Lolo's Boyfriend Show Opens At Savage Wonder - Edinburgh Fringe Winner Of ICI Audience Choice Award

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SHOW DATES:
Thursday September 3rd
Thursday September 17th
Times: 7:00pm
Location: Savage Wonder, 139 Main Street, Beacon, NY 12508
Buy Tickets Now >

Arriving in September for two dates only, Lolo's Boyfriend Show opens at Savage Wonder at 139 Main Street Beacon. Written and performed by Lauren O’Brien, Lolo’s Boyfriend Show is winner of the ICI Audience Choice Award at the Edinburgh Fringe, shortlisted for Best Production, and featured Off-Broadway at Playhouse 46.

Lolo’s Boyfriend Show is an irreverent, soul-baring solo performance following Lolo as a dream European tour unravels, sending her back to suburbia to confront love, loss, and a trail of unforgettable exes. After her punk cabaret tour collapses, Lolo returns home, surrounded by the ghosts of past relationships—from The Yogi to The Addict to The Cowboy. A promising new romance sparks a deeper reckoning, as she navigates heartbreak, identity, and the possibility of a different kind of happiness.

This bold and cathartic performance blends humor, vulnerability, and sharp storytelling into one unforgettable night.

“Bold, cathartic, and irresistibly entertaining…”
– ICI Review

“…tragically funny writing, sickeningly relatable scenarios…”
– Hot Take Reviews

“…fearless and raw….”
– Brian Thomas, Emmy Nominee/Award-Winning Director

“There’s a crowd of people on stage – but only one actor…clever, funny, and poignant…highly recommended!”
– B. Jeffrey Madoff, Madoff Productions

“…layered and introspective…Lauren O’Brien tackles a demanding role with commitment and energy…”
– Theatre & Tonic

Lauren O’Brien (Writer/Performer) has performed regionally in To Kill a Mockingbird (Mayella), Angels in America (Harper), and A Wrinkle in Time (Mrs. Whatsit), among others. She was a founding member of director Polina Klimovitskaya’s avant-garde theatre company, Terra Incognita, where she co-developed the original work Ophelia Tapestry. Lauren co-wrote a punk-cabaret album, The Devil’s Girlfriend, which toured throughout Germany. Her first solo show, Jaxx & Lolo, won awards for Best Show and Excellence in Multi-Media at the NYC Frigid Festival.

BUY TICKETS NOW

About Savage Wonder

Savage Wonder’s founding is rooted one veteran searching for a creative sandbox, and has become a permanent home for art that rewrites expectations. Savage Wonder is not here to help veterans. It exists so veterans and first responders can help the arts—and the invitation is simple: Come play.

Savage Wonder's emblem is the octopus — strange, nimble, many-armed. Its logo is a splash—paint, wine, or blood, depending on the eye. Both reflect the spirit of the place: intimate, surprising, whimsical, and alive.

About This Event Listing

Lauren O’Brien sponsored this event listing, which is an investment in local, independent journalism. Click here to learn how to sponsor your event on ALBB.

Graffiti Wall At Skate Park: Dramatic Red Letters Emerge

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This wall on the right, opposite the left wall also featured this week, has been a bit more dramatic this year. With the bulging eyes that appeared after the dimensional letters were covered up by messages about gentrification, this red message has emerged.

As with all of these graffiti arts, to be continued...

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Graffiti Wall At Skate Park: New Elaborate Design Pops Up For Monday

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Happy Monday.

A new design has been sprayed onto the left wall of the Skate Park, which so far has been used by presumably smaller kids and those who produce smaller designs and sketches. This composition is little bit pac-man, a little bit maze, a little bit domino blocks. But that’s just one interpretation.

A few friendly symbols adorn the inside, like a peace sign and a heart, maybe some polkadots, which could be in tribute to this side of the wall.

The start of a skull or X-ray is on the right side of the wall.

As with all of these graffiti arts, to be continued...

************

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Graffiti Wall At Skate Park: "Spectremotions" Faces And Eyes By Skatchface; And The Coverup

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Tiny Graffiti art on the left wall. Artist unknown.

Messages are changing quickly on the Art Walls at the Skate Park. One blink and you’ll miss it!

