Spirit Of Beacon Day On Sunday; The Retail Therapy Guide - 9/25/2020
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New "Learn To Podcast" Program For Youth Via Library With Brandon Lillard
/A new podcast program for kids Grade 7 and up is available through the The Howland Public Library through a new youth mentorship program partnership with Brandon Lillard from I Am Beacon. Brandon is a podcaster of such podcasts which include Not Up For Debate, Steady Geakin’, and ALBB’s own Wait, What Is That?
The program is a 6 week online podcast workshop that will meet in a weekly cooperative learning workshop. Participants will learn by doing. Students will learn what it takes to produce their own podcast from start to finish, from writing scripts and conducting interviews to adding music and editing. This free workshop will take place via Zoom on 6pm Tuesdays, October 20th - November 24th from 6-7pm. An online information session will be held on Tuesday October 6th at 6pm.
The Youth Podcast Program is a mentorship program that will provide youth and adolescents the opportunity to engage in an in-depth exploration of topics relevant to the challenges that they are facing and create and share their work with an audience as they learn about communicating through electronic media.
During the Youth Podcast Program, youth and adolescents will research and write about current events and issues affecting their lives, develop real-life/ job related skills, improve their literacy skills, learn to work collaboratively in small groups online and use current technology software to create a podcast.
Young people in grades 7 and up interested in participating can attend an online information session on Tuesday, October 6th, at 6pm via zoom. Class size is limited and registration is required. Priority registration given to students living in the Beacon City School District. To register and receive the Zoom invitation email Michelle at community@beaconlibrary.org.
Second Beacon Board Of Education Member Resigns - James Case-Leal - Citing Desire For Persons Of Color To Fill The 2 Seats
/On September 22, 2020, Beacon Board of Education Member James Case-Leal resigned from the Board of Education, stating that he wished to contribute his seat to give an opportunity to a person of color to fill it.
James was the most outspoken board member in favor of the Black Lives Matter movement, with his participation in the Marches that happened down Main Street over the summer, culminating in story-hour sessions in which many people participated. Read A Little Beacon Blog’s interview with him here after the Back the Beacon PD rally.
In his letter of resignation, which is republished in full below, James stated: “It is with great optimism that I am resigning my seat on the Beacon Board of Education in order to open an additional space for John Galloway Jr. and Jasmine Johnson, two well-qualified candidates of color, to both be appointed.” He went on to say: “In this moment we must strongly acknowledge that the voices missing in our leadership are voices from the communities most affected by these inequities.”
This makes 2 seats open on the Board of Education, who will decide how they want to proceed with filling the seats, said Board President, Meredith Heur. “Our board started the process for the appointment of one board member, so we will have to regroup and come to a consensus on how we want to move forward. Our choices for this remain the same:
Leave the seat open until the next election,
Go through an appointment process to fill the seat,
Hold a special election to fill the seat
Ask the BOCES superintendent to appoint for us.”
Meredith stated that the BOCES Superintendent option is almost never used but is by law an option, and that holding a special election does involve a cost. She also said that the board was not given advance notice of James’ resignation.
James Case-Leal’s Letter of Resignation
Dear Beacon City School District community stakeholders,
It is with great optimism that I am resigning my seat on the Beacon Board of Education in order to open an additional space for John Galloway Jr. and Jasmine Johnson, two well-qualified candidates of color, to both be appointed.
I make this decision with the best interests of Beacon schools at heart. I carry the hope that this will alleviate a difficult decision for the board and help our district heal from a history of lost trust in order to move forward with broader representation from the diverse communities within the City of Beacon.
It is a reality that the Covid19 crisis has exacerbated existing fissures of inequity, creating compound crises around racial justice, economic justice, and disability rights. I have deep admiration for our faculty on the front line as well as our administrators who I have witnessed laboring tirelessly to reinvent a new model of education.
During my time on the BoE, the Beacon School District has made bold steps to correct historical inequities that plague so many districts in our country. We spent countless hours modernizing our Code of Conduct, instituting restorative practices, and reviewing nearly every district policy through an equity framework. We have pioneered a robust program of equity training for our faculty. We are engaging in an overhaul of our curriculum and developing programs to elevate the cultural diversity in our student body. And we’ve maintained a culture of care, removing gender and racial bias from our dress code as well as strengthening the prohibition of hate speech and symbols of hate in our schools.
Though we celebrate these accomplishments, we recognize that there is still so much work to do, work that can not be completed without all communities owning seats at the table.
While we have made great progress in recent years, our most recently published assessment reveals that non- white students are five times as likely to be suspended, half as likely to be enrolled in honors or advanced courses, and 20% less likely to graduate compared to our students who identify as white. In this moment we must strongly acknowledge that the voices missing in our leadership are voices from the communities most affected by these inequities.
