NYU SCHOOL OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES CENTER FOR PUBLISHING & APPLIED LIBERAL ARTS CONTINUING EDUCATION PROGRAMS (PALA/CE)

Continuing Education Programs in Publishing, the Humanities, Arts, Producing, Design, Writing, and Translation.

External News

Voices of Impact: NYU SPS Diversity, Race and Media Students’ Op-Eds on Dulcie September’s Assassination Shine on MurderInParis.com

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The true essence of education shines when students are given the opportunity to take what they’ve learned in the classroom and apply it to real-world scenarios. This is exactly what happened with the students of Professor Cortana’s course–Diversity, Race and Media: From Films and TV to Podcasts and New Media–as their op-eds were recently published on the renowned social impact campaign website, MurderInParis.com. The website is a social impact campaign that seeks to raise awareness of the assassination of Dulcie September, a Black anti-apartheid activist who was murdered in France in 1988. 

DULCIE SEPTEMBER – Ditsong Museums of South Africa
DULCIE SEPTEMBER – Ditsong Museums of South Africa

The students– David Goodwin, Chi Okehie, Maryolin Perez, Carolyn Lamphier, and Haley Hnatuk wrote their op-eds in response to the documentary Murder in Paris, which explores the circumstances surrounding September’s assassination. In their op-eds, the students discuss the implications of September’s assassination for the fight against racism and oppression. 

These op-eds aren’t just pieces of writing; they are the embodiment of the students’ passions, concerns, and voices. Each op-ed offers a unique perspective on various aspects of social issues, media representation, and diversity. From the intricacies of cultural representation in modern media to the challenges faced by marginalized communities, the op-eds reflect a deep understanding of the world’s complexities. Along with being a testament to the success of the Diversity and Media course, the students’ op-eds are a powerful reminder of the power of education to inspire students to make a difference in the world.

To engage with the students’ powerful opinion pieces and learn more about Dulcie September’s legacy, please visit NYU SPS Opinion Pieces: Justice for Dulcie September.

Professor Leonard Cortana: Guiding Light
The course is taught by Leonard Cortana,  a visionary educator who transcends traditional teaching boundaries. With a diverse academic background and a commitment to social justice, Professor Cortana guides students to think critically, question assumptions, and amplify marginalized voices. His journey from Comparative Politics to filmmaking to academia reflects a dedication to holistic education that empowers students to use media as a catalyst for change. He embodies the essence of what it means to be a mentor and advocate, shaping future leaders and fostering environments of empathy and growth. Cortana is committed to using his teaching to empower students to use their voices to make a difference in the world.

The Diversity, Race and Media course at NYU goes beyond traditional education by empowering students to be active participants in the discourse surrounding media, race, and diversity. By dissecting media’s impact, trends, and underlying messages, students emerge with the skills to create, critique, and challenge narratives that can drive real change. Aspiring media professionals, educators, and anyone passionate about the media’s role in shaping our perceptions will find this course to be an essential guide in navigating the ever-evolving landscape of media and race.

To know more about the course, click here.



85-year Harvard study on happiness found the No. 1 retirement challenge

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happy retirement

At NYU SPS PALA/CE, we are on the lookout for new studies and commentary that can help us better understand the society we live in and our place in it. From CNBC Make It, authors Robert Waldinger and Marc Schulz take a look at an 85-year Harvard study and what it can tell us about happiness in retirement. 

Read on below for a re-post of the article: “An 85-year Harvard study on happiness found the No. 1 retirement challenge that ‘no one talks about‘”

The following is a re-post from CNBC Make It, written by Robert Waldinger and Marc Schulz. 

In 1938, Harvard researchers embarked on a study that continues to this day to find out: What makes us happy in life?

The researchers gathered health records from 724 people from all over the world, asking detailed questions about their lives at two-year intervals.

As participants entered mid- and late-life, the Harvard Study often asked about retirement. Based on their responses, the No. 1 challenge people faced in retirement was not being able to replace the social connections that had sustained them for so long at work.

