Latest news with #JillBaker
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Humanities Montana receives up to $250K from Mellon Foundation
Humanities Montana will receive a grant of up to $250,000 from the Mellon Foundation. () Humanities Montana announced Tuesday it is receiving a grant of up to $250,000 from the Mellon Foundation following news its budget was slashed as part of recent federal budget cuts. The contribution is made up of an immediate $200,000 and an additional $50,000 available in matching grants, according to a news release from Humanities Montana. The money is part of a $15 million 'emergency funding commitment' from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation for all 56 states and jurisdictional councils of the Federation of State Humanities Councils, according to the news release. Any donations received by Humanities Montana starting April 29, 2025, count towards the match, Humanities Montana said. Members of the public can donate to Humanities Montana by visiting Humanities Montana Executive Director Jill Baker said the organization is 'deeply grateful and humbled' by the outpouring of support it has received in response to news early this month that its federal grant was being terminated. 'This significant investment from the Mellon Foundation is a powerful affirmation of the value of public humanities,' Baker said in a statement. 'Investing in the public good, our communities, and our neighbors has always been a source of pride for Montanans. I remain hopeful that this tradition will hold.' Humanities Montana supports arts and civics programs across the state. It passes on most of the money it receives to other organizations and arts projects, and last year, it said funding reached all 56 counties. In the news release Tuesday, Humanities Montana said the money comes at a critical moment, when $65 million in federal support for state humanities councils has been eliminated as a result of federal cuts to the National Endowment for the Humanities. However, Humanities Montana also said a nearly $500,000 shortfall remains. 'Additional support is necessary in order to continue providing a robust level of public humanities programming, which brings writers, poets, historians, scholars, artists, and performers to museums, community centers, parks, libraries, and educational institutions, including in public, private, and homeschool settings, across Big Sky Country,' the organization said in the news release. On April 2, Humanities Montana received a letter from the acting chairperson of the National Endowment for the Humanities that said its grant was terminated 'in its entirety' effective the same day, April 2. The letter cited an executive order from the Trump administration to reduce 'federal bureaucracy' and 'safeguard the interests of the federal government, including its fiscal priorities.' 'The termination of your grant represents an urgent priority for the administration,' the letter said. In the news release Tuesday, Humanities Montana said the loss totaled $725,000. The funder and network of humanities councils praised the impact the arts have on communities in a separate news release Tuesday from the Mellon Foundation. 'The places where American communities come together to read, learn, and engage with the humanities' vast and varied forms of knowledge and creativity are often those supported by these councils,' said Elizabeth Alexander, president of the Mellon Foundation, in a statement. The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation describes itself as the nation's largest supporter of the arts and humanities with a belief that the humanities and arts are essential to human understanding. Federation of State Humanities Councils President Phoebe Stein said the support from the Mellon Foundation allows the Federation to preserve the network, along with the connections and understanding it fosters. 'This is more than a grant — it's a lifeline for communities across the country who rely on their humanities councils' programs and grants to fill critical needs and enrich their lives,' Stein said in a statement. Founded in 1977, the Federation of State Humanities Councils is the membership organization of the 56 state and jurisdictional humanities councils.
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Humanities Montana budget slashed ‘in furtherance of the President's agenda'
Cuts to the National Endowment for the Humanities mean a loss of nearly all of the money for Humanities Montanan, whose programs include support for rural cultural institutions such as libraries, the director said. () Humanities Montana received notice Wednesday from the National Endowment for the Humanities that its $1 million general operating grant was 'terminated immediately,' according to executive director Jill Baker. The federal money represents the bulk of the budget for Humanities Montana, which supports arts and civics programs across the state. 'Today is not a great day,' Baker said Thursday morning. Established in 1972, Humanities Montana is a nonprofit affiliate of the NEH, 'created in order to better infuse the humanities into public life.' Baker said the $1 million pays for grants that support cultural institutions in Montana and the Humanities Montana staff, who support the grants and programs. It pays for public humanities programming, such as a program that funds visits to schools and communities by the poet laureate or workshops by other artists, historians and philosophers. In 2023, Humanities Montana funding was spent as follows: Programs: $371,045 Grants: $184,631 Administration: $299,892 Fundraising and outreach: $47,039 In 2023, it received $817,342 from the NEH; $160,000 from other grant revenue; $20,188 from royalties and income; and $13,699 from individuals. Source: Humanities Montana Poet Laureate Chris La Tray, a Métis storyteller, said he has put roughly 40,000 miles on his truck in the last 10 months in Montana talking to people about the arts, and it connects people across cultures, ages and political leanings. 'It's something that binds us all and is critical to our society, in Montana and beyond,' La Tray said. A letter from National Endowment for the Humanities Acting Chairman Michael McDonald to Baker said the grant 'no longer effectuates the agency's needs and priorities' and is subject to termination 'due to several reasonable causes.' 'NEH has reasonable cause to terminate your grant in light of the fact that the NEH is repurposing its funding allocations in a new direction in furtherance of the President's agenda,' said the letter, provided to the Daily Montanan by Baker. It cited an executive order by President Donald Trump called 'Commencing the Reduction of the Federal Bureaucracy' and said termination is necessary to 'safeguard the interests of the federal government, including its fiscal priorities.' 