After meeting the candidates, it is obvious that we must take this opportunity to diversify the perspectives represented on the Board of Education. John and Jasmine are both excellent candidates, with roots in Beacon schools, and are deeply connected to different aspects of Beacon’s diverse community.
It has been an honor to serve our district to help support our educators provide the greatest possible education for all our students. I believe at this moment the best way to lead is to step aside.
I want thank our school community, PTOs, the voters who elected me, the members of the Board of Education who have taught me so much in our time together, and I want to thank the young local leaders who have shown us all how to live with faith and optimism that we can come together to create the world we want to see.
With love and optimism,
James Case-Leal
Interview With James Case-Leal
James has been an organizer in Beacon for some time for various issues, including gun violence. He has worked closely with the most frequent organizers of the Marches, Beacon4Black Lives (B4BL), in various forms, including their Defund Campaign by providing research from ImagineSafety.com. James was the organizer of the sign making project called “100 Signs of Solidarity” that was highlighted in last B4BL rally on Labor Day at Memorial Park called 'Art in the Park'. Some of those signs have been placed throughout Beacon. He also worked closely with the group on the design of their new website.
ALBB: How did you feel about the Board of Education’s letter statement at the beginning of this racial revolution a few months ago?
I wrote it and personally believe every word of it.
ALBB: Have they done anything since issuing that letter? If so, what?
The schools have been consumed with the transition to hybrid and remote schooling due to the Covid19 crisis. The only progress in regards to equity during that period that I can recall is that the BoE banned the confederate flag.
[Editor’s Note: In an interview with A Little Beacon Blog, Beacon Superintendent Dr. Landahl identified moves the district had taken with regard to directives he issued. Read them here.]
ALBB: Were you asked directly to resign by any people outside of the BOE?
Not at all.
ALBB: Were you thinking of resigning prior to this?
The thought did cross my mind when I first realized there were two candidates who could diversify the board, but it was a decision that culminated after hearing many people in the community rally around wanting to diversify the board when talking to them in person (when installing signs), when we received numerous emails sent to the board (emails matter!), and most recently in heated social media discussions. I've heard some peole advocating for John, some for Jasmine, some for both. The members of the board have often talked about wanting more diverse input and recognizing the barriers to running and serving. Once I made the decision, it seemed like the obvious right choice.
ALBB: You have been very active with the racial revolution here in Beacon. Why do you think that the removal of your voice and vote at the table will keep the place of your views?
I'm trying to focus on the opportunity to bring new voices. Lots of people have great ideas! The advantage of having such a large 9 person board is that there is an abundance of expertise in various areas. I believe the experience of both John and Jasmine are the kinds of experience no one on the board currently has including myself.
ALBB: Can you tell us more about Jasmine Johnson? We are familiar with John Galloway Jr. when he spoke at two open mic events after Marches (to be published on A Little Beacon Blog). Who is Jasmine, and why do you feel she is a fit?
I encourage you to watch the last board meeting where John and Jasmine both spoke about their candidacy. I haven’t had the chance to speak to Jasmine outside of that meeting, but I have spoken to people who know her who I respect who have relayed that she is intelligent, thoughtful, and very invested in making our schools better for all of our children. I believe her experiences in our schools will be a valuable resource.
Her child attends a predominantly Black learning community called New Covenant School. I am always interested in having a better understanding why parents choose local private schools. In her case, I heard her speak about having negative experiences in our schools. I want to be careful about making assumptions, but when I connect the stories of discrimination that I have heard from many of our students of color, I could understand why a parent would choose a school that feels safer.
ALBB: Why do you feel John Galloway Jr. is a fit?
I only met John recently, but have been very impressed with his passion, clarity of vision, and commitment to serving in his community. He brings an experience that does not exist on the board, he has spent time attending Beacon Schools, and he has deep roots in communities unrepresented on the BoE. He has a drive that I admire. I think he would a valuable contribution to the discussions happening in our schools.
About The Other Candidates For The Board Of Education
Two other candidates were being considered for one seat before James resigned: Barbara Fisher and Travis Fisher, who are married. School board beat reporter Jeff Simms reported on the candidates for the Highlands Current, and you should read his write-up here for more details on all candidates.
Barbara Fisher: Barb is the owner of Barb’s Butchery in Beacon, and a former math teacher. “I’ve watched this community pull together since March in ways that I would bet people wouldn’t have considered possible,” Barb told the Highlands Current. After she spent years building a solid staff for her butchery, she said: ”I found myself drawn to the school board as a way to interject myself.”
With a solid staff of employees at the butchery, Fischer said, “I actually have time to sit back and ask myself, ‘What else can I participate in?’ and this got me excited.”
