Elliot Washor's TGIF 07.18.2025

Are you with me now? A. J. Ryder

On my way to Big Bang I took a detour to the Albany area where I spent the week at BPL board member David Gersten’s non-profit Arts, Letters & Numbers. One lead line on their website is: “Creative and equitable futures begin where real-world learning meets radical imagination.” This is a place where locals and internationals merge. There are artists, craftspeople, performers, scientists from all over the world coming to live and work together. Their long dinner table seats 80. I had an incredible time immersed in all of the goings on where on a daily basis youth can pick and choose what and who they want to learn from and for how long. It was a perfect way to get ready for Big Bang and the 30^th anniversary of BPL and The Met. ALN is a fine iteration of the kind of work we do.

Here's a few photos:

Now that we are in the final phase of liftoff for Big Bang, I’m sending along one set of many quotes I collected from students and staff as we (BPL and community) were first starting The Met.    

“No say and no way to get say.” – Erin Met Student

“In school they are giving you the information you need, actually they are giving you the

information you don’t need.” – Steven Met student

“Make yourself indispensable.” – Ashley Met Student

“Give Love First” – Mike Met Student

“I don’t know any other way to do it, but to do it.” – Dennis

“Life is full of passion and with passion you have to be able to make mistakes.” – El

“Don't stress out about being stressed out.”– Arthur

“Freesearch is the exploration of the soul of the project.” – Zelayne

“The business now is such a business.” – Wayne

Learn disciplinary thinking "out of their own interest and in their own interest" – Sanna

I saw the sweat bead on your upper lip

         as you filled out your interest survey

You probably thought we were testing you

         and that every question was a trick

I felt your heartbeat faster when we asked you

         questions about what you really thought about school

I saw that it was hard for you to grasp the pencil

         and at times hard for you to say your thoughts

I also saw your very well written essay about why

you want to work with us and how next you

wrote on your personal wheel.

I felt for you immediately - you’re the kind of student

I love most - but when I felt for you it was not my

         usual sadness about how I think the system must

         make things rough for you-

I felt excited and happy for you to work with us and

         feel relaxed and comfortable everyday

I felt happy that it doesn’t matter here how long it takes

         for you to write or speak

         but that you will be heard

                 – Danique Dolly

“Everything is building to take the big leap.” – Jill O C

“You can’t see the end from the beginning.” – Charlie P

“The difference between co-workers and colleagues.” – Jill

“Education should be a reality, not a slogan” – Leigh Ann

“It’s always in front of you, but never in your grasp.” – Stan

“They make you think like your the one who’s crazy.” – Howard

"The less building the better." – Amanda

“No backsliding” – Unknown

"You can control anything you want." – Dennis

“A coach for our coaches” – Joe

“Never put something on the table you are not willing to eat.” – Don  

“A place that lets the outside in and the inside out“ – El

“Students don’t care what you know until they know that you care.” – Xenia

“Looking ahead, hustling sideways” – Melody

“I wish the adults were a little more functional but the kids are quite amazing.” – Amy

“They got enough dysfunctional adults over there.” – Charlie P

“How comfortable are you with being uncomfortable?” – Mojo

“How we see, depends in part on what we want to see.“ – El

“We will finish, when we finish“ – Viv

Plenty, plenty, bye, bye.

Be Well!