Blog rally for Roxana Saberi and others

Thanks to T at Notes of an Anesthesioboist for getting this going. A group of bloggers is holding a blog rally in support of Roxana Saberi, who is spending her birthday on a hunger strike in Tehran's Evin Prison, where she has been incarcerated for espionage. According to NPR, "The Iranian Political Prisoners Association lists hundreds of people whose names you would be even less likely to recognize: students, bloggers, dissidents, and others who, in a society that lacks a free press, dare to practice free expression." Hearing reports like these has prompted us to do a ribbon campaign. Blue for blogging. Please consider placing a blue ribbon on your blog or website this week in honor of the journalists, bloggers, students, and writers who are imprisoned in Evin Prison, nicknamed "Evin University," and other prisons around the world, for speaking and writing down their thoughts. Also, please ask others to join our blog rally.

EV Chocolate Buffet at the Langham to close auction

Please join us April 30th 7-9pm at the Langham Hotel Boston for a gala Chocolate Buffet—a highly reputed "indulgence"—to help us finish up our online auction in style... and, more importantly, to help us continue Earthen Vessels' essential work with Boston's inner-city young people. The event will be MC'd by one of our 'graduates', Latoyia Edwards. She is also an honors graduate of Emerson College, Miss Massachusetts USA in 2002, and a reporter for New England Cable News. She will be joined by a current tutor-tutee pair who will speak about their experience in the program. You will have the opportunity to bid on several silent auction items reserved for this final evening, including a week's stay in a beautiful apartment in Paris. Check out the auction, live online through April 28th, at earthenvessels.cMarket.com and contact Eric to reserve your ticket for the Chocolate Buffet: atty.ethompson@yahoo.com.

EV Community Event a big success

Earthen Vessels held its annual Community Event at its Tutoring Center in Dorchester March 31st, bringing together Harvard tutors, their tutees, the tutees' families and EV staff for a fun evening of fellowship and sharing. Families brought delicious homemade food to share and the kids put on a terrific presentation, tracing the history of (Black) liberation from slavery to Barack Obama. Several recited texts (beginning with Sojourner Truth), portions of speeches (including Martin Luther King, Jr. and Barack Obama), or their own poems. Another group put on a dance number which they had choreographed (with some help from one of the tutors). Everyone had a chance to get to know one another better and appreciate the talent and creativity of the young people (and their parents!). Thanks to Lauren and Nancy for all their hard work putting it all together.

Earthen Vessels Online Auction up and running

Our THANKSGIVING ONLINE AUCTION is now open until November 24. Check it out at earthenvessels.cMarket.com. If you can donate a product or service, or you would like to be a recognized sponsor, please contact Eric Thompson at (c) 917-533-1161. Check out the many exciting items already posted—fine restaurants, theatres, ski resorts, museums, and more—Bid early and often! We've just added some exciting signature items: see http://blog.autographstore.com/

Computer Recycling Event November 15

Cheese Tasting with expert, Kurt Gurdal

On June 19th cheese expert Kurt Gurdal from Formaggio's Kitchen in Cambridge presented a series of interesting and unusual cheeses paired with delectable confitures or such, and appropriate wines, both white and red. He explained in detail how and where each cheese was made. For the 20 participants, some old hands at EV and some coming for the first time to find out what Earthen Vessels is all about—that was the reason for the event, after all—it was a delicious encounter with cheese, to be sure, but also with two of the young people currently in the program as well as a camper from way back in the early 80's, Carla, who will be joining our Board of Directors. Dan Thompson hosted the event on his terrace in Belmont, and, as the saying goes, a good time was had by all. If any of you out there would like to host such an event for your friends, let us know. We are always interested in getting the word out!

My Great Job

by Nancy Jiménez
Educational Coordinator

“What do you like most about your job?” This is a question I’m often asked and the answer is always different. Lately what I like most about my job are the moments I get to spend one-on-one with the kids—especially if it’s outside of tutoring. There’ve been a couple times when I’ve taken teens to the library or an internet-café to work on a research paper. The casual feel of the outings are a special treat for me and for the students as well. I think that letting the kids see me in an environment outside of the tutoring center is a great mentoring tactic—it suddenly dawns upon them that I’m a ‘normal person.’ I become real to them. I become their friend. They let down their guard and open up. And most importantly, they begin to trust me. Occasionally, I also get to work with students at the tutoring center when they show up for extra help or if their tutors are absent. It’s a chance to see the students’ abilities and needs firsthand. Better yet, it’s a chance to get to know them. This is why I enjoy picking the kids up after school, too. They tell me stories about their day or their weekend. They share their problems with me and I try to offer thoughtful advice. Sometimes, they even give me advice: like the time one 5th grader suggested I get a ‘cool’ make-over including purple highlights, long acrylic nails, and a tattoo! Needless to say, this advice was unsolicited. It did make me laugh though. And these are the kinds of things that keep me interested in my job. I wonder what connections I’ll make today.