Travis Fisher: Travis builds mathematical models for Barclays Bank and has been following the BOE since 2015. He told the Highlands Current that he thinks that the district has improved, but “there’s still some things flashing a bit of a warning sign, particularly that Black students are not getting the same level of progress as white students. I worry that there is something the district should still be doing to improve that.”
John Galloway Jr.: John is a 2015 Beacon High School graduate, and founder of the Label Foundation, a youth development nonprofit. He told the Highlands Current that he would “bring community involvement…You have to connect with the community. You have to connect with parents. You can’t go making decisions for the entire district without consulting the community,” he said. “I see myself being that bridge.” John feels that students need to see more of themselves on the board: “There’s people like me who want to get involved but they don’t have the confidence, because they think you guys do not care.”
Jasmine Johnson: Jasmine graduated from Beacon High School in 2006 and worked last year as a teacher’s assistant at Hudson Hills Academy, a private Montessori school located in Beacon. Connecting private schools and public schools to work togeter and be less isolated from each other is one of her main goals. Additionally, she is committed to “fighting cyberbullying and promoting health and wellness, as well as trying to better connect the private and public schools in the city, ‘so they all can know each other and operate on the same level,’” as reported by the Highlands Current. Jasmine was impacted by a personal experience in school, where she said she was “‘nudged’ by a teacher from Advanced Placement into a lower level math course while at Beacon High School, which has led her to seek ‘compassion-led teaching’ for her daughter,” the Highlands Current reported.
Beacon Board Of Education + Superintendent Landahl Issued Letter In Support Of Black Lives In June With A Lone Vote Against It - Action Taken Since Then
/During the beginning of the nation-wide and local protests in Beacon and the Hudson Valley of Black, white and people of color Marching for Black lives to matter, the Beacon Board of Education (BOE) voted on and issued a statement in support of the Black Lives Matter movement at a June 17, 2020 meeting.
Of the 9 Board members, one person voted against it: then Board President Anthony White, as first reported by Jeff Simms at the Highlands Current. At that meeting, Anthony stated: “that while he recognizes the district has work to do, he felt ‘the statement does not acknowledge the work that the district has already engaged in to address inequities,’” according to the article.
At the BOE’s July 1st re-organizational meeting, Anthony stepped aside as the President, a position he won re-election for a month prior. Former Vice President Meredith Heur was elected President, and Elissa Betterbid, a board member since 2018, was elected to succeed Meredith. Also at that meeting, Board member Michael Rutkoske resigned.
The Board Of Education’s Letter In Support Of Black Lives
The letter has been republished in full here for easy reading. Also find it here for original link. Signed by an 8-1 majority vote, the letter was authored by Board member James Case-Leal, who resigned this week “in order to open an additional space for John Galloway Jr. and Jasmine Johnson, two well-qualified candidates of color, to both be appointed,” according to his resignation letter.
June 17, 2020
Dear Beacon City School District Community:
The BCSD Board of Education adopted this statement at this evening's meeting.
We the Board of Education for the Beacon City School District are deeply moved by the protests and major shifts in the national conversation around race and racism in our public institutions in the wake of the police killing of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and all other victims of institutional violence and discrimination.
We want to take this moment to reiterate our collective commitment to equity in our schools while also recognizing that we still have much to learn and change in order to fully address racism in our own institutions. We recognize that our schools have not always succeeded at this and apologize to those we have failed to serve.
We thank the many members of our community for their work helping to push this to the forefront of our attention. It is an emergency that we plan to address with the utmost urgency
We are scheduling a workshop on June 22 to discuss these issues and develop strategies in the near and long term to ensure that our schools live up to the promise of providing an exemplary education to ALL students. We welcome any input from our communities about how we can best accomplish this goal.
We stand in solidarity. Black Lives Matter.
Beacon’s Superintendent Matthew Landahl’s Response
After the meeting, Beacon’s Superintendent Matthew Landahl issued a statement to the Beacon community via his blog. This email was issued during the summer graduation of Beacon’s 2020 senrior class, and early days of how the district would reopen (has since reopened, and is one of the only districts to attempt the Hybrid in-person learning model).
The full letter from Dr. Landahl is below:
Dear Beacon City School District Community:
I wanted to take a moment to share a summary of my comments at the Board of Education meeting last night.
We Americans have all been witness again to the horror of racism in this country and its deadly impact on Black Americans. As the Superintendent of the Beacon City School District, I will work to put every ounce of my leadership efforts to fulfill the Board of Education’s goal to eliminate race, ethnicity, class, gender, sexuality, and disability as a predictor of student success and to create a stronger Culture of Care for all of our students.
This is hard, tough work and actions are more important than words. There is much work to be done in our community, our country, and our school district to achieve these goals. I especially have much work to do as a leader.