This one titled “Spectremotions” was created around June 15, 2026 after message of gentrification were sprayed onto the wall. “Spectremotions” was covered up rather quickly by June 30th, but the artist, Mark “Skatchface” Long, captured the making of it in his own video series. He was also interviewed by the Highlands Current when they reported on these walls.

The coverup artists of June 30th are unknown, but part of their words say the $ sign, Beacon All Day, and Beacon Boyz.

Painter Kirsten Deirup's Pre-Gallery Shipment Show Before The Paintings Left For New York City

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Excerpts of the artist Kiersten Deirup’s paintings.
Photo Credits: Katie Hellmuth

Had the pleasure of seeing Kirsten Deirup’s artwork up close and personal at her painting studio inside of the Old Beacon High School which is now the Ethan Cohen Gallery Kube Art Center. Have only seen her work in Instagram, so it was dimensional to see it live and on the walls.

Saw a few of her still-life props (the keyboard that is in the ethereal castle painting and some of the chains) that she uses to paint her visual stories. This night was an opening before this collection, which took her one year to paint, ships to its gallery exhibit in New York City.

Up close of the computer keyboard that appears in the castle painting, also in this article. By painter Kirsten Deirup'.
Photo Credit: Katie Hellmuth

Beacon Open Studios 2025 Is This Weekend - Here's A Partial Lineup And Event List

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It is one of the best times of the year in Beacon: sidewalk hopping through artists’ studios in Beacon. The map of all artists opening their studios is on Beacon Open Studio’s website. Another version of the map includes pictures of some artwork to give you an idea of what you will see.

This year, several locations are displaying multiple artists. For example, the studio pictured here is at the home of 243 Rombout Avenue, is branded as “Hudson Valley Guitar Fix” and will exhibit Eric Alfredo, Chris Ams, Bam Bowen, and Ellion Debryun.

Other home studios include Rho Tang Studio, Elizabeth Mihaltse Lindy, Procario Designs on Maple Street (will feature John Procario, Rachael Sage, Elizabeth Arnold, Kat Spontak, and Famous Meadow), another on Maple (Edward Miller, Laurel Smith, and Jennifer Smith), and the metalsmith Caiming Cheung Studio. Several others are listed on the map. Get on your bike or drive strategically.

Businesses and art galleries are also participating, usually showing several artists at once. This is a great opportunity to get into The Kube at 211 Fishkill Avenue (the Old Beacon High School up on a hill with a parking lot), who is exhibiting the ROLL OUT Group Show. ROLL OUT just completed its open call for artist applications for the 2025 interactive show in October. Stop to see artists carving large-scale woodblocks on site and the opportunity to create your own sticker print on a mini press.

Businesses include LotusWorks Garden at their outside lot location at 14 N Cedar St. Artists will include John Procario and John Menzie. Trax Coffee at 1 East Main Street showcasing Jennifer Blakeslee and Denise DeVore. The Yard Group Show Gallery will be open all weekend, and is the main destination for all of the performances.

New interactive gallery, Blooming Hearts Studio at 41 Mason Circle, Building 10, Studio #2 from photographer and painter Meghan Spiro will be open. Artist Christie Rose will be at the vintage boutique Another Door at 468 Main Street.

Beacon Open Studios Musical Performances At The Yard

There are several satellite events around this event. ....................................................................................
FRIDAY NIGHT, JUNE 27
LOVE IS AN ACTION: SUNSET DANCE SHOWCASE
The Yard | 4 Hanna Ln, Beacon NY (outside)
Doors at 7:00
Love is an Action 3.0 is the third installment of an ongoing performance series created by choreographer Skyla Schreter. A celebration of raw, real-time collaboration, this one-night-only outdoor event invites audiences into a moment of creative alchemy—where dance and music meet in spontaneous, unscripted exchange.

