>>> COMING UP, STARS WE'RE CONNECTING WITH YOU WITH TONIGHT.

WE PAY A BELOVED TO BERKSHIRES GARDEN THAT'S BEEN CALLED A MUSEUM OF LIVING THINGS.

>> WE'RE REALLY A COLLECTION OF PLANTS.

SO PEOPLE LOOK AT HOW MANY SPECIES THERE ARE AND HOW MANY DIFFERENT TYPES OF PLANTS.

>>> A LOCAL POET EXPLORES HER JEWISH AND TRANSGENDER IDENTITIES THROUGH HER WORK.

>> I'M TRANS, BUT MY LIFE STILL MATTERS.

IT DOESN'T ONLY MATTER IF I'M PRETENDING TO BE MALE.

>> AND IT'S TIME TO GO SHOPPING AT THE LOCAL FARMERS' MARKET.

>> I THINK IT'S A SHOCK TO PEOPLE THAT THIS STUFF WAS HARVESTED THIS MORNING FROM A FEW MILES AWAY.

>>> DETAILS ON THOSE STORIES AND MORE UP NEXT ON CONNECTING POINT.

¶ ¶ .

>>> GOOD EVENING.

AND THANKS FOR JOINING US FOR CPR "CONNECTING POINT."

I'M SIDZ SIDZ.

-- ZID.

ONE LOCAL GARDEN IN SPRINGFIELD IS OFFERING A NEW LOCATION.

THE DOWNTOWN SPRINGFIELD FARMERS' MARKET CAN NOW BE FOUND IN THE STEARNS SQUARE SECTION OF TOWN.

SINCE MID MAY THEY'VE BEEN SETTING UP SHOP EVERY FRIDAY FROM 11:00 A.M. TO 4:00 A.M. AND CONNECTING POINT'S BRIAN SULLIVAN STOPPED BY TO BRING US THE STORY.

>> THE THANKLESS TASK OF UNFOLDING FOLDING TABLES STILL TINGED FROM DRIZZLE FROM A MORNING RAIN IS PART OF THE PROCESS BAKED INTO BEING PART OF A FARMERS MARKET.

BUT IT'S NOT TOO LONG BEFORE THINGS START TO TAKE SHAPE.

MUSIC STARTS PLAYING AND THE FIRST CUSTOMERS BEGIN TO STROLL THROUGH, TAKING A GAMEDDER AT ITEMS THEY -- GANDER AT ITEMS THEY WOULDN'T COME ACROSS, ALL UNDER ONE ROOF, METAPHORICALLY SPEAKING.

>> A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE A LOT OF HOMEMADE STUFF THAT YOU WON'T FIND IN THE GROCERY STORE OR LIKE BOUTIQUES OR ANYTHING.

IT BRINGS THE PEOPLE TOMGHT.

WE'RE BACK OUTSIDE.

AND WE HAVE TO GO HOURS TO EXPERIENCE STUFF LIKE THAT.

SO I THINK IT'S IMPERATIVE MORE THINGS WHERE WE'RE IN OUR AREA AND BE ABLE TO ACCESS HEALTHY HOMEMADE STUFF AND BE ABLE TO NETWORK WITH PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN OUR COMMUNITY.

>> THE COMMUNITY IS THAT OF GREATER SPRINGFIELD.

AND THE LOW CAL IS IN DOWNTOWN.

IN THE BLOCK OF DWIGHT, WORTHINGTON, MAIN, AND TAYLOR STREETS.

IT'S FUNNY, I'VE WALKED DOWN TAYLOR STREET COUNTLESS TIMES ON MY WAY TO WORK AND NEVER REALIZED THIS IS WHERE THEY WERE HOSTING ONE OF THE LOCAL FARMERS' MARKETS.

THAT'S BECAUSE 2021 IS THE FIRST YEAR IN THEIR SIX-YEAR RUN THAT THEY'RE HOLDING THEM HERE.

AND EVEN ON AN OVERCAST DAY LIKE TODAY, STILL A PRETTY GOOD TURNOUT.

>> IT'S MORE THAN JUST A NEAT LOCATION, WITH URBAN FORESTSY, PAVERSES, AND BOULDER BRICK BUILDING IN THE BACKDROP.

SPRINGFIELD FALLS UNDER THE HEADING OF THE DESERT, MEANING THIS CITIES AND OTHERS LIKE IT HAVE MORE LIMITED ACCESS TO HEALTHIER FOODS.

