¶ ¶ >>> COMING UP, WE'RE CONNECTING YOU WITH THE CREATIVITY AND CULTURE IN YOUR COMMUNITY, INCLUDING A LOOK AT THE HISTORY BEHIND THE MUSIC OF THE ICONIC BLIND BOYSCH ALABAMA.

-- BOYS OF ALABAMA.

>> SO THE BLIND BOYS -- AS LONG AS YOU GOT HOPE.

IT'S NOT WHAT YOU CAN CAN DO.

IT'S ABOUT WHAT DO YOU THAT MAKES THE DIFFERENCE.

>>> WE'LL EXPERIENCE ART IN MOTION AT NAUMKEAG IN THE BERKSHIRES.

>> HE CREATED THE PIECE AND NATURE COMES IN AND DOES THE REST.

>>> AND A STORYTELLING PROJECT TACKLES THE EPIDEMIC OF LONELINESS.

>> I CAN STILL FIND PIECE AND BELONGING.

TEARS ME UP, BUT I STILL FIND BELONGING HERE EVEN THOUGH THE REST OF THE WORLD MAY NOT FEEL LIKE -- MAY NOT FEEL LIKE I DO BELONG.

>> JOIN US FOR THOSE STORIES AND MORE AS WE EXPLORE THE CREATIVE -- CREATIVITY, CULTURE, AND COMMUNITY, UP NEXT ON "CONNECTING POINT."

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

¶ ¶ ¶ ¶ >>> WELCOME AND THANKS FOR JOINING NOWS FOR "CONNECTING POINT," YOUR SOURCE FOR CREATIVITY, CULTURE, AND COMMUNITY.

I'M ZYDALIS BAUER.

EACH WEEK THIS SUMMER WE'RE EXPLORING ALL THAT WESTERN NEW ENGLAND HAS TO OFFER.

AND TODAY WE'RE COMING TO YOU FROM THE CANAL DISTRICT IN THE CITY OF HOLYOKE, MASSACHUSETTS.

BUILT IN THE 1800s, THE CANALS UTILIZED THE CONNECTICUT RIVER TO POWER THE MILL THAT IS LINED THEM, MAKING THE CITY AN INDUSTRIAL POWER HOUSE.

AT ONE TIME THE LARGEST PRODUCER OF PAPER IN THE WORLD, HOLYOKE BECAME KNOWN FAR AND WIDE AS THE PAPER CITY.

TODAY THE HISTORIC CANAL DISTRICT IS THE HEART OF THE CITY, ATTRACTING ARGUMENTISTS AND ENTREPRENEURS, WITH RECREATION, DINING, SHOPPING, AND ENTERTAINMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR RESIDENTS AND VISITORS ALIKE.

IN THOSE CANCELS THAT POWERED -- CANALS THAT POWERED THE MILLS OF THE PAST NOW PROVIDE POWER FOR THE CITY AS IT CHARTS ITS FURTHER IN THE TWAIFT.

-- 2012.

YOU CAN SEE ALL THAT THE CANAL DISTRICT HAS TO OFFER, BUT OUR FIRST STORY TAKES PLACE IN THE BEAUTIFUL BERKSHIRES.

GEORGE RICKEY WAS AN AMERICAN ARTIST BEST KNOWN FOR HIS LARGE-SCALE, GEOMETRIC KINETIC CULTURES MADE OF STAINLESS STEEL.

MANY OF HIS ARTWORKS REFLECTED THE CHANGING SURROUNDINGS AND WERE NATURALLY POWERED BY AIR CURRENTS.

NAUMKEAG AND STOCKBRIDGE IS HOSTING ONE OF THE LARGEST EXHIBITS OF RICKEY'S WORK IN THE NORTHEAST THROUGH THE FALL, AND PRODUCER DAVE FRASER BRINGS US THE STORY.

¶ ¶ ¶ ¶ >> KINETIC CULTURING IS -- SCULPTURE IS 3-DIMENSIONAL ART THAT HOVES.

-- MOVES.

>> RICKEY SAW THAT NATURE WAS AS MUCH AN IMPORTANT PIECE OF HIS WORK AS THE CREATION OF THE SCULPTURE THAT HE WAS DOING.

SO HE CREATED THE PIECE AND THEN NATURE COMES IN AND DOES THE REST.

¶ ¶ ¶ ¶ >> THERE ARE 12 OF HIS LARGE SCHEDULE -- SCULPTURES THROUGHOUT THE GROUNDS AT NAUMKEAG, A COUNTRY ESTATE AND NATIONAL HISTORIC PROPERTY IN STOCKBRIDGE.