Retirees don’t miss working, they miss the people

When it comes to retirement, we often stress about things like financial concerns, health problems and caregiving.

But people who fare the best in retirement find ways to cultivate connections. And yet, almost no one talks about the importance of developing new sources of meaning and purpose.

One participant, when asked what he missed about being a doctor for nearly 50 years, answered: “Absolutely nothing about the work itself. I miss the people and the friendships.”

Leo DeMarco, another participant, had a similar feeling: After he retired as a high school teacher, he found it hard to stay in touch with his colleagues.

“I get spiritual sustenance from talking shop. It’s wonderful to help someone acquire skills,” he said. “Teaching young people was what started my whole process of exploring.”

Taking on hobbies might not be enough

For many of us, work is where we feel that we matter most — to our workmates, customers, communities, and even to our families — because we are providing for them.

Henry Keane was abruptly forced into retirement by changes at his factory. Suddenly he had an abundance of time and energy.

He started volunteering at the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars. He put time into his hobbies — refinishing furniture and cross-country skiing. But something was still missing.

“I need to work!” Keane told the researchers at age 65. “Nothing too substantial, but I’m learning that I just love being around people.”

To retire happy, invest in your relationships now

Keane’s realization teaches us an important lesson not only about retirement, but about work itself: We are often shrouded in financial concerns and the pressure of deadlines, so we don’t notice how significant our work relationships are until they’re gone.

To create more meaningful connections, ask yourself:

  • Who are the people I most enjoy working with, and what makes them valuable to me? Am I appreciating them?
  • What kinds of connections am I missing that I want more of? How can I make them happen?
  • Is there someone I’d like to know better? How can I reach out to them?
  • If I’m having conflict with a coworker, what can I do to alleviate it?
  • Who is different from me in some way (thinks differently, comes from a different background, has a different expertise)? What can I learn from them?

At the end of the day, notice how your experiences might affect your sense of meaning and purpose. It could be that this influence is, on balance, a good one. But if not, are there any small changes you can make?

“When I look back,” Ellen Freund, a former university administrator, told the study in 2006, “I wish I paid more attention to the people and less to the problems. I loved my job. But I think I was a difficult and impatient boss. I guess, now that you mention it, I wish I got to know everyone a little better.”

Every workday is an important part of our personal experience, and the more we enrich it with relationships, the more we benefit. Work, too, is life.

Read the original article on CNBC Make it by Robert Waldinger and Marc Schulz. 

Visit the Academy of Lifelong Learning website to explore all upcoming course offerings in the humanities and global affairs as well as participate in events and clubs. This course may be of particular interest:

“Unretirement” Conversations and Toolkit: A Master Class with Richard Eisenberg

The Demographics Of Aging – What Does This All Mean? – Booming Encore

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aging demographic

Here at NYU SPS PALACE, we are always on the lookout for thought-provoking commentary on our society. The following article “The Demographics Of Aging – What Does This All Mean?” published on Booming Encore and written by Susan Williams, is one of those articles that make you stop and think. Accompanied by a video from Vital Pictures, Williams explains how the aging demographic will alter not only America, but the world. Read on below for a re-post of this insightful Essay!

The following is a repost from Booming Encore written by Susan Williams:

We have all heard the cries – the aging demographic, the silver tsunami, the graying of America. But what does this really mean? We know that changes will have to be made in society to support this new reality but exactly what needs to change?

The following video entitled The Big Idea in 4 Minutes – Coming of Age In Aging America does an excellent job of capturing what some of the challenges are and what is required in order to move forward in this new world of an aging population.

