BUILDING RESILIENT AND SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES IN NYC
Go behind-the-scenes of one of the most exciting cities on Earth
Learn methods of engaging with the movement for ecological justice
Meet with experts who have dedicated their lives to immigrants rights, homelessness, urban farming, hunger relief, and more
Make lasting connections with a group of peers who are as passionate about these issues as you are
Eco Practicum NYC is an eye-opening educational experience for current college students and recent graduates passionate about ecology, economy, and justice. New York City is internationally recognized as a site of tremendous activity and innovation. In this four-day, hands-on intensive, we meet the experts and explore the various methods for engaging effectively in the movement for ecological justice. The program will take us into the realms of refugee resettlement, immigrant rights, homelessness, urban farming, hunger relief, education, government and more. This is a great opportunity for anyone keen to connect with the some of the city’s most effective experts and organizations, or excited to do something meaningful this Spring.
PROGRAM DATES Stay tuned for 2020 Dates and Application
What to Expect: Background, Schedule, and Partners
What to Expect
Background
The presidency of Donald Trump has pushed the debates around immigration front and center in American political life. The question of who belongs in America has become undeniably urgent. Nativism and ethnocentrism are on the rise, and the number of hate crimes has increased dramatically since the President declared his candidacy only three years ago.
Responding to the moment, this pracitcum is designed to complicate our thinking around what counts as “native” in America. The 4-day course gives students a behind-the-scenes look at New York City, a true global city, and integrates ecological notions of belonging with social and political ones. Students will have direct contact with some of the most innovative and effective social and environmental organizations in NYC. They will meet experts and leaders in natural resource management, immigrant’s rights, immigration law, and homelessness. They will meet Republicans, Democrats, refugees, undocumented immigrants, and indigenous people to gain a deep understanding of these complex issues. Students will debate the dynamics of gentrification, work on an invasive plant removal project on the Bronx River, participate in a dumpster-diving tour of Midtown Manhattan, and learn plant identification and foraging in Central Park.
Participants will be asked to prepare a field journal and photo-essay reflecting on their personal experiences of the practicum.
Thursday, April 18: Can everything belong?
Introductions
Work with Bronx River Alliance on an invasive species removal project on the Bronx River
Meet with a member of the American Conservative Union to discuss the conservative argument around immigration.
Reflections/Discussion
Friday, April 19: What is a Global City?
Tour of Flushing, Queens, the most ethnically diverse urban area in the world.
Meet with Immigrant Movement International
Have dinner in Flushing
Evening dumpster-diving tour of Midtown Manhattan with Freegan.info
Saturday, April 20: What does inclusion look like?
Meet with member of Decolonize This Place at the American Museum of Natural History to discuss the effort to decolonize the museum
Go on a foraging tour of Central Park
Meet with an undocumented immigrant, a naturalized refugee, and an immigration lawyer to discuss the legal dynamics of immigration and their social and emotional impacts
Sunday, April 21: Review and Reflect
Brunch
Discussion activity: Review and reflect
Evaluations
Good Bye
*Please remember that with so many moving parts, the schedule may change in the days leading up to the program. We do ensure great alternates for all trips and partner visits if the need arises.
Methods
Methods
Meeting Experts Every day, participants meet with experts in the field. Participants tour facilities, meet with staff members, and learn about how effective organizations function on the ground. These encounters often include a hands-on component and always include a candid conversation with the speaker about the work that they do, relating to both their achievements and challenges. These encounters help pass hard-earned wisdom on to new generations of practitioners.
Hands-On Impact Deep learning requires all our senses, that we be out in the world, meeting, engaging, working, doing, grappling, exploring. Learning isn't something that happens outside of life, it happens best when we are contributing to what matters to us. Our educational approach puts impact front and center. We expect our participants to leave with new connections, new skills, and perhaps a stronger sense of where they would like to leave their mark.
Democratic Education Through text studies, videos, discussions, and peer-led activities, participants share their knowledge, learn from one another, and analyze the dynamics we are witnessing first-hand. The place-based and learner centered educational approach honors the different ways that people learn. Democratic pedagogy ensures a horizontal structure in which students and educators alike express their thoughts, feelings, and ideas on a level playing field.
Facilitators
Facilitators
Eugenia Manwelyan is an artist, ecologist, and educator. She is the co-founder of Eco Practicum, and a visiting professor at Columbia University. Eugenia holds a BA in International Development from McGill University and her MS in Urban Planning from Columbia University. She has worked on environmental planning projects in India, Vietnam and Jordan, as well as a peace building arts project in Israel and Palestine. With a passion for democratic education and civic engagement, Eugenia is committed to taking part in the effort to reorient humanity toward sane and respectful coexistence with one another and the environment.
Tal Beery is a New York-based artist and educator. He is co-founder of Eco Practicum and founding faculty at School of Apocalypse, examining the connections between creative practice and notions of survival. Beery is a core member of Occupy Museums, a collective fighting economic & social injustices propagated by arts institutions. His curatorial research considers the relationships between art and epochal change. Beery’s works have been exhibited in museums and galleries in the US and Europe, including the 2012 Berlin Biennale, Brooklyn Museum, and the 2017 Whitney Biennial.
Tuition
Tuition
Program tuition for the 2020 program is TBA.
Tuition includes one meal each day (usually lunch), healthy snacks, and all daily activities. Participants are expected to find their own accommodations* and to buy a Metrocard to access public transportation for the duration of the program.
Need-based scholarships that provide additional tuition reductions are available for select participants who apply. Contact us for details.
*We can help you find accommodations through a friendly and generous Eco Practicum alumni network in NYC. Contact us if you will need assistance.
Scholarships and Aid
Eco Practicum strives for diversity among the program participants, and works to make the program accessible to everyone. We recognize that not everyone is able to cover program costs, so we offer multiple tuition assistance options. Click here for more information.
Eligibility and Application process
Eligibility You must be over 18 years old before the start of the practicum to be eligible to participate.
