EngAGE changes lives by transforming affordable senior and multigenerational apartment communities into vibrant centers of learning, wellness, and creativity.
On March 17, 2020, EngAGE announced that we had made the difficult decision to pause our in-person programming at the communities we serve. We pledged to continue to support all of our essential food programs, and to shift all non-food-related programming to virtual platforms whenever possible.
“Building community is at the core of everything we do at EngAGE, and this will be ever more important as people navigate this challenging time and cope with fear and anxiety. We are committed each and every day to providing meaningful opportunities for our residents to connect and feel supported in new and creative ways. We will get through this together.“
Please click here to read the story of our pandemic year.
We will continue to get through this together!
We’re also marking a happier occasion today: the EngAGE Blog was launched 10 years ago. Thank you for your support.
Ira Harutyunyan, a resident of Park Plaza Senior Apartments in North Hollywood, CA, has been taking care of herself during the pandemic by creating paintings, working with EngAGE art teacher Polet Zargarian. To adapt to COVID-imposed restrictions, Polet has found creative ways to instruct her students, in this case, teaching via text and phone call!
Program Director Elizabeth Sampson is looking forward to an in-person gallery show for Ira in the future. Meanwhile, we’re pleased to be able to showcase some of her work here.
Ira picks up art supplies that are delivered to Park Plaza by Polet.
Two of Ira’s paintings.
Polet’s comments: “Ira has been in my art class since 2018/2019. She joined out of curiosity and interest to learn how to paint. She has always appreciated Art, but she never created Art on her own. During the in-person classes, Ira was always very eager to develop her artistic knowledge, learn drawing and painting, as well as composition and color theory. She was driven to learn how to express her deep thoughts and visions through Art.” [At left: a sample of Polet’s text critiques.]
“With a lot of practice, teaching, and critiques, Ira became more and more independent in her Art. During the lockdown, I had no doubt that she would be continuing to paint and create beautiful paintings. But I did not expect her to advance to this level. I am truly impressed with her work, and her improved understanding and use of color and composition. Through text message exchange and phone calls, I have edited her paintings wherever needed. Overall, she has been a very dedicated and independent painter, and I’m proud to be able to say she is/has been one of my students. I am looking forward to seeing her grow and advance.”
Ira shares her thoughts:
I am proud of my branches and foliage Evermore by my roots And by the age of my trunk“
I’m an Armenian doctor and proud of my Artsakh roots.
“I’m grateful to my parents for my strong roots in being able to withstand the various trials of life, and for the powerful wings to be able to chase after my dreams.
“Since I was a child, I loved reciting, creating, and painting. I dreamed of becoming a doctor. After being accepted to Yerevan Medical Institute in 1971, I anxiously studied the most mysterious and perfect creation of God – human body. I have always been pleasantly surprised by the lacy magic of various tissues of human body, breathtaking ‘HOROVEL’ of heartbeats, the stormy symphony of the cardiogram, the calm and amazing balance of soul and body.
“For several decades, I have worked in many fields: internal medicine, rehabilitation and homeopathic therapy and cardiology. All my life I was extremely devoted to my profession and I am in love with it to this day.
“In 2000, my family moved to United States. I have worked at the Research Institute of Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles for 15 years. It was during those years that I delved into the magic of radiology images and discovered a new fantastic world of ‘Scientific Art’ for myself.
“I am very proud to say that my daughters are successful specialists in medicine: my eldest in the clinical and my youngest in the science.
“Practicing Medicine is not a romantic profession, that is why one looks for quiet and peaceful escape after work. For me, that getaway became an immersion of myself into the Art World.
“I have been on the well deserved retirement for the past 2 years, and this is when the Artist in me was awoken and this time around was flooded by the tremendous influence and emotions of medicine.
Inspired by the divine colors of my sister, artist Vera’s paintings, I picked up the brush to convey my emotions onto the canvas.
“This is when I was lucky enough to meet my amazing art teacher, Polet, who has guided me in the right direction.
“I am a very ambitious painter, who aspires to try every well-known method and even discover new techniques. I am not afraid of my failed pieces and keep on trying.
“I don’t like to sit idle, so as long as I have something to create, I will keep on painting!
“Life feels chaotic for months because of we all are in new ‘normal.’ We are all coping in different ways with the drastic life changes caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. We continue our art classes even during this difficult time. I was in touch with my teacher, Polet. I have been using my creative art throughout these crises to help me address the many emotional ups and downs I experienced.
