EngAGE changes lives by transforming affordable senior and multigenerational apartment communities into vibrant centers of learning, wellness, and creativity.
We think our Program Directors are talented and dedicated, so it’s a special treat when our residents go out of their way to acknowledge that.
Lisa Argenziano, Program Director at North Hollywood Senior Arts Colony, was surprised and delighted by this letter of high praise for her that was sent to EngAGE CEO Tim Carpenter and COO Nancy Goodhart.
Congratulations and appreciation, Lisa, for the fine work you do to make sure that NoHo SAC residents receive the best programming EngAGE has to offer!
Text is reprinted below the images so it’s easier to read. Residents’ last names have been erased for privacy.
January 12, 2022 Subject: In Appreciation of Lisa Argenziano Dear Mr. Carpenter and Ms. Goodhart:
This letter is to acknowledge and convey to you our appreciation of the phenomenal Lisa Argenziano, our EngAGE Director of Activities at the NoHo Senior Arts Colony. Since the very beginning of her employment by Engage, Lisa has worked tirelessly and enthusiastically to provide us with activities to maintain our physical, mental, and emotional health. She has accomplished this in a variety of thoughtful and imaginative ways.
Additionally, during the difficult time of COVID-19, and now unfortunately its continuation, Lisa has worked diligently to ensure that our Engage programs have continued seamlessly via ZOOM and she has gone the extra mile to personally create activities that have been intellectually stimulating, entertaining, and just plain fun!
In short, we want to express how fortunate we are to have Lisa Argenziano, whose strong and deep commitment to her role as our Engage Director of Activities, has so greatly benefited and enhanced the lives of we who reside in this Community.
At Piedmont Senior Apartments in North Hollywood, CA, resident Bertha is the driving force behind the annual Black History Month event, and this year our chosen topic was “The History of Soul Food.”
At the beginning of February, residents and Program Director Arnold Schmidt decorated the large community room with Black History Month posters, then planned and prepared the virtual celebration.
Several residents worked hard to create handcrafted cookbooks, which were then raffled off during the two hour Zoom event. We had over 30 attendees, and 10 lucky winners from various EngAGE locations won a copy of the handmade cookbooks.
During the virtual event attendees learned about the origins of soul food, how it came to America, how it changed over time, and what exactly is Soulfood.
The event ended with a lively discussion and we heard some truly amazing stories.
Overall it was another wonderful experience for all involved, and we received some great feedback in the following days, like this comment from Sally at BSAC:
“Hi Arnold. Thanks for the delightful program yesterday. The information and the laughs were priceless”. – Sally
And thanks to Piedmont Program Director Arnold Schmidt for the informative write-up, the wonderful photos, and for facilitating this excellent event that brought joy to so many residents at our communities!
On March 5th, the ace/121 Gallery hosted an event with the Glendale YMCA and the city Department of Library, Arts and Culture to celebrate the “unveiling” of Glendale’s first-ever city commissioned mural. It was painted by Ayumi Chisolm, a resident of ACE/121, after a years-long process of bringing the city its first mural, a project initiated by ACE/121 Program Director Ben Evans.
“Yoshito in the Forest” created by Ayumi Chisholm (SANOizm)
Until very recently, Glendale held a moratorium on murals specifically. Any public art of that size had to go through a rigorous selection and approval process and was limited to private initiatives – the city had never sponsored implementing murals anywhere. This all changed with the “Art Happens Anywhere” initiative, launched by the Glendale Arts and Culture Commission in the spring of 2020 to support artists during the Covid pandemic and to bring a wide-ranging presence of art to the city. The Commission specifically called for mural submissions, and Ayumi – a professional muralist who uses SANOizm as his artist name – was chosen in the first round of funding.
SANOizm at work
After nearly two years of extensive approval processes, the mural was officially approved in late 2021 and installed in January of 2022. Ayumi’s patience prevailed and even influenced future city policy: at one point during the process, it became clear that the city needed an official mural ordinance and this mural was a catalyst in getting the ordinance in place.
The event itself on March 5th gathered together a number of arts advocates, city officials, and press to express a shared excitement at what is sure to be the first of many murals in Glendale. It was a time to witness the many moving parts that brought the mural to fruition, and it became clear that a number of people in attendance had no idea of the story behind the mural nor its coming to life. As Ayumi described at the event, the image of the mural is based on a photograph he took of his own son, age 2, in the Los Angeles National Forest, pre-pandemic, when he found the young boy peacefully seated, eyes closed.
Ayumi Chisholm with Ben Evans, Programs and Gallery Director, ace/121
The mural, painted on the façade of the entrance to the YMCA, tells a story, as the greatest murals do. Beyond its stated importance of bringing awareness to moments of calm during these times of great stress, not to mention nature in the height of global warming, the mural gained even more meaning following the shootings in Atlanta targeting the Asian community and the onslaught of violence toward our Asian American community over the past two years.