These are just some of the highlights from the video;

  • There are now larger proportions of people over the age of 60 than under the age of 15. This is not just happening in America – it’s happening globally
  • Aging is not just about the baby boomers. Baby boomers are only an introduction to the permanent shift in aging that will eventually become a permanent state
  • This aging shift will transform society. How long we work, how we live, how we organize our families and medical care as well as impact our economic and political lives
  • As an example, right now about 50% of people live in the suburbs and approximately 75% of older Americans live there too. But the suburbs were designed in the 1950’s for young families and cars were the main source of transportation. This mobility situation will need to be dealt with as the population ages
  • The thinking moving forward needs to follow an old rule of thumb “if a community works for kids and elderly, it will work for everyone”
  • Another example of what will need to shift is our views on retirement age. The age of 65 was set back in 1935 however life expectancy at that time was 62 years old. Today we can expect to live about 15 years beyond the traditional age of retirement.

But here’s where some of the biggest challenges are:

Demographically, the world we now live in and the people we have become is much different than the world we lived in 50 years ago. However our institutions, economies, policies, social security, medicare and communities were all designed for who we were back then.

So, when facing this enormous societal challenge it’s easy to see how we could become concerned and worried. The world we currently live in is not the one we will need moving forward. But the key question asked in this video is;

“Why is there an assumption that there is no upside in this situation?”

In one word: CHANGE

And change requires effort. But if we begin by envisioning new models of living and new ways of being – who knows – we could create a world that could actually be better for everyone then it was before.

Read the original article on Booming Encore by Susan Williams here. 

Bright Impossibility: On Poets and Painters

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Congratulations to CALA faculty, Meera Thompson, on her wonderful solo show at the Atlantic Gallery (548 W 28th St #540, New York, NY 10001). This holiday weekend would be the perfect time to view the work – the show will close on Saturday, May 28! The show’s title Bright Impossibility was inspired by an Emily Dickinson poem.

Meera Thompson describes how Dickinson’s poem inspired her: “I borrowed the title BRIGHT IMPOSSIBILITY for my show from this poignant poem by Emily Dickinson. Because I am a painter, the first stanza piques my curiosity.  Throughout her poetry her descriptions of the sky, sea, and land are so keenly observed and colorful that I am convinced that Dickinson must have had training in drawing and painting and experienced the kinds of deliberations and decisions that attend those processes.

Photo: Phyllis Chillingworth

Dickinson characterizes a painting as a “bright impossibility,” and in doing so she reduces a picture to its essential nature.  In two words she lays bare the work of the painter:  to make a tangible object that creates an elusive image in the mind of the viewer.  When we look at a painting and sense the movement of light and shadows in a scene we are seeing an illusion.”

Summer 2022:

Meera Thompson will be teaching The Art of Drawing: From DaVinci to Degas which starts on Monday, July 11, 2022.

I would not paint – a picture –

by Emily Dickinson

I would not paint — a picture —

I’d rather be the One

It’s bright impossibility

To dwell — delicious — on —

And wonder how the fingers feel

Whose rare — celestial — stir —

Evokes so sweet a torment —

Such sumptuous — Despair —        

I would not talk, like Cornets —

I’d rather be the One

Raised softly to the Ceilings —         

And out, and easy on —

Through Villages of Ether —

Myself endued Balloon

By but a lip of Metal —

The pier to my Pontoon —

Nor would I be a Poet —

It’s finer — Own the Ear —

Enamored — impotent — content —

The License to revere,

A privilege so awful

What would the Dower be,

Had I the Art to stun myself

With Bolts — of Melody!

Photo: Phyllis Chillingworth

Dancing for Identity: Spotlight on Linda Kuo

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Dancing for Identity: Spotlight on Linda Kuo

Interview by Monet Takeda

Linda Kuo is a student in the Certificate in Arts Management at the NYU SPS Center for Applied Liberal Arts as well as the co-founder and director of Dancers Unlimited, a bi-coastal company based in New York and Hawai’i that “creates authentic movement for community advancement through creative collaboration, community engagement, and social justice work.” Dancers Unlimited blends contemporary dance styles with cultural practices while healing communities through anti-racism work. We had the opportunity to speak with Kuo about her journey through the world of art and community building, as well as her experience as a continuing education student at NYU.

Q: Can you tell us about your background and who you are?