SO YES, THEY'RE FUN BUT THEY ALSO SERVE A GREAT PURPOSE.

>> THE ASPECT OF HAVING GOOD QUALITY FROM LOCAL FARMS BRINGING GOOD FOOD, BEING ABLE TO PURCHASE IT IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD, AND GET THAT GOOD NUTRITION, THAT GOOD BENEFITS FROM THAT, RATHER THAN JUST HAVING THE STOCK SHELVES, LIKE IN STORES.

YOU'RE ABLE TO GET THE GOOD PRODUCE NOW.

SO BEING ABLE TO HAVE THESE THINGS NEAR FOOD DESERTS IS THE BEST THING POSSIBLE.

>> FRESH IS ONE OF THE WORDS THAT GETS THROWN AROUND WITHOUT THE FULL UNDERSTANDING THAT IT LITERALLY APPLIES TO EVERYTHING AT A FARMERS' MARKET.

TASTY TREAT, THE BAKED GOODS, SUCCULENT PLANTS, AND ESPERSONAL PRODUCE.

-- ESPECIALLY PRODUCE.

>> IT'S LIKE A SHOCK TO PEOPLE THAT UNDERSTAND LIKE THIS STUFF HAS HARVESTED THIS MORNING FROM A FEW MILES AWAY.

THERE ARE A FEW PEOPLE THAT ARE EDUCATED ON THEIR PRODUCE AND THEY KNOW WHAT'S WHAT.

AND THEY REALLY SPECIFICALLY COME FOR CERTAIN THINGS.

BUT IT'S ONLY STUFF THAT THEY KNOW IS IN SEASON LIKE STRAWBERRIES.

EVERYBODY KNOWS IT'S STRAWBERRY SEASON.

FOR THE MOST PART PEOPLE ARE AMAZED THAT IT'S HARVESTED NOT FAR FROM WHERE THEY LIVE.

>> GIVING CUSTOMERS TO SUCH ACCESS IS ONE PART OF THE EXPERIENCE.

THERE'S A MAJOR SOCIAL COMPONENT INVOLVED AS WELL.

FOR MANY IT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT PART.

>> MY POSSIBLE IS LIKE, DO YOU WANT ME TO HAVE SOMEBODY ELSE DO IT SO YOU CAN HAVE -- NO, I WANT TO DO IT.

I REALLY LOVE IT.

IT'S COOL SEEING PEOPLE I'VE NEVER MET BEFORE THAT ARE SO EXCITED TO HAVE FRESH PRODUCE TORE ALL -- OR ALL THESE COOL VENDORS OUTSIDE THEIR DOOR.

FARMERS' MARKETS ARE MY FAVORITE PART OF MY JOB NOW!

¶ ¶ .

>>> BE SURE TO VISIT YOUR LOCAL FARMERS MARKET ALL SEASON LONG AND IF YOU'RE THE KIND OF PERSON WHO CAN'T GET ENOUGH OF THE SUMMERTIME, "CONNECTING POINT'S" BRIAN SULLIVAN TAKES A LOOK AT THE MAJESTY OF THE SEASON IN WESTERN NEW ENGLAND IN AN EXCLUSIVE VIDEO ESSKAY.

IT'S -- ESSAY.

IT'S AVAILABLE ONLINE RIGHT NOW AT NEPM.ORG/CONNECTINGPOINT.

>>> SINCE EARLY CHILDHOOD, JOY LADIP HAD A DISCONNECT BETWEEN HER BODY AND SOUL.

BUT THE ONE THING SHE FELT A CONNECTION TO WAS POETRY.

IN 2007 SHE WENT THROUGH THE TRANSITION TO LIVING HER FEMALE GENDER IDENTIFICATION AND BECAME THE FIRST AND ONLY OPENLY TRANSGENDER EMPLOYEE OF AN ORTHODOX JEWISH ORGANIZATION.

NOW AS A PUBLISHED ESSAYIST AND POET OF SEVERAL BOOKS, SHE'S A NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED SPEAKER ON TRANS AND JEWISH IDENTITY.

I SPOKE WITH LAIDAN TO HEAR MORE ABOUT HER WORK AND HER JOURNEY THROUGH IDENTITY AND TRANSITION.

>> I STARTED WRITING POETRY IN A HOME THAT WAS COMPLETELY NOT LITERARY.

WE DIDN'T HAVE POETRY BOOKS.

BUT AS SOON AS I STARTED WRITING, I STARTED WRITING WHAT I CONSIDERED ROAMS MOMENTS -- POEMS.

I WOULD CALL THEM RIMES.

I CONSIDERED THEM GREAT POEMS EVEN THOUGH I HAD NO CONCEPT OF LITERATURE.

AND I OFTEN -- WHAT WAS IT -- WHAT DID I THINK I WAS DOING WHEN I WAS 6 YEARS OLD THAT I THOUGHT WAS SO IMPORTANT.

AND I THINK THAT IT WAS BECAUSE WHEN I WROTE, I FELT CONNECTED TO LANGUAGE AS A WHOLE, SOMETHING LARGER THAN MYSELF.

WHEN I MADE WORDS RHYME, I WAS SHOWING THAT WORDS THAT SEEMED TO BE DIFFERENT ON THE OUTSIDE HAD AN INNER KINSHIP ON THE INSIDE.

AND I WONDER IF THAT'S NOT THE WAY I FELT ABOUT MY FEMALE GENDER IDENTIFICATION.

THAT I COULD FEEL IT RHYMING WITH OTHER GIRLS, BUT THEY COULDN'T SEE THAT.

>> YOU ARE THE FIRST OPENLY TRANSGENDER EMPLOYEE OF AN ORTHODOX JEWISH ORGANIZATION WHOSE TRANSITION MADE NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL NEWS.

HOW DOES THAT FEEL TO RECEIVE THIS TYPE OF ATTENTION AND SUCH A PERSONAL JOURNEY?

>> IT FELT PRETTY AWKWARD.

SO SOME OF THAT WAS -- IT WAS AN AWFUL KIND OF ATTENTION TO RECEIVE.

AT FIRST.

AND THEN I REALIZED, I'M REALLY LUCKY IN A WAY, BECAUSE BEING AT THAT INTERSECTION OF TRADITIONAL RELIGION AND OPEN QUEERNESS, GAVE ME AN OPPORTUNITY -- I DIDN'T REALLY DO ANYTHING EXCEPT GO TO WORK.

BUT I BECAME A PLACE WHERE ORTHODOX JEWS STARTED DOING A LOT OF WORK ON THESE ISSUES IN THEIR COMMUNITIES.

AND I GOT TO LEARN INCREDIBLE THINGS.

I GOT A FRONT ROW SEAT ON THE WAY CULTURES CHANGE, THE COLLISION BETWEEN MOND EARN WRITEY AND SECULARISM, WHICH I HAVE A DEEP RESPECT FOR.

SO I STARTED TO REALLY APPRECIATE IT.

>> THE SECOND BOOK THAT YOU PUBLISHED ENTITLED, "THE BOCK OF ANNA," IT'S A COLLECTION OF PROSE DIARY ENTRIES IN THE VOICE OF A CONCENTRATION CAMP SURVIVOR.

AND WAS THE LAST BOOK THAT YOU PUBLISHED AS A MAN.

THE SECOND EDITION WAS RECENTLY PUBLISHED THIS SPRING.

HOW PIVOTAL WAS THIS BOOK FOR YOU THROUGH YOUR JOURNEY OF IDENTITY AND TRANSITION?

>> WHEN I STARTED WRITING I THOUGHT, THIS IS REALLY GREAT, BECAUSE IT'S A WAY OF -- I'M WILLING TO DO THIS WORK BECAUSE OF THIS TRANS THING.

AND IT WILL HELP ME KEEP THINGS IN BALANCE WHILE LIVING AS A MAN.

WHAT I DIDN'T REALIZE WAS THAT AS THE -- THE CHARACTER IN THE BOOK, ANA, WAS EMERGING TO ME, SHE WAS TEACHING ME BUT I WAS BASICALLY WRONG IN EVERYTHING THAT I THOUGHT BEING A WOMAN WAS.

I MEAN, SHE JUST DIDN'T FIT ANY OF THE PRECONCEPTIONS THAT I HAD.

SHE WAS, YOU KNOW -- SHE'S ANGRY.

SHE'S TOUGH AS NAILS.

SHE DOES NOT -- SHE'S NOT NICE, YOU KNOW?

I WAS ALWAYS TRYING TO BE VERY NICE.

AND I CONFUSED BEING NICE WITH BEING GOOD.

AND I CONFUSED GOING ALONG AND ACCOMMODATING PEOPLE WITH BEING HONEST.

IF WHAT YOU'RE PEOPLE WANT, THEN THAT'S -- SOMEHOW THAT SEEMED TO BE OKAY.

AND I CONFUSED ALL OF THAT WITH BEING FEMALE.

