MCLA MOSAIC to Present Benedetti Artist in Residence Ngoc-Tran Vu

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NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — MOSAIC at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA) is hosting cultural organizer and multimedia visual artist Ngoc-Tran Vu as the 2026 Benedetti Artist in Residence for the spring semester.
 
Vu will support creative advocacy in North Adams through Creative Sector Advocacy Week with MASSCreative, taking place March 2-6, 2026, as well as her opening lecture at noon on Feb. 12 at MCLA. Her residency will culminate in a public event and exhibition on May 14 at MOSAIC's Eventspace, located at 49 Main Street.
 
During her Benedetti Teaching Artist Residency, Vu will bring her practice into the classroom, studio, and wider North Adams community as a space for public memory making and creative civic engagement. Her residency will support the next advocacy phase of "1975: A Vietnamese Diaspora Memorial," an intergenerational, community-led public art initiative rooted in storytelling, healing, and belonging. 
 
According to a press release, Vu is committed to strengthening local networks, navigating resources with care and nourishments, while building new relationships that help move shared visions forward with accountability and clarity.
 
Through participatory gatherings such as memory mapping, story circles, and collaborative sessions, Vu invites students, local artists, and residents to explore how resilience, sustainability, and belonging live across generations. 
 
As part of the residency, she will also prototype interpretive approaches that can support long-term stewardship and community ownership of public memory work beyond Boston, where she was raised and is currently based.

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NAHA Board Accepts Director's Resignation, Unlocks Tenants Association Office

By Jack GuerinoiBerkshires Staff

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The North Adams Housing Authority Board of Commissioners officially accepted the resignation of Executive Director Jennifer Hohn and restored access to the Tenants Association office.

The board held a special meeting Thursday to vote to accept Hohn's resignation and determined that there are currently no plans to replace her.

"We didn't make any final determinations in terms of the executive session so we will schedule another meeting at another time," Chairwoman Leigh Uqdah said after returning from more than an hour session. "Day-to-day operations will continue to be managed as normal by staff."

Per their bylaws, board member Marie Harpin will continue to handle finances, and Uqdah will manage contracts.

Hohn stepped down on Oct. 8 after 24 years leading the agency. Her resignation followed rising tension between her and the NAHA Tenants Association, culminating in the scheduling of a formal grievance hearing between both parties.

The boiling point was the locking of the association's office this summer. Tenants alleged the lockout was retaliation for posting a video on social media depicting improperly functioning door alarms. Hohn claimed the office was locked for tenant safety and to stop the spread of misinformation.

Tenants Association President Corey Fortin asked if Hohn's security access had been removed. Uqdah confirmed her credentials were revoked the day she resigned, meaning she can no longer monitor security cameras remotely.

Jennifer Barbeau, a former city councilor who was liaison to the Housing Authority, asked when the board met to discuss Hohn's severance package. Uqdah stated that Hohn did not have one.

The board also accepted the resignation of Commissioner Richard Lavigne, though they will vote officially on the matter at their next meeting.

The open portion of the meeting was brief, with nearly an hour and a half spent in executive session. Before entering executive session, the board opened the floor to tenants.

"The tenants requested an opportunity to talk to the board," said Uqdah. "It has been quite a while, but we have decided to honor that."

Fortin, who posted the original video to social media, was the first to speak. He was clear in his request: unlock the office door.

"Let's cut straight to the chase tonight. The former resigned Director Jennifer Hohn ordered the office locked," he alleged. "She is gone. The lockout is a direct violation, and the board has a duty to end that tonight."

He cited federal and state laws that mandate the tenants association be provided with office space, including computer and network access.

"We are here with a direct administrative demand. We demand that the board vote tonight to unlock the doors," he said. "Do not let a resigned director's illegal action remain the board's ongoing liability. Open our door tonight, and let us get back to work."

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