Creativity, art, and connection. Those were the pillars behind Maddi Ranieri’s Youth Pride Zine Workshop at the Charlotte & William Bloomberg Medford Public Library this past June. Maddi, Youth Services Librarian, is a 2021 Medford Arts Council grant recipient. The idea for the project formed in two ways.
One demographic hit hard and often overlooked during the height of the pandemic was teenagers. Accustomed to in-person learning where they could develop their intellectual and interpersonal skills, they had to quickly pivot to online learning, isolated from their friends, classmates, and peers
When the pandemic hit, everyone lost their sense of routine and struggled to find stimulation. One demographic faced with the most uncertainty was those with memory challenges. In 2021, staff at the Medford Council on Aging Senior Center designed a successful program to occupy and stimulate those with memory challenges.