SO SHE WASN'T ALL-WOMAN ACCORDING TO ANY OF MY UNDERDEVELOPED IDEAS OF IT.

SHE WAS REALLY HERSELF.

AND IT WASN'T UNTIL YEARS LATER WHEN I -- AFTER YEARS OF LIVING AS MYSELF THAT I THOUGHT, OH, RIGHT, GENDER TRANSITION ISN'T BECOMING ALL-WOMAN.

NOBODY CAN BECOME A GENERIC CATEGORY.

THERE ARE NO WOMEN THAT ARE ALL-WOMAN.

EVERYBODY IS WHO YOU ARE INDIVIDUALLY.

AND THAT'S WHAT IT'S ABOUT FOR ME.

AND THAT'S WHAT ANA IN AN EXTREME WAY, SHE STILL SCARES ME, WAS MODELING FOR ME.

>> YOU'VE BEEN RECOGNIZED AS LGBTQ NATION'S TOP 50 TRANSGENDER AMERICANS.

AND YOU'VE DELIVERED TALKS NATIONALLY ON TRANS AND JEWISH IDENTITY.

WHAT MOTIVATES YOU TO DO THIS TYPE OF WORK?

>> WHEN I WENT TO UMASS AMHERST TO DO AN MFA, ONE OF THEIR MAIN MEANS OF SUPPORT IS GIVING THE CLASSES TO PEOPLE.

AND IN MY FIRST CLASS, I WAS THINKING, OH, MY GOD, THIS IS A TOTALLY DIFFERENT THING.

BUT I NEED DO THIS IN THE SAME WAY THAT I FEEL LIKE I NEED TO WRITE POETRY.

IT'S ANOTHER VOCATION FOR ME.

AND BEING A TEACHER, TO ME, INVOLVES TWO THINGS THAT ARE SACRED AND THEY'RE LINKED TOGETHER.

IT'S TRIKE TO HELP OTHER PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND, BUT IN ORDER TO DO THAT, I NEED TO UNDERSTAND.

LIKE I CAN'T HELP OTHER PEOPLE UNDERSTAND UNLESS I'M ALWAYS ENGAGED IN THE WORK OF UNDERSTANDING OTHER PEOPLE.

I HAVE TO KEEP GROWING AND LEARNING THAT WAY.

SO TEACHING IS A WAY THAT WE GROW TOGETHER AND UNDERSTANDING -- IN UNDERSTANDING.

AND THE WORK AROUND TRANS TALKING, I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF IT'S TEAFLISM.

I DO -- ACTIVISTISM.

I DO FEEL LIKE IT'S PART OF MY WORK TO HELP PEOPLE UNDERSTAND AND TO ALWAYS BE WORKING TO UNDERSTAND THINGS BETTER AND MORE BROADLY.

AND SO I PAY ATTENTION TO ANTITRANS FEMINISTS AND EVANGELICAL CRITIQUES OF TRANS IDENTITY, NOT BECAUSE IT'S FUN TO READ THAT STUFF, BUT BECAUSE IT'S MY JOB TO UNDERSTAND SO THAT I CAN HELP OTHERS UNDERSTAND IT.

>> AND TO THAT POINT, WHAT IS SOMETHING THAT YOU WOULD LIKE PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND ABOUT THE TRANS COMMUNITY?

>> BEING TRANS AND NONBINARY IS JUST ANOTHER -- THESE ARE JUST DIFFERENT WAYS OF BEING HUMAN.

AND NOT ONLY THAT, BUT IDENTITIES FOR ALL OF US.

IT'S LIKE WHAT ANA WAS TRYING TO TEACH ME.

NONE OF THESE IDENTITIES, NO MATTER HOW WELL THEY WORK FOR US, AND HIMSELF THEY WORK REALLY WELL FOR US, YOU KNOW.

WE GET A LOT OF GOODIES FROM THEM.

BUT NONE OF THE IDENTITIES THAT ANY -- [INAUDIBLE] PERFECTLY FIT US AS INDIVIDUALS OR PERFECTLY FIT US ALL OUR LIVES.

SO ALL OF US IN A WAY ARE -- RAFAEL NADAL WALDO EMERSON SAID WE PASS FOR WHAT WE ARE.

ALL OF US ARE PASSING FOR WHAT WE ARE.

WE'RE SAYING, I WANT PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND ME, SO I'LL PRESENT MYSELF AS A CATEGORY THEY UNDERSTAND, RATHER THAN THE FULL MESSY ME THAT I'M NOT SURE THEY'LL UNDERSTAND.