INSIDE ARE EIGHT MORE AND THREE WORKS OF ART, INCLUDING RICKEY'S INTERIOR TABLETOP WORKS, HANGING PIECES, ARTWORK, AND ARCHIVAL DOCUMENTS.

>> THE GEORGE RICKEY FOUNDATION WHO WE'VE WORKED CLOSELY WITH AND THE GEORGE RICKEY ESTATE, WHICH ARE LOCATED LESS THAN 20 MILES FROM HERE, IN NEW YORK, WE WORKED TOGETHER THERE.

WAS A RECENT SHOW IN NEW YORK CITY ON PARK AVENUE.

GREAT EXPRESS OF HIS WORK.

AND OUR SHOW IS FOLLOWING ON THAT.

AND I KNOW THERE'S SOME MORE SHOWS GOING ON AROUND THE WORLD.

SO THIS IS A MUCH DEEPER INTEREST IN HISWORK.

IT'S COMING AROUND AGAIN.

>> RICKEY WAS SAID TO BE AMONG THE MOST INVENTIVE AND INDIVIDUAL SCUP TORES OF THE -- SCULPTORS OF THE I-25.

HIS WIRE -- 2012.

BY THE LATE 1950s AND 60S, HE HAD DEFINED HIS FORMS AS SIMPLE GEOMETRIC SHAPES SUCH AS RECTANGLES, TAPAZOIDS, CUBES, AND LINES.

>> THESE ARE STAINLESS STEEL POXES, SOME SET AT ANGLES, SO AS THEY TURN THEY'RE MOVING PASSION EACH OTHER -- PAST EACH OTHER.

AND INSIDE OF EACH BOX OR ELEMENT ARE DOUBTER WEIGHTS OF LEAD AND MACED PRECISELY SO THAT THEY INFLUENCE THE MOVEMENT AS WIND COMES ALONG AND THE SURFACE OF THE PIECE ACTS AS A SAIL AND IT CAPTURES THE WIND AND SETS THE PIECE INTO MOTION.

>> THE PIECES ARE SOMEWHAT SEPARATED ACROSS THE 44-ACRE PROPERTY.

ALLOWING VISITORS TO SEE THEM AND INTERACT WITH THE ENVIRONMENT.

EACH OF THE LARGE-SCALE SCULPTURES HAS BEEN PLACED IN A WAY THAT COMPLIMENTS THE LANDSCAPES T SHAPES OF THE SCULPTURES MIMICKING THE MOVEMENT AND VIEW NEARBY.

>> FROM FLETCHER STEEL ARE AN INCREDIBLE ARTISTIC EXPRESSION OF LANDSCAPE DESIGN.

AND THEY ARE A PERFECT SETTING FOR THESE INCREDIBLE SCULPTURES BY GEORGE RICKEY.

THEY'RE ALSO ON A HILLSIDE AND THERE'S ALWAYS A NICE GENTLE BREEZE HERE, SOMETIMES STRONGER, WHICH HELPS TO SET THE WORKS IN MOTION.

WE'RE LOOKING AT UNTITLED CIRCLE FROM 2002.

IT'S A LAST WORK BY GEORGE RICKEY.

AND IT IS AN 8-FOOT OPEN CIRCLE ON A PIVOTING ARM THAT GENTLY ROCKS IN THE WIND AND FRAMES THE VIEW.

AND THAT INTERVIEW THROUGH THAT ROUND OPENING IS ALWAYS CHANGING AS THE PIECE ROCKS BACK AND FORTH.

THIS IS UNFOLDING SQUARE FROM 1994.

IT'S A JOINTED LINE PIECE, SO INSTEAD OF ONE STRAIGHT LINE, IT'S FOUR LINES BROKEN UP, JOINTED.

IT HAS INFINITE MOVEMENTS.

THE SURFACE LIKE MANY OF HIS WORKS ARE SORT OF RANDOMLY POLISHED, STAINLESS STEEL.

SO AS IT MOVES, IT CAPTURES DIFFERENT ANGLES OF THE SUN, REFLECTING THAT BACK.

IT CAN FOLD DOWN INTO A SQUARE, OPEN UP INTO A STRAIGHT LINE.

IT'S JUST -- FOR RICKEY, ONE OF THE BEST EXPRESSES OF THIS MOVEMENT -- EXPRESSIONS OF THIS MOVEMENT THAT HE PIONEERED.

>> VIEWSCAPES WILL BE ON DISPLAY AT NAUMKEAG THROUGH NOVEMBER 1ST.

¶ ¶ >>> EVERY WEEK "CONNECTING POINT" EXPLORES THE CREATIVITY, CULTURE, AND COMMUNITY, THAT MAKE US WESTERN NEW ENGLAND, BUT IT DOESN'T STOP THERE.

