Last Week of Fall

This week's weather, typical of the Hudson Valley region's occasionally unpredictable transitions, serves as a fitting backdrop for our own exploration of adaptability and personal growth. Like trees naturally shed their leaves in Fall, we can also use this period to let go of things that may be holding us back, whether they're old habits or negative thought patterns. Fall reminds us that growth often begins with a willingness to release what no longer serves us, creating space for new opportunities and personal development. So, as the leaves drop, we are able to embrace the chance for subtle, meaningful, growth in our own lives. 

At Place Corps, our week kicks off with Personal Praxis on Monday mornings, which is time dedicated to personal growth and exploration of self. Our journey began with a dive into Yin Yoga at People's Place. While the class was super relaxing, some of us found it a lil' bit too slow-paced. Maybe we'll give vinyasa a try next time? Afterward, we sat down for a Table Talk lunch with our executive director, Dawn, who shared her life's story of adaptation, growth and resilience in the face of challenging circumstances. These exploratory experiences, like Dawn's, are central to the learning and growing we aim for during our time at Place Corps.

We also had the pleasure of connecting IRL with our new building neighbors at 16 Lucas Avenue. Minya from Kingston Acupuncture shared her inspiring journey as a small business owner navigating the dynamic and shifting Hudson Valley economy. Her commitment to staying accessible to the local community despite inflation and gentrification left a lasting impression with us. On Tuesday, we strolled over to our friends at the People's Place center in Midtown, an amazing organization that provides a huge amount of support for our community. We're glad to be able to lend a hand, to practice and deepen our dedication to our Kingston place through volunteering.

At the start of programming, all of us got brand new Chromebooks, and this week we had some time to spend getting used to them: scouring the internet for upcoming local field trip ideas and brainstorming some sp00ky Halloween plans for the weeks ahead. Speaking of spooky, in our own backyard, we stumbled upon what seemed to be a possum's remains, or maybe a skunk? The bones were well preserved and still intact, which reminded us of what beauty often stays hidden in the natural world 🎃🔍🍂 

On Wednesday, we spent the day with HRMM and the Wooden Boat School, where we had a great time practicing rowing on both land and water while exploring an old Spanish ship, which was truly impressive. At Cosmic Dog Press, we began making our first Risograph prints, sparking ideas for future zine projects created by our talented Place Corps printmakers. Our week concluded with CPW, where we dived into photographic lessons on light with Sarrah and Lesly. We ended up exploring their new (old!) building and venturing into the basement's darkest corner to experiment with long exposures and flashlights...conjuring up some scenes directly out of a horror movie that have got us thinking about Place Corps Halloween portraits....Stay tuned!