'The termination of your grant represents an urgent priority for the administration, and due to exceptional circumstances, adherence to the traditional notification process is not possible,' the letter said. The letter is dated April 2, 2025, and said the grant was terminated 'in its entirety' effective April 2, 2025. The Trump administration and billionaire Elon Musk, through the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, have been making deep cuts to the federal government. The White House did not respond to a request for comment about the extent of the cuts at the National Endowment for the Humanities. However, citing a senior official at the NEH, National Public Radio said the decreases are estimated to be in the millions, and no awards will be made in 2025. Humanities Montana said its programs operate in museums, libraries, community centers, parks and educational institutions, including homeschool settings. 'It's an essential part of building vibrant communities,' Baker said in a statement. Michelle Nowling, executive director of the Ravalli County Museum and Historical Society, said the funds are a way that communities keep their own histories alive, and the cuts will hurt institutions in small towns. 'I think it's a tragedy,' Nowling said. In 2024, the museum received a $7,000 grant to support a documentary, 'Bitterroot at War: The Vietnam Era.' Nowling said the film was timed to screen this year, the 50th anniversary of the end of the war, and it features five Vietnam veterans from the Bitterroot. 'Most of them, all but one, had never spoken publicly about it before,' Nowling said. An estimated 70 people attended the first screening, an emotional event, she said, and the museum honored all veterans who attended. With a template in hand for such a documentary, Nowling had hoped to embark on a similar project with Bitterroot veterans of the Korean War. However, she said small institutions don't have many places to turn to for projects that educate and build community, and now, she isn't sure if that idea can get off the ground. 'If we don't have the funds to pay the people with the skills to tell our stories, how will future generations know who we were?' Nowling said. Baker said Humanities Montana has received federal dollars for 50 years, including some increases for inflation, and the funding has been consistent. Last year, the funding reached all 56 counties, according to Humanities Montana. The organization said the impact is 'particularly significant in rural areas,' where other sources are limited. 'Investing in our communities has always been a point of pride for Montanans, and most of us have benefitted from a grant from Humanities Montana,' Baker said in a statement. On its website, Humanities Montana shares quotes from rural educators, who said bringing quality speakers to schools is expensive, and the program is meaningful. Money covers a stipend and travel costs, and an administrator from Baker said it's important, 'particularly for our very rural school district.' 'It can be incredibly costly and difficult to bring quality speakers to Baker, so we are very grateful that a program like this can help to make it possible,' the principal said in a quote on the Humanities Montana website. La Tray, also a book author, said he travels the state in various capacities, including in ways supported by Humanities Montana, and he will continue to look for ways to talk with rural audiences. He said he doesn't imagine Trump will be able to hold onto power beyond this term, but he also said this administration isn't the only one that hasn't cared enough about the arts to ensure it's an integral part of society. In other words, La Tray said people haven't chosen leaders, Democrat or Republican, who made funding for the humanities reliable, money that couldn't just be 'yanked' away. 'We need to change that. That begins with us at the ground level, at the grassroots level,' said La Tray, an enrolled member of the Little Shell Tribe of Chippewa Indians. A list of Humanities Montana grants for the 2024 fiscal year includes $500 awards to rural book clubs, Big Sky Reads, and $1,000 to $10,000 awarded for films and community projects. Projects include support for a Cree language revitalization program; an oral history of the Jewish community in Montana; and a program about 'unsung hero' York, William Clark's slave. Baker said Humanities Montana had received the federal three-year grant of $1 million a year. The grant was set to conclude at the end of September 2025, and the termination notice ends the grant five months early. She said continuing resolutions in Congress might affect some funding. A lot of the implications of the cut are still unclear, but she believes it would be DOGE's intent not to reopen humanities grants. 'We're learning this as we go,' Baker said. Baker also said she hopes Montanans will reach out to the Congressional delegation and their friends. She asked them to share the reasons the humanities are significant to them or to find 'creative ways to safeguard this funding and the programs and individuals it supports.' Baker said the organization has implemented a contingency plan and has 'a limited privately donated reserve fund to assist with essential expenses for now.' She said staff have not been terminated but furloughs may be necessary 'in the near future.' Notice of Grant Termination_SO28988423
Yahoo
21-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Long Beach Students Use T-Shirts to Spell Racial Slur, But Wait To You Hear The School's Response
A disturbing photo of high school students has parents and community leaders outraged after it went viral. Now, the Long Beach community is calling the Long Beach Unified School District to get to the bottom of things. It all started when a student at Cabrillo High School showed the photo to his mother. 'Yesterday my son showed me a picture circulating online of students at Cabrillo high school where ASB students gather together to form a derogatory statement in their shirts,' the parent wrote on social media, according to Fox 11 News. The photo, which appears was taken during a school assembly in the gym, shows eight students— none of whom appear to be Black— all wearing t-shirts that spell out 'i <3 n*gers.' The parent continued saying, '100s of parents were outraged as we have been emailing the district and school just to be hit with vague and AI-like responses.' It's unclear when exactly the photo was taken, but apparently, none of the students involved received any disciplinary actions directly after the spectacle. 