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

THE BOSTON TEA PARTY WHICH OCCURRED THE NIGHT OF DECEMBER 16TH, 1773, HAS BEEN CALLED THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT EVENT LEADING UP TO THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION.

AS WE APPROACH ITS 250TH ANNIVERSARY, THE BOSTON TEA PARTY SHIPS & MUSEUM HAS EMBARKED ON A CAMPAIGN TO RECOGNIZE THE GRAVE SITES OF ALL KNOWN TEA PARTY PARTICIPANTS.

AND AS PRODUCER DAVE FRASER SHOWS US IN THIS WEEK'S DIGITAL EXCLUSIVE, ON AUGUST 28TH OF THIS YEAR, THEY VISITED THE TOWN OF BLANFORD AND PLACED A MARKER ON THE GRAVE SITE OF SAMUEL SLOPER.

>> WE HAVE BEEN FOR YEARS NOW DOING RESEARCH TO FIND THE FINAL RESTING PLACES OF THE 100 TO 150 INDIVIDUALS THAT TOOK PART IN THE EVENT WHAT WOULD BECOME KNOWN AS THE BOSTON TEA PARTY.

HELLO, EVERYONE.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BEING HERE.

TODAY IS OUR 101ST MARKER THAT WE PLACED.

SO IT'S BEEN A LONG PROJECT FOR US, A LOT OF LABOR, A COMBINATION OF TRAVEL AND RESEARCH, BUT WE'RE REALLY HONORED TO BE ABLE TO SHARE THIS EACH WITH EACH -- HISTORY WITH EACH OF THE LOCAL COMMUNITIES.

>> YOU CAN FIND THAT DIGITAL EXCLUSIVE ONLINE RIGHT NOW AT NEPM.ORG/CONNECTINGPOINT.

>>> FOR EIGHT DECADES NOW, THE BLIND BOYS OF ALABAMA HAVE SOLIDIFIED THEIR STATUS AS ICONS OF GOSPEL MUSIC.

THE FIVE-TIME GRAMMY AWARD-WINNING GROUP WERE PINCH HITTAL IN SHAPING THE SOUNDS OF THE GOSPEL DURING THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT AND CONTINUE TO HAVE TAN IMPACT TODAY.

HAVING PERFORMED LOCALLY AT UMASS AMHERST, I SPOKE WITH RICKY MCKINNIE TO DISCUSS THE GROUP'S HISTORY AND THE IMPORTANCE OF GOS MEL -- GOSPEL MUSIC TO THE BLACK COMMUNITY AND AS AN AMERICAN HAIR ART FORM.

>> IT SHOWS PEOPLE THERE'S HOPE.

AS LONG AS YOU HAVE HOPE, YOU CAN DO ANYTHING AND THE BLIND BOYS WERE A GROUP THAT WERE PHYSICALLY ABOUT SIGHT -- WITHOUT SIGHT BUT THEY HAD INSIGHT.

AND THEY WERE A GROUP LIKE ME.

THEY WERE A GROUP OF DREAMERS.

AND IF YOU CAN DREAM THE DREAM AND DO THE WORK, YOU KEEP THE FAITH, THINGS WHETHER WORK OUT.

SO THE BLIND BOYS SHOWED THE WORLD THAT NO MATTER WHAT YOUR SITUATION IS, AS LONG AS YOU GOT HOPE.

WE WROTE A SONG THAT TOOK TO US THE WHITE HOUSE.

THAT SAID WE DON'T NEED NO DOPE AS LONG AS WE GOT HOPE.

[LAUGHTER] >> AND IT'S HOPE.

WE LET PEOPLE KNOW THAT A DISABILITY DOESN'T HAVE TO BE A HANDICAP.

IT'S NOT ABOUT WHAT YOU CAN'T DO.

IT'S ABOUT WHAT YOU DO THAT MAKES THE DIFFERENCE.

>> AND I KNOW ALSO THAT YOU HAVE HAD A REALLY BIG SIGNIFICANT IMPACT IN PIONEERING THE GOSPEL GENRE INTO THE 21ST CENTURY AND CREATING THE SOUND THAT WE HEAR TODAY.

WHY DO YOU THINK GOSPEL HAS CONTINUED TO MAKE AN IMPACT ON THE AMERICAN CULTURE EVEN BEYOND THE JIM CROW ERA SOUTH THAT YOU WERE TOURING WITH?

>> YOU KNOW, I THINK THE THING ABOUT GOSPEL MUSIC IS THAT, IT'S -- IT'S ALL ABOUT FAITH.

AS LONG AS PEOPLE CAN GET SMETHING FROM WHAT YOU DO AND WHAT WE TRY TO DO IS MAKE IT YOU FEEL GOOD.

