Isaac Evans-Frantz is a lifelong Vermonter, political activist, and public servant. He began his service when Gov. Howard Dean appointed him as the first Vermont high school student with a vote on the Vermont State Board of Education. In 2022 Isaac ran for U.S. Senate, mobilizing everyday Vermonters for an alternative to corporate politics. Nationally, with the non-partisan Action Corps, Isaac played a pivotal role in Congress’ historic passage of bipartisan legislation reasserting Congress’ power over war during the first Trump administration.
In response to COVID, he brought together over 100 organizations to campaign for international relief, which became the largest release of such resources in history. Following that success, Isaac served as secretary of the Vermont Sierra Club executive committee. On the Brattleboro Select-board, which he was elected to in 2025, he serves as clerk, and has championed housing, shelter, and safety for all. As advisor to Freedom Forward, he has advocated for global LGBTQ equality. Previously, Isaac was the quality coordinator at Callen-Lorde, an LGBTQ+ community health center. Isaac holds a Master in Public Administration from the City University of New York. Through his leadership, Isaac remains committed to advancing freedom and unity for Vermonters and people everywhere.
The U.S. has been at war, in one form or another, for all but about 18 of the past 250 years of the county’s existence. What does this mean if this is a constant in our lives? How do we invite the conservatives and progressives into the room to talk together?
This project will bring together Vermonters from across the state to discuss the founding principles and future of the Vermont National Guard, its relationship to the U.S. Constitution, and criteria for deployment to combat around the world. Veterans, service members, and their family members are particularly encouraged to participate in this discussion.
What can ordinary people do when democratic norms feel fragile, federal power expands, and communities most affected by conflict and climate disasters struggle to be heard? This presentation explores a continuum of nonviolent strategies available to communities seeking to protect their families and their voices—from calm, local acts of solidarity to election-related engagement, state-level legislative initiatives, and coordinated multi-state efforts.
Our seasonal “Words in the Woods” program allows Vermonters and visitors to enjoy our state’s natural beauty while listening to and reading literature in the outdoors.
Humanities Camps are filled with reading and writing projects, field trips, and outdoor activities.
We won a 2020 Schwartz Prize for best public humanities programming in the U.S. for Vermont Reads 2019: “March: Book One.”
We supported the Chandler Center for the Arts’ Global Connections Youth Outreach program, which highlights artists from around the world.
Our free public events help bring the power of the humanities to communities across Vermont.
