Image Credit: “The Heart of Barre,” a multimedia art installation by painter Dierdra Michelle and poet/community organizer Shawna Trader honoring the strength and resilience of Barre residents in the face of back-to-back floods. This series of 20 portraits is accompanied by poetry, interviews, and audio recordings, and will be displayed at the Vermont State House in September 2026.
Central Vermont endured catastrophic flooding in 2023 and 2024. Now, the horizon looks different. An America with less disaster response support seems likely, while the planet continues to warm and the rain falls hard and fast. This presentation by Shawna Trader from Barre Up! will explore several examples of community building projects which, in turn, are proving to be pathways towards resilience.
We are not doomed to endure passively the rising water and the changeful times. Community care is possible and necessary. We’ll explore The Light Pirate by Lily Brooks-Dalton and how this prescient story points to the power of relationship as we look to the future.
Shawna is a caregiver, parent, poet and community organizer. Raised on the gulf coast of Florida, she has seen her share of storms. After many years in healthcare, she found herself leading The Rainbow Bridge Community Center in Barre, which became a convergence point for catastrophic flood response in 2023. Realizing the interconnected elements of community building and disaster preparedness and response, she continued that work as Chair of Barre Up, Barre City’s long term recovery group.
Facing a Flooded World: Why Relationship is the Sweetest Way
By Jacob Pelletier | July 7, 2025
Central Vermont endured catastrophic flooding in 2023 and 2024. Now, the horizon looks different. An America with less disaster response support seems likely, while the planet continues to warm and the rain falls hard and fast. This presentation by Shawna Trader from Barre Up! will explore several examples of community building projects which, in turn, are proving to be pathways towards resilience.
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.