A: I’m Taiwanese-American, born in Taiwan, and I moved to Hawai’i when I was three. I grew up in a multicultural environment and was in the ethnic majority. It wasn’t until I first went to Boston for college that I was a minority, which was a huge culture shock and wake-up call for me. I didn’t know that these experiences were going to be so influential in my thought and creative process, but they eventually shaped how Dancers Unlimited approaches dance, culture, and community building.

It was interesting having a strong Asian identity while also being rooted in Hawaiian values. The Hawaiian Renaissance came about in the 80s and 90s when I was growing up, a time when there were a lot of Hawaiian culture practitioners, activists, and advocates of Hawaiian language and learning. Growing up, I asked: what are the roots? Why do we dance? What does Hula mean for the native Hawaiians who lost their land?

When I moved to New York to be a dancer, I got introduced to a lot of hip hop pioneers. I experienced hip hop differently in Hawai’i through MTV, and only got exposed to the fun, party side of hip hop. But the hip hop pioneers showed me how hip hop strengthens people and how it is an expression of anti-oppression, personal feelings, and freedom. I also grew up dancing ballet. While my Hula teachers are rooted in the foundations and history of the Hawaiian people, my ballet teacher focused on achieving a certain look. Both are very strict, but one is more about culture, people and their survival, while a lot of ballet is about the fantasy world. These three styles shaped how I approached dancing in general.

Linda Kuo by Jonathan Michaels

Q: What inspired you to found Dancers Unlimited?

A: When I founded Dancers Unlimited, I didn’t start the company because I wanted to perform or tour. I moved home to Hawai’i in 2009 and was trying to figure out what I was going to do with my life, when Furlough Fridays happened. The Department of Education cut funding and cancelled school on Fridays. My dancer friends and I happened to move back to Hawai’i around the same time, so we decided to do something. We partnered up with different dance studios and community centers and offered free dance classes for the kids. That’s how Dancers Unlimited started, as an answer to a community call for help.

Somehow, that got us invited to do shows. We performed at the Contemporary Museum of Honolulu, and that first performance got us booked to go on tour in China. We ended up meeting a lot of great people in Shanghai and grew. We did commercial gigs, performances, and more entertainment stuff.

But we always had cultural practitioners guiding us, so our company focus has always been community. In 2016, we pivoted and started restructuring our programs towards offering a platform to amplify marginalized voices. Then Donald Trump won the election, and conversations about immigration, racism, and white supremacy kept coming up. That’s when I realized I don’t have the tools to continue these conversations without specific training. So, I connected with Urban Bush Women and attended their Summer Leadership Institute at NYU, and was eventually invited to their BOLD Leadership program. There, I built anti-racism tools and learned about using dance as a platform for equity and justice.

Q: What impact has Dancers Unlimited had on its community?

A: Last year, we started Edible Tales, which is our new program that will culminate in a dance documentary. It will include dance, interviews, intergenerational dialogue and food, and cover topics like cultural heritage, social justice, and food apartheid.

The community was a big part of creating this program. We met virtually with our community both in Hawai’i and New York every month, then eventually we started having people coming in from Africa and all over the world. Surprisingly, we started talking about taro; we didn’t realize how universal taro is. Taiwanese people, Hawaiians, East Asians, Southeast Asians, Africans, Caribbeans, everybody uses taro and have similar ways of preparing it. These conversations we’ve been having with our community go beyond dancers and dance lovers. It’s exciting to see people jumping on board who are not dancers, like filmmakers, chefs, farmers, and neighbors. We found that everyone is actually very similar, but racism and social constructs got in the way and divided us. Our impact is bringing the community together to give birth to this project.

We got to hear so many stories that were different yet had similar challenges, like capitalism and colonization. The beauty is that we are allowing these conversations to happen in a lighthearted, nourishing way. It’s hard to talk about anti-racism and colonization, but when
approached through dance and food, it’s much easier to come up with solutions to build and collaborate together.

Q: Why did you decide to pursue the Certificate in Arts Management?