'We are truly destroyed that our students have to walk along this excuse for people because my son said he seen all the students the next day attending school like it never happened,' the parent concluded. Now, the photo has gone viral online, with folks from all over wondering how exactly this could've happened. 'What was the purpose? Like, really, what's their end game,' @Shiv31 wrote on X. Another user pointed out how the students misspelled the racial slur saying, 'More like tried to spell the N word but clearly didn't learn in school.' @shadowhikari2 continued saying, 'Anyways lol suspensions all around if we're being serious.' Now, civil rights and other community groups like the Los Angeles Metropolitan Churches and Project Islamic Hope, are demanding answers from Superintendent Dr. Jill Baker, according to Fox 11. The district released a statement obtained by NBC 4 News apologizing. 'This conduct is unacceptable and does not reflect the values of our school or district. We sincerely apologize for the harm this has caused to our community,' the statement said. Cabrillo High School said the conduct was 'unacceptable' and went on to apologize for the harm it caused. 'We want to be clear: this type of behavior is not condoned or tolerated at Cabrillo High School or anywhere in our district,' the school's administration said in a statement. 'Immediate steps are being taken to address the situation, and we are working with all relevant parties to ensure accountability.' A formal investigation into the incident is underway. The school also urged students sharing the photo online to be aware of the real damage it can cause. For the latest news, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Yahoo
18-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Southern California high school issues apology after students pose for racist photo
The Brief Cabrillo High School has issued an apology after students posted a racist photo on social media. The photo appears to have been taken during a school assembly. Civil rights groups are demanding accountability and answers from the LBUSD superintendent. LONG BEACH, Calif. - Cabrillo High School in Long Beach has issued an apology after students posed for a racist photo that went viral on social media. What we know The photo, which was apparently taken during a school assembly in the gym, shows students wearing t-shirts that spell out a racial slur. One parent who saw the photo took to social media to express his anger over the incident. "Yesterday my son showed me a picture circulating online of students at Cabrillo high school where ASB students gather together to form a derogatory statement in their shirts. 100s of parents were outraged as we have been emailing the district and school just to be hit with vague and AI-like responses. We are truly destroyed that our students have to walk along this excuse for people because my son said he seen all the students the next day attending school like it never happened." Civil rights groups, including Los Angeles Metropolitan Churches and Project Islamic Hope, have demanded accountability and answers from Superintendent Dr. Jill Baker. What they're saying The Long Beach Unified School District (LBUSD) issued a statement expressing deep disappointment at the "disturbing and offensive photo." "This conduct is unacceptable and does not reflect the values of our school or district. We sincerely apologize for the harm this has caused to our community," the statement read. "We want to be clear: this type of behavior is not condoned or tolerated at Cabrillo High School or anywhere in our district. Immediate steps are being taken to address the situation, and we are working with all relevant parties to ensure are aware that this photo is currently being shared among students on social media. We ask that all members of our school community be mindful of the harm that sharing such images can cause and encourage open, thoughtful discussions about the impact of their actions." What we don't know It's unclear when the picture was taken and if the students in the photo are facing any repercussions. What's next The school is currently investigating the incident and is reminding students to report any inappropriate behavior. The Source Information for this story is from a statement from the Long Beach Unified School District.
Yahoo
08-02-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Attention women veterans: Retreat set for March
ISIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — Women have been serving in the United States military for decades and their contributions have been significant. Sadly, a lot of them don't know all the resources and benefits they are entitled to. But there's going to be a special retreat next month in Sioux Falls where they can learn all about them and it's just for women. Beating with bat leaves 1 seriously injured Women make up 20% of the U-S military in every branch. Next month, there'll be the 4th Annual Stand Up for Women Veterans Retreat. ' It's really kind of focusing on bringing women veterans together,' said Jill Baker said, the executive director for the Community Action for Veterans organization. She says the retreat will cover a variety of topics and challenges women veterans face after serving their country. One of the highlights of the event is something called the VA 1 on 1 Veterans Assistance Expo. It's a one-stop shop to help guide women to VA benefits, disability claims, and other services. 'I know in South Dakota probably less than 5% of women veterans are actually using their veteran benefits, so there's definitely a need to connect them in with what they've earned,' Baker said. Jade Ronk is an Air Force veteran and a board member for CAV. She's attended the retreat in years past and currently works with all veterans, but she says after women leave the military they sometimes forget to focus on themselves. 'Yes, I think that's very common with women, especially as a mother you focus on your kids when they are little and age and grow up and sometimes you focus on your career and before you know it life happens and then you're like what do I do next,' Ronk said. She says women can also open up about sensitive issues. 'I think a lot of the women I've worked with over the last decade really struggle with different things like; military sexual trauma or relationships, their health or even financial stability and when you look at those things it's hard to talk to your partners about that or women who don't understand your experiences, so coming together to start that conversation is super important,' Ronk said. To learn more about the retreat, when it is and how to sign up, click here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