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SATURDAY, JUNE 28
BOS MUSIC SHOWCASE
The Yard | 4 Hanna Ln, Beacon NY (indoors)
Doors at 6:00 | Drinks will be for sale

THIS YEAR'S MUSICIANS:
Martin D. Fowler
Martin D. Fowler has composed music underscoring Pulitzer Prize-winning radio from This American Life and other number-one Podcasts, composed ad music for clients like MLB, BMW, Coke, and Spotify, co-produced on tracks for Lil Wayne, Princess Nokia, Aja the Kween, and Arthur Lewis (Freestyle Love Supreme), has had work appear on VH1, VICELAND, and many other media outlets.

Odetta Hartman with LETZ
With a heart-stopping voice & wide- ranging instrumental talent,Odetta Hartman carries cowboy soul into an era where country can clash with computers & bluegrass isn’t afraid of bass.

ILLARI
Illari is a project born from transition, rooted in resilience. Created by Peruvian percussionist Angel Lau after a canceled Fulbright dream, Illari is a personal and musical response to the longing for connection—with home, with ancestry, and with community. Drawing from Afro-Peruvian, Brazilian, Congolese, and jazz traditions, the music is danceable, spiritual, and deeply grounded.

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SUNDAY, JUNE 29th
BROADWAY IN BEACON: MUSICAL THEATRE
The Yard | 4 Hanna Ln, Beacon NY
Doors at 6:30 | Drinks will be for sale
After a year of sold out shows, Will Reynolds and Jen Malenke host a night of Broadway magic and mayhem! Prepare to be blown away as Broadway performers and incredible local talent sing your favorite show tunes. There will be surprise guests appearances…direct from Broadway! Plus, a special appearance by Choir Illume, Beacon's new all-gender choir.

Call For Artists: ROLL OUT 2025: Community Print and Steamroll Event

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The 2025 Call For Artists for the annual ROLL OUT community steamroll print event is going on now, with the deadline of June 20th! The event is on October 18, 2025 at The Yard from 12-5pm. Videos have been included in this article for you to experience what this steamroll print event can be all about.

This is the third annual ROLL OUT event, which is open to applications from relief print artists who would like to create a large-scale wood block to print by steamroller, followed by an exhibition and celebration in The Yard Galleries.

ROLL OUT is a community-wide event for ages 4-94 and all skill levels. Selected established artists will print their large-scale block by steamroller in the parking area of The Yard and install in exhibit that evening.

Activity tables for all ages and skills will be set up outside with guided instruction for making a variety of relief prints. Festivities include music, food vendors, and drinks for adults and kids.

ROLL OUT is made possible with support from The Yard, Beacon Arts, Arts Mid-Hudson, and the City of Beacon School District.

This year, the event is being hosted with Fledgling Press, Lauren Adelman, Sergio Alexis, and Carindaswann.

Application and Requirements:

Click here for the Application Link. Any trouble with that, email rolloutbeacon@gmail.com and DM their Instagram.

"Strings For Spring" Led by Violinist / Composer Gwen Laster :: Fundraiser For Beacon Backyard Kitchen

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STRINGS FOR SPRING - Workshop & Performance @ The Yard
Day: Saturday, April 19, 2025
Time: 3pm
Price: $20 Suggested Donation.
Proceeds from this go toward funding food for Beacon’s Backyard Kitchen, which feeds the community in need.
Location: The Yard, 4 Hanna Lane, Beacon, NY 12508
Welcome to STRINGS FOR SPRING - Workshop & Performance! Join us at The Yard for a an afternoon filled with music and fun. Led by Violinist / Composer Gwen Laster, “Creative Strings Improvisers Ensemble LLC”, is a music program that teaches life skills through Improvisation, Global Music repertoire and Original Composition.

Not limited to string players, CSIE is a creative laboratory that helps to unleash the individual artist behind the instrument. In this workshop open to the public, Gwen and her fellow music professionals will guide students through improvisation techniques, methodologies using standard repertoire, with the intention of providing “real-time” musical contexts and shifting environments as creative canvases.

Proceeds from this go toward funding food for Beacon’s Backyard Kitchen, which feeds the community in need.

CSIE is fiscally sponsored by BeaconArts. See you there!
Tickets >

Investor Seraphim Equities Aims to Buy 30% Of All Rentals in Newburgh - Already Faced Pushback For Artwashing And Property "Hoarding" in 2021

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by Arvind Dilawar
Arvind is an independent journalist. His articles, essays and interviews have appeared in The New York Times, Time Magazine, The Daily Beast and elsewhere. Find him online at: adilawar.com

“Seraphim Equities already owns nearly 5% of the city’s rental units.”

