Category: Voices

Our local communities share their stories — the Hill Country Observer offers a place to lift up many perspectives, from many backgrounds and experiences, bodies and minds, places and languages — from many migrations and diasporas and Native roots and more.

  • Issue:

    A sanctuary for all seekers

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    Sufi retreat keeps spiritual focus in former Shaker buildings The Abode of the Message, a Sufi community and retreat center in New Lebanon, N.Y., was established in 1975 in a collection of 19th century buildings that were once part of the large local Shaker community. Susan Sabino photo   By STACEY MORRISContributing writer NEW LEBANON, read more

    A sanctuary for all seekers
  • Issue:

    Vivid images, colliding cultures — Meleko Mokgosi explores love and democracy

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    In scenes from Africa, artist explores lessons of love and democracy By KATE ABBOTTContributing writer WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass.   A detail from one of Meleko Mokgosi’s large-scale paintings, now on view at the Williams College Museum of Art, shows two boys playing with a dog. The paintings depict scenes of daily life in southern Africa while read more

    Vivid images, colliding cultures — Meleko Mokgosi explores love and democracy
  • Issue:

    Teacher connects stories from World War II, Holocaust

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    Teacher’s living-history project puts faces to World War II, Holocaust By STACEY MORRISContributing writer HUDSON FALLS, N.Y.   Matthew Rozell, a high school history teacher in Hudson Falls, stands in front of a classroom display of newspaper front pages from the World War II era. He will retire this month after 30 years of teaching, read more

    Teacher connects stories from World War II, Holocaust
  • Issue:

    In verse, Phillp B. Williams takes on tough themes

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    Debut poetry volume draws award for Bennington visiting professor By KATE ABBOTTContributing writer BENNINGTON, Vt.   The writer Phillip B. Williams, who is teaching at Bennington College this year, won a Whiting Award this spring for his first volume of poetry. Bound, it begins.Wasn’t night what lingered where sweat leftsalt, where breath touch-expired?“Bound” is the read more

    In verse, Phillp B. Williams takes on tough themes
  • Issue:

    Free clinics try to fill region’s gaps in medical care

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    Free clinics try to fill the gaps in region’s medical system By TRACY FRISCHContributing writer   Dr. Richard Dundas, right, started the Bennington Free Clinic eight years ago after retiring from a 40-year medical career. Sue Andrews became the clinic’s executive director. The clinic is one of several in the region at which doctors volunteer read more

    Free clinics try to fill region’s gaps in medical care
  • Issue:

    In Vermont, many moves to shield immigrants

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    State, towns push back against federal crackdown By EVAN LAWRENCEContributing writer   Vermonters have lately been taking action at the state and local levels to push back against a federal crackdown on undocumented immigrants – and to oppose any effort by the federal government to create a registry of Muslims. Gov. Phil Scott, a Republican, read more

    In Vermont, many moves to shield immigrants
  • Issue:

    Door slams shut as first refugees arrive

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    Only two Syrian families make it to Rutland before Trump halts program By C.B. HALLContributing writerand FRED DALEYEditor RUTLAND, Vt.   Several hundred people took part in a Jan. 28 vigil in Rutland to express support for allowing Syrian refugees to resettle in the city. The flow of refugees was halted the previous day by read more

    Door slams shut as first refugees arrive
  • Issue:

    Looking racism in the eye

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    In new book, Williams professor confronts his roots in the Jim Crow era By JOHN SEVENContributing writer WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass.   Charles Dew, an American history professor at Williams College, is known for his expertise on the Civil War and the era of Reconstruction. His new memoir details his experiences growing up in the segregated South read more

    Looking racism in the eye
  • Issue:

    Refugee plan gets green light in Rutland

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    City leaders call for unity after divisive debate By C.B. HALLContributing writer RUTLAND, Vt. It’s official: The refugees will be coming to Rutland. The U.S. State Department has approved a plan to resettle about 100 refugees from Syria and Iraq in the city over the next 12 months. The decision was announced Sept. 28 by read more

    Refugee plan gets green light in Rutland
  • Issue:

    Nick Cave — A troubled heaven on earth

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    Artist’s massive wonderland at MoCA confronts themes of racism By JOHN SEVENContributing writer NORTH ADAMS, Mass.   A detail from “Until,” Nick Cave’s upcoming installation at Mass MoCA, reveals an elaborate landscape built from kitschy items the artist collects on secondhand shopping sprees — items that sometimes raise troubling themes related to race. Douglas Mason read more

    Nick Cave — A troubled heaven on earth