Dear Friends,

This weekend marks the beginning of Passover, Holy Week, and the Holi festival — and a deeply meaningful period for many members of our extended Teachers College family.

Even as vaccinations continue to accelerate, this year’s celebrations may still feel bittersweet or uncertain. More than a year into the pandemic, many of us have experienced loss, illness or other trauma, and the anxiety over balancing the health, safety and education for ourselves and our loved ones remains.

Still, too, we are reeling from racial inequities and violence that have been escalated over the past year, most recently through the surge of harassment and violence against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. Meanwhile, the shootings in Boulder, CO, earlier this week offered a painful reminder of the ongoing and senseless cost of gun violence in neighborhoods where TC Community members live and work. We were also saddened to learn a few days ago about a devastating fire in the Balukhali Rohingya Refugee camp in Bangladesh, where a TC alumnus has brought so much hope and healing through art.

And, as so many of us long to be reunited with our family and friends, it is unfortunate that ritual observance and celebrations of these holidays will be virtual for many of us for the second straight year.

At the same time, the coming week’s holidays — while representing distinct religious faiths and traditions — share common themes of hope, redemption, interconnectedness, and renewal. One need not be religiously affiliated or observant to appreciate the meaning and universal resonance of these holidays, especially given our shared experience over the past year.

I was moved to reflect on hope, and on our connection to one another, at a coffee hour that Dr. Janice Robinson and I hosted earlier this week. As we met virtually with employees representing a variety of backgrounds and areas across the College, I was struck by the many ways individuals have created new meaning in their work and personal lives within the confines of the past year — from taking up new crafts, hobbies and workout routines (such as yoga) to doing New York Times crossword puzzles with colleagues. I especially enjoyed hearing one of our colleagues describe getting hooked on painting by numbers, and showing us a photo that a family member had taken of her that she was converting into a paint-by-numbers self-portrait.

I am grateful to all of you who have attended these coffee hours and to those among you who have shared your experiences with us.

Now that spring has arrived, I am looking forward to the future and – with continued vaccination and discipline in adhering to health guidelines – to a return to more in-person activities on campus this fall. (Another good sign: You may have noted that New York State updated their vaccination guidance again this week, with New Yorkers age 50 and older now eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.)

In the meantime, as we experience the resumption of elements of “normal” daily life, I hope that you will discover ways to find your own sense of peace and renewal. Please continue to take care and be safe. If you are celebrating, Chag Pesach sameach! Happy Easter! And let the colors of Holi spread the message of peace and happiness.

Thomas Bailey
President, Teachers College