The City of Newburgh is only four square miles and, according to the most recent Census data, includes fewer than 7,400 rental units. Seraphim Equities, a Long Island-based private real estate investment firm, owns nearly 300 of those units — almost 5% of the total — per public property records reviewed by A Little Beacon Blog. The purchases are part of Seraphim's strategy to corner the rental market in Newburgh — of which the firm hopes to control at least 30%, as reported by sociologist Richard E. Ocejo in his recent book Sixty Miles Upriver: Gentrification in a Small American City.

Seraphim Equities is a real estate investment firm based in Great Neck, Long Island.

224 Broadway, Newburgh, NY
Photo Credit: Google

Since 2018, Seraphim has purchased properties throughout Newburgh, all under various limited liability corporations similarly named “Newburgh SHG.” Following some of those acquisitions, the firm took legal action against the remaining tenants, such as in 2020 when “Newburgh SHG 15” — the LLC which owns 224 Broadway — filed non-payment proceedings against three different defendants, per public court records reported on more broadly at Chronogram’s The River. In 2021, Seraphim also attempted to organize a festival in Newburgh called Hudson Valley Hype in partnership with Fidelity Management Group, which was cancelled after locals like Celebrate845 criticized it as a ploy to market real estate. (Seraphim failed to respond to multiple requests for comment from A Little Beacon Blog.)

The Mural at 224 Broadway in Newburgh that Seraphim Equities commissioned to artwash displacing residents.
PHoto Credit: Celebrate845

Celebrate845 explained: “The company bought up an astounding amount of property in Newburgh New York when the COVID-19 pandemic hit and states on their website that ‘Newburgh re-emerges with a major revitalization movement fueled by an existing and growing artist community, non-profit organizations, and ambitious yet socially conscious developers, making Newburgh a city worth exploring.’ Seraphim is taking advantage of Newburgh by hoarding housing during a pandemic, flipping properties, and then using the creative community as a means to increase property values, ultimately displacing creatives and other long time residents, many of whom are low income BIPOC.”

For Sixty Miles Upriver, which was published in 2024, Ocejo interviewed Seraphim leadership and employees, who told him of their plans of “owning up to 30% of all rental units,” as he writes in his book. In an interview with A Little Beacon Blog, Ocejo further describes the firm’s operations in Newburgh.

“Seraphim is taking advantage of Newburgh by hoarding housing during a pandemic, flipping properties, and then using the creative community as a means to increase property values, ultimately displacing creatives and other long time residents, many of whom are low income BIPOC.”
— Celebrate845

“Companies like Seraphim manage an investment fund to purchase and rent out a large number of properties or speculate and sell them for profit,” says Ocejo. “The model is based on using investors' investments to acquire properties and generate income from escalating property values and rents.”

By soliciting outside investment and focusing it on markets like Newburgh, which are small and on the upswing, but still relatively depressed, Seraphim is able to gain control of a greater share of rental units and thereby demand higher rental prices. That higher rent compensates both the firm and its investors for their respective investments, and everyone is happy — except, of course, for renters. In Newburgh, where 69% of residents rent and 61% of renters are already cost-burdened, Seraphim cornering the market means renters are likely to see greater financial hardship and displacement, either via eviction or simply being priced out of their homes.

“By soliciting outside investment and focusing it on markets like Newburgh, which are small and on the upswing, but still relatively depressed, Seraphim is able to gain control of a greater share of rental units and thereby demand higher rental prices. That higher rent compensates both the firm and its investors for their respective investments, and everyone is happy — except, of course, for renters.”

Indeed, Seraphim is not shy about its method, which they placed prominently on their website homepage: “Seraphim Equities developed a city feasibility reporting system that algorithmically identifies cities and neighborhoods that are equipped for a holistic rejuvenation movement. Seraphim Equities leverages the expertise of its team to devise compelling business plans that combine real estate speculation and stabilization with capital markets partnerships to successfully develop cash-flowing portfolios of 1-4 family and mixed-use properties for acquisition by private equity firms and institutions.”