“Unfortunately, in addition to this coronavirus’ depressing reality, we have another BIG PAIN – war in my country, Armenia and Artsakh. I am extremely sad, but not hopeless. I believe in my country’s bright future. I am sure that again my art will help me cope with this difficult time by giving me a tangible outlet to processes the shock, pain, and more that I feel now. Very often, I have an image in my head that I want to express long before I have the words. And defiantly, that expression would be ARMENIA and ARTSAKH.”
EngAGE Program Director Alma Wright, who created this wonderful video, reports: “We finished reading One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez a couple of weeks ago, and these are clips of our final discussion on the book. I keep saying it, I know, but I’m so proud of them for sticking with it. I think they all agreed that it was a tough read, but immensely rewarding throughout every page. Today, we had a virtual luncheon to celebrate, and they were still talking about the ending!”
Magnolia @ Highland Senior Apartments are located in San Bernardino, CA. The Book Club is one of many life-enriching programs provided by EngAGE.
Collette Williams Alleyne, Chief Education Officer, Inner-City Arts
Collette Williams Alleyne has over a decade of experience in alternative and arts education. After starting with Opportunities for Learning as an Academic Recovery Teacher, she entered into the position of Area Curriculum Advisor followed by a promotion to Assistant Principal, Regional Supervisor, and Educational Programs Project Coach. In the past three years as Director of Instruction for Opportunities for Learning and Options for Youth, she established partnerships with local schools to offer summer programs to students to reduce the learning loss that occurs during summer months. Her goal was to provide experiences for stakeholders that would encourage success in school and life. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Education with a Multiple Subject Credential from the University of New Orleans, a Master’s Degree in Educational Administration from Pepperdine University and a Clear California Administrative Credential. Before moving to California, Collette was an Instructor for New Orleans Center for Creative Arts, NOCCA/Riverfront, and Adjunct Instructor at Dillard University of New Orleans. She is an active member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. As an artist and artist educator, Collette has performed and co-directed various companies throughout Los Angeles and in her hometown of New Orleans. She is currently a member of the Duarte Unified Arts Taskforce and regularly participates in Arts and Education programming committees to provide input on the direction of arts resources available to local district students. She believes that all students should have the opportunity and tools to excel.
Leslie Ito, Executive Director, Armory Center for the Arts
Leslie A. Ito is highly regarded as one of the most skillful, entrepreneurial arts executives in the Los Angeles region with over 20 years of proven leadership and fundraising expertise to her credit. Ito’s reputation for cultural “bridge-building” and advocacy underscores her deep commitment to arts equity and access for all people. She is currently the Executive Director of the Armory Center for the Arts in Pasadena. Prior to this position, she was the President & CEO of the Japanese American Cultural & Community Center, one of the largest ethnic arts and cultural centers of its kind in the U.S. She has also held the position of Program Director for Arts and Health at the California Community Foundation, and Director of Grant Programs at the Los Angeles County Arts Commission. She has served as Executive Director of Visual Communications, the nation’s premiere Asian American media arts organization, and as Program Associate in the Media, Arts Culture Division at the Ford Foundation in New York. Ms. Ito served on the Board of Directors for Americans for the Arts, TELIC Arts Exchange in Los Angeles’ Chinatown and Films By Youth Inside (FYI Films), inspiring incarcerated youth through filmmaking. She is also a co-founder of the LA Asian American and Pacific Islander Giving Circle. In 2016, Ito was awarded the prestigious Stanton Fellowship from the Durfee Foundation and in 2021 she will join the foundation’s Board of Trustees. A native of Los Angeles, Ms. Ito received an M.A. in Asian American Studies from the University of California, Los Angeles and a B.A. in American Studies from Mount Holyoke College. Leslie lives with her husband and two children in South Pasadena.