A: I always wanted Dancers Unlimited to be a non-profit, but it was an LLC until last year because it’s a lot of work to be a 501(c)(3) and I didn’t know how to manage one. But when the pandemic hit, we needed a structure to be more financially sustainable, and all of our tours got cancelled overnight. So, I finally had the time to start my first class in March of 2020. I picked NYU specifically because the Certificate was virtual. I have a 5-year-old, and being on campus as a mom can be challenging. I loved that the virtual format meant I can do it on my own time. And when I saw Donna Walker-Kuhne on the faculty list, I knew I wanted to take classes with this amazing woman. I had come across her newsletter five years ago and read it every month religiously, and this was the perfect opportunity to learn even more from her.

Q: How have the courses in the Certificate in Arts Management supported your work?

A: I started the certificate program at the same time I applied for 501(c)(3) status, and applied everything I learned directly to Dancers Unlimited. It was great because I wasn’t thinking about a theoretical company, I was learning about exactly what my company needed.
The professors were very helpful advisors. They gave feedback with every assignment and tailored advice for Dancers Unlimited, and were surprisingly accessible and always responded to emails within a day. When I took the course Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in the Arts, the timing worked out perfectly because the final project was to make a Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Access (DEIA) plan, which we didn’t have at Dancers Unlimited. We’ve always been a diverse and inclusive company, but we had never put it on paper. The project was very useful because right after it was over, there was a grant application due in a week that required our DEIA plan. I wouldn’t have even known how to make a DEIA plan or what language to include without that class–and we ended up getting the grant!

Q: What do you have planned for Summer 2022?

A: In August, we will have our travel program MoveMEANT Destination, which explores socially and culturally important topics through dance. Working with native Hawaiian cultural practitioners, we aim to decolonize our artistic practices and realign ourselves with social justice and re-indigenization work through this program.

In the Kingdom of Hawai’i before the U.S. takeover, there were one million people on the island of Oahu who sustained themselves only through indigenous farming and fishing practices. Unlike capitalism, these practices focus on being caretakers of the land without overtaking or abusing it. However, these practices are no longer commonly used, and today 95% of produce in Hawai’i is imported. When the pandemic hit, the unemployment rate in Hawai’i shot to 65% because of the reliance on tourism and the military. This unemployment led many people to gravitate towards these indigenous ideas of sustainability and go back to land-based practices.

MoveMEANT Destination returns to these re-indigenization ideas. It is a one-week cultural immersion experience where you work with different Hawaiian cultural practitioners restoring farms and ancient fish ponds. The program will also include authentic Hula dancing.
Hula is a very spiritual practice, and starts with making your own costume through ceremonies where you have to ask the Earth for permission before taking a leaf or a flower. There will also be a reflection and journaling process throughout. Ultimately, you will learn what it means to reconnect with culture and how to apply Hawaiian practice to your own life.

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Thank you to Linda Kuo for speaking with us about her fascinating and important work. The
NYU SPS Certificate in Arts Management provides aspiring and practicing arts professionals
with the leadership, fundraising, marketing, and financial skills necessary to succeed in the
competitive world of visual and performing arts administration. The program is based at the
Center for Applied Liberal Arts, which offers professional certificates and Continuing Education
courses in the humanities, arts, writing, filmmaking, and translation.

During the Summer 2022 semester Donna Walker-Kuhne will be teaching at CALA. For information click: Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in the Arts

CALA Faculty Karen Heuler Has Three New Books Being Published This Year!

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Congratulations to CALA writing instructor Karen Heuler, who is preparing to launch three new books with three different publishers this year! How exciting is that? At CALA we are celebrating this wonderful achievement and are delighted to share a brief synopsis of Heuler’s upcoming publications and some tips for writers.

Karen Heuler Photo by Tracey Sides Photography

When she began teaching at NYU SPS in 2005,  Heuler thought it was remarkable to see how many people write well. However, an editor once told her that magazines receive a lot of really good stories, but they’re looking for the great ones. The field is crowded and competitive so any insight or advice from Heuler, an award-winning professional, is so valuable.