AND THAT MEANS BEING TRANS AND NONBINARY, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S COMMON TO ALL OF US.

IT'S JUST THAT FOR SOME OF US, OUR BAD FIT IS MORE WITH THE CATEGORIES WE'RE GIVEN, IS MORE EXTREME.

BUT BASICALLY, I THINK THAT TRANS AND NONBINARY PEOPLE GIVE EVERYBODY A CHANCE TO EMBRACE THE LARGER PARTS OF THEMSELVES THAT DON'T FIT INTO THE CATEGORIES AND ROLES THEY'VE BEEN GIVEN.

>>> EVERY MY NIGHT CPR EXPLORESES THE CREATIVE -- "CONNECTING POINT" EXPLORES THE CREATIVITY, CULTURE, AND COMMUNITY THAT MAKES US WESTERN NEW ENGLAND, BUT IT DOESN'T STOP THERE.

YOU CAN FIND US ONLINE ANYTIME FOR EXCLUSIVE FEATURES AND CONTENT.

THIS WEEK WE BRING YOU THE POWERFUL POETRY OF JOY LADIN, WHO READY HER LATEST WORK ENTITLED SINGING FOR US.

>> BEFORE WERE YOU A FEETUS, BEFORE WERE YOU AN EGG, YOU WERE A SONG I WAS ALREADY SINGING, A PROMISE I'D ALREADY KEPT.

I STRETCH OUT YOUR CURTAINS, STRENGTHEN YOUR PEGS, MAKE ROOM INSIDE YOU FOR THE WORLD I CREATED YOU TO SHARE.

>> DON'T MISS THIS DIGITAL EXCLUSIVE AVAILABLE ONLINE RIGHT NOW AT NEPM.ORG/CONNECTINGPOINT.

>>> THE BERK SUNSHINE -- WITH OVER 3,000 SPECIES AND VARIETIES IN ITS COLLECTION, IT'S REFERRED TO AS A MUSEUM OF LIVING THINGS.

AND AS A SHOWCASE OF HORTICULTURE AND GARDEN DESIGN.

IT ENCOMPASSES 24 ACRES OF LAND AT THE INTERSECTION OF ROUTES 102 AND 183 AND BEAUTIFUL AND HISTORIC STOCKBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS.

PRODUCER DAVE FREZZER VISITED THE GARDEN AND SPOKE WITH ITS DIRECTOR TO FIND OUT WHAT MAKES IT SO SPECIAL FOR SO MANY.

¶ ¶ >> WE LOOK AT OURSELVES AS A MUSEUM OF LIVING THINGS.

SO WE'RE NOT A PARK, NOT JUST A PLEASURE GARDEN THAT YOU WALK THROUGH AND SEE BEAUTIFUL THINGS.

BUT WE'RE A COLLECTION OF PLANTS.

SO PEOPLE LOOK AT HOW MANY SPECIES THERE ARE AND HOW MANY DIFFERENT TIMESCH PLANTS -- TYPES OF PLANTS WE FEATURE AND BO BOTANICAL GARDENS WORK TOGETHER THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY AND THE REGION COMMUNICATING WITH ONE ANOTHER AND EXCHANGING PLANTS SOMETIMES AND EXCHANGING SCIENCE BEHIND PLANTS AS WELL.

FOUNDED IN 1934, AND IT WAS A COLLECT OF LOCAL GARDEN CLUBS AND CIVIC ORGANIZATIONS THAT GOT TOGETHER AND SAID, THE BERKSHIRE SHOULD HAVE A BOTANICAL GARDEN.

BY 1935 THERE WAS AN INITIAL GIFT OF LAND HERE THAT PEOPLE STARTED CULTIVATING.

THE WARRIORS CAME SHORTLY THEREAFTER AND REALLY PUT US A LITTLE BIT MORE ON THE MAP, BECAUSE THE BOTANICAL GARDENS STARTED FOCUSING ON SELF-SUFFICIENCY BECAUSE THAT WAS SUCH A BIG THING DURING THE WAR YEARS, AND WE BECAME WELL KNOWN FOR TEACHING PEOPLE GROWING YOUR OWN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES.

WE HAD TRIAL ARCHARRED ON SITE.

-- ORCHARDS ON SITE.

AND WHAT BECAME KNOWN AS VICTORY GARDENS WAS VERY MUCH SOMETHING THAT THE BOTANICAL GARDEN WAS TEACHING THE LOCAL POPULATION.