Yesterday morning, I stood on the BHS athletic field and watched and clapped for many of our seniors as they walked across the stage. It was a profound moment because it was amazing to see their families celebrate their achievement but it also brought home to me once again how much we miss being with all of our students, especially now during such a challenging time in our country.
Our first action is to work to reopen our schools when it can be done in a safe and healthy manner. The reopening work needs to focus on the health of our students and staff but also needs to focus on establishing an even stronger Culture of Care for our students and community, so we can all feel welcomed, included, empowered, and engaged. I look forward to future conversations and actions and to work with the community on making us all stronger.
Matt Landahl
When the Board of Education’s letter was adopted, Dr. Landahl issued a list of “restorative practices” that the district could do, according to reporting by Jeff Simms of the Highlands Current.
Working with the Mediation Center of Dutchess County to create either socially distanced or virtual “talking circles” for students and possibly parents to discuss race and other issues.
Adding students to the Equity Leadership Teams at district schools.
Issuing an equity report card by July 31 with statistics on the demographics of students, administration and staff.
Adjusting curriculum to make it “more affirming” and “more reflective of diversity” and social-justice issues.
This week, A Little Beacon Blog reached out to Dr. Landahl for comment about what has been done since declaring those directives, as well as to curriculum with Thanksgiving approaching. His full response is below:
“We worked with Dutchess Mediation, teachers, administrators, and groups of students from BHS and Rombout in a talking circle format this summer. They developed a plan to continue talking circle format this school year with more students and staff to discuss COVID-19, racial injustice, and finding more ways to be heard and involved in school. This work will be ongoing and continue throughout the school year. Dutchess Mediation also provides us with support and training in implementing restorative practices in our secondary schools as well and that will continue this year as well. In addition to this, we had an additional group of 25 elementary teachers from Beacon get trained in the Responsive Classroom model this year which helps teachers develop strategies on community and relationship building in the classroom.
”Working with Dutchess BOCES, we are working with Dr. Jevon Hunter from SUNY Buffalo to focus on curriculum development. He will work with ELA and social studies teachers at Rombout and Beacon High School to create a more diverse curriculum and to create projects that focus on social justice issues. He will also work with teachers to audit the overall curriculum later in the school year.
”We hit a technical snag with our equity report card this summer and we hope to have it up on the website very soon in the next week or two.
”Our school equity leadership teams will be incorporating some student representatives as they begin their work this year.”
Beacon Board Of Education Member, Michael Rutkoske, Resigned In July 2020
/On May 21, 2019, one of Beacon’s newest Board of Education members, Michael Rutkoske, ran unopposed for a second term, along with Meredith Heuer and Antony Tseng, who were also elected for the first time when Michael was. On July 1, 2020, Michael Rutkoske announced he would resign during a Board of Education meeting, citing work and other commitments, as first reported by Jeff Simms of the Highlands Current. By this time, the racial revolution started nation-wide, and was active in Beacon, with many young people, including recent Beacon alums, speaking out at open mic sessions after protest Marches in Beacon.
Michael Rutkoske was part of a new wave of Board of Education members for the Beacon City School District in 2016, which was a tumultuous year for the Beacon City School District (BCSD). During a decade where the turnover rate of Beacon’s Superintendent was almost yearly, at one point paying $398,000 to buy out contracts of Superintendents who did not stay in the position longer than one year (Poughkeepsie Journal, via FOIA request) parents in Beacon’s school district formed a strong push to remove the then Superintendent, Barbera Walkley, from her position. A petition (read in full here) was filed to New York State Education Department by attorney Melissa Rutkoske, wife of Michael, asking for Barbara’s removal, and the removal of the district’s attorney, Michael Lambert.
After dramatic Board of Education meetings and the submission and scrutiny of personal emails between Barbara Walkley and then Teacher Union President Kim Pilla (formerly married name Atwell), Barbara Walkley did resign, and later with Kim filed a defamation lawsuit against Kim’s ex-husband and teacher Robert Atwell, who allegedly supplied personal emails which were used by Michael’s wife Melissa in the filing of the petition.
At the same Board of Education meeting where Michael announced his resignation, the Board needed to elect a new president - Meredith Hauer - who formerly served as the Vice President. The Board’s former long-time president, Anthony White, had stepped aside a month after winning re-election. Anthony had been the only board member to vote against adopting a statement in support of the Black Lives Matter movement, written on June 17, 2020 and sent to district families. The board voted 8-1 in favor of the letter, which was written by Board member James Case-Leal, who has this week submitted his notice of resignation “in order to open an additional space for John Galloway Jr. and Jasmine Johnson, two well-qualified candidates of color, to both be appointed,” according to his resignation letter submitted September 22, 2020.
