Blog

Now in its sixth year, the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) clinic at Trinfo.Cafe is expanding its free tax preparation services and support network through collaboration with the Liberal Arts Action Lab Family Finance Project. These efforts underscore the clinic’s crucial role in supporting low income families and advocating for policy changes in Hartford.

This past spring, the Liberal Arts Action Lab at Trinity College involved fifteen students in two key projects: the Family Finance Project and the Music Education Project. Led by Dr. Derin Atalay and Prof. Joshua Hummel respectively, these projects partnered with community organizations like United Way CT and House of Bread-Jubilee House. The initiatives focused on assessing the impact of a child tax credit and exploring music education for children in urban settings. Through research, interviews, and multimedia content, students addressed significant social issues in Hartford.

Rashida Rattray IDP ‘25 reflects on her personal connection to tenant organizing and her involvement in the Fall 2023 'Housing Equity Project' at Trinity College's Liberal Arts Action Lab, from from the standpoint of being both a community partner and a student on the project.

Inviting Schoolchildren to Campus with OMA, CHER announcement, and more

This past spring semester, the Liberal Arts Action Lab welcomed twenty-four students to three project teams. The upbeat new energy from the fall semester continued as Trinity College and Capital Community College students participated in an Action Research Methods in Hartford course (LAAL 200) and a Hartford Research Project (LAAL 201) each semester. This semester Dr. Ozlem Atalay taught Action Research Methods in Hartford and led one of the three Hartford research project teams. Dr. Laura Minor led the other two project teams. Each team worked with a community partner who posed a pressing question about the city.

In the fall of 2022, I had the opportunity to participate in the Inclusive Museum Project at the Liberal Arts Action Lab. Our team consisted of three Trinity College students and three Capital Community College students. We collaborated on a research project aimed at expanding the audience of the Connecticut Historical Society (CHS) over the course of a semester. Our community partners, Ilene Frank and Andrea Rapacz, of CHS, posed critical questions for us to investigate: Why do 18-28 year olds in the Hartford area choose to visit the museum? How can the museum attract more diverse visitors? CHS hoped to use the findings from our research to reshape curation of exhibitions, presentation of programs, and marketing activities to broaden museum attendance. 

Recognized for community partnerships, faculty resources for community learning, and more

Community access on campus, researching Hartford changemakers, and more

This past fall semester, the Liberal Arts Action Lab welcomed new community partners, an interim director, and a postdoctoral fellow. The new energy contributed to the Action Lab's continued work, where Trinity and Capital Community College students partake in an Action Research Methods in Hartford course (LAAL 200) and a Hartford Research Project (LAAL 201) each semester. Professor Atalay taught Action Research Methods in Hartford and led one of the three Hartford research projects. Professor Minor led the other two projects. Each team worked with a community partner who posed a pressing question about the city.

In spring 2020, the Black Heritage Project at the Liberal Arts Action Lab (LAAL) took on the task of investigating and telling the story of the historic Talcott Street Congregational Church. The church was the first Black church and school in Hartford and was home to prominent abolitionists, notably the Reverend James W.C. Pennington, who led the church in the 1840s and 50s. I participated in the project as a student at Capital Community College (CCC).