WE ARE LOCATED IN STOCKBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS, SO IN THE HEART OF THE BERKSHIRES.

WE'RE ABOUT 24 ACRES OF GARDENS AND WILD AREAS.

OUR MAIN SEASON IS FROM MAY 1 THROUGH COLUMBUS DAY WEEKEND.

AND THAT REALLY COINCIDES WITH THE GROWING SEASON, SO THERE'S NOT MUCH REALLY GROWING IN THE OFFSEASON, BUT WE'RE VERY MUCH OPEN YEAR ROUND.

WE HAVE CLASSES REAR OUTBOUND -- YEAR-ROUND SO PEOPLE COME VISIT US.

AND THE GARDENS ARE QUITE BEAUTIFUL IN THE MIDDLE OF WINTER AS WELL.

WE HAVE A LOT OF FOUR SEASON INTEREST.

THERE ARE A LOT OF EVERGREEN TREES AND SHRUBS SO THEY'LL PROVIDE THAT STRUCTURE IN THE MIDDLE OF WINTER AND THEN YOU HAVE THIS BEAUTIFUL SNOW SCENE DEVELOPING.

SO IT'S ALMOST AS BEAUTIFUL AS IT IS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SEASON RIGHT NOW.

¶ ¶ IT'S A REALLY GREAT COLLECTION OF DIFFERENT SCALED GARDEN ROOMS, I WOULD SAY.

AND PEOPLE REALLY APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT WE'RE NOT HUGE.

WE'RE NOT A HUGE NEW YORK BO TANNIAL GARDEN OR -- DOA BOTANICAL GARDEN.

SO IF YOU COME AS GARDENER, YOU ARE FIND THE THINGS THAT FIT THE SCALE OF A HOME GARDEN.

IN A NORMAL YEAR, WE'RE HEADING INTO THE NORMALCY AGAIN, YOU REALLY GO FROM TOWN TO TOWN IN THE BERKSHIRES AND YOU CAN SPEND DAYS AND DAYS JUST TOURING THE COUNTY AND IT'S CERTAINLY WHAT ATTRACTED ME TO THIS AREA INITIALLY AND ORIGINALLY, AND WHEN I SPEAK TO NEWCOMERS TO THE AREA AND WE'VE HAD QUITE A FEW AS THE RESULT OF COVID AS WELL, YOU WILL HEAR THAT A LOT.

IT'S SORT OF WHAT ATTRACTS PEOPLE'S ATTENTION.

EVEN COMING FROM A BIG METROPOLIS LIKE NEW YORK OR BOSTON, POLICE ARE QUITE TAKEN BY THE QUALITY AND QUANTITY OF WHAT WE OFFER HERE.

¶ ¶ .

>>> THIS SUMMER THE YALE SCHOOL OF MUSIC'S NORFOLK CHAMBER SMIEWS FESTIVAL IS RETURNING AFTER A HEYATEUS LAST YEAR DUE TO THE PANDEMIC.

THE FESTIVAL, WHICH IS BELIEVED TO BE THE OLDEST CHAMBER MUSIC FESTIVAL IN THE COUNTRY, WILL FEATURE A SERIES OF LIVE STREAMED PERFORMANCES THIS JULY AND AUGUST.

AND ON JULY 9TH THE FESTIVAL WILL BE LAUNCHING A NEW MULTI-YEAR PROJECT ENTITLED, "SMIEWS CAL BRIDGES" WITH THE -- "MUSIAL -- MUSICAL BRIDGES."

THE POWERFUL WORK IS BASED ON THE KILLING OF PHILANDO CASTILE BY A MINNEAPOLIS POLICE OFFICER IN TWAIX.

-- 2016.

I SPOKE WITH ROUMAIN AS WELL AS MELVIN CHEN, THE FESTIVAL DIRECTOR TO, LEARN MORE ABOUT HOW THIS PROJECT WILL USE CLASSIC CAL MUSIC TO EXPAND CULTURING CONVERSATIONS.

>> CLASSICAL MUSIC HAS A REPUTATIONCH BEING ELATEST FOR OLDER PEOPLE.

OUR TRADITION IS PRIMARILY WHITE AND EUROPEAN AND DEAD MALES, YOU KNOW!

[LAUGHTER] BUT I THINK ANY ARTISTIC FIELD IS A LIVING FIELD.

RIGHT?

IT'S ANY ART HAS TO KEEP GROWING AND HAS TO KEEP EVOLVING.