Betty Avila, Executive Director, Self Help Graphics & Arts
Betty Avila’s work has centered on the intersection of the arts and social justice, with particular focus on community building, public space, and youth empowerment. She grew up in the Northeast Los Angeles neighborhood of Cypress Park and has held positions with the Getty Research Institute, The Music Center and the Levitt Pavilion. Betty joined Self Help Graphics’ leadership in 2015, an organization with a 48-year nationally-recognized artistic legacy of empowering the Chicana/o and Latinx communities of Los Angeles through the arts. She is the Chair of the Latinx Arts Alliance, and sits on the boards of Arts for LA, the Center for Cultural Innovation, and was a founding board member of People for Mobility Justice. Betty is a passionate arts advocate, centering equity and justice, and she sat on the inaugural Advisory Committee for Los Angeles County’s Cultural Equity and Inclusion Initiative as an appointee of Supervisor Hilda Solis. Betty has been invited to speak for the Ford Foundation, The Getty Foundation, Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, California Association of Museums, Western Art Alliance and more. In 2017, Betty was named one of C-Suite Quarterly Magazine’s NextGen 10 in Philanthropy, Arts and Culture and an Impact-Maker to Watch by City Impact Labs. She received her B.A. in Literature at Pitzer College, has an M.A. in Arts Management from Claremont Graduate University, and is a 2008 Fulbright Fellow to Korea.
CVS has an opportunity to “hold” a limited number of COVID-19 vaccine spots early next week in certain markets where they have a supply dedicated to underserved populations with a focus on Black and Hispanic community members who are 65 and older.
· Eligible participants in your county/state can call a special toll-free number to schedule an appointment for a free COVID-19 vaccine.
·The window of time to sign up for a vaccine appointment is ONLY good for one day – Monday, Feb. 22nd from 5 am – 8 pm PACIFIC TIME ZONE.The toll-free number 1 (855) 287-3456 will expire after 8 pm PT on Monday.
Notes: The number of vaccines available per store for this opportunity varies.
Second Harvest is aware of two stores in Orange County that are participating, but there may be more in other areas (you’ll find out when you call):
15333 CULVER BLVD., SUITE #300, IRVINE 92604 150 EAST YORBA LINDA BOULEVARD, PLACENTIA 92870
Residents felt the love last week in the form of free groceries, thanks to two wonderful organizations. Nolan Meija, a Carlsbad teen, created a free grocery shopping service called Grocery Grab, which he and his classmates at Sage Creek High School run for the benefit of older adults and at-risk groups during the pandemic. The Helpful Honda Guys from the San Diego Honda Dealers heard of his story and wanted to pay it forward as part of their Helping the Helpful initiative this month, so they funded groceries for Tavarua residents on behalf of Grocery Grab, and donated gas gift cards to the teen volunteers.
Sixty-five bags of groceries were filled with fresh fruit, milk, eggs, pasta, sauce, a Valentine treat, as well as hand sanitizer and a mask, for the Grocery Grab teens to deliver to residents’ doors. Five residents were invited to come down to the courtyard, at separate times, so they could safely meet and chat with the teens and the Helpful Honda representatives.
The Helpful Honda Guys also heard that Nolan got accepted at Stanford and needed a bicycle for his new college life on campus, so they presented him with a brand new bike to say thank you for his service and dedication to the community.
There was network news coverage of the event, and plenty of pictures were taken to document these very special volunteer groups and the generosity of their work.
Thanks to EngAGE Program Director Tracy Ligon for facilitating and organizing these inspiring Random Acts of Kindness and Helpfulness!
Program Director Megan Hocking reports: Residents at the Burbank Senior Artists Colony in Burbank, CA, are participating in a “Random Acts of Kindness Challenge.” They have committed to completing fifty random acts of kindness. When they complete an act, they write their names on a leaf or butterfly and stick it on the Kindness Tree in the lobby. If they complete fifty acts, EngAGE will make a donation to the Burbank Temporary Aid Center, which provides social services to low income and homeless people in Burbank.
We are hopeful that this challenge will help create a world where we can succeed by being nice, where we all look out for each other, where we pay it forward, and where kindness is the norm.
Residents participating in the challenge are encouraged to take a leaf or butterfly home to stick on the outside of their doors or inside their homes to remind them and others that we are all working together to make our community a kinder place.
The following ideas for acts of kindness are in the monthly calendar packet and on the bulletin board next to the Kindness Tree, or residents may come up with their own. Some of the activities can be done multiple times, such as writing a list of five things they are grateful for because practicing gratitude feels so good and is an integral part of making kindness the norm.
Ideas for Random Acts of Kindness
We hope you’ll be inspired to join the BSAC residents by committing to your own Random Acts of Kindness!
