Many thanks!
Dear Families,
On behalf of the faculty and staff here in the high school, thank you so much for the terrific expressions of appreciation, the decorations, gifts and treats this week. The tremendous generosity and heartfelt wishes have been greatly appreciated. Thanks for the thougtfulness and hard work!
Today’s assembly marks the end of the Thursday Gender Series programming thoughtfully planned and implemented by English teacher Ileana Jimenez, and a host of others who helped with putting everything together. The assembly today was a perfect one for Valentine’s Day as the focus was on immigration, asylum and relationships which are hardly covered by our national conversation on immigration, even though several presidental candidates have attempted to address immigration issues. Panelists included:
- Victoria Neilson, the Legal Director at Immigration Equality, a national organization fighting for equal immigration rights for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and HIV-positive community. Neilson runs Immigration Equality’s pro bono asylum project and provides technical assistance and mentoring on LGBT and HIV immigration issues to attorneys around the country.
- Jeremy Reiss and his partner Arturo Tochtli who addressed issues related to being a binational couple (US/Mexico) and the progress of the Uniting American Families Act. Jeremy Reiss is Director of Workforce Mobility Initiatives at the Community Service Society, the leading anti-poverty organization in New York City. Reiss is an Adjunct Professor of Urban Studies at the Joseph F. Murphy Labor Institute, CUNY, and serves on the Board of Directors of the East River Development Alliance, the Advisory Board of Urban Agenda, and the Economic Security Advisory Board of the Schuyler Center for Analysis and Advocacy. Reiss is also on Barack Obama’s Urban Policy Advisory Committee for the presidential election.
- Sebastian Cordoba who showed clips from his most recent documentary Through Thick & Thin, which follows seven lesbian and gay couples who are struggling with immigration rights in the US. He shared his perspective on the making of his film as well as share his own story about immigration.
The panel was informative and educational, and serves as the prelude to the finale, the play Tara’s Crossing, the story of a transwoman who seeks asylum from Guyana and is imprisoned by the INS when she arrives in the United States. I have read the script, and it is powerfully moving and thought-provoking. The students will see it next month, on Monday, March , as our second First Monday program. The social justice theatre troupe, Houses on the Moon, will be performing the play our high school during a special morning production; we will have discussion groups in the afternoon.
Needless to say, the series has encouraged conversation and inspired ideas for future assemblies from our students. I support and encourage thoughtful programming for our weekly assemblies and thank Ileana for her vision and hard work.
All the best,
Ruth
Updates and Announcements:
- The school’s calendar can be accessed by clicking here.
- Click here to view the 2008-2009 LREI Calendar.
- For general LREI Athletics news go to this link . This page will provide general announcements, game summaries, league standings and season recaps.
1. Please note: Six of our students have been chosen to display their photography at Synchronicity Fine Arts, 106 West 13th Street. The show runs from February 5 through March 1.
2. 7) On Thursday, February 28, 2008, 7:00PM, Freedom Institute’s Independent School Program presents an evening with Dr. Catherine Steiner-Adair on “How to Be a Go-To Parent: Raising Kids of Character.” To be held at the Nightingale-Bamford School (20 East 92nd Street, New York, NY). For more information, contact: Charlanne Zepf Bauerlein at 212-838-0044 ext. 11.
3. There is one more day to donate! February 11 through 15th – is the “Have a Heart/ Get a Heart” collection sponsored by the LREI Community Service Committee for the Room To Grow organization. We are collecting new and GENTLY used items (baby, toddler needs: clothing, equipment and books) for ages new born to 5 years old. We will be donating whatever we collect to a couple of different organizations in the NYC area. Donations can be left at the front desk. We will be giving a heart sticker to all who bring in donations next week. Please click here for more information.
4. Michel de Konkoly Thege will make a presentation concerning LREI’s finances that is open to all interested members of the LREI community. The presentation will be in the 6th Avenue cafeteria at 8:45AM on Tuesday, February 26.
5. Please take a look at the following letter from the LREI Lesbian Gay Straight alliance (LGSA) announcing the upcoming Visibility show. Please participate! The deadline for submissions is now Friday, February 15!
We are proud to host an opening reception inspired by our student government for the VISIBILITY show here at Charlton Street on Thursday, February 21 from 6-8PM, featuring photographs and performances by members of the high school community.
6. For updates on faculty performances, openings, presentations, and publications visit the Faculty in the News page on the school web site.
7. LREI is a member of NYC-Parents in Action (NYC-PIA). NYC-PIA provides parenting education, information and a communications network to help parents prepare their children and teenagers to cope with social pressures and to make sound choices towards a future free of alcohol and drug abuse. Please read the attached flyer to view their 2007-2008 calendar. You can also access their website at http://www.parentsinaction.org/.