“With enough investors, a company like Seraphim can purchase a lot of rental properties in a market and contribute to unaffordable rents and fewer ownership opportunities for smaller actors,” says Ocejo. “When rental housing gets connected to financial markets, and the expectation is a continuous rise in value from rent and property appreciation, low-income people in high-poverty places like Newburgh suffer the most.”

Transgender Day of Remembrance Recognized In Beacon By BeaconLGBTQ

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Wednesday, November 20, 2024 was Transgender Day of Remembrance. One place it was recognized in Beacon was by BeaconLGBTQ at The Yard Beacon. The event featured food, drink and community. The event was designated free, sober, and kid friendly. BeaconLGBTQ described the day as: “Transgender Day of Remembrance: A day dedicated to honoring the memory of transgender individuals whose lives were lost in acts of anti-transgender violence.”

The artwork they used to promote the event was a portrait of Cecilia Gentili by the artist Gabriel García Román who is based in Newburgh. He describes his experience photographing her here. Learn more about Cecilia’s expansive life, community service, and death here.

BeaconLGBTQ listed names on what they called an “official record of community members we have lost this year to anti-trans violence.” However, they emphasized: “Not listed are the countless Trans folks whose lives gone too soon from a million micro-aggressions, trauma and no hope. As well we know that many of our community members are mis-gendered and/or ignored, so the numbers and the names are under reported.” More names and portraits can be found here at www.transremembrance.org

San Coleman
Honee Daniels
Kassim Omar
Redd (also known as Barbie)
Tai Lathan
Vanity Williams
Dylan Gurley
Monique Brooks
Shannon Boswell
Kenji Spurgeon
Pauly Likens
Liara Kaylie Tsai
Tayy Dior Thomas
Jazlynn Johnson
Kita Bee
Andrea Doria Dos Passos
Starr Brown
Nevaeh “River” Goddard
Tee Arnold
Meraxes Medina
Alex Franco
Diamond Cherish Brigman
Reyna Hernandez
África Parrilla García
Sasha Williams
Kitty Monroe

Organizer KkDevina Naimool expanded on more of their thoughts here in their Instagram post.

Beacon Parent Asks For Palestinian Flag To Be Added To Flag Mural In Rombout Middle School Cafeteria

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After a learning-session about the 7th grade Boston trip one night at Rombout Middle School, where Principal Soltish was standing in front of the flag mural on the front wall of the cafeteria, presenting need-to-know facts about the 7th grade Boston trip to prepare parents, this parent/writer was noticing the mural artwork and flags from around the globe, but noticed that there may not have been a Palestinian flag. Or a Yemeni flag, and maybe not a Lebanese flag. Or a Syrian flag

After the meeting, this parent/writer emailed Principal Soltish to inquire if the flags were there, and if they were not there, could they be considered to be added there, since there are Palestinian Americans living in the Beacon community, as well as Yemeni Americans, Lebanese Americans, and Syrian Americans.

However, Principal Soltish did not seem to respond, unless the email went missed somewhere. During this week’s BCSD Long-Range Planning Community Survey, in the question box asking if there was anything else the district could do, this parent/writer asked for them to consider adding the Palestinian, Yemeni, Lebanese, and Syrian flags to the mural wall in Rombout Middle School. If there is such a flag mural in the High School or Elementary Schools, could such an inclusive gesture be considered as well.

On the flag mural wall in the middle school is a quote from Steven Covey that reads:

“Strength Lies In Differences, Not In Similarities.” This quote has been attached to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) work, the framework you can read briefly about here, which adds more considerations.

Perhaps students in the Beacon City School District would start a petition to request this addition be made by the administration.

The Eclipse April 2024 As Viewed In Ohio's 100% Totality and In Beacon, Plus A Poem From Inside The Totality

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The eclipse in 100% Totality in Ohio, during the 3 minutes of total coverage, when all went dark, except for the red glow down below. We could look up at the moon covering the sun 100% at this point.
Photo Credit: Katie Hellmuth

The eclipse of April 2024 as seen from Mount Beacon.
Photo Credit: Meghan Spiro

Drove away to Ohio to experience the eclipse in 100% totality there from a farm. Which turned out to be ideal, as the wide open space allowed for us to see the red glow happening down low above the ground. View that in the video below, which was taken inside of the 3 minutes of total moon coverage, where we could safely look up without eclipse glasses on to stare directly at the moon with the sun glowing around it. We could see one sun flare in the bottom left corner, peeking out from the moon.

Was able to capture the color in an iPhone video, and tried to translate into a poem below (it’s still rough…but for timing…has been published).

The Beacon-based photographer Meghan Spiro captured the eclipse color in Beacon from a side of Mount Beacon. Her spit-screen photo is shown here.

Eclipse Poem

Total Totality

From inside the eclipse
In Total Totality
The 3 minutes of total moon coverage began.
The dome came over us.
A silver dome of protection
Shooting out of the dark light.
Touching the grass
The weightless silver holding.
Shadows gone.
Like we were all dead,
Our lives held in dark white light,
Our passions pouring into the dark depth above us.
Where are we?

“Mommy! Take a picture of the sunset! Take a picture of the sunset and send it to me!”

Sunset?
But the sun is above us.
But the sun is black.
But the set is aligned with us.
We are surrounded by a lasso of red glow.
The sun has stretched around us.
The moon has spilled over us.
Pouring out the silver light,
The dark air curling around our bones
Clutching our skin.

The crows climb the wind.
Is there wind?
All is still.

The light slipped into gray.
The ground turned silver, a mirror of the sky
The shadows inking black.
Silver all around us.

“Look up!! You can look up!!!”

White light
Shooting out of the smooth circle of the black depth.
Sends the weightless dome of protection.
Protection from what?
Protection inside.

The Howland Public Library Presents: In Eclipse - Opening April 13, 2024

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Art and astronomy come together in the upcoming exhibit, In Eclipse,  at the Howland Public Library, opening on April 13th. The group show features the works of over 20 local artists inspired by the April total solar eclipse. This eclectic showcase offers a glimpse into different interpretations through drawings, paintings, and photography. From illustrations of the celestial event to metaphorical interpretations, each piece reflects the multifaceted meanings of the word eclipse.

Join the library for the opening reception on Saturday, April 13th from 5-7 PM,  featuring a special reading by writer Donna Minkowitz, as we celebrate the artistry of the eclipse in all its forms. In Eclipse will be on view until May 4th. 

Chalk Art For "Free Palestine" Message Gets Splattered With Possibly Permanent Paint - And A Reminder As To "Welcoming City" Meaning

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“Free Palestine” message created by the artist Ryan Manzi, in addition to signs for Beacon, a shamrock for St. Paddy’s Day, and Scooby Do.

The irony of the permanent desecration of the brick building in order to cover up a temporary message of freedom with a layer of a bright blob of permanence is one for poets to ponder.

It is a wonder if the City of Beacon will pursue the graffiti blob maker (graffiti blobs are not art or expressions), or if they will instead pursue the chalk artists, who they are already in hot pursuit of on a regular basis, and have arrested in the past for making chalk art. An arrest that failed, since chalk is temporary, says one of the arrested artists and Beacon resident Ryan Manzi.

This article includes a video interview with Ryan as he pops up to chalk another message of freedom and justice just down the brick from the tagging signed in paint drips. Be sure to scroll down to watch/listen.

Forensic Discovery Of The Paint Over The Chalk

Ryan and his friend Steve first started chalking Beacon last Spirit of Beacon Day. His goal was to chalk spirit all over town. His work has been seen on the sidewalk outside of Towne Crier, outside of the Beacon Car Wash and the Beacon Fade and Shave, and on the big green construction fence/wall at the development site on Main Street that went bankrupt and has been standing still. That chalk space has since been covered up by another artist, in paint however, which may have come with permission, which was done for Beacon Bonfire, without a nod given to Ryan’s original chalk art that started there.

The paint covering the pro-Palestinian CHalk.
Photo Credit: Katie James Inc.