AND GOSPEL MUSIC IS FEEL-GOOD MUSIC AND WE LET PEOPLE COME WE DON'T COME TO PREACH, BUT EAR GOING -- WE'RE GOING TO SING TO YOU.

WE'RE GOING TO SING SONGS THAT REACHES THE HEART AND WHAT'S FROM THE HEART REACHES THE HEART.

SO WE TRY TO TOUCH THE SOUL IS WHAT MAKES THE WORK.

¶ [SINGING] ¶ ¶ [SINGING] ¶ >> THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS THAT THE BLIND BOYS HAVE ACQUIRED THROUGHOUT THE YEARS ARE AMAZING.

YOU'RE SPEAKING ABOUT THE LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD, ALSO FIVE-TIME GRAMMY WINNERS.

THROUGHOUT THE EIGHT DECADES THAT THE BLIND BOYS HAVE BEEN TOGETHER, THE WORLD HAS GONE THROUGH SO MUCH CHANGE.

BUT THE ONE THING THAT HAS REMAINED CONSTANT WAS THIS GROUP.

AND SO WHAT IS THE SECRET BEHIND SURVIVING AND THRIVING AND ALSO PERSEVERING AS A GROUP FOR ALL OF THESE YEARS?

>> WELL, THE THING IS -- THING THAT'S KEPT US GOING IS THAT WE LOVE WHAT WE DO.

WE'RE HAPPY THAT THE PEOPLE STILL CAN APPRECIATE WHAT WE DO.

BUT WE -- MOST OF ALL, CHRISTIANS AND WE TRY TO LET PEOPLE KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, HEY, WE CAN ALL COME TOGETHER.

WE SING GOOD.

WE DING SING FEEL-GOOD MUSIC AND WHAT KEEPS US GOING IS WHEN THE PEOPLE KEEP COMING IS OUT AND KEEP LETTING US KNOW THAT WE ARE APPRECIATED IN OUR MUSIC.

¶ [SINGING] ¶ ¶ [SINGING] ¶ >> YOU ALL HAVE REALLY MADE A GREAT IMPACT ON THE DISABILITY COMMUNITY AND I KNOW THAT RICKY, EVEN YOU YOURSELF HAVE TAUGHT MASTER CLASS IN HOW TO MAKE YOUR VISION COME TO FRUITION.

SO WHAT MESSAGE WOULD YOU LIKE TO SHARE WITH OTHERS WITHIN THE COMMUNITY AND ALSO OUTSIDE OF THAT COMMUNITY?

>> I WANT TO TELL EVERYBODY THAT THIS IS THE MAIN THING I HAD TO LEARN THROUGHOUT LIFE.

AND IT'S NOT ABOUT HAVING A DISABILITY.

IT'S ABOUT HAVING THE ABILITY.

AND I WOULD LEARN THAT JUST BECAUSE WE HAVE THE ABILITY DOESN'T MEAN THAT YOU ARE THE CHOICE.

SO WHEN YOU GO OUT AND HAVE YOU AN INTERVIEW OR YOU'RE TRYING TO GET WITH A GROUP OR WHATEVER YOU'RE DOING, JUST KNOW THAT JUST BECAUSE YOU HAVE THE ABILITY DOESN'T MEAN YOU'RE NOT A CHOICE.

AND MANY TIMES IN LIFE, YOU'RE GOING TO GO OUT AND YOU'RE GOING 3 TRY TO DO THINGS AND IT MIGHT NOT TURN OUT THE WAY YOU WANT TO, BUT KEEP ON PUSHING BECAUSE YOUR DAY IS COMING.

IT'S LIKE A MAN TOLD ME ONE TIME.

RICKY, I HEAR YOUR NAME A LOT OF TIMES AND SOMETIMES I HEAR YOUR NAME AND YOU DON'T COME UP -- YOU -- HE SAID, BUT, JUST LIKE -- JUST LIKE A DIAMOND.

IF YOU CHIP ON IT HARD ENOUGH, LONG ENOUGH, IT'S GONNA BREAK.

SO JUST KEEP DOING WHAT YOU'RE DOING AND REALIZE THAT, HEY, SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T FAIL BUT SOMETIMES IT DOESN'T DOES NOT GO THE WAY YOU WANT TO, BUT REMEMBER BELIEVE IN YOURSELF.

AND AS LONG AS YOU BELIEVE IN YOURSELF, IT'S GONNA BE ALL RIGHT.

¶ ¶ ¶ ¶ >>> NEARLY 500 ENGLISH TO SPEAKERS OF OTHER LANGUAGES STUDENTS HAVE TAKEN CLASSES AT HOME YOKE COMMUNITY COLLEGE THIS YEAR.

