March 2023 Updates
As Spring is gearing up, the HGB Team has been busy with some incredible site visits. March was filled with movement and updates across the entire Foundation!
The HGB Team had a wonderful trip North, visiting Northern Stage, housing two of our BridgeUP programs (BridgeUP Theater in the Schools and BridgeUP Bootcamp Company), as well as the BOLD Theater Women’s Leadership Circle. The Team got to see a performance of Sweat, a new production directed by BOLD Associate Sarah Elizabeth Wansley. The road trip continued with visits to our BOLD Women’s Leadership Network programs at Colby-Sawyer College and Middlebury College. It was wonderful to see the Scholars in action after their Spring break.
At the beginning of the month, many BOLD Scholars from all the campuses in the network participated in our newly launched annual Magic Grant Pitch Competition. The students came together in pairs or teams to propose their Magic Grant proposals in an attempt to receive additional funding to help them come to fruition. An example of one of the projects pitched is titled, “The Fresh Start Program”, by Shannon S., a BOLD Scholar at Rutgers, the State University. The idea of the program is to provide support and aid to those who have been previously incarcerated. The program will cover career assessments, how to create a professional resume, how to write cover letters, as well as going over federal & state laws so they are aware of their rights throughout the process. Though these seem basic, they are so crucial in getting to that second-round interview and beyond. The project’s target population is adults over 18, coming out of jail, involved in the legal system, or those who have experienced hardships due to past legal involvement. Shannon has an incredible passion for this project, and we are cheering her on. Finalization of all Magic Grant awards will be announced in April. Great job to all those who pitched their ideas and the incredibly hard work that went into the prep and presentation of the pitches!
At the end of March, the extended HGB team also got the chance to attend Sancocho, a play at the WP Theater, located on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. This theater, and its associate Artistic Director, Rebecca Martinez, are both supported by the BOLD Theater Women’s Leadership Circle, an HGB signature program. The play followed two Puerto Rican sisters navigating their complicated lives and relationships with one another, as well as their family. It was a moving piece and impressive piece, and touched our hearts dearly. If you’re in the area, check it out! The run has been extended through April 23rd, 2023.
Also within our Empowering Women vertical, earlier this month, the HGB Team headed up to Boston to visit our partners in BOLD Health at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. It was truly amazing to meet the Helen Fellows and Helen Mentors and to hear about the pioneering work being done in the realm of cancer research. Some of the Fellows have a research interest in sexual health and well-being, with a large focus placed on survivorship, an area that is typically less researched. Our Fellows come from all over the globe, including Italy, China, and Germany.
We also had a chance to meet some of our Helen Trailblazers, groundbreaking women in their respective fields at Dana-Farber. They each receive one-year of funding to help further their important research. An example of a project being worked on by a Helen Trailblazer is Miranda Lam. She is focusing her research on high-level spending disparities in cancer treatments, specifically high-risk and vulnerable populations. With costs on the rise due to drug development, it is important to understand the landscape of access and identify ways to circumvent obstacles for those who face them. We are always so moved and impressed by the work being done by these incredibly talented doctors, and love to see the wonderful community created out of it.
Lastly, our Genius Grant recipient, Lucy King, and her work with Save the Elephants were featured in a recent publication of the New York Times. Their project was highlighted in the paper on the 27th of March. It’s so great for Dr. King and her Human-Elephant Coexistence Toolbox project to get exposure. They’ve aided the Liberia trail Buzz Box, the first time they’ve documented that the elephants run away from the bees! Here is a link to the article titled, “A Sting Operation to Save Elephants, With No Stings”, and here is a link to a video of the tool in action! Additionally, Dr. Lucy King has written the Forward for a children's book titled, “Rebel Girls - Animal Allies”, a popular series that just got signed up for global distribution!
We are so looking forward to what spring brings for all of our programs. Be sure to check back in next month for April updates!