Ayumi’s mural has gained even more significance in giving visibility in a way that displays peace. One can sit contemplating the mural and be taken by what it asks us to do: slow down, consider nature, close our eyes, take a breath.
Tim Carpenter, EngAGE CEO/Founder, addresses the group
EngAGE CEO Tim Carpenter attended the event, and expressed excitement and gratitude for the collaboration spanning the city, YMCA, and ACE/121 community as an example of work that pays off and in a way that beautifies the city. Others in attendance were Glendale City Councilmember Ardy Kassakhian, Arts and Culture Commissioners Caroline Tufenkian and Jane Viar, and members of the Glendale YMCA Board.
Jennifer Fukutomi-Jones, Tim Carpenter, Ayumi Chisholm (SANOizm), Ben Evans
ACE/121 and EngAGE are extremely proud to have played a part in bringing Glendale’s first commissioned mural to this city and to have it so close to our community here!
The EngAGE leadership team went on retreat in Portland, OR, last week to discuss strategic planning. Maria Rojo de Steffey, Regional Director, EngAGE Northwest; Nancy Goodhart, COO; Laura Mason, Executive Director, EngAGE Northern CA; and Tim Carpenter, CEO/Founder, enjoyed being together face-to-face for the first time post-pandemic.
The leadership team at work: Nancy, Tim, Maria, Laura
EngAGE Northwest Regional Program Director Laura Spidell also joined in.
Back row: Nancy Goodhart, Laura Spidell, Laura Mason Front row: Maria Rojo de Steffey, Tim Carpenter
The team had a nice lunch meeting with our friend and colleague, Derenda Schubert, Executive Director of Bridge Meadows (below, at far right).
Tim, Christal Smith, Maria, Laura, Nancy, Derenda
And they toured CDP/Hacienda’s new Rockwood Village community, where EngAGE is providing arts programs.
Nancy, Laura Spidell, Maria, Laura Mason
The leadership team looks forward to a productive, creative future for EngAGE!
Lauren Diaz, Program Director (Magnolia@9th) – Ms. Diaz is a third year student attending the University of Redlands where she is getting her bachelor’s degree in Political Science with an emphasis in Women and Gender Studies. When she’s not conducting classes for EngAGE or going to school, she works at a domestic violence shelter. After college, she hopes to go to law school to become a lawyer who specializes in human rights.
Ernie De Silva, Program Director (BSAC) – Mr. De Silva is a product of the Bushwick housing projects in Brooklyn, New York. It was on those street corners that Ernie got his first tastes of life in front of live audiences. As Ernie grew, so did his love for performing. Inspired by Flip Wilson, Freddie Prinze, and Richard Pryor, he did stand-up comedy at places like Stand Up New York, The Comic Strip, and the Comedy Cellar. To add his love of music to his performing repertoire, and inspired by Andres Segovia, John McLaughlin, Paco De Lucia, Son House, and Jimi Hendrix, he taught himself to play guitar in styles which range from classical to blues. Ernie became the first member of his family to graduate college. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Acting from Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville, and an MFA from the University of Southern California, where he was awarded the only full scholarship in his class. It was during his time at USC that Ernie developed his award-winning, world-traveled, solo stage show, Heavy Like the Weight of a Flame.
“Yoshito in the Forest” Mural Unveiling March 5th, 2022 at 11:00 AM 140 N Louise St Glendale, CA 91206
“Yoshito in the Forest” by Ayumi Chisholm (SANOizm) Photo: Ammar Al Nueimi
Glendale Library Arts and Culture, the Glendale YMCA, and ace/121 Galleryare pleased to announce the unveiling of “Yoshito in the Forest,” the first mural to be commissioned by the City of Glendale.
As part of Glendale Library Arts and Culture’s “Art Happens Anywhere” initiative, muralist Ayumi Chisolm (SANOizm) was selected to paint Glendale’s first commissioned mural. Completed in mid-January, the mural was installed on a north-facing wall at the entrance to Glendale’s YMCA on Louise Street.
The ace/121 Gallery will be displaying a series of images showing Ayumi’s early sketches and photographs of the mural installation.
As part of a formal “unveiling” of the mural on March 5th, 2022, please join Glendale city council members, Glendale Arts and Culture commissioners, the YMCA and the ace/121 Gallery as we officially unveil to Glendale what is sure to be the first of many beautiful murals that will grace our city.
The mural is a part of the Art Happens Anywhere (AHA) Program, sponsored by the Glendale Arts and Culture Commission through funding from the Urban Art Program and was made possible by the Glendale YMCA, and the ace/121 Gallery/EngAGE.