Michael Rutkoske is the Senior Manager Capital Asset Program and Project Controls at Entergy Services Inc. for a fleet of 8 nuclear generating stations. According to his LinkedIn page, he is responsible for the development and implementation of the fleet capital portfolio utilizing a risk informed project prioritization methodology including development of strategies to address emergent and shifting project priorities.
To apply for a vacant seat on the Board of Education, download an applications from the District Office and on the district website. Forward applications to the Board of Education by email to bcsdboe@beaconk12.org or by paper application to Kelly Pologe, District Clerk, at 10 Education Drive. Click here for more information.
Remastered Virtual Hudson River Revival Music Festival to be Restreamed October 4th
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The Great Hudson River Revival (AKA Clearwater Festival), the world’s oldest and largest music and environmental festival, went virtual this year on June 20th due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Due to popular demand, Clearwater will stream a remastered version of the all-day event on Sunday, October 4th from 11am-11pm at ClearwaterFestival.org. The remastered Revival will include a day full of music and activism, as well as a beautiful American Sign Language interpretation throughout. This is a free virtual event however, donations are greatly appreciated at ClearwaterFestival.org.
This Year’s Performers
The event will feature musical performers, storytellers, and activists, including: Tom Chapin, David Amram, John McCutcheon, Jay Ungar and Molly Mason, Peter Yarrow, John McEuen, Noel Paul Stookey, Tom Paxton, Emma’s Revolution, Guy Davis, Tommy Sands, Reggie Harris, The Mammals, The Chapin Sisters, Lyn Hardy, Arm of the Sea Theater, Abbie Gardner, Breakneck Ridge Revue, R.J. Storm, Magpie, The Rix, The Vanaver Caravan, Betty and the Baby Boomers, Kyle Tigges, Mel and Vinnie and more.
Going Virtual
Bringing Revival into the virtual world has allowed Clearwater to reach new audiences globally, and also include folks who’ve not been able to attend the festival in person due to health, geographic, or financial restrictions. The online fundraising event raised over $50,000 for Clearwater when it originally streamed in June earlier this year.
Tom Chapin, one of the event’s organizers and a musician participating in Virtual Revival, said, “Happiness, for me, is performing at the Clearwater Revival and, for the first time, being able to actually watch all the other great artists play. Tune in and join us. Support the group that built the sloop that saved the Hudson River.”
This event is part of a larger initiative to transition Clearwater’s educational and environmental programming online in order to continue its important Hudson River education and environmental work during a time when gathering in person is unsafe.
Virtual Revival will be live-streamed on October 4th from 11am-11pm. The online chat that accompanied the live feed became a place for new and old Revival attendees to connect with each other. Clearwater hopes that many people will join in again on the live commentary.
Virtual Revival T-shirts are available for purchase here.
"Clearwater's work has always involved inspiring people to fall in love with the Hudson River and take action to protect it. Even now amidst the pandemic, that work continues," said Erik Fyfe, Clearwater's Education Director. "Despite the distance, we've been excited to be able to bring people to the river through virtual sails and interactive online programs, and the response so far has been terrific."
About Hudson River Sloop Clearwater
Launched in 1969 by legendary folk singer and activist Pete Seeger, Hudson River Sloop Clearwater has been at the forefront of the environmental movement as champions of the Hudson River. To date, more than half a million people have experienced their first real look at an estuary’s ecosystem aboard the sloop Clearwater. Clearwater has become the grassroots model for producing positive changes to protect our planet. For more information, visit www.clearwater.org.
Uptick In COVID-19 Cases In Beacon Connected To Assisted Living Facility In Beacon, City Says
/On Monday evening, during the weekly City Council Meeting for 9/21/2020, City Manager Anthony Ruggiero provided detail for the recent uptick in COVID-19 cases in Beacon during his regular report session (see hour/minute 1:06:00). He explained that the positive cases were connected an assisted living facility located in Beacon. “We had received a number of emails after a News12 report,” Anthony remarked.
That facility, as reported by News12, is Hedgewood Assisted Living Program, located at 355 Fishkill Avenue. Anthony stated that this increase right now is isolated in the one facility, and that State and County Health Departments have been monitoring, and both have been to the facility, where the staff and residents are tested weekly.
According to News12’s report: “A spokesman with the assisted living facility tells News 12, ‘Each of our nearly 200 residents is observed carefully. This facility - subject to 24-hour a day, seven-day a week unannounced inspections, strictly adheres to all NYS Department of Health guidelines.’ The person did not go into detail on the breakdown of cases among residents and employees, or even the severity of symptoms.”
Dutchess County Executive Marcus Molinaro confirmed to News12 that there is likely to be an increase in case number based on this cluster, telling the news outlet: “It is likely going to result in more cases, with severity because of the age of the individuals and sadly, we’ve already seen 1 individual succumb to the disease. We have to engage in that social distancing. We are encouraging people, ya know, we cannot have theses large gatherings. And continue to wear a mask please.”
