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5 Things You Need to Know Today in Worcester – June 17

By TWIW Staff | June 17, 2021
Last Updated: July 8, 2021

In today’s daily 5 Things You Need to Know feature, ThisWeekinWorcester.com explores five important items and stories that Worcester and Central Massachusetts residents should keep a close eye on.

These five things can cover a whole range of subjects and issues that we feel are pertinent to understanding what’s going on in the city and the cities and towns surrounding Worcester.

In today’s edition – Thursday, June 17  – artists are selected for the Abby Kelley Foster artistic node project, a forum called “Black Faces in White Spaces” is being hosted tonight by Worcester Historical Museum, a Holy Cross professor wins a Fulbright Award, there’s $1 gaming at All Systems Go and advice for summer sunburns.

Artists Selected for Abby Kelley Foster Artistic Node Project

The Worcester Public Art Working Group selected Ann Hirsch and Jeremy Angier for to complete its Abby Kelley Foster Artistic Node Project.

The installation will feature a lighted lectern sculpture at the corner of Main and Walnut streets and set for public activation in October 2021.

Worcester issued a call to artists for the Abby Kelley Foster Artistic Node Project in October 2020. The project is part of the Main Street Reimagined Initiative, which enhances existing streetscapes and activates public spaces through public art installations.

Hirsch cites Abby Kelley Foster as the inspiration for the project. Kelley Foster was a Worcester resident who served as a prominent leader in the abolitionist and women’s rights movement in the 19th century.

Hirsch and Angier’s sculpture will feature a perforated lectern in metal, illuminated from below and engraved with text taken from Kelley Foster’s records that highlights using one’s voice for social change amidst adversity. Hirsch noted that the sculpture will serve as “a potent symbol of Kelley Foster’s story, and will bring us closer to the woman who, in Lucy Stone’s words, ‘earned for us all the right of free speech.”

This project is an initiative of the City’s Cultural Development Division and the Department of Public Works and Parks, in partnership with the Worcester Cultural Coalition. Their objective in this project is to incorporate the arts, place-making, and Worcester’s cultural heritage into public spaces to further the Worcester Cultural Plan.

Worcester Historical Museum Presents ‘Black Faces in White Spaces’

The Worcester Black History Project, Worcester County light Opera Company and Worcester Historical Museum presents a virtual panel called “Black Faces in White Spaces: Black Experiences at Predominantly White Institutions,” on Thursday, June 17, from 7 PM to 8 PM.

This panel discussion is an opening dialogue around a theme of the play “The Niceties,” written by Eleanor Burgess. The play addresses race, history and power.

Join us for an engaging, reflective panel as Black students and professors share their experiences at predominately white institutions of higher education.

The panel consists of:

  • Shanez’e Johnson – Wellesley College graduate, former Worcester student and current resident
  • Professor Maria Hylton – Boston University
  • Dr. Nicole Overstreet – Clark University
  • Xaulanda Thorpe – Boston University graduate and Worcester resident

The event is free but registration is required.

Holy Cross Sociology Professor Received Fulbright Award to Study Climate Change

The College of the Holy Cross’ Selina Gallo-Cruz, associate professor of sociology, has received a Fulbright Scholar Award to study city climate planning in Worcester, Mass. and Tampere, Finland.

Jointly funded by Fulbright Finland Foundation and Tampere University, the 2021-2022 Fulbright-Tampere University Scholar Award will allow Gallo-Cruz to examine how these two very different cities engage with global models for facing the many challenges posed by climate change.

Professor Gallo-Cruz joined Holy Cross in 2013. She earned a B.A. in sociology from Wellesley College and an M.A. and Ph.D. in sociology from Emory University. Her research focuses on culture, gender, global change, NGOs, nonviolence methods, social movements and theory.

$1 Gaming Thursdays at All Systems Go

All Systems Go, an Esports bar at 225 Shrewsbury St., offers the two hours of PC gaming for $1 on Thursdays.

The $1 special applies to the first two hours for each gamer on Thursdays, from opening time, 3 PM, until 8 PM.

All Systems Go is open 3 PM to 1 PM on Wednesday, 3 PM to midnight on Thursday and 1 PM to 1 AM on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. For more information, see the All Systems Go website.

Advice on Sunburns for the Summer Season

As we move into summer weather and many looking for that summer glow tan, Dr. Vincent Meoli, regional medical director of American Family Care, warns that careless sun exposure can lead to long-term skin damage and sunburns.

Sunburns also come with unpleasant immediate effects, including redness, swelling, pain, tenderness, blisters, headache, fatigue and nausea. These signs typically appear within the first few hours and can last several days. Skin peeling is common as the burn heals.

“A severe sunburn requires medical attention,” noted Dr. Meoli. “If blisters form over a large area of your body or on your face or hands, if you experience severe swelling, if blisters show signs of infection or if the burn doesn’t improve withing a few days, you should see a doctor.”

He added that emergency medical care is required if a sunburn is accompanied by a fever above 103 degrees, confusion, dehydration or fainting.

Sunburns can develop in about 15 minutes on unprotected, exposed skin. Dr. Meoli advises people protect themselves by limiting their time in the sun and using a sunblock of at least SPF 30 if they will have any sun exposure. Reapply sunblock at least every two hours, more often if perspiring heavily or getting wet. “Be sure to include your ears and feet, common places people often forget,” he said.

In addition, Dr. Meoli advises wearing a hat in the sun to better protect the scalp, ears and face. “It’s also good to know that it’s possible to burn through light-weave clothing, so don’t assume all covered skin is protected. Further, you can get a sunburn on a cloudy, overcast day as the UV rays can penetrate cloud cover. It’s better to be safe than sorry, so if you are heading outside in summer, your best bet is to apply sunscreen at least 20 minutes in advance.”

The AFC staff in Worcester offers walk-in care seven days a week for patients of all ages, including diagnostic rapid tests and antibody tests for COVID-19, physicals, on-site x-rays, care for minor bone breaks, burns and stitches for cuts and lacerations. Online check-in and current wait times are available at AFCUrgentCareWorcester.com.

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