We asked Heuler about her inspiration and here is what she shared.

“I have the highest expectations for The Splendid City. It’s appeared on a number of lists about anticipated books this summer. It’s fast, quirky, snarky and fun – and it’s also political, but in a sneaky way. An apprentice witch loses her temper and changes an annoying coworker into a cat – which is against the rules – and so she and the cat are exiled to Liberty, a state that seceded from the US.” There’s stolen water, a missing witch, endless parades and animatronic presidential heads, and it’s all a bit spectacular and crazy. Angry Robot Books, which has tremendous followers known as The Robot Army, will ensure a successful launch. Pub: June 14, 2022. See The Splendid City

Heuler’s second and third upcoming publications are collections that incorporate stories written over many years. “My mother’s dementia was a shattering experience, and the stories in Forgetting were written as things went from bad, to worse. The stories are mostly realistic, though some are definitely odd and some are funny. They also incorporate magical realism occasionally, and the final one (dear to my heart) is a very dark fairy tale. There’s really nothing to do about tragedy other than write about it. Stories make sense out of horror as well as the ordinary. I’d been sending this collection around for a decade. I knew it was going to be a very hard sell – who wants to read a downer? Saying that some of it is quirky and funny, while it’s true, doesn’t convince anyone to publish it. I knew I would have to find a small press that was willing to take a chance, and I did.” Pub date: August 1, 2022, Bitingduck Press.

The final book, A Slice of the Dark, is a collection of speculative fiction – an umbrella term now used to encompass science fiction, fantasy, dark fantasy, and horror. These stories were also written over a number of years. “I write both literary and speculative fiction, and this one is mostly what’s referred to as dark fantasy. Most stories are recognizably our world, but things are not right.” In the title story, a man finds that objects are turning “dark” – meaning that they become shadowless and black. A woman’s fingers revolt. Neighbors get boxes marked “Do Not Open”– but they open them! This collection will be published by a beloved small science fiction and fantasy press Fairwood Press, in November, 2022.

Heuler says the best advice she can give is “to learn who you are and embrace the kind of writing only you are capable of. And have some humility. You can learn from everything in life, or you can remain a block of wood. Choose learning.”

Congratulations again, Karen and thanks for being an inspiration!

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Are you interested in writing and ready to take the plunge? Take a look at some of our Summer 2022 courses:

Fiction Writing

Writing a Strong Introduction to an Article or Essay

Multimedia Storytelling

Fundamentals of Storytelling

Interviews and Profiles

If you have already decided that you’re all in our Storytelling Certificate is a great option – see the link below for details:

Certificate in Storytelling: Narrative Tools and Applications

Short Film Award and Spring 2022 Racial Literacy Series

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Congratulations to CALA instructor Leonard Cortana on receiving the Best Short film award for Marielle’s Legacy Will Not Die, at the 2022 FEMI film festival (Guadeloupe).

Join Leonard Cortana this spring for his Racial Literacy and Anti-Racism Practices Series which starts on April 13, 2022
 
Eligible NYU employees may register with 100% tuition remission.
For details and forms go to Tuition Remission at NYU Home.
 
Spring 2022 Schedule:
 
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Cortana’s short is about the Afro-Brazilian Councilwoman and activist, Marielle Franco, who was assassinated with her driver in March 2018 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. As a city council member, Franco represented her favela constituents by fighting against gender violence, police violence, and for reproductive and LGBTQ rights. Cortana’s short film documents activists and artists’ use of the annual Carnival to call for justice for Marielle Franco.

CALA Student Léonie Rosenstiel Publishes New Book, Protecting Mama

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Congratulations to CALA Continuing Education student Léonie Rosenstiel on publishing her latest book! Protecting Mama: Surviving the Legal Guardianship Swamp focuses on Rosenstiel and her mother, who suffered from Alzheimer’s disease, and their struggle with a court-appointed guardian and the legal system. Rosenstiel was able to publish her book after years of living under a court-mandated gag order. In an interview with CALA, Rosenstiel detailed the process of telling her story and her goals in doing so. 

Can you tell us about your background and who you are?

I was born in New York City—during a blizzard—and spent most of my growing years in a New York City suburb. I attended the Professional Children’s School and Juilliard Pre-College Division (I was a violinist), Barnard, Columbia, The New Seminary, and the Tri-State College of Traditional Chinese Acupuncture. I earned an MPH from Walden University and a PhD in musicology from Columbia. Over time, I’ve performed in, taught, and coached musical groups. 

My first book was about the composer Lili Boulanger. I then wrote a biography of her older sister, Nadia, and edited a music textbook. From writing about music, I went on to work in my husband’s literary agency in New York City. We started a small publishing company and issued seven editions of Literary Agents of North America. Ultimately my mother, husband, and I decided to move to Albuquerque, where most of the action in Protecting Mama takes place.

What is Protecting Mama about?

The book describes the trauma created for all of us after my mother, a retired college professor, started showing signs of dementia. Human vultures seemed to descend from everywhere, attempting to steer her this way and that and take things from her. Ultimately, Mama ended up under the legal control of a court-appointed commercial guardian. After that, my family and I endured years of legal and personal struggles with the court system and with Mama’s guardian. 

It took me five years beyond Mama’s passing to regain my First Amendment right to speak. Permanent gag orders and “non-disparagement agreements” are a frequent feature of the commercial guardianship world. Protecting Mama reveals the commercial guardians’ playbook to public view and offers some suggestions about how other people might avoid or use my experiences to solve problems in their own lives.

What do you hope readers will take away from reading Protecting Mama?

I hope people will realize that the current situation in elder care is beyond terrifying. People who barely know a person will tell everyone they are following that person’s wishes. They claim to know what’s better for an elder than people who have known them for half a century. The court proceedings are secret; dishonest statements abound. There is hope, but it’s going to take an enormous amount of work by people of goodwill in many different fields to solve this.

How did you first learn about CALA?

I received an email that advertised the program. At the time, I was in a situation that approached house arrest due to a very restrictive court-imposed gag order. I knew that I would eventually write the book as I’d promised Mama, but I didn’t dare write it then because the gag order forbade me to write either about my mother or about the entire subject of elder care/guardianship. Taking writing courses kept me writing while avoiding subjects the court had forbidden me to touch. 

How have CALA courses supported your work?

This goes to the whole notion of “deepening one’s craft.” I took those courses to make sure I kept practicing writing. And then I stayed on to take more courses even after the gag order was lifted. I’m grateful for the online classes. They saved my sanity during the time the gag order was in effect.

What else are you working on right now/looking forward to working on in the future?

Calumet Editions has already accepted a second book from me. This volume explains how family lies and secrets—some of them kept over generations—helped to create a situation in which my mother ended up prey to the commercial guardianship system. This second book, which is really a prequel to Protecting Mama, is slated for publication in 2023. I have created an online course, summit and coaching program for U.S. residents, and am now finishing a website to unite all these services with a legal database to help people who need more information to support in their decision-making for and with their elders..

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Thank you to Léonie Rosenstiel for speaking with CALA about her latest work. For more about her and her story, check out this interview video with Jack Canfield, or this podcast episode about Protecting Mama.

Registration for CALA’s Spring 2022 writing courses is now open.

French Language Students – Join Maylis de Kerangal and Let’s Embark on the Writing Canoe!

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Join us, on Wednesday, December 1 at 11 am (EST) to participate in a live writing workshop with author, Maylis de Kerangal, sponsored by the Toronto Public Library*. CALA French language faculty, Annie Heminway will also speak with de Kerangal about the art of the short story and her latest collection, Canoës.

If you wish to participate in the live writing workshop, instructions will be made available in French and English. Maylis de Kerangal will take time to comment on some of the texts shared by participants. Here’s the link to save your spot: Register Here and Click Save My Spot

Canoës explores all aspects of voice and highlights the physical act of communication through our vocal cords, but also through the tone, perspective, and register that permeate our writing. Inspired by the Canoës short story collection, Maylis de Kerangal will analyze aspects of voice through text – both written and staged – during the live session: the nuance of language or the accent, the memory it contains, how the breath is there in your voice and on the page. So, let’s embark on Maylis de Kerangal’s writing canoe!

Part 1: 11-12 pm: Optional writing session (writing instructions will be provided in French and English)

Part 2: 12-12:30 pm: Maylis de Kerangal on the writings of three participants (in French) 

Part 3: 12:30-1 pm: Maylis de Kerangal speaks with with Annie Heminway (in French)

All CALA students, faculty, and friends are welcome. 

À bientôt!

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SPRING 2022 French Courses at CALA: Spring 2022

Annie Heminway will be teaching:

Finessing Your French Grammar

Fine-Tune Your French Through Film

*Please note: The Toronto Public Library is committed to ensuring accessibility for all. Please call us or send us an email if you are deaf or have an impairment and wish to ask for alternative means for participating in this program. Please let us know as soon as possible and we will do our best to respond to your request. Prior notice of at least three weeks is preferable. Call 416-393-7099 or contact us by email at accessibleservices@tpl.ca. 

Kate Walter Has Been Busy – New Memoir, Behind the Mask, Released Today!

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Congratulations to retired CALA writing faculty, Kate Walter, on her new book release. 

Behind the Mask: Living Alone in the Epicenter published by Heliotrope Books

Kate Walter loved her life as a single gay woman living in New York City’s famous Westbeth Artists Housing in Greenwich Village. She was in that sweet spot—recently retired from a long teaching career, but hardly retired, she was living the dream. Finally, her time was her own, a chance to expand and explore.

She was embedded in a vibrant artistic community. She was a published writer, met friends for lunch, went to museums, and concerts, and readings. She took yoga classes and belonged to a writing workshop, a singing group, a church. She celebrated all the holidays with her family in New Jersey.

In early 2020, the lively community of Westbeth Artists Housing was gearing up to celebrate its 50th anniversary. But when New York City went into Covid 19 pandemic lockdown, Westbeth turned into a ghost town. Kate’s carefully constructed social life crashed. Suddenly, she was trapped at home, living in the pandemic epicenter. The brief conversations with masked neighbors in the hallway or on the sidewalk became her lifeline. Her life moved onto Zoom and she took comfort watching worship services streamed every Sunday. Then the unimaginable happened. Her church burned down in a six-alarm fire. Now there literally would be no sanctuary left to return to after the pandemic – whenever that would be.

Kate was lonely and scared. The isolation was hard on everyone. For cultural creators, perhaps an extra degree of hard. She melted down in lockdown. She dreamed the city was on fire. She hit the wall.  But she picked herself up and called upon her resilience and spiritual practices to stay safe and get through the isolation. In a welcome break from the pandemic, she celebrated in front of the Stonewall Inn when Biden won the election.  And she started penning columns for The Village Sun, a local community publication. Writing became her salvation. Behind the Mask Living Alone in the Epicenter is Kate’s memoir in essays detailing her life from March 2020-May 2021 about this traumatic time in New York City.

More than a year later, as Westbeth and New York City reawakened, Kate emerged with a deeper appreciation for her home and the everyday things she took for granted. As she gradually took off her mask and started to enjoy life again, she felt forever changed.     

Always the writing instructor – there’s bonus content!

  • 12 Pandemic Writing Prompts and blank pages for the reader to journal their own Covid 19 Pandemic lockdown memories

Kate Walter will be a guest of  Village Preservation on December 14. Village Preservation is dedicated to preserving the architectural heritage and cultural history of Greenwich Village, the East Village, and NoHo.

You can find Walter’s book at the usual outlets – happy reading!

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Spring 2022 Registration is Open!

Check out some of our writing courses here: https://www.sps.nyu.edu/professional-pathways/topics.html