AND THIS SUMMER HCC HOSTED A TWO-MONTH LONG ESCHOOL CULINARY CLASS WHICH PROVIDED THE STUDENTS WITH A TOP-TO-BOTTOM UNDERSTANDING OF AND HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE IN THE FOOD SERVICE INDUSTRY.

"CONNECTING POINT'S" BRINE SPENT A DAY IN THE CLASS AT HCC'S SATELLITE CAMPUS ON RACE STREET HERE IN THE HOLYOKE CANAL DISTRICT AND BRING US THE STORY.

>> THE DAY BEGINS WITH ASPIRING CHEFS WITH THEIR OWN INDIVIDUAL CHICKEN TO ANALYZE AND EVENTUALLY PREPARE.

THIS IS WHAT IS KNOWN AS AN ESOL, ENGLISH FOR SPEAKERS OF OTHER LANGUAGES, CULINARY CLASS.

IDEALLY, THIS INCLUDES ANY FOREIGN LANGUAGE, BUT DURING THIS MORNING'S CLASS, THOSE IN ATTENDANCE ALL SPOKE SPANISH AS THEIR PRIMARY LANGUAGE.

THIS IS ONE OF MANY PROGRAMS FUNDED BY THE MASSACHUSETTS DEPARTMENT OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION.

IT'S ALSO PART OF A BROADER NETWORK KNOWN AS MASS STEPS, STANDS FOR SKILLS, TRAINING, AND EDUCATE PROGRAMS.

>> THEY'RE PROGRAMS THAT REALLY BUILD ON THE STRENGTHS OF A NETWORK OF PROVIDERS, ADULT BASIC EDUCATION PROGRAMS, SO PROGRAMS THAT WORK WITH STUDENTS WHO ARE LEARNING ENGLISH, ADULT STUDENTS LEARNING ENGLISH, OR STUDENTS WHO ARE EARNING THEIR HIGH SCHOOL EQUIVALENCY CREDENTIALS AND INTEGRATE THAT IS WITH THE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT SYSTEM.

>> THAT'S THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY.

AND AT THIS STAGE IN THE PROGRAM, THE STUDENTS ARE GETTING A CRASH COURSE IN ALL OF THE INS AND OUTS OF FOOD PREPARATION AND RESTAURANT MANAGEMENT.

AT THE HELM FOR THE MORNING CLASS IS AN INSTRUCTOR WHOSE SOFT SPOKEN APPROACH WON'T HAVE ANYONE CONFUSING HIM FOR GORDON RAMSEY.

>> THE FOCUS IS ON BUILDING CONFIDENCE PRIMARILY THROUGH KNIFE SKILLS AND BASIC COOKING METHODS.

TODAY IS ONLY DAY TWO.

YESTERDAY WE LOOKED AT SOME INGREDIENTS, HELPED THEM TO DEVELOP THEIR SENSE OF -- SENSE OF SMELL, THEIR PALATE, ABLE TO EVALUATE AND PUT WORDS TO INGREDIENTS, AND NOW WE'LL START MOVING INTO BASIC KNIFE SKILLS, CULINARY METHODS.

FOR ME IT'S ABOUT BASIC TECHNIQUES AND REALLY STARTING TO FEEL CONFIDENT IN THE KITCHEN SO THAT WHEN YOU'RE PRESENTED WITH SOMETHING, YOU HAVE THE BASIC SKILL LEVEL AND ABILITY TO NOT ONLY LEARN IT QUICKLY BUT TO EXECUTE IT PERFECTLY.

>> AND ANYONE THINKING THAT AN IN-DEPTH PROGRAM LIKE THIS ONE WILL REQUIRE STUDENT LOANS TO LAST HALF A LIFETIME, WILL BE PLEASANTLY SURPRISED.

>> THESE ARE ALL FREE PROGRAMS.

THEY'RE FULLY FUNDED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, PLUS THE MATCH FROM HOLYOKE COMMUNITY COLLEGE OR THE ORGANIZATION HOSTING.

AND THEY'RE ALL OVER THE STATE.

AND THAT'S A REALLY EXCITING THING.

>> THE PROGRAM HAS SO MANY DIFFERENT THINGS GOING FOR IT.

FOR STARTERS, THE PRICE CAN'T BE BEAT.

IN THE EIGHT TO NINE WEEKS THAT THE CLASS IS RUN, IT'S THOROUGH AND HANDS-ON AND THE MAJOR EXPERIENCE IS AS OF 2018, ALL THESE CLASSES HAVE BEEN TAUGHT AT THIS MODERNIZED OFF-CAMPUS LOCATION ON RACE STREET.

WHILE IT MIGHT BE EASY TO LOOK FOCUS, DIE DREAMING LOOKING OUT THE WINDS ON TO THE CANAL AND COUNTLESS RUSTIC BUILDINGS, THE HUSBAND AND WIFE REMAIN UNWAVERING.

THEY'VE GOT THEIR SIGHTS SET ON USING THESE CLASSES AS A SPRINGBOARD TO EVENTUALLY OPEN THEIR OWN RESTAURANT TOGETHER.

>> THOSE STEPS THAT CHEF IS TEACHING US DEFINITELY IS GOING TO HELP US.

YOU KNOW, IT'S GONNA HELP ME AND MY PARTNER, THAT'S MY WIFE, YOU KNOW, TO MAKE OUR RESTAURANT, OUR DREAM COME TRUE.

>> I FEEL REALLY BLESSED TO TO E IN HERE THIS IN -- IN THIS SCHOOL.

IT'S BEEN AMAZING.

ALL THE KNOWLEDGE THAT WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GET.

THE -- THE TEACHERS, THE CHEFS, ARE ALWAYS ON HAND.

THEY'RE ALWAYS THERE TO JUST LIKE ANSWER OUR QUESTIONS.

ANYTHING LIKE -- I FEEL LIKE THEY'RE SO OPEN AND TO TEACHING AND THEY LOVE IT.

IT'S THEIR PASSION.

>> IN THE ONE CLASS THAT WE VISITED, IT WAS CLEAR THAT THE CURRICULUM WAS ABOUT MORE THAN JUST COOKING FOOD.

IT WAS VOCABULARY, DISCUSSION OF PRICE POINTS, AND BUDGET MANAGEMENT, AND CONCEPTS LIKE FARM-RAISED VERSUS WILD COD, JUST TO MAIM A -- NAME A FEW, ALL DESIGNED TO MAKE THE STUDENTS MUCH MORE WELL-ROUNDED WHEN THE PROGRAM ENDS.

>> THEY CAN FEEL THEMSELVES FEEL READY TO ENTER THE WORKPLACE OR MOVE UP IF THEY'RE ALREADY WORKING.

SO THEY'RE NOT -- THEY FEEL LIKE -- YEAH, I CAN DO THIS.

I CAN WORK IN THIS PROFESSION.

I LIKE IT.

I'M GOOD AT IT.

AND I -- I CAN XCEL AND CONTINUE TO -- EXCEL AND CONTINUE TO DEVELOP AND GROW.

>>> IN THIS WEEK'S DIGITAL EXTRA, HOLYOKE COMMUNITY COLLEGE'S CULINARY ARTS INSTRUCTOR MARK ANTSEL DISCUSSES THE JOY THAT HE FINDS IN TEACHING OTHERS.

>> THE EDUCATION PART NEVER GOES AWAY WHETHER YOU'RE IN THE PROFESSION OR YOU'RE WORKING AS AN EDUCATOR IN THE STATE SYSTEM.

SO FOR ME, I ALWAYS LIKE TO SAY, I'M THE ONLY ONE THAT'S GETTING COLDER.

-- OLDER OVER THE YEARS.

THE STUDENTS STAY THE SAME AGE YEAR AFTER YEAR.

>> YOU CAN FIND THAT DIGITAL CONTRACT AND SO MUCH MORE ON NEPM.ORG/CONNECTINGPOINT.

>>> LONELINESS IS A PROBLEM THAT HAS ONLY INCREASED SINCE THE PANDEMIC, CAUSING A DIFFERENT CRISIS OF ITS OWN.

THIS ACADEMIC YEAR PUBLIC HEALTH STUDENTS AT UMASS AMBURST HAVE PARTNERED WITH NORTHAMPTON NEIGHBORS FOR A SPECIAL STORYTELLING PROJECT ENTITLED, THE EPIDEMIC OF LONELINESS, ON CONNECTION, BELONGING, AND PUBLIC HEALTH."

THE COURSE WHICH IS LED BY PROFESSOR GLORIA DIFULVIO CONNECTS WITH STUDENTS WITH ELDERS IN THE COMMUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN DOCUMENTED CONVERSATIONS THAT LEAD TO STRENGTHENED BOND AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.

>> THIS SEED FOR THIS CLASS BEGAN BEFORE THE PANDEMIC.

JUST ABOUT THE TIME OF THE PANDEMIC, I HAD READ THIS BOOK BY DR. MURPHY, THE SURGEON GENERALLY.

THE HEALING POWER OF SOCIAL CAKES.

AND HE WAS TALKING -- CONNECTION.

AND HE WAS TALKING ABOUT HOW GLOBALLY WE ARE IN A LONELINESS PANDEMIC.

WHERE PEOPLE ARE MORE DISCONNECTED FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS, WHETHER IT'S, YOU KNOW, DISCONNECTION BECAUSE OF REFUGEE STATUS, BECAUSE OF LOSING HOME, DISCONNECT BECAUSE OF AGING.

