Summer 2018
From Ira’s Session Report:
“The theme of our summer was ‘The People Speak: Telling the Truth, Changing the Narrative.’ Our Peace Olympic teams were The Strike of the 20,000 (sparked by Clara Lemlich,) Ferguson/Black Lives Matter, The Little Rock 9, Trail of Dreams and the East L.A. Chicano Walkout. These proved to be fine teams with narratives closely associated with the summer theme. We reintroduced the theme during Week 5 with our Youth Activism Carnival.”
You can read more from Program Director Ira Coleman-Palansky’s 2018 session report here.
2018 Peace Olympics
As always, Judee Rosenbaum has put together a beautiful book from this year’s Peace Olympics. Download the full PDF for photos from this year’s Peace Olympics, information about each team, chants, songs, and more! Click the link below to read.
A Special Project from UnCOR (United Council of Resistance):
“We, at Camp Kinderland, strive to work and exist as a community. Program staff (counselors, group leaders, specialists) and campers may, to a certain extent, achieve this. However, non-program staff such as kitchen, maintenance and the infirmary, are often left out of our narrative. UnCOR wanted to begin to change that narrative by hearing those people speak, and sharing their voices with all of camp. In an attempt to do this, several UnCOR members interviewed people during the last weeks of camp, and have recorded those interviews. We know this comes very late, and that it is only a small first step in changing our narrative, but it is, we hope, a good-faith beginning.”
Click the link below to read UnCOR’s Interviews with Kinderland Staff!
Camp Kinderland on New England Public Radio!
This summer, New England Public Radio visited Camp Kinderland to learn about how we teach labor history through song. Check out the full piece online and listen to excerpts of campers singing with Ira: Camp Kinderland on New England Public Radio
A note of correction from Maddy Simon:
I was reading the newsletter article about the radio broadcast on labor that the kids sang at. To my despair, once again the article describing the camp states that Kinderland was founded by members of the Workmen’s Circle. That is absolutely NOT true. When left-wingers suggested finding a camp for children was mentioned to the Workmen’s Circle, they were not interested. This most radical group went on to independently find a camp site and start the camp and struggled mightily for quite a while. The Workmen’s Circle, several years later, saw that we were successful, bought land directly across the lake and started their camp in opposition to ours. We may have made goody, goody friends with the Workmen’s Circle now, but those were years with bitter fighting for political standards. Let’s try to correct those mistakes of history, give credit to those early founders by being accurate when telling the story of Kinderland’s beginnings.
Amnesty International at Camp Kinderland
From Camp Driver, Photographer, and sometimes Cricket Instructor Dave Rendell:
“As many of you may know, I have been involved with Amnesty International for many years. When I am in New Jersey I am the Area Coordinator for Amnesty International, USA. However, when I am at camp I, along with the guidance of campers and staff, post each week what we call our “Amnesty Action” in the lobby of the dining room. I am merely the facilitator of this. It’s the kids who shape the direction. Alongside these petitions and letters is information pertaining to each case. Therefore, it’s not just a matter of signing a petition; it can also be a learning experience.”
Read more from Dave about Amnesty International at Camp Kinderland!
Amnesty International at Camp Kinderland
A Camper Reports on Summer 2018
Norah Grunfeld, age 8:
