Arts
Filmbuilding Malden – Forging connection and collaboration through film within our city
The city of Malden, MA uses the power of collaboratively filmmaking to forge cultural connection and create a sense of place. […]
Events
Arts
How my community benefits from immigration: The Immigrant Learning Center’s 2023 essay contest
“It is simply impossible to act as if our ethical and other differences do not exist; however, we can learn to embrace one another’s customs and lifestyles instead of disregarding them. Our distinctiveness is, after all, what makes us human, and brushing these things aside will only end in ignorance.” From “How Malden Benefits From Immigration” by Dina Genene, First Prize, The Immigrant Learning Center’s essay contest, 2022 By Jamie Perkins The Immigrant Learning Center in Malden, Massachusetts, holds an annual essay-writing contest that, according to their website, celebrates “the impact of immigrants and refugees.” The 2023 contest concluded with an awards ceremony at The Immigrant Learning Center on Monday, May 22. This year’s topic was “How My Community Benefits from Immigration.” All Malden High School, Everett High School, and Medford High School students can apply to the contest at no cost. Participants must write their essays in English but are not solely evaluated on English proficiency, and English learners are encouraged to apply. The Immigrant Learning Center is a non-profit organization providing free English […]
Events
Malden Pride (not in) the Park: Fourth annual celebration of Malden LGBTQIA2S+ community
“I love my city. I love my community. I love my neighbors gay, straight, and everything all around.” – Leilani Ricardo, The Malden Pride Coalition By Jamie Perkins On Sunday, June 25, Malden residents celebrated the LGBTQIA2S+ community at The Malden Senior & Teen Enrichment Center. Originally advertised as “Malden Pride in the Park,” the event was scheduled to occur at Coytemore Lea Park but was relocated due to weather concerns. The coalition’s website describes Malden Pride as “an afternoon of celebration, joy, and education” that centers “the diversity, history, and future of our community.” The Malden Pride Coalition began in 2020 with a group at the First Parish of Malden Unitarian Universalist Church. Since its origination, the coalition has grown and is no longer officially affiliated with the church. The organization is currently working toward achieving nonprofit status. The Malden Pride Coalition saw a “tremendous response” from the community this year, said Aisha Cruse, one of the coalition’s founding members. Along with community partners such as Mystic Valley Salon and Boston Pole Fitness, the […]
Arts
Newly formed Mystic Side Opera company joins Malden’s arts community
“Opera is the ultimate art form. It has singing and music and drama and dance and emotion and story.” — Diane Paulus, Artistic DirectorAmerican Repertory Theater By Kami Nguyen The creation of the Mystic Side Opera is bringing attention to an art form underrepresented in Malden’s arts and culture scene. Currently hosting concerts, salons and performances of other musical genres in the historic Wilbur Fiske Haven House, the new company plans to stage full-scale opera productions in other venues around the city. Mystic Side Opera was founded by Malden resident Gene Sticco after his retirement from a career in military and government contracting. The idea was inspired by his lifelong love of the genre, as well as by his wife Natalja Sticco, a mezzo soprano singer who has appeared on stages all across Europe and the U.S. They plan to put on Georges Bizet’s Carmen as their first full-scale opera with Mrs. Sticco playing the iconic titular role. A concert performance version will be showing in August. “I probably couldn’t have been more worlds away […]
Arts
Community Comes Together at 6th Annual Malden Juneteenth Freedom Day Celebration
By Rachel Sorlien, Malden Juneteenth Committee (special to Neighborhood View) It may have rained all day, but that didn’t dampen the spirits of hundreds of attendees at Malden’s 6th Annual Juneteenth Freedom Day Celebration this past Saturday, June 17th. In a quick pivot and with the steadfast support of Superintendent Ligia Noriega- Murphy and custodial staff at the Ferryway School, the event location was moved indoors from Lincoln Commons to the Ferryway School. Opening presentation for the Juneteenth celebration in the lobby of the Forestdale School. Lydia Harrell (at podium) leads attendees in the Black National Anthem. Photos by Anne D’Urso-Rose. The Freedom Day Celebration began in the Ferryway lobby, where former U.S. Marine Eric Henry raised the Juneteenth flag as Lydia “Lovely Singer” Harrell sang the Black National Anthem “Lift Every Voice and Sing.” A crowd filled the atrium and waved miniature Juneteenth flags, as Mayor Christenson gave his annual Juneteenth Proclamation and Malden Juneteenth committee member Erga Pierrette made a stirring statement about the need to center humanity and acknowledge the continued impact […]