AND IN PUBLIC HEALTH, A REALLY CENTRAL PART OF HEALTH IS THAT SOCIAL CONNECTION, THAT FEELING OF BELONGING, THAT SENSE THAT YOU -- YOU MATTER IN THE WORLD.

AND SO I FELT LIKE IT WAS A VERY IMPORTANT CLASS TO ADD TO OUR CURRICULUM IN PUBLIC HEALTH.

AND AS I THOUGHT ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WE CAN SIT IN A CLASSROOM AND TALK ABOUT THESE ISSUES, BUT REALLY, THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONNECT AND TO ACTUALIZE THAT CONNECTION WAS KEY TO FEELING LIKE I WANTED THAT TO BE A CENTRAL PART OF THE CLASS.

>> AND SO HELEN AND JONATHAN, YOU BOTH WERE PART OF THIS COURSE.

TELL ME WHAT INTERESTED YOU IN TAKING PART IN THIS PROJECT.

>> WELL, I FOUND THAT THERE WAS EVEN MORE TO IT THAN GLORIA MENTIONED.

A LOT OF OLDER PEOPLE LIKE MYSELF MAY KNOW THEIR GRANDCHILDREN, BUT THEY REALLY DON'T KNOW OTHER PEOPLE OF THAT AGE.

AND VICE VERSA.

AND WE WERE VERY FRANK WITH EACH OTHER.

WE GOT TO KNOW EACH OTHER THROUGH INDIVIDUAL CONVERSATIONS.

AND THEN WE RECORDED INTERVIEWS.

AND IT'S AMAZING HOW EASY IT WAS.

>> YEAH, AND FOR ME AS WELL.

BEFORE THIS CLASS, I WOULD BE HESITANT ABOUT FIRST, TAKING THIS CLASS AND BEING PART OF THIS BECAUSE IT'S A GENERATIONAL PROJECT, BECAUSE I COULDN'T FIGURE OUT -- HOW THESE TWO GENERATIONS COULD COME TOGETHER AND CONNECT AND FIND COMMON GROUND.

I DIDN'T HAVE MY OWN GRANDPARENTS AND I DIDN'T HAVE A GLIMPSE OF HOW THAT WOULD CORK.

-- WORK.

BUT I REALIZED WE WEREN'T ALL SO DIFFERENT.

WE CONNECTED ON OUR INDIVIDUAL EXPERIENCES OF LONELINESS AND BEING PART OF THIS WORLD.

WE ALSO CONNECTED ON THINGS LIKE, YOU KNOW, GARDENING, OR MUSIC OR TRAVEL.

IT'S LIKE I WAS TALKING TO A FRIEND.

A FRIEND THAT I'VE KNOWN FOR A LONG TIME.

AND I REALIZED A LOT ABOUT MYSELF.

AND MY PERSONAL BELONGING ON THIS, YOU KNOW, THIS BIG EARTH.

>> AND HELEN AND JONATHAN, I KNOW THAT THERE'S A PARTNERSHIP THAT HAPPENS BETWEEN THE STUDENTS AND THE NORTHAMPTON NEIGHBOR MEMBERS.

TELL ME ABOUT THAT PARTNERSHIP AND WHAT HAPPENS, HOW DOES THE INTERVIEW WORK, WHAT'S THE STYLE LIKE?

>> WELL, GLORIA PUT US TOGETHER.

AND I'M AMAZED HOW QUICKLY THE FRIENDSHIP DEVELOPED.

I'VE BECOME FRIENDS WITH BOTH THE STUDENTS I WORKED WITH AND WE'RE STILL IN CONNECTION WITH EACH OTHER.

I'LL BE INTERESTED IN WHAT THE PERMANENT INFLUENCE WILL BE OF THIS CLASS.

AND I HOPE THIS CLASS SPREADS.

AS I SAID TO LOWER STUDENTS AND -- I MEAN, IT WOULD FIT FOR ANY KIND OF STUDENT, I THINK.

NOT JUST NURSING STUDENTS.

>> NO, I THINK YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT, BECAUSE THIS LONELINESS IS SOMETHING THAT CAN AFFECT ALL OF US, REGARDLESS OF WHAT WE'RE STUDYING, OUR BACKGROUNDS, AND IT'S A PUBLIC HEALTH CONCERN.

AND SO IF WE'RE PART OF THE PUBLIC, IT'S A CURB FOR ALL OF US.

-- CONCERN FOR ALL OF US.

I THINK YOU MAKE A VALID POINT.

>> YOUNG PEOPLE CAN BE JUST AS LONELY AS OLDER PEOPLE.

