Understanding Uniting Vic Tas Kindergarten Programs

NY Weekly Staff on October 15, 2025

Kindergarten serves as a pivotal stage in early childhood education, bridging the gap between home and formal schooling. In Victoria, kindergarten programs typically cater to children aged 3 to 5, offering structured learning experiences that foster social, emotional, and cognitive development. Uniting Vic Tas’ kindergarten provides programs across Victoria, focusing on early childhood development, inclusivity, and community involvement.

Core Features of Uniting Vic Tas Kindergarten

Play-Based Learning Approach

Uniting Vic Tas adopts a play-based learning philosophy, recognizing that play is one of the most effective ways for young children to learn. Through hands-on activities, imaginative play, and creative exploration, children develop the skills they need to succeed academically, socially, and emotionally. This approach encourages children to be active participants in their learning journey.

Social and Emotional Development

Social engagement at kindergarten plays a crucial role in the development of a child’s identity, community sense, and self-awareness. Children learn to navigate their emotions and respond to others in prosocial ways. Educators support children in experiencing the benefits and challenges that come with working with peers, helping them navigate the complexities of peer relationships.

Early Literacy and Numeracy Skills

Through activities like book reading