At the time of this announcement on Monday, there were 27 cases on the Dashboard, "with about 13 that are related to this facility, with sadly, 1 death,” said Anthony. Always a man of dates and schedules, Anthony reflected on the speed of the spread, when he remarked: “This was fast moving. There were 0 cases about 2 weeks ago. Week of September 14th, there was a severe spike of 8 or 9, and then the last week, 13.” Anthony stated he was in regular contact with the Commissioner, and that Beacon’s first responders had been made aware of the situation.
Wednesday night, after another increase to 45 active cases in Beacon, Mayor Lee Kyriacou made an announcement via robo call, which is also texted and emailed to those who opted in. “To be clear, the large increase is from a single residential facility – not from Main Street businesses, or not from children returning to schools.”
Mayor Kyriacou went on to encourage citizens to practice personal safety: “Beacon is doing exceptionally well. We have carefully opened up much of our city activity, while keeping our COVID numbers way down – that is remarkable. Our job as individual members of this community remains unchanged: Each of us must continue to do our part – social distancing and face coverings in public, quarantining if required, being respectful to all. Everyone’s vigilance is essential to keeping us all safe.”
Click here to visit Dutchess County’s Dashboard, which lists Beacon’s active case numbers. To see how many new cases were recorded in Dutchess County for the day, click here for New York State’s Dashboard, and click on the text link for Dutchess County, and then the highlighted shape of the county.
Big Brand Digital Producer Opens In Beacon - Lauren Johnson Of The Hyacinth Group Highlighted From ALBB's Black Owned Business Directory
/Lauren Johnson, who lives in Beacon, is a big deal in the digital space, where she has produced social media and branding campaigns for major fashion brands including Victoria’s Secret and Steve Madden, as well as other big name companies. She first came onto A Little Beacon Blog’s radar when we were developing our Black Owned Businesses category for our Business Directory, and needed to commission a logo designer for it.
We wanted to work with a designer of color, as they would know the entrepreneurial world intimately for Black and Brown people and people of color. Lauren was the first to answer the call, and matched the assignment with her Creative Director, Perry G. Crosson.
“ As of March 2020, African American women make up just 3% of computing-related jobs. Tired of trying to make it in the 3%, I choose to start my own digital company.”
Right around this time, Lauren was hosting a launch party for her breakout digital agency, The Hyacinth Group, which is her own digital agency, after she hung her own shingle after working in the corporate world.
The Hyacinth Group celebrates its 1-year anniversary this month on September 27, 2020, and we are celebrating that with Lauren by also highlighting her on National American Business Woman Day.
Lauren Johnson, Founder of The Hyacinth Group
Photo Credit: The Hyacinth Group
Interview With Lauren Johnson, Founder Of The Hyacinth Group
In this interview, we get to know Lauren, what makes her tick, and what a few of her favorite projects are.
ALBB: Lauren: Thank you for giving us your time today. When we started the Black Owned Business category of our Business Directory, right away, we learned that Black is a label in America and can refer to many different types of people from different countries and family combinations. So before we dive in, how do you identify yourself?
I would identify myself as either Caribbean American or Jamaican American.
Our name, The Hyacinth Group, pays homage to my Jamaican roots. Born in New York City to Jamaican parents, I was named Lauren Rose-Marie Hyacinth Johnson. The name ‘Hyacinth’ comes from my Jamaican grandmother who also shares the name.
I am a first-generation American, as both my parents were born in Jamaica. I am living the American dream!
ALBB: What does it mean to you to launch your business not only during a pandemic, but during the Black Lives Matter movement?
They say life is all about timing. Although we are dealing with serious issues like a worldwide pandemic and BLM, in many ways it has been a blessing in disguise for The Hyacinth Group.
I get to create digital solutions for consumers as billions of digital buyers shop online. As COVID-19 continues to sweep the globe, most people have been forced to shop online due to store closures. There were more than 1.92 billion digital buyers in 2019 alone.
That number has only increased since the pandemic. We essentially turned into a digital, paperless society overnight. I have a digital agency that helps companies increase online sales and conversion. That puts me in a really great position.
Our digital team can quickly create a responsive website to engage customers. We can also improve your existing website to keep up with the rapid demand of your client’s needs through optimization. In addition we provide digital marketing services such as SEO (search engine optimization) copywriting, graphic design, social media and email marketing. The Hyacinth Group can take your sales to the next level.
In light of the Black Lives Matter movement, companies are giving back to the Black community. More opportunities are available to me now than there were just a few weeks ago. I feel blessed to be a Black female tech entrepreneur at this time. It feels like the sky's the limit!
ALBB: As a Black woman, how do you feel about the protests in Beacon that happened over the summer? And about the continuing protests nationwide?