Events
MTEC Brings Malden Teens to Cardigan Lodge
By Zhi Zhu Nineteen lucky Malden teens were in for a treat last February as the Malden Teen Enrichment Center (MTEC) took them on a three-day excursion to Cardigan Lodge in Alexandria, New Hampshire. MTEC had announced in January that they were organizing a trip for the winter break. Due to high interest, the center chose teens on a first-come-first-served basis. Those selected were Allison Yu, Nikki Blue, Nasuh Kacmaz, Jelani Tah, Matteo Tah, Jason Chen, Emilee Tortorella, Slade Harding, Francis Doza, Julianna Lin, Archer Ou, Makeila Scott, Darian O’Brien, Kaneli Kaukko, Sabrina Dangervil, Cheryl Pidakala, Gurudit Thakur, Hasnaat Khan, and Zhi Zhu. MTEC has organized many trips before, bringing teens camping in the summer and hiking during the spring. MTEC is able to provide teens the opportunity to go on trips like these through their ties with the Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) which provides training and outdoor gear. Jacob Mullin-Bernstein of the MTEC staff mentioned that AMC is a “huge organization, but they have a specific section of their organization known as ‘OLT’, Outdoor […]
Arts
Lunar New Year in Malden marked with joy and Chinese cultural flair
By Jinghe Zhong, special to Neighborhood View MALDEN, MA — The Chinese Culture Connection (CCC) held its 14th annual Lunar New Year Celebration at Malden High School on January 14, 2022. For the Asian community in Malden, this was a momentous occasion. The event was finally presented in person after three years, bringing together hundreds of local residents and businesses of diverse cultural backgrounds. A spectacular lion dance performance by Wah Lum Kung Fu & Tai Chi Academy set the festive mood, and Mei Hung, Executive Director of the CCC, was joined by Malden mayor Gary Christenson to officially open the event. The nearly four-hour celebration featured over 20 performing groups and individuals from across the Greater Boston Area. A major highlight was Thousand Hands Guanyin, a large-scale dance performed by the Boston Chinese United Dance Group, whose members range in age from eight to 80. Together, they harnessed the power of dance to raise awareness of the importance of goodwill and selflessness in today’s society. There were also performances by students from the CCC’s […]
Events
Fenway Park to Host Malden vs Medford Annual Thanksgiving Football Game
Photo by the Boston Herald. […]
Education
Indigenous wisdom, poetry and history guide community event at Malden River
By Anne D’Urso-Rose I know that our ancestors are really happy for the work that we’re doing. It’s been a 400-year fracture – with colonization and assimilation – and it’s really going to take all of us to come together, in ways like this, to bring balance back to the land and to the water. Andre StrongBearHeart Gaines, Jr. – Malden, MA, 9-24-22 As the country recognizes indigenous Peoples Month this November, Neighborhood View reflects on a recent community event that embodied the spirit of remembering, understanding and connecting with Native people, history and culture. “Words on the Water” (morning) and “Project Misik” (afternoon) was a combined day-long event on Sept. 24 in a spot along the banks of the Malden River that is generally hidden from public view. In that space, more than 200 residents, a sampling of Malden’s diverse community, gathered over the course of the day to take part in an Indigenous blessing ceremony, paddle canoes on the waterway, share a meal of Haitian food from “The Island” restaurant, and learn how […]
Arts
CD Collins aims to “move mountains” with spoken word
By Michael Cao “I want to take you take on a journey deep into the hills, up the hollows into the mist and mystery to Hazard, Kentucky, a drumming heart of the planet. Where we have so much treasure —the mountains, minerals, music and the people of Appalachia.” – CD Collins Light drums and keyboard chords punctuated the words. The sounds were of music, poetry, stories. People were not sitting in a traditional concert hall, rather they were gathered in the backyard of a historic house in Malden to experience art in a myriad of forms. In early October, musician, writer, and poet CD Collins organized a spoken word event, entitled “Words Move Mountains” at the Wilson House of Visitation, a historical house at 68 High Street in Malden. According to Bahai history, Abdu’l-Baha, the son of Baháʼu’lláh, visited the house in 1912. David Weigert, a retired professor from Berklee College of Music and caretaker of the house, co-produced the event with Collins. (Urban Media Arts did a podcast with Weigert talking about his story and […]