Ryan latest chalk art piece is on the building that used to be Pizza and Stuff, and is the back of Sun River Health. He chalked out FREE PALESTINE with the Palestinian flag. When this happened, ALBB was sent the photo by several people, all of whom were excited to see such expression.

Just days later, the chalk art was covered up by what seems to be splattered paint, maybe from a spray can, or a brush. Said Ryan to ALBB: “I know my chalk, and that's somebody deliberately covering it up.”

The person covering up the chalk used a paint-like substance, than ran down the building in drips. “It's literally spray paint. The running streaks are spray paint. In other words, LITERAL graffiti.” Recently, Ryan and his painting partner Steve have been arrested for their chalk art. Ryan says a call was made by someone who saw them chalking. Ultimately, charges were lifted because chalk is temporary. Ryan’s preferred brand of chalk is Crayola from local boutique Zakka Joy.

THe shamrock, left untouched by the Free Palestine cover-upper. The rain has already begun to wash away the chalk naturally.

Upon the discovery of his chalk work being covered in paint, Ryan took to being a forensic artist to figure out what happened. Ryan pointed out the drips. Another paint stroke on a brick looked like a deliberate stroke, versus spray paint. Additionally, he noted, his other chalk art of a shamrock, Scooby Do, or the words BEACON were not covered up or deleted by the paint.

“It shows clear and deliberate hatred and bigotry,” Ryan told ALBB. It is not known if Beacon Police will pursue the permanent paint thrower, or only focus on the chalk artist because he is always out on Main Street and is recognizable by most people who live here. Ryan is easy pray for the Beacon Police to come and get.

April Article from the Poughkeepsie Journal

As Ryan popped up to chalk a new message, a person walking by said “I like it,” and another said “Looks awesome!” Some Beacon elementary school kids walking by raised their fists in solidarity.

A white man also approached, eager to take a picture. ALBB wasn’t sure if he was taking a picture for evidence against the chalk art, as he mentioned not liking trash on the ground, saying nothing about Palestinians, but he stood by nonetheless to chat while Ryan finished his work. A Black man approached next, fist bumping Ryan, the two of whom later discussed Ryan’s latest nail polish.

In the video interview with Ryan, he mentions a Poughkeepsie Journal article, which reported on the time in 2017 when Beacon signed a resolution declaring itself a “Welcoming, Safe and Inclusive City.” Ryan had this to say, in 2024, about where the City is now: “Please remind them of their own doings, and then tell me where it doesn't add up, because its nothing new, thanks 🫶🏽💯”

Revisiting The “Welcoming, Safe and Inclusive City” That Beacon Resolved Itself To Be in April 2017

Ryan is not the only one who recalls Beacon’s resolution during the time of Trump’s Muslim Travel Ban, where Beacon and other cities sought to send signals to the federal government and all community members that it did not discriminate based on race or religion.

Palestinian Beacon business owner Kamel Jamal also mentioned this passage during his speech at City Council Meeting in 2024, urging City Council to pass a Ceasefire Resolution, demanding an end to the death and destruction going on in Palestine at the hands of Israel, with aid and support by the United States Government, and several of its local leaders at the state and municipal levels.

This time, in response, Mayor Kyriacou has been trying to “correct” the 2017 recollections of Beacon citizens. During the 2024 night of the passage of the ceasefire resolution by the mostly reluctant City Council Meeting (where Paloma Wake was the lone Councilmember steadily urging that the issue get recognized and pass), Mayor Lee “reminded” the community that he wrote the “Welcoming, Safe and Inclusive City” resolution, and stressed that its purpose was for police directive.

The city was divided then, and remains so. The Poughkeepsie Journal article that Ryan referenced captured the essence of the time. The article quotes below reflect the time, but read the full article here:

Published on April 4, 2017:
“In the City of Beacon, city officials and employees cannot interrogate or arrest someone based on their citizenship status, and will not help enforce federal immigration law.

“Those provisions are among several aspects of a resolution declaring Beacon a “welcome, safe and inclusive city” and designed to help individuals living in the U.S. without legal permission. But while the resolution was passed by the city council by a unanimous vote, the language used in the resolution was meticulously debated, and it proved divisive among area residents who attended Monday's meeting.

“Of 23 residents who spoke during two public comment sessions, 13 supported the resolution and 10 opposed it. Many in attendance wore red or blue to signify their stance on the issue.”

The article continued, describing the resistance to the wording and relevance of the resolution. Relevance is something Mayor Lee Kyriacou continues to push for today, in order to avoid discussion of these sorts of things, which center around racism, Islamaracism and bigotry. He mentioned wanting relevance again during last evening’s City Council Meeting, when he was discussing proper forum and decorum at City Council Meetings and topics taken up.

Back to the 2017 article. It further highlighted an effort by then City Councilmember, Ali T. Muhammad, who is currently participating in protests and ceasefire resolution pushes as a citizen, to include the word “sanctuary,” but received pushback by other councilmembers. As background, the term “sanctuary city” was punished by Trump when he put federal restrictions on funding for such cities:

“While not in name, the resolution offers many of the same protections as designated sanctuary cities. The resolution itself makes no reference to the term ‘sanctuary city,’ and a motion by Ali Muhammad, 4th ward council member, to add the term to the resolution name failed, 4-2.

"Peggy Ross, 1st ward council member, argued that the term ‘sanctuary city’ implied that Beacon would provide food or shelter in some way, which the resolution does not call for. Muhammad, however, said that choosing not to use the term "whitewashed" the resolution.

"Opponents challenged that the resolution was not a matter for the city council.

"‘What sort of benefit does this resolution have to protect our citizens or our police officers?’ asked Joe Galbo, of Beacon."

A Reminder Of The Legal Implications Of Beacon’s 2017 Welcoming, Inclusive and Safe City Resolution:

As reported in the Poughkeepsie Journal: "Under the resolution, city officials and employees cannot ‘stop, question, interrogate, investigate or arrest’ someone based on their immigration or citizenship status or a civil immigration warrant, administrative warrant or an immigration detainer.

"Officials and employees cannot inquire about an individual's immigration or citizenship status unless necessary to investigate a criminal activity by that individual, nor can they engage in the enforcement of federal immigration law, the resolution said."

50 Beacon Jewish Voters and Kids Dedicate Hanukka’s 8th Night To Demand Call For Ceasefire From Pat Ryan

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The weeks after October 7, 2023 have been confusing and ever-changing. The feelings of which remain daily. Locally in Beacon, everyone wanted to protect their neighbor - Jewish, Muslim - Arab - to ensure their safety. Protests started in the name of Palestine, led by some Jewish and Palestinian community leaders, like this one in October outside of Congressman Pat Ryan’s office, and this one after the Thanksgiving “ceasefire pause,” also outside of Pat Ryan’s office. The Congressman has yet to call for a ceasefire or give any acknowledgement of the indiscriminate killing of Palestinians, and targeted of others (like journalists).

In response to Pat Ryan’s silence, more Beaconites in the Jewish community began to mobilize, resulting in a ceasefire lighting of the menorah on the 8th and final night of Hanukkah outside of Pat Ryan’s office in Newburgh Thursday evening.

At first, an artsy Ceasefire Menorah sign emerged on social media. The adhesive bling and glitter tape placed at odd angles indicated this was a sign made by children in sincerity, trying to stop the bombing. This is classic Beacon style, for those who were in Beacon during the days of the bicycle sculpture menorah.

Said one participant about the genesis of the organizing: “A local group of Beacon Jews are upset by what is happening in Gaza, and want Pat Ryan to act to stop it.”

Kids from Beacon, Cold Spring and possibly elsewhere wrote on cards their reasons for why they were there and wanted the bombing to stop. Said one Beacon kid: “I support ceasefire because too many people have died.” Said one kid from Cold Spring: “I support ceasefire because what is happening is horrible.”

Said a voter from Beacon: “I support ceasefire because my Jewish values demand it!”

The cards were taped to Pat Ryan’s office window. Cards have been taped to his windows after other protests. Removing them and having them reappear must feel like the scene in Harry Potter when the owls keep delivering the message, despite the messages getting thrown away.

The artist Mimi Fortunato, who describes herself as an artist/educator disrupting systemic racism that perpetuates educational, environmental, economic inequities, painted a cape that she wore to the evening.