Lucy Gellman

Thursday, C4D celebrated its “Sweet 16” anniversary at Anthony's Ocean View, in a rare night of breaking bread, song, and dance that foregrounded the deep humanity at the core of immigrant justice work. Throughout the evening, speakers and attendees alike let themselves balance the bitter and the sweet of the moment, lauding the sheer amount of work that C4D has done while not mincing words about the fight ahead.

Daisy Werthan and Hoke Colburn trade anecdotes with each other, dipping in and out of Southern history as the conversation unspools between them.

It was just past 10 a.m. off Whitney Avenue, and the scents of chocolate, coffee, butter and spun sugar hung heavy in the air.

Children's librarian Sarah Quigley still remembers when the call came in earlier this year, midway through a mid-morning storytime packed with young children.

The term refers to books that are not formally banned or challenged, but have received complaints or informal challenges from patrons, parents, and special interest groups.

“These book challenges are happening in every corner of Connecticut, and what I’m most concerned about is the quiet censorship that doesn’t make it into the news.”

Niko Scharer paused by a rack of finished pottery, lifting a small bowl off the shelf. She took a moment to marvel at the small, crackly finish that had formed in the firing process.

“I love talking to people. I love showing them the process. People come into the studio, and they pick out things to talk about and look at that you would never expect.”

The Connecticut Arts Alliance, a statewide organization that has focused on legislative advocacy in the arts and culture sector for the last 21 years, has closed its doors due to increasing financial strain.

“We’re at a point where we really do need advocacy across the board, and we need to be giving people a reason to be their own best advocates as well.”