AND SO I THINK, YOU KNOW, PART OF THAT IS BEING ABLE TO RECKON WITH THE TRADITION WHAT WE HAD AND MOVE FORWARD FROM IT.

AND I THINK THAT -- YOU KNOW, ESPECIALLY IN AMERICA, WITH SUCH A MULTI-CULTURAL SOCIETY, THAT CLASSICAL MUSIC HAS TO PARTICIPATE IN, HAS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE SO SIZAL CONVERSATIONS GOING ON, HAS -- SOCIETAL CONVERSATIONS GOING ON, HAS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE MUSIC THAT'S BEING GENERATED.

>> DANIEL, MUSICAL BRIDGES IS LAUNCHING WITH THE PREMIERE OF YOUR PIECE, TWIN STARS, 32 DIAMOND VARIATIONS FOR DIAN, WHICH -- DIANA, WHICH FOCUSED ON THE FATAL SHOOTING OF PHILANDO CASTILE BY A MINNEAPOLIS POLICE OFFICER.

WHY DID YOU CHOOSE TO FOCUS ON THIS INCIDENT IN PARTICULAR FOR YOUR PIECE?

>> BECAUSE I FEEL THAT AS A BLACK HAITIAN AMERICAN COMPOSER, WORKING AND A -- IN A FIELD THAT HAS A LONG AND CONTINUED HISTORY OF EXCLUSION, IT WAS IMPORTANT FOR ME TO CREATE A WORK THAT COULD SPEAK TO AN AMERICAN FAMILY, THAT COULD SPEAK TO THE -- THE HUMAN QUALITIES THAT BIND US TOGETHER, THAT OFTENTIMES ARE ABSENT.

AND I THINK THAT ANY COMMISSION FROM ME IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHINE A HOT, BRIGHT LIGHT ON A RECURRING PATTERN OF INHUMANITY, INJUSTICE, AND RACISM.

>> DANIEL, YOU'VE STATED THAT DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION IS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF PUBLIC HEALTH.

AND THAT CLASSICAL MUSIC NEEDS TO LOOK AT THAT AS A GUIDING PRINCIPLE.

AS A BLACK HAITIAN AMERICAN COMPOSER, HOW DO YOU HOPE TO INSPIRE OTHER BLACK AND INDIGENOUS PEOPLE OF COLOR.

>> THERE'S A TERM, ANCESTRAL FUTURISM.

RIGHT?

THAT TO REALLY EVOLVE, YOU HAVE TO HOLD ON TO THE PAST.

AND PULL IT WITH YOU.

AND THAT THERE'S CONSTANT LEARNING THAT THE PAST TELLS US.

SO WHEN I SAY SOMETHING THAT SOUNDS INFLAMMATORY, LIKE CLASSICAL MUSIC IS RACIST, WHAT I'M GETTING AT IS THAT CLASSICAL MUSIC OPERATES WITHIN AN AMERICAN PATRIARCHAL SOCIETY THAT WAS FOUNDED IN A -- WELL, BRUTAL TYPE OF RACISM.

THE MOST BRUTAL, RIGHT?

A GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO HAD TO WORK, WHO HAD TO -- WHO WERE NOT SEEN AS PEOPLE, WHO WERE SEEN AS A PART OF AN INDUSTRY, RIGHT.

THAT'S SINISTER.

THAT'S ABSOLUTELY SINISTER.

AND YOU KNOW, CLASSICAL MUSIC LIKE IT OR NOT IS OPERATING WITHIN I THINK A CONTINUED PATTERN OF SYSTEMIC RACISM THAT CAN ONLY BE MET WITH CONTINUED PATTERNS OF SYSTEMIC ANTIRACISM.

>> MUSIC IS OBVIOUSLY MORE THAN JUST ENTERTAINMENT FOR THE BOTH OF YOU.

AS MUSICIANS AND EDUCATORS, WHAT DRIVES BOTH OF YOUR MUSICAL PURPOSES?

>> WHAT I REALLY WANTED TO DO IS TO DO MY PART IN DRAGGING CLASSICAL MUSIC BACK INTO THE CENTER OF CULTURE WHERE IT CAN BE PART OF THESE CONVERSATIONS AND THE WAY TO DO THAT IS TO CONNECT WHAT IS HAPPENING IN AMERICA, THE PEOPLE THAT ARE IN AMERICA, THE MUSIC THAT IS IN AMERICA, TO CLASSICAL MUSIC.

