Clark Art Lecture on Social Inequality and Urban Planning

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WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — On Sunday, April 7 at 11 am, the Clark Art Institute hosts a lecture by Giuseppina Forte, professor of architecture and environmental studies at Williams College, who discusses her new book project, "The Self-Built City: Material Politics and Ecologies of Difference in São Paulo," and questions how a built environment predicts social inequity. 
 
The free talk is presented in the Clark's auditorium, located in the Manton Research Center.
 
Forte's book project chronicles the forces shaping urban ecologies, from self-built homes to infectious diseases, and how colonial structures solidify sites of difference. From her experience as a visiting researcher at the University of São Paulo, Forte speaks with a rich collection of oral histories and archival research. The talk is presented as part of the programming for the Clark's Paper Cities exhibition.
 
Giuseppina Forte holds a Ph.D. in architecture from UC Berkeley. Her research focuses on urban history and theory, with a specialization in global metropolitan studies. With a transnational perspective gained from living, researching, and practicing architecture on three continents, Forte brings cross-cultural competency to her work. She has collaborated closely with historically underrepresented populations in cities such as São Paulo, Mexico City, Paris, San Francisco, and Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
 
Free. Accessible seats available.

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Teacher of the Month: Frani Miceli

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff

Students say teacher Frani Miceli makes learning fun.  
WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — Williamstown Elementary School fifth-grade teacher Frani Miceli has been selected as the July Teacher of the Month. 
 
The Teacher of the Month series, in collaboration with Berkshire Community College, will run for the next 12 months and will feature distinguished teachers nominated by community members. You can nominate a teacher here. 
 
Miceli has been teaching for 26 years and has worked to develop a happy, comfortable, and creative learning environment for her pupils.
 
Through her connection with her students and the decor on her classroom walls, Miceli hopes to help them realize that being kind is possible. 
 
"I have a thing on my wall that says, 'Character is what you do when no one is watching.' So, I hope that they have internalized that," Miceli said. 
 
"We make personal decisions because it's the right thing to do, and sometimes our actions can negatively impact other people, and sometimes they can positively impact other people. So I think happy kids make happy choices, and so I just want them to be happy, engaged children"
 
Every single one of her students in her morning math class jumped at the opportunity to praise their  teacher. 
 
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