I fully support the national protests, as well as local protests in Beacon.
Although I was not in the streets protesting, I know that by building The Hyacinth Group as a Black female tech entrepreneur, owning a digital agency is a protest in itself. As of March 2020, African American women make up just 3% of computing-related jobs. Tired of trying to make it in the 3%, I choose to start my own digital company. Protests of any kind are a key component in creating impactful change.
So, I strongly support the protest and BLM movement, but my main way of fighting back against a broken system is being determined to succeed as a Black woman in business, and continuing my Jamaican family’s legacy despite the obstacles.
ALBB: What did you do before launching this business?
I started my digital career as an Assistant Internet Merchant at Victoria’s Secret. Wanting to take my career to the next level and gain more senior experience, I went on to receive my MBA from LIM College with a major in Entrepreneurship. Upon graduation, I got recruited to work as an Internet Manager at Steve Madden. Focusing on customer retention and website engagement, I launched the company's social media integration program.
Soon after, I began consulting for major B2C brands like SK-II and Aerosoles, where I brought innovation to their digital programs by creating responsive sites and 360 marketing campaigns. Most recently, I began using my digital expertise to help small businesses engage online consumers. Last year, I started The Hyacinth Group, which creates digital solutions that work for both the client and consumer. This is both my passion and current full-time job.
ALBB: What makes your combination of people on your team special and different from other design agencies who also work with these talented people? Clients may see work produced by artists like Perry, Meghan, Josh, through other agencies as well. What kind of magic happens when they come together at The Hyacinth Group?
Diversity drives innovation, and that's a big part of our team’s success at The Hyacinth Group. When we come together, it creates a different kind of magic fueled by passion. Above all, we keep your unique ROI (return on investment) goals in mind, focusing on revenue-producing opportunities across the digital landscape.
The Hyacinth Group converts browsers into buyers by helping brands connect to their customers’ buying motivations and enhancing the online experience with a combination of creativity and data analytics.
Our team specializes in conversion rate optimization and online engagement. The key to providing excellent CRO (conversion rate optimization) is inspiring customers to focus, make a choice, and rejoice.
ALBB: What is your favorite type of branding project? If you have one. I know lots of components of digital branding can be favorites.
In particular, I love working with high-end companies in beauty and fashion, as well as food brands such as Karibu365 and Farm2ChefsTable. It’s easier to target an audience when you are in that audience yourself!
After I officially formed my company The Hyacinth Group, my boyfriend Nicholas Leiss was my first client. I created his blog Farm2ChefsTable, which is a favorite project, because it allows both of us to shine!
[Editor’s Note: OMG please don’t miss this recipe for “Chanterelles on Toast with Corn Pudding & Goat Cheese”]
Nicholas is my biggest supporter and I am his. But not only that, the blog's layout beautifully showcases Meghan Spiro's photography and Nick's amazing food!
A favorite client project, for the website design and food photography for Farm2ChefTable.
Photo Credit: The Hyacinth Group
Beauty Brand, Karibu365
Karibu365 , is one of my favorite projects because of my passion for beauty. Back in my corporate days, I worked for a luxury skincare company SK-II and was able to transform their digital program increasing sales by 41%. I brought my knowledge and expertise from that experience to assist a family friend take her organic skincare brand to the next level digitally. As a Black female entrepreneur who also shares the same heritage, I am glad that I was a part of her leveling up!
Here is what the founder of Karibu365, Sandra Mullings, said about working with us: at The Hyacinth Group: “It was a pleasure and a joy to work with Lauren at The Hyacinth Group. She drew on her previous experience with website development for luxury skincare brands to guide me through the process. I relied on her eCommerce expertise heavily since I had a concept of what I wanted my brand’s online presence to look like, but wasn’t sure how to achieve it. She made graphic design and copywriting resources available for me to use on demand, which came in very handy when I needed my logo colors changed to match the branding on my website. Her attention to detail is unsurpassed, and she will be my go-to for my next project (in the works). I would HIGHLY recommend Lauren and the team at The Hyacinth Group for all your eCommerce needs.”
Photo Credit: The Hyacinth Group
Yellow Bananas Part 2
Yellow Bananas is a grocery app I designed for my class at The Product School this summer. But what makes this app so special, is that this is the second version. The first, I designed 3 years ago in my User Experience Design class at General Assembly. It shows my progression in User Experience Design and my passion for not only the perfect "yellow bananas" but creating an in-store experience online.
Photo Credit: The Hyacinth Group
Thank you, Lauren, for sharing your digital branding experience with us! So lucky to have you in Beacon, NY. Contact Lauren any time right here: https://www.thehyacinthgroup.com/contact
We Made It! Retail Therapy Guide - 9/18/2020
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Interview With Nicky Allen, Mother Of Juneteenth Art Creators - What Inspired Them To Participate?