TO SAY TO OURSELVES, OKAY, LOOK, CLASSICAL MUSIC HAS IN ITS PAST THESE THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH, IS OUR HISTORY, IS OUR BAGGAGE, AS DANIEL SAYS, BUT MOVING FORWARD, HOW CAN WE DO IT IN A WAY THAT'S MORE INCLUSIVE AND YOU KNOW, HAS THE POSSIBILITY OF PARTICIPATING IN THE IMPORTANT CONVERSATIONS THAT WE'RE HAVING RIGHT NOW.

¶ ¶ ¶ >> I SEE THE SCORE, ANY SCORE, ANYTHING THAT I WRITE, AS A TYPE OF CULTURAL DOCUMENTATION.

¶ ¶ >> YOU KNOW, IF YOU REALLY WANT TO UNDERSTAND VIENNESE CULTURE IN THE MID 18TH CENTURY, YOU KNOW, LOOK TO BALK -- BATCH -- BACH, THE FIRST SCHOOL.

IF YOU WANT TO UNDERSTANDWORLD WAR I OR 2R, LOOK AT THE SCORES OF ANYONE FROM STRAVINSKY TO -- IF YOU WANT TO UNDERSTAND THE 19 70S, COME ON, CURTIS MAYFIELD, Y'ALL!

YOU WANT TO UNDERSTAND 1980s?

AND YOU'RE NOT GONNA LISTEN TO MADONNA?

>> RIGHT.

>> THAT'S ANOTHER WAY TO LOOK AT IT.

TO PUT IT ANOTHER WAY, I COULD WRITE SYMPHONY NUMBER ONE.

I COULD WRITE PIANO QUINTET OR, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER -- PIANO SETET NUMBER ONE.

DOESN'T TELL YOU A LOT.

NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT.

BUT IT'S NOT MY PURPOSE.

MY PURPOSE AGAIN IS TO BE A SENTINEL, TO BE A REMINDER THAT IF YOU'RE GONNA LISTEN TO A PIECE OF MINE AND/OR BE IN MY AUDIENCE, THIS IS WHAT IS IMPORTANT TO ME.

AND BY THE WAY, RIGHT, THAT IS NO DIFFERENT THAN WHAT EVERY COMPOSER HAS EVER DONE.

>> I WANT TO GO BACK TO A POINT THAT YOU MADE.

THE SNAP SHOT IN TIME OF MUSIC, DO YOU THINK OF THAT AS A WAY TO HAVE CLASSICAL MUSIC IN PARTICULAR BE REFLECTIVE OF THE AMERICAN SOASES SITE, IS CREATE PIECES LIKE YOU ARE DOING THAT IS A SNAPSHOT OF THE TIME WE'RE LIVING IN RIGHT NOW?

>> SURE, AND BIPOK COMPOSERS THAT DONE THAT.

I'M PART OF A LEGACY, A RICH LEGACY, OF COMPOSERRERS OF COLOR, BIPOK COMPOSERS WORLDWIDE WHO HAVE DONE JUST THAT.

WE'RE -- WE MAY NOT KNOW OF THEM.

AND IN SOME CASES WE WILL NEVER KNOW OF THEM.

AND THAT'S REALLY UNFORTUNATE, BUT THAT'S PART OF RACISM'S TENACITY AND EFFECTIVENESS.

THERE'S A RICH HISTORY OF BIOK AND BLACK PEOPLE BEING INVOLVED AND A PART OF AND HELPING TO FRAME CLASSICAL MUSIC.

SO I'M PICKING UP THAT MANTEL.

>> THAT DOES IT FOR "CONNECTING POINT" FOR JULY 2, 2021.

YOU CAN ALWAYS FIND THE STORIES THAT YOU SAW TONIGHT AS WELL AS EXCLUSIVE FEATURES, DIGITAL-ONLY CONTENT, AND MORE ONLINE ANYTIME AT NEPM.ORG/CONNECTINGPOINT.

AND PLEASE JOIN US AGAIN NEXT FRIDAY NIGHT AT 6:00 RIGHT HERE ON NEW ENGLAND PUBLIC MEDIA FOR MORE STORIES OF THE CREATIVITY, CULTURE, AND COMMUNITY THAT MAKE US WESTERN NEW ENGLAND.

I'M ZYDALIS BAUER.

THANKS FOR WATCHING.

AND HAVE A GREAT EVENING!

>> Announcer: SUPPORT FOR "CONNECTING POINT" IS PROVIDED BY OUR CONTRIBUTING VIEWERS.