>> AND SPEAKING OF THAT, I WAS ACTUALLY READING A HARVARD REPORT THAT WAS SAYING THAT THE TWO DEMOGRAPHICS THAT HAVE BEEN MOST AFFECTED BY LONELINESS ARE YOUNG ADULTS AND THE ELDERLY COMMUNITY.

AND SO HERE YOU HAVE THESE TWO JENRAISE COMING TOGETHER -- GENERATIONS COMING TOGETHER TO TALK WITH EACH OTHER.

SO TELL ME ABOUT SOME MEMORABLE MOMENTS AND REVELATION THAT IS REALLY STUCK WITH YOU -- WREFLATIONS -- REVELATIONS THAT STUCK WITH YOU AFTER DOING THE PROJECT AND THE INTERVIEWS.

>> SOME CONVERSATIONS ARE GENERAL CONVERSATIONS ABOUT LIFE, BUT OTHERS CAN BE VERY FOCUSED.

FOR INSTANCE, I HAD ONE STUDENT, MEMBER OF A LARGE FAMILY THAT SHE LOVES DEARLY, BUT SHE IS THE ONLY PERSON IN THE FAMILY WHO'S VACCINATED AND WHO BELIEVES IN VACCINATION.

EVERYBODY ELSE WAS HOSTILE TO IT.

AND HOW THAT ALL WORKED OUT WAS FASCINATING TO LISTEN TO.

AND SHE WAS QUITE WILLING TO TALK ABOUT IT.

>> AND FOR ME, WITH MY PARTNER, WE DID TALK A LOT ABOUT JUST SMALLER THINGS.

BUT DURING THAT TIME, DURING -- WE HAD SOME SITUATIONS GOING ON [INAUDIBLE] WITH THIS PERSON.

THE BLACK COMMUNITY SPECIFICALLY.

AND SO IT WAS HARD TO VERBALIZE THAT IN A WAY, BUT MY PARTNER REALLY PULLED IT OUT OF ME, THAT WE TALKED ABOUT IT IN A COMFORTABLE WAY, WHERE I WAS LIKE, I HAD TO COME BACK AND REALIZE EVEN THOUGH THIS IS STILL HAPPENING AND IT'S SAD AND IT'S HORRIBLE, I STILL BELONG HERE AND I CAN STILL FIND PEACE AND BELONGING.

IT TEARS ME UP, BUT I STILL FIND BELONGING HERE, EVEN THOUGH THERE ARE THE -- THE REST OF THE WORLD MAY NOT FEEL LIKE I DO BELONG.

>> WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED ABOUT YOURSELVES THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS?

>> THAT I'M WORTH LISTENING TO AND I HAVE A STORY TO TELL.

YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES IT'S HARD TO REFLECT ON YOUR LIFE AND FIGURE OUT HOW SOMETHING SO SMALL COULD BECOME SOMETHING SO BIG.

BEFORE I THOUGHT STORIES WERE ABOUT, YOU HAD TO HAVE WISDOM OR AGE TO TELL A STORY.

BUT A GOOD STORY CAN COME FROM ANYTHING.

EVEN THOUGH, LIKE I SAID BEFORE, THIS BIG WORLD AND THERE'S SO MUCH GOING ON THAT THERE'S STILL PEOPLE WHO WANT TO LISTEN TO YOU AND PEOPLE STILL CARE TO LEARN ABOUT WHO YOU ARE AND THE STORIES YOU HAVE TO TELL AND YOU BELONG IN SOME SORT OF SPACE, WHETHER THAT'S A SMALLER SPACE OR MAYBE YOU ARE -- THAT YOU BELONG AND YOU'RE CONNECTED TO -- THERE'S SO MANY PEOPLE WHO WANT TO BE CONNECTED TO YOU AND IT'S PEOPLE THAT CARE TO BE CONNECTED.

¶ ¶ >>> AND THAT DOES IT FOR THIS EDITION OF "CONNECTING POINT."

REMEMBER, YOU CAN ALWAYS FIND US ALL OF THE STORIES THAT YOU SAW IN THIS EPISODE, AS WELL AS EXCLUSIVE FEATURES, DIGITAL-ONLY CONTENT, AND SO MUCH MORE ONLINE ANYTIME AT NEPM.ORG/CONNECTINGPOINT.

OUR THANKS TO THE RESIDENTS OF HOLYOKE'S CANAL DISTRICT FOR HOSTING US TODAY.

AND PLEASE BE SURE TO JOIN US AGAIN EVERY WEEK FOR MORE STORIES OF THE CREATIVITY, CULTURE, AND COMMUNITY THAT MAKE US WESTERN NEW ENGLAND.

I'M ZYDALIS BAUER, THANKS FOR WATCHING AND TAKE CARE.

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