster Monster, before the show. Lucy Gellman Photos.
Share
Josefina Banks at a recent rehearsal for Call Forth A Woman. The play, a collection of monologues and vignettes amplifying women from the Bible, returns to the Shubert Theatre on April 26. Lucy Gellman Photos.
Share
Sherill Baldwin Photos.
Share
Carlos Cruz, who is a member of the bomba collective Proyecto Cimarrón. Lucy Gellman Photos.
Share
Lorrice Grant, executive director at Loaves and Fishes (in red) with some of Saturday's volunteers. Lucy Gellman Photo.
Share
Chinna Palmer, Brandon E. Burton, and Elizabeth Stahlmann in a scene from Nikolai Gogol's The Inspector, newly adapted and directed by Yura Kordonsky. Yale Repertory Theatre, March 7-29, 2025. Photo © Joan Marcus.
Share
Tyler Goldchain: "So much of this was staking ourselves in improvisation." Lucy Gellman Photos.
Share
Myles Tripp performing and connecting with his audience. Mike Chaiken Photo, courtesy of Myles Tripp.
Share
Laurel Coleman, who wants to create a Wikipedia entry for her mom, Dorothy Coleman. Lucy Gellman Photos.
Share
Amy Migliore with Ajibola Tajudeen, now a student at the Berkeley College of Music, at Co-Op graduation in June 2022. On Monday, NHPS Spokesperson Justin Harmon said the transfer would be temporary. Lucy Gellman File Photo.
Share
Photos courtesy of the Kallos Chamber Music Series.
Share
The anxious attachment to cell phones has been swept out from under us. Will it work?
Share
The moment guests stepped through the doorway, the library transformed. Instead of snugly packed shelves, bright lights danced across the walls in green and purple hues. Party masks and gem-colored beads lingered on the tables. Music sailed through the room, with silky-smooth vocals that got the house on its feet. As they mingled, guests found themselves sharing stories of their New Haven Free Public Library, their voices rising and falling in the normally-hushed space.
Share
Soto at the Pride Center's former home in the basement of 84 Orange Street. Lucy Gellman File Photo.
Share
Zara Baden-Eversman as Alice. Lucy Gellman Photos.
Share
Skylar Dunn and Lucy Gardner in "The Feminist Theatre Project." Lucy Gellman Photos.
Share
From left: Jeremiah Craggett as Jeremiah Black, Jonah Craggett as Johan Black, Brandon Hutchinson as Alfira, and Gail Staggers as the narrator performing the first episode of the audiodrama “Haus of Black” at NXTHVN. Aster Rhys Photos.
Share
Marty Tucker as Pastor Paul in The Christians. New Haven Theater Company presents Lucas Hnath’s The Christians at EBM Vintage, 839 Chapel St. in downtown New Haven, from Thursday, Feb. 27 through Saturday March 8. Lucy Gellman Photos.
Share
Share
Raizine (Rai) Bruton and Jules Larson in 2022, at the first screening of BVFCC's “Portrait of a Cinema on Fire: Feminist Filmmakers" series. Lucy Gellman File Photo.
Share
Cameron Hoefflinger Photo, courtesy of Aster Rhys.
Share
Yaira Matyakubova introduces storyteller and artist Toto Kisaku. Lucy Gellman Photos.
Share
Curtis Brown Photography, courtesy of Long Wharf Theatre.
Share
Isabel Dyson, and Matt Simmons in My Children! My Africa! KVON Photo Courtesy of the MAC.
Share
An assortment of bright t-shirts fanned out across a table, in a rainbow of bright pink, orange, and dark blues. Beside them, two racks of jackets, sweaters, belts, and dresses hung side-by-side, ready for a new home. Another table displayed jewelry and various accessories.
Share
Adriane Jefferson: "The work we have done together will continue on, and I will always carry this city’s spirit with me. This is not a goodbye—it is a celebration of all we have accomplished and all that is still to come." Lucy Gellman File Photo.
Share
The cast of Eden, running at the Yale Rep Theatre through Feb. 8. Joan Marcus Photos.
Share
Halfway through their reading, poet Whitney Graham faltered. They had been weaving a story of blistering injustice, from Palestine to Sudan, but they were unable to remember their next line. As if on cue, audience members started snapping their fingers, clapping, and cheering, encouraging Graham to go on. With a shaky laugh, they got out their phone and completed their poem to thunderous applause.
Share
Top: Robbins, Maria Clara Laet and Isabella Serricella. Bottom: Robbins and Echols. Lucy Gellman Photos.
Share
Em Conquest of Conquest Studio. Grayce Howe Photos.
Share
Elaine Peters at last year's Caribbean Heritage Festival on the New Haven Green. For those who knew her, Coconut was forever by her side. He is now in the care of her friend, Marcey Lynn Jones. Lucy Gellman File Photo.
Share
Olivia Gaspard, a sixth grader at Bear Path Elementary School. Lucy Gellman Photos.
Share
Photos contributed by New Haven-based filmmaker Josh Stasko and his wife, Bridget.
Share
Candles and photos at a vigil for Gayle in 2021, following her death. Contributed Photo.
Share
Sharmont "Influence" Little performs with the New Haven Symphony Orchestra in Nov. 2024. Photo by Matt Fried, courtesy of the New Haven Symphony Orchestra.
Share
Joe and Betty Lou Blumberg with a friend. Grayce Howe Photos.
Share
Chris "Big Dog" Davis with his "Stetson Star" Award. Abiba Biao Photos.
Share
Cosmic Pond. Photo courtesy of the artist.
Share
Whitney White (foreground) with Ciara Alyse Harris, Holli’ Conway, and Phoenix Best in a scene from Macbeth in Stride written and performed by Whitney White, directed by Taibi Magar and Tyler Dobrowsky, choreographed by Raja Feather Kelly. Yale Repertory Theatre, December 5-14, 2024. Photo © Joan Marcus.
Share
Jordan Gage of Chronically Queer Co. Grayce Howe Photos.
Share
Rev. Bonita Grubbs speaking at a vigil for the Diyanet Mosque in 2019, after alleged arson destroyed part of the building during Ramadan. Lucy Gellman File Photo.
Share
Fred Brown, Paul Bloom, Millie Grenough and Aaron Goode. Grayce Howe Photos.
Share
John Allen: “As we know, history belongs to those who write it. And I’m diligently trying to do that.” Lucy Gellman Photo.
Share
Photo by Matt Fried, courtesy of the New Haven Symphony Orchestra.
Share
CT State Gateway student Terence Okwuosa. Lucy Gellman Photos.
Share
Michael Zief and Ian "Scooby" Rossman. Lucy Gellman Photos.
Share
Screenshot via Long Wharf Theatre.
Share
A still from the series opener, "70 x 7." HAVENTheSeries Photo.
Share
Alderman (in cap): “We intend to be a space for this community, telling stories about this community.” Lucy Gellman Photos.
Share
Xiomarie LaBeija. Laura Glesby for the New Haven Independent Photo.
Share
Kendal Driffin and Susan Kulp in The Niceties. The show runs through CCT at Bregamos Community Theater, 491 Blatchley Ave., through Nov. 24.
Share
Annie Sailer Dance Company members Sandra Kopell, Lynn Cooley and Yoko Kawai Kurimoto. Maxim Schmidt Photo.
Share
Jocelyn Maribel, Allis Ozornia, and Angel Garcia Lopez. Abiba Biao Photos.
Share
Senior Carizma Buonome, who is studying theater, after casting her mock vote Monday. “I’m so sad I can’t vote this year,” she said. Lucy Gellman Photos.
Share
Bubbles closes out a drag show on the New Haven Green, part of the International Festival of Arts & Ideas, in June 2021. Lucy Gellman File Photo.
Share
All heads were turned to the front of the restaurant as Diana Ross’s voice escaped the speakers. Over the bright trill of trumpets and a funky bassline, she declared “I’m coming out! I want the world to know/ I got to let it show.” Guests swayed in their seats and tapped their toes, occasionally leaving behind napkins and half-finished drinks to get up and dance.
Share
CWYC's Alyssa-Marie Cajigas, Addys Castillo, and Ta’LannaMonique “TMo” Lawson-Dickerson. SUBLIME by CLo Photos.
Share
Maxim Schmidt Photo.
Share
Angel Dahfay and Kolton Harris. Abiba Biao Photos.
Share
A scene from falcon girls by Hilary Bettis, directed by May Adrales. Yale Repertory Theatre, October 10–November 2, 2024. Photo © Joan Marcus.
Share
Participate in democracy. Hold your values close when deciding what candidate you vote for. Above all, exercise your right to vote, and be a proud active voter.
Share
Everything is Political in America runs at the Yale University Art Gallery through Nov. 17. Installation view courtesy of the Yale University Art Gallery.
Share
Awilda Sterling-Duprey: Aesthetics of dis-order. Photo by Chris Gardner. Courtesy of NXTHVN.
Share
Sora Matta (center) as Ponyboy Curtis in The Outsiders. Bob (Joseph Pallo) and Randy (Cristian Ortiz) are on either side of them. Lucy Gellman Photos.
Share
Kari Coyle, Harry Coyle, and Jackie Gaudioso-Levita. Lucy Gellman Photos.
Share
Alicia Brown and Lanaya Pickett. Abiba Biao Photos.
Share
Susan Climard's rendering of her godsons, Emanuel and Elijah. Nelani Mejias Photos.
Share
Sweets & Sounds Founder Angel Dahfay at last year's Sweets & Sounds Con, held at NXTHVN in the city's Dixwell neighborhood. This year, Creative U takes place on Oct. 11 and 12 between the Canal Dock Boathouse and the Adanti Student Center at SCSU. Lucy Gellman File Photo.
Share
"Mother" Mary Etta Atkinson Joyner. Lucy Gellman Photo.
Share
Liah Sinq's work comes from her altar series. Sunlight & Candlelight runs at CT State Gateway through Oct. 4.
Share
Wentzel and De showing off their collage materials. Elena Unger Photos.
Share
Photos courtesy of Creative Arts Workshop. Process • Proof • Print runs at CAW, 80 Audubon St. in New Haven, through Sept. 28.
Share
Perry So photographed in New Haven's Wooster Square Park last year, during his "audition" for NHSO music director. Lucy Gellman File Photo.
Share
The author (photos by both Ortiz and her brother).
Share
The following citizen contribution was submitted by Josiah Brown, executive director of Connecticut Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA). Connecticut CASA “empowers a statewide network of caring, consistent volunteer Court Appointed Special Advocates to advance the best interests of children who have experienced abuse or neglect—so every child can find a safe, permanent home to thrive,” according to its mission statement. The first photo shows Josiah Brown, Enna Garcia of 'r Kids Family Center, and Dr. Ijeoma Opara.
Share
Sparkle Diamond and her young readers. Lucy Gellman Photos.
Share
Fatman Scoop performing Friday night, before suffering a medical emergency on stage. Danielle Campbell Photos.
Share
Jennifer Harrison Newman and Rachel Fine. Lotta Studio Photos.
Share
As she started to groove on the corner of West Rock Avenue, Arts In CT's Barbara “Babs” Alexander couldn't help but get lost in the music. For a moment, she let herself sway to a steady bachata beat, taking a break from her busy day to take in the scene around her.
Share
Lisa Wolpe as Richard III in Richard III. The production in Edgerton Park runs Tuesdays through Sundays through September 1. Isabel Chenoweth Photos.
Share
Shiloh Peterson. Lucy Gellman Photos.
Share
Iyla Bhandary-Alexander Photo.
Share
Brittney Williams, who runs Brittney’s Famous Alabama Kitchen. Lucy Gellman Photos.
Share
Six-year-old Leilani Bass and her mom, Layza Marrelo. Lucy Gellman Photos.
Share
Kwadwo Adae with the mural. Lucy Gellman Photos.
Share
Elizabeth Gonzalez and Anabel Hernandez at the Edgewood Park Farmers Market. Julieta Diaz Photos.
Share
Blanchard Tondo, Annie Gumba, Christy Masamba, Sarah Ngongi, Simon Ngongi, and Luc Fabius Clyde. Abiba Biao Photos.
Share
Xuxa, Wilmaro and Geiby López on Chapel Street. Julieta Diaz Photos.
Share
Harrison Blume and Perez at the mural. Lucy Gellman Photos.
Share
Miss Junior Puerto Rico of Greater New Haven Lysella Pujols and Miss Puerto Rico of Greater New Haven Alanna Herbert. Lucy Gellman Photos.
Share
The Ritmo y Son String Quartet. Lucy Gellman Photos.
Share
Baker and musician Naomi Senzer. Alice McGill Photos.
Share
Malby Rojas in her basement bakery. She is currently looking for her first brick-and-mortar storefront. Lucy Gellman Photos.
Share
The Fourth of July crew. Courtesy Ashley Makar. The second photo is Azhar Ahmed and her son, Kutti. Rachel Peet Photo.
Share
Semi Semi-Dikoko, David Sepulveda, and Aleta Staton at the Arts Awards. Judy Sirota Rosenthal File Photo with permission from the Arts Council of Greater New Haven. The second photo in this story is from the photographer Leigh Busby, used with permission.
Share
Bianca Turner’s Untitled #11 (Pink Sphere) consists of multiple hollow pink spheres, each holding a smaller sphere within. At their centers, the miniature spheres are spindly and golden brown, disconnected from the shapes that surround them. Around them, speckled blue bowls hold it all together.
Share
Tabari "Ra" Hashim at a rehearsal for As We Emerge: Monologues of the Formerly Incarcerated in November 2023. Lucy Gellman File Photo.
Share
Alice McGill, Hager Ali and Abiba Biao. Lucy Gellman Photos.
Share
Morand outside of the Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library. Lucy Gellman.
Share
Olichka sings. Photos Kapp Singer. Sporting a long yellow dress, Olichka brought a microphone to her lips and began singing “Ukrayina – tse ty” (“Ukraine is you”), an upbeat pop anthem by Ukrainian artist Tina Karol. In the audience, dozens of hands started clapping alone. Then, one by one, members got to their feet. In the blink of an eye, a full-on dance party had broken out. “I know you don’t understand Ukrainian, but just feel it,” Olichka told the audience. On Saturday, a group of roughly 50 people gathered at United Church on the Green to celebrate World Refugee Day, coming together a week after several similar celebrations on the Green. Residents of the city old and new—from Syria to Sudan and Ukraine to Kenya—came together to share music, food, crafts, and stories. The event was co-sponsored by Havenly, New International Hope, Integrated Refugee and Immigrant Services (IRIS), Refugee Congress, and Elena’s Light. The United Nations’ official World Refugee Day was on June 20—due to scheduling conflicts, Saturday’s event was held a week later. 25 years ago, Olichka—whose off-stage name is Olga Borsh—moved from Odesa, Ukraine to Connecticut. She currently lives in Marlborough and works as a financial advisor. When Russia attacked Ukraine in February, 2022, initiating the ongoing war, she decided to start performing Ukrainian songs around the state to raise money for medical supplies in her home country. “It is my duty to use the talent that God gave me to help my people,” she told the audience in between songs. But beyond spreading her own heritage, Olichka asked the others in the room to spread theirs. “People love to hear your culture,” she said. Kallou Gindeel, a Sudanese immigrant, took the stage to speak about the civil war and famine in his home country and share a dance to a Nubian song. As he moved to the swirling sounds of the oud and tip-tapping of the tabla, the audience got right back on its feet to join him. Once again, the room burst into movement. Next, Brian Jarawa Gray got the audience bobbing their heads with his djembe drum performance. “This is a rhythm from the heart,” he said. Brian Jerawa Gray. Gray, who is from New Haven, said that he wanted to play the djembe to honor his ancestors’ West African heritage—but he also wanted to show the cultural reach of the instrument. He said that on his travels to Puerto Rico, Cuba, and Brazil, he heard all sorts of different djembe rhythms and techniques. “I left to check on something, and when I came back a lot of the room was up and dancing,” said Rebekah Sookdeo, PR coordinator at Elena’s Light and the emcee of the event. “That was not on the program,” she said. “It was full-on, intense-energy dancing.” A spontaneous dance party. As audience members settled back into their seats, Mohamd Shoaid offered a serene and mournful counterpart to the joyous dances. Shoaid sung a poem in Dari, the most widely spoken language in Afghanistan, wishing for war to end. He closed his eyes as he sang. His clear voice echoed, bringing a reflective quiet over the room. Nour al Zouabi, a medical researcher and recent graduate of the University of Connecticut who fled Syria due to the civil war in 2012, also asked the audience to embrace a sense of optimism. “Despite the darkness, I’m still hopeful,” she said. “I believe in our solidarity.” Nour al Zouabi. On Saturday, participants got a glimpse of that solidarity as they danced and ate together. “When I see people here, I get more hope,” said Fereshteh Ganjavi, the founder of Elena’s Light. The organization serves refugee women and children through advocacy and direct services. They provide English as a second language (ESL) tutoring, health literacy classes, and ‘know your rights’ workshops. The organization started in 2018, serving three women. Today, it serves over 100. “Depression is hard, being alone is hard, not having hope is hard for refugees and immigrants,” said Ganjavi, who came to Connecticut in 2011 from Herat, Afghanistan. “Cultural events like this make them alive again and tell them ‘you can build your community again.”
Share
Top: Johnny Rivera and Elena Hogan-Perez. Bottom: The Queen gets her moves on. Lucy Gellman Photos.
Share
Meredith Truax Photo, courtesy of the International Festival of Arts & Ideas. In addition to Joy, musicians included Evan Sherman, Paul Sikivie, Donavan Austin, David Mason, Connor Rohrer, Jason Charos, and Kendric McCallister.
Share
Esther Chiang (right), Melanie Barocas Mayer, and Sherry Pocknett (left) make corn cakes. Photos Kapp Singer. Esther Chiang added a few cups of cornmeal, some baking soda, and a touch of salt and pepper to a bowl. She slowly poured in water until the mixture was the consistency of thick pancake batter. After stirring in a few scallions and cranberries, she scooped it into a hot pan. “I want to cook, I want to eat, and I want to hear the stories,” said Chiang, the food justice education coordinator at Common Ground High School. As she made corn cakes alongside two other volunteers, Chef Sherry Pocknett looked on, giving them tips—a little more water, a little hotter pan, “too much oil!” On Tuesday, the two came together at an Indigenous cooking workshop and dinner with Pocknett, a member of the Mashpee Wampanoag tribe and the first Indigenous woman to receive a James Beard award. Held at Gateway Community College’s Cafe Vincenzo as part of the International Festival of Arts & Ideas, the event brought in roughly fifty people. Diners enjoyed samples of venison skewers, salmon bites, and turkey meatballs. As they ate “Indian tacos” with fry bread and beef, blueberry fritters, and quahog fritters, Pocknett told stories about Indigenous cuisines of the Northeast and her own journey to becoming a chef. Diners line up to try the food. Her first food memory came on a trip she took with her father when she was eight, to Washburn Island off the southern end of Cape Cod. Her father dropped her and her siblings off on the island, gave them some matches and fishing line, and told them to fend for themselves. She remembers picking blueberries and digging for clams, quahogs, and mussels. “There was an abundance of food,” she said. “I learned well, and I try to teach my children the same.” Back at home, after receiving a Suzy Homemaker oven, she began cooking. She remembers stealing all the food out of the fridge at home and making a meal for her brothers. “I knew then I was going to be a chef,” she said with a laugh. As she grew up, she learned to cook at The Flume, her family’s restaurant on Cape Cod. Her uncle was the chef and her grandmother the baker. She eventually became the food and beverage director at the Mashantucket Pequot Museum and Research Center in Ledyard, Connecticut. There, she transformed a menu of hotdogs and grilled cheese into one with dishes like turtle soup, venison, and smoked fish. In 2023, she received the prize for best chef in the Northeast category for her Charlestown, Rhode Island restaurant Sly Fox Den Too. The restaurant, which she opened in 2021, was meant to be a simple stepping stone for a larger farm-to-table location that she is planning to open in Preston, Connecticut. But while she fundraised to open the larger restaurant, her food started turning heads. “I got nominated and I was like ‘what the heck is the James Beard Award?’” she said. Pocknett. With the restaurant she is developing in Preston, she hopes to bring new life to the traditional foods of the Northeast. In addition to the dining room and kitchen, her plans include a cultural center and a two-and-a-half acre farm, which she’s already begun planting with raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, and sassafras. “I’m hoping to bring the beach plums back,” Pocknett added. “I don’t notice so many on the Cape anymore.” Pocknett recounted that, since she grew up on Cape Cod, she’s seen the toll that environmental degradation takes on Indigenous food systems and traditions. The ponds she swam in as a child have since been contaminated by the area’s septic systems and fertilizer runoff from lawns and golf courses. Combined with warmer water temperatures, frequent blooms of toxic algae make swimming dangerous. “My grandkids can’t swim in that lake anymore,” she added. “It just makes me so sad what’s happening with the water.” Not only does the algae cause the pond to be unswimmable, but it also kills fish, frogs, and other animals and plants, disrupting traditional Mashpee Wampanoag foodways. “Instead of making that grass green, just plant some food. That grass is poison,” Pocknett said. Despite this, Pocknett’s visit to Arts & Ideas was one of hope. Just a week before coming to New Haven, she found out that she was cancer-free after a years-long battle with the disease. She is finishing her chemotherapy treatment next week, just as she turns 64. “I’m gonna live to see my new restaurant open,” Pocknett said, as tears welled up in her eyes. That hope found its way into the food on Tuesday. Diners scraped their plates clean and fresh corn cakes were passed around. “My mom always says you have to put love into your cooking,” said her daughter and business partner Cheyenne Galvin-Pocknett. “That energy goes into your food.”
Share
The Whitney Water Treatment Facility. Photos Kapp Singer.
Share
Isaac Bloodworth's installation. Chris Gardner Photos Courtesy of NXTHVN.
Share
Shayla Streater, Amayah Smith, Nevaé Brightly, Lilah Jackson and Santana Brightly. Abiba Biao Photos.
Share
The Kevin Harris Project performs at the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library.
Share
Jennifer Coggins teaches a workshop on “Preserving Your History: Getting Started with Your Own Archives" at NHFPL's Fair Haven Branch.
Share
Taylor Emma Brunson cheers as she receives her diploma at the New Haven Academy graduation. Photos Kapp Singer.
Share
Stitching the Revolution runs through August 25, 2024, at the Mattatuck Museum in Waterbury. Jacquelyn Gleisner Photos.
Share
Remsen Welsh and Shane Quinn. Lucy Gellman Photos.
Share
Jacqueline Soares, Gabby F., Big Freedia, TJ, Khloé Lawson, and Mikayla Williams.
Share
At first, the tone of the song is solemn and intense, with a slow intro that pulsates. A drum rises, overwhelming the audio, and immediately things feel more hopeful. A voice enters the fray.
Share
Marc-Anthony Massaro (front) and Mike Luzzi (back) reveal Indicando la Via al Futuro (Pointing the Way to the Future). Photos Kapp Singer.
Share
Reese Mcleod, Diane X. Brown, and Nick Wantsala take a moment to pose together in the midst of the celebration. Alisha Martindale Photos.
Share
New Haven Adult & Continuing Education Center's graduation. Photos Kapp Singer. Wearing a royal blue robe and matching graduation cap, Miguel Loor grasped the microphone and launched into the national anthem. The audience stood, hands on their hearts. As he sang the final few bars of the song, Loor embellished on the classic melody, drawing impressed whoops from the crowd. The anthem kicked off the 2024 graduation ceremony of the New Haven Adult & Continuing Education Center (NHAEC), held Thursday morning in the auditorium of the John Lyman Center for the Performing Arts at Southern Connecticut State University (SCSU). Loor was one of the 145 students graduating from NHAEC. “Honestly, it was so much better than expected,” said Loor, who received his High School Credit (HSC) diploma through NHAEC. “Usually when you come into places like this, it feels like you’re giving up on regular school and you’re lowering your standards, but it’s not like that at all. You go in there and the teachers treat you like human beings, like actual adults.” Miguel Loor and his mother, Maria Clark. Loor and his mother moved to New Haven seven years ago from Madrid, and Loor enrolled in Betsy Ross Arts Magnet School. He initially focused on visual art, but after one teacher told him he had potential as a singer, began pursuing music. In 2020, after starting high school at the Sound School, he released his first EP, Wolfcat. Loor’s music gained a small online following and he began performing at venues in the greater New Haven area, including the State House and Space Ballroom. To focus on his art, Loor ended up taking time off school. “One of the big reasons why I ended up coming [to NHAEC] was that my music stuff got serious,” Loor said. Going forward, he said he hopes to continue his musical career, but he wanted to finish his senior year of high school first. “I came into this country for a reason, my mom brought me here for a reason,” he said. “The least I could do was get a diploma for her.” On Thursday, Loor not only performed the national anthem to open the ceremony, but with other members of Tony Maron’s instrumental music class at NHAEC, he played guitar and led a singalong of the Black Eyed Peas’s “I’ve Got a Feeling.” Dion Joefield processes into the ceremony. This year’s graduating class included students between 17 to 60 years old. They participated across NAEHC’s numerous programs, including the High School Credit Diploma, General Educational Development Program (GED), and National External Diploma Program (NEDP). Six of this year’s students, two of whom were at the graduation, passed the U.S. naturalization exam and received their U.S. citizenship. Others gained their Certified Nurse Assistant certification, granted by NAEHC in partnership with Northeast Medical Institute. “Today we gather to acknowledge the transformative power of education at any stage of life,” said Michelle Bonora, the principal of NAEHC. “All our graduates come with a different story, but they have all overcome obstacles.” Michelle Bonora. For Christine Stewart Davis, the ceremony was a celebration of overcoming several of those obstacles. She began at NAEHC in 2018 after being told by Gateway Community College, one semester in, that she had to go back to high school. She enrolled at NAEHC and immediately connected with GED teachers Maureen Ryan. “She provided me with the most immense support and gave me the drive to complete my GED,” Davis said in a speech on Thursday. However, in 2019, a year after beginning classes, Davis was diagnosed with breast cancer. She dropped out to take care of her health. As she went through her treatment, the idea of school faded from her brain. Then, much to her surprise, she received a call from Ryan. Christine Stewart Davis. “She was caring, and understanding, and I heard the strength in her voice which convinced me to re-enroll back in adult education classes,” Davis said. And for Lachell Hall, it was her math teacher, Cara Mortillo, who was particularly memorable. “She was the best, kind-hearted, loving teacher,” Hall said. Hall, who was in and out of school since the early 2000s, decided to enroll in NAEHC two years ago. She is not quite sure what life will hold for her moving forward, but for now she wants to take some time to relax and celebrate her accomplishment. “I’m just excited right now that I finally received my diploma at the age of 42,” she said.
Share
Top: The caged ladybugs waiting to be released Bottom: Sun Holland receiving a ladybug. Abiba Biao Photos.
Share
Mars McCann takes special attention to the Pride flag as they carefully begin to hoist it up during the North Haven Pride Flag Raising Ceremony at the North Haven Public Library.
Share
Marisabel Sanchez sanding. Photos Kapp Singer.
Share
The Breed's Rashad "Snacks" Johnson and Aaron Rogers. Lucy Gellman Photos.
Share
De-circulated: An Interpretation of Banned Books at the Institute Library. Photos Kapp Singer.
Share
Destiny Cooper, Gianni Knox, Dr. Hanan Hameen, and Madison Ennis. Lucy Gellman Photo.
Share
Ensemble Phoenicia performs at the Palestine Museum U.S. From left to right: Insia Malik, Charlotte Loukola, Amer Hasan, Robin Park, and Noémie Chemali. Photos Kapp Singer.
Share
Hanan Elkamah. Lucy Gellman Photos.
Share
Kobe Ransome during his presentation. Grayce Howe Photos.
Share
The Quintet in action. Prince Davenport Photos.
Share
Dr. Pamela Monk Kelley, Fred Harris, Sophie Edelstein, Lorena Mitchell and Myles Riley. Lucy Gellman Photos.
Share
The family of community activist and former Hill Parents Association President Fred Harris poses for a portrait together in honor of the 40 years he has been serving the Hill Neighborhood. The International Festival of Arts & Ideas held its celebration of the Hill neighborhood last Saturday. Alisha Martindale Photos.
Share
Shirley Chock teaches Liz Celotto how to use a tai chi fan. Photos Kapp Singer.
Share
“The View from Here: Accessing Art Through Photography” runs through Nov. 22. at the Yale Schwarzman Center. Pictured in focus in Julie Hajducky's "From Here." Lucy Gellman Photos; all artwork by student artists.
Share
Members of the "Reimagining Freedom" cohort. From left to right: Yaneth Aleman, Jeniffer Perez-Caraballo, Mary Cyriac, Vanesa Suarez, and Nika Zarazvand. Photos Kapp Singer.
Share
Heather and Choupette Powell and Patt Patterson (a.k.a. Lou Mangini) at ArtWalk. Lucy Gellman Photos.
Share
David Shih, Joyce Meimei Zheng, Destyne Miller and Amy Boratko. Lucy Gellman Photos.
Share
Exquisite River at the Ely Center for Contemporary Art. Photos Kapp Singer.
Share
Hayden Earnshaw, Maggie Goodwin and Juancarlos Soto. Grayce Howe Photos.
Share
Singleton (in baseball cap) and Ashford at a rehearsal Monday. Lucy Gellman Photos.
Share
Maya Lwazi Rose dressed as the Mystery Machine. Photos Kapp Singer.
Share
Sculpture by Taina Jackson. Photos Kapp Singer.
Share
Bitsie Clark at a birthday party at Bregamos Community Theater last year. Lucy Gellman File Photo.
Share
J. Antonio-Rodriguez and-company in Hadestown. T. Charles-Erickson Photo.
Share
Multidisciplinary musical storytelling group kamrDANCE performs "Addiction." Photos Kapp Singer.
Share
Jayla Cajigas, Sophia Consolmagno and Francine Van Campen, all third graders at Hill Central Music Academy.
Share
Kelly Bigelow Becerra during a Zoom call with the Arts Paper.
Share
When Aleisha Luna started looking at colleges, she didn’t know where to start. For years, her parents had been supportive of her academic career, urging her to “seek horizons beyond anything I could actually see around me.” But when the New Haven student began her search for higher education, it was uncharted territory.
Share
The typical life of a "Frankenstein," illustrated by Zach Felder in the New Haven Building Newsprint. Photos Kapp Singer.
Share
Cherry blossoms in bloom on Hughes Place next to Wooster Square Park. Photos Kapp Singer.
Share
Sheila Levrant de Bretteville: Community, Activism, and Design runs through June 23 at the Yale University Art Gallery. Photos Kapp Singer.
Share
Martin Hebel at a reception following the concert. Lucy Gellman Photo.
Share
Azhar Ahmed with Elena's Light Award and certificate of special recognition by Sen. Richard Blumenthal. Rachel Peet Photos
Share
Harvey Gregory, a pastor at Faith Temple Revival Center on Dixwell Avenue. Lucy Gellman Photo.
Share
Quiala talks about all things Arts & Ideas Festival 2024 at the kickoff reception. Markeshia Ricks Photos.
Share
NHPS' Ellen Maust, who will be retiring this year, receives recognition from NHSO Operations Director Jeremey Lombard. Lucy Gellman Photos.
Share
Photos by Chris Gardner/Courtesy NXTHVN. Lungiswa Gqunta’s quiet voice, pierced by a few soft coughs, narrates a dream as the artist slowly rolls along the clean floor of a large empty room. Spoken in isiXhosa, Gqunta’s words from the video projection fill the back half of NXTHVN’s gallery as she fills her chest with air. She raises her arms above her head, and her body tumbles closer to the viewer before exiting the shot, arms still outstretched overhead, as if bound by the wrist.
Share
Zion Jones of Gather New Haven and Nyzae James of BAMN Books curated a discussion of Leah Penniman's Black Earth Wisdom at Possible Futures. Danielle Campbell photos.
Share
Lucy Ann Hurston is an author and niece of Zora Neale Hurston. Danielle Campbell Photos.
Share
Emalie Mayo. Blaq Pearl Photography for Elm City LITFest.
Share
Dillon: Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man (left) and Tamara Torres (right) by Grace Graupe-Pillard.
Share
The members of the New Haven Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. staged a lighthouse themed brunch based on Steve Pemberton's book The Lighthouse Effect: How Ordinary People Can Have Extraordinary Impact in the World to honor five organizations that serve as beacons of light in their community.
Share
Adrienne Kane on a recent Sunday. Lucy Gellman Photos.
Share
Sharmont "Influence" Little was inducted as New Haven's first poet laureate during a ceremony at City Hall. Markeshia Ricks Photo.
Share
Left to right: Vi (Mary Lou Rosato), Sally (Sandra Shipley), Lena (Rita Wolf), and Mrs. Jarrett (LaTonya Borsay) in the Yale Repertory Theatre's production of Caryl Churchill's Escaped Alone. Joan Marcus photo, courtesy of Yale Repertory Theatre.
Share
From left to right: Michael Massey, Desiree Aidoo, Devonne Canady, Tanahe Edwards, Michael Martin Jr., Casey Ogman and Sean Reeves Sr. Danielle Campbell photos.
Share
Trina Mace Learned speaks at the opening of Alchemy of Art: Ann P. Lehman and Creative Arts Workshop in December 2023. File photo Kapp Singer.
Share
Designer Tea Montgomery is joined by his family, from left to right: his father David Edwards, his brother Devon Edwards, Montgomery, his mother Rachelle Edwards, and his son Haiven. Montgomery launched a new project called ETHOS at The Third Space. Mindi Rose Englart photos.
Share
Laila Kelly-Walker as Dorothy, Aaron Steed as the Tinman, Jayla Bosley as the Cowardly Lion and Dakarai Langley as the Scarecrow in Cooperative Arts and Humanities High School's production of The Wiz. Lucy Gellman Photos.
Share
Ariel (June Lampher) and Prince Eric (Jahlil Coleman) at Thursday's production of The Little Mermaid. Photos Kapp Singer.
Share
Picking out the perfect piece. Photos Kapp Singer.
Share
Bill Frisch, founder of East Rock Breads, readies a batch of bagels for proofing. Photos Kapp Singer.
Share
Everyday Angels (from left to right) Erica G. Bradley, Kia Levey Burden, Dori Dumas, Juanita Sunday Austin, Regina Mullings and Shaunda Holloway at Possible Futures. Karimah Mickens Webber phots.
Share
Barnum Festival 2024 Ringmaster Dr. Camelia Lawrence at a screening of the Bob Marley biopic "One Love." Markeshia Ricks photos.
Share
Ordinary Manager Ben Zemke and Owner Tim Cabral under the glow of vintage Christmas lights that are part of the Atomic Era vibes. Mindi Rose Englart photos.
Share
New Haven-based band Love N'Co. Photo courtesy Love N'Co.
Share
Destination Moon by Karen Hammer. Photos Kapp Singer.
Share
New Haven and Hartford jazz icons and future musical legends unite at NXTHVN for Black History Month. Mindi Rose Englart photos.
Share
Lions and dragons, oh my, at Lunarfest 2024. Linda-Cristal Young Photos.
Share
Lauren Canalori's third grade class at L.W. Beecher with LaundroMax's Chris Walker. Photos Kapp Singer.
Share
Ross Gay in conversation with Yale University Chaplain Maytal Saltiel at Battell Chapel. Dominic Warshaw photos.
Share
Leaders of the Network Without Borders for Survivors of Violence from left to right: Ana Hernandez, Camila Guiza-Chavez, Caterina Passoni and Denisse Cruz-Contreras at the organization's launch. Lisa Reisman Photos.
Share
Andy Rubenoff, who managed the design for the Mardi Gras event. Photos Kapp Singer.
Share
"Shining Light on Truth" at the New Haven Museum. Photos Kapp Singer.
Share
Melanie Tohom Cruz sings Sam Cook's "A Change is Gonna Come." Kapp Singer photos.
Share
Beauty and the Beast being performed at Legacy Theatre in Branford last year. Photo courtesy Legacy Theatre.
Share
Marlene Johnson places a ring on Donovan Johnson's finger while Hamden Mayor Lauren Garrett officiates. Photos Kapp Singer.
Share
Protesters criticize U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro before IRIS's Run for Refugees 5K. Photos Kapp Singer.
Share
People dance at a Club C*nt in December. Photos courtesy Zoe Jensen.
Share
The set of Long Wharf Theater's forthcoming production of A View from the Bridge. Photos Kapp Singer.
Share
Kids at the “Black Inventors Who Made the Stuff Around Us” workshop at the Ives Main Library on Saturday. Photos Kapp Singer.
Share
Top photo: Kim West0n. Bottom photo: Fethi Meghelli and Weston in front of “Man with Oud” by Palestinian artist, Mohamed Saleh Khalil, during the opening reception of "Made Visible: Origins in Belonging at Creative Arts Workshop. Mindi Englart Photos.
Share
Frank Mitchell, Fiona Vernal, and Camesha Scruggs (from left to right) discuss the impact of African American Connecticut Explored at the New Haven Museum on Thursday. Photos Kapp Singer.
Share
The former Saint Aedan’s Parish school building, where the Westville Performing Arts Center was located until last month. File photos Lucy Gellman.
Share
From left to right: Arati Pandit, Julie Greenwood, Randi Rubin Rodriguez, Linda Lindroth, Ilona Somogyi, and Hope Chávez at the Yale University School of Management for the "Women in Charge: A Conversation about Leadership." Mindi Englart Photos.
Share
Diana Henderson singing "Happy Birthday." Photos Kapp Singer. Diana Henderson carried a big chocolate cake covered with sparklers. With gusto, she sang “Happy Birthday” to all those born in January in the room.
Share
Civil rights icon Ruby Bridges with William Johnson, director of educational strategy for the William Caspar Graustein Memorial Fund, and Yale senior, Stephanie Owusu, at the 2024 Yale MLK Commemoration event. Lisa Reisman Photos.
Share
Austin Traver in The Shop's recording studio. Photos Kapp Singer.
Share
From left: Frank Brady, IfeMichelle Gardin, Royale Jamison, and Tea Montgomery (on the far right) with The Table & Gallery owner, Sonal Soveni, for the Chapel Street gallery's first immersive art and fine dining event of 2024. Mindi Rose Englart photos.
Share
Danielle Chapman (right) and the Rev. Jack Perkins Davidson at Best Video Film & Cultural Center.
Share
Zinesters of all ages gathered at Possible Futures for the most recent New Haven Zine Scene meetup . Danielle Campbell Photos.
Share
Bananas, Bananas, Bananas by Howard el-Yasin. Photos Kapp Singer.
Share
New Haven Academy dance students perform at the Winter Arts Showcase. Photos Kapp Singer.
Share
Recent editions of Latincolors Magazine. The 27th edition launched in late December. Lisa Reisman photos.
Share
Victor Rodgers (aka Slangston Hughes). Photos Kapp Singer.
Share
Penelope Stewart. Photos Kapp Singer.
Share
Cara Santino is the founder of the Little Lion Collective. Mindi Rose Englart Photo.
Share
Lara Morton, co-founder of Fuse Theatre of CT, leads a chant outside West Haven City Hall. Photos Kapp Singer.
Share
Zulay Rodriguez at the Wilson Branch Library. Photos Lisa Reisman.
Share
A traffic box on Chapel Street painted by Elizabeth Taylor. Photos Kapp Singer.
Share
The following photoessay comes from Youth Arts Journalism Initiative (YAJI) alum Emma MartinMooney, who graduated from Wilbur Cross High School last year. For the first time this year, a generous grant from the City of New Haven's Department of Arts, Culture & Tourism allowed the Arts Council to offer a series of fall mentorship classes, including a six-week photo class with Chris Randall. Here is Emma's final project from that class, using the framing devices that she learned in New Haven while on a trip abroad.
Share
In Mi Lupita’s warm Grand Avenue kitchen, 54-year-old Yolanda Guzman Elias and her sister Batriz Guzman Elias were making culinary magic, cutting fresh strawberries and slicing thin meat before a morning rush. The smell of dough hung low and thick in the air, wafting from the storefront to its street-facing front door and windows. The bakery was ready for another day.
Share
Photo courtesy of Orchestra New England.
Share
The following photoessay comes from Youth Arts Journalism Initiative (YAJI) alum Jayla Anderson, who is currently a senior studying dance at Cooperative Arts & Humanities High School. For the first time this year, a generous grant from the City of New Haven's Department of Arts, Culture & Tourism allowed the Arts Council to offer a series of fall mentorship classes, including a six-week photo class with Chris Randall. Here is Jayla's final project from that class.
Share
Harmony The Valkyrie at Pride New Haven, a block party in the Ninth Square that took place in October. Lucy Gellman File Photo.
Share
Some of the artists who made waves this year. Top row: Martha Lewis, Semilla Collective, Eric March. Middlr Row: Vanesa Suarez, Ruby Gonzalez Hernandez, Alasdair Neale and the New Haven Symphony Orchestra. Bottom: Black Lives Matter New Haven's Ala Ochumare-Harris, MiAsia Harris, and Sun Queen, Roya Mohammadi, Destiny White, Erin Michaud and Jeremy Thanes. Lucy Gellman Photos.
Share
Anthony McDonald: Let's make sure the Shubert is here to stay. Lucy Gellman File Photo.
Share
American Modern Opera Company musicians Jonny Allen, Doug Balliett, and and Miranda Cuckson (left to right) in Danielle Storey's chorus class at Wilbur Cross High School. Photos Kapp Singer.
Share
Maya McFadden, founder of The Kids Newsroom. Lucy Gellman Photos.
Share
The cast during intermission at a recent performance. The school's next show, a junior performance of The Wiz, is set for May 2024. Lucy Gellman Photos.
Share
Maestro Alasdair Neale and musicians of the New Haven Symphony Orchestra at the organization's opening concert earlier this year. Lucy Gellman File Photo.
Share
Doron Wolf with his painting Vanitas (2018). Photos Kapp Singer. All work by Doron Wolf.
Share
Ale Cruz and Jaylah Jones in the world premiere of Heart. Lucy Gellman Photos.
Share
Artist Kwadwo Adae: “There is gold in each neighborhood. This city is full of kindness. So whatever your favorite thing is, whatever type of organization speaks to you, please patronize those businesses.” Lucy Gellman Photos.
Share
The Tyshawn Sorey Trio. Photo courtesy Firehouse 12.
Share
A picture of Lehman welding mounted next to her artwork. All work by Ann Lehman. Photos Kapp Singer.
Share
Pastor Sampson Denny, who is a faith leader in Stratford. Lucy Gellman Photos.
Share
Tony Kosloski's "Equation of Death" at 51 Chestnut St. Lucy Gellman Photos.
Share
HSC teacher Amy Brazauski and her foster son, Alex Lopes. Lucy Gellman Photos.
Share
The Art of the Palestinian Thobe runs through the end of this year. Pictured is a thobe from the collection of artist Renate Ghannam, who first encountered the garments through her husband's family. Lucy Gellman Photos.
Share
Jamiah Green Photos. The words crawl in every direction across the figure’s coffee-colored skin, marking her arms and exposed torso in neat black lettering. It’s not a big deal, reads a phrase that stretches up her shoulder. You are the kind of woman your father would have thrown away, state three lines of text by her right breast, hovering just over the nipple. Which lifetime hurt you so bad? asks a sentence on her left arm.
Share
Members of the Tapacamino Colectivo include Fernando Guadarrama, Gregorio Quiros, Sinuhé Padilla-Isunza, Maria Puente, and Ik' Balam. Lucy Gellman Photos.
Share
Cayetana Navarro, who now works as the inaugural program manager in the Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion at the Yale School of Medicine. Lucy Gellman Photos.
Share
A page from Vie Privée et Criminelle d'Antoine-François Derues. Kapp Singer Photos.
Share
Artist Kwadwo Adae. Anna Fountain Photos.
Share
James "Dinky" Johnson, who owned and ran Dinkie's Jazz Club, with a new bust celebrating his imprint on New Haven jazz history. Coral Ortiz Photos.
Share
Vanesa Suarez with one of the posters from artist Jisu Sheen.
Share
Kiana Flores on Election Day, outside of the Ward 1 polling place. Lucy Gellman Photos.
Share
Danielle Campbell Photos.
Share
Frances "Bitsie" Clark, who turned 92 on Oct. 30. Lucy Gellman Photo.
Share
Silvana Deigan, an artist and activist who has participated in ULA's Día de los Muertos parade for the last four years. In January, her work was featured in El Arte/El sueño/La Realidad de Migrar (The Art/The Dream/The Reality of Migration) at the New Haven Peoples' Center. Elena Unger Photos.
Share
Destiny White, Erin Michaud and Jeremy Thanes. Lucy Gellman Photos.
Share
Jamie Guite as Beverly Frasier. Fairview runs at CCT through Nov. 19. Lucy Gellman Photos.
Share
Fior Rodriguez as Melosa. Behind her are Rafael Feliciano-Roman (filling in for Joel) and as Gentile as Debra. Lucy Gellman Photos.
Share
From the blog post "Balagan in Twaneh, July 15, 2023." Text and Photographs by Margaret Olin.
Share
Shawn and Charlie Lockett. Lucy Gellman Photos.
Share
Nohra Bernal, a children's author, reads from "Que Viene El Lobo.” Elena Unger Photos.
Share
Chef Keem Hughley and Babz Rawls-Ivy. Danielle Campbell Photos.
Share
The artist Darnell “Sain’t” Phifer. Abiba Biao Photos.
Share
A performer from the Braata Folk Singers at the 2022 Caribbean Heritage Fest. Lucy Gellman File Photo.
Share
Christopher Samuels as Blue. Lucy Gellman Photos.
Share
Dramaturg Amy Boratko and Director Sivan Battat (ECA Drama Chair Ingrid Schaeffer is to their right). Lucy Gellman Photos.
Share
Anita Abdinezhad, Bahar Beihaghi, Shadee Vossoughi, Vaneh Assadourian, and Ava Lalezarzadeh in a scene from Wish You Were Here by Sanaz Toossi, directed by Sivan Battat. Yale Repertory Theatre, October 5–28, 2023. Photo © Joan Marcus.
Share
Graphics and animation by Carla Costanza.
Share
Alisa Bowens-Mercado: "If you can get a kid up and they're dancing, that gives you an opening to have fun and embrace different cultures." Lucy Gellman Photos.
Share
From left to right: ASA Member Joné Mwape, AfroMixer attendee Jeana Noel, and ASA Member Danielle Addy.
Share