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Way back during the week of Juneteenth (June 19, 2020), when most white people including me were learning about Juneteenth and its significance (we wrote about it here), we needed artwork to represent it in an article. So we held a fast and furious contest of sorts, and got response from different creators. The “winner” got to be featured here at A Little Beacon Blog, as well as a $50 cash prize.
Nickeya (Nicky) Allen, a writer for Medium, and a return student at the School of Business at Mount Saint Mary College, submitted the artwork of her two children. We wanted to know more, and interviewed Nicky for the backstory of the art production.
ALBB: Was this your first time celebrating Juneteenth?
Yes, this was our first time celebrating Juneteenth.
ALBB: What inspired you to celebrate?
We were pretty active in our community on Staten Island. We're always looking for opportunities to connect and uplift Black voices. During the same year Eric Gardner was killed by police in plain-clothes in broad daylight, we came together to celebrate the 5th Annual Black Heritage Family Day Festival.
Visualize walking into a spacious park, Black families spread out on the lawn; some were just there relaxing and reading; some were reciting poetry; some were dancing; and some were there growing their brands. Articles later reported there had been more than 60 black owned vendors/businesses and nearly 2,500 people in attendance. Every year it grows. We wrote the book on unity, it's what we do to remind ourselves and others of our power. This energy is only heightened under stressful times. So, I didn't feel inspired per se, I felt obligated this year.
This year was the first year for [my family], but it's important to me to share that it is in no way a new celebration for Black races and our communities. I had always known of Juneteenth festivals happening in Irvington, NJ, Brownsville and Flatbush Brooklyn. Juneteenth is more about our desire to unite, show love and support for one another despite some of the hard realities we endure as a whole during our time spent on earth. It's spiritual and faith-filled, the belief in our ability to rise stems from our power together as one. It's least celebrated with discussions on slavery.
ALBB: How did you speak about it to your kids, and what made you all start this art project?
My babies are 7 and 4, I showed them photos of the many Umoja-type events we attended when they were younger. Umoja is a term I learned one year while celebrating Kwanzaa. It means unity, to strive for and to maintain unity in the family, community, nation and race. I talked to them about honoring our ancestors in this way and by doing so, they'd make them proud.
We're still early risers although school is out [at the time of this writing in June 2020], we usually start our mornings off with some kind of art or reading. Friday, June 19, 2020 we took the Twister game place mat, cut it in half to make the banner. We paint a lot, we were low on supplies. My 4 year old and I came up with the color scheme: Everest green, red, blue glitter, white and brown. My son researched Juneteenth on his school provided Chromebook and discovered the flag you see in the top left side of the banner.
We were all happy to learn we had been featured on your platform. The cash payment was significant. They feel supported and that's a beautiful experience in itself. I love the work ya’ll are doing, keep it up.
Second Saturday! Beacon Gallery Openings for September 2020
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Some of the art gallery openings in Beacon, New York, for September 2020. Clockwise from top right: Kelly Ellenwood at the Howland Cultural Center; Lois Dodd (with Shara Hughes) at Parts & Labor; Chris Ams in the Beacon Open Studios group show at Hudson Beach Glass; Jane Colgan at Clarkson University’s Beacon Institute for Rivers and Estuaries; Daniel Berlin at Bau Gallery.
Second Saturday greetings, Beacon! Somehow we find ourselves in September - time is a funny thing these days, emerging from the cocoon of “stay home” and the urgent acts of speaking out in the Hudson Valley. Make sure you’re taking good care of yourself - and one another.
There are at least seven new art shows opening this month around town, but other galleries are still taking extra precautions to protect staff and visitors, and they're remaining closed for now. In between those ends of the spectrum, there are beautiful window installations to look at (like the one at No. 3 Reading Room and Photo Book Works, over on the west end of Main Street).
Peruse our Second Saturday Art Gallery Guide for details on all these shows, as well as tips for where to grab a bite while you're out. Wherever you find yourself, give everyone a hula hoop (or more!) of space and wear your mask!
New shows have popped up at Mother Gallery, Parts & Labor, Clutter Magazine Gallery, Hudson Beach Glass (featuring Beacon Open Studios!), Clarkson University, Beacon Institute for Rivers and Estuaries (welcome back!), the Howland Cultural Center, and BAU: Beacon Artist Union. Shows continue at Dia Art Foundation (weekend tickets are extremely limited) and Marion Royael Gallery.
A giant thank you to BeaconArts for promoting this day in our city for years, and thanks to the sponsors of A Little Beacon Blog, who make it possible for us to share the goings-on around town. Please support the businesses who support us! Bookmark the Guides at our site for event and class calendars, as well as insider info on Shopping, Dining, and Parking.
Happening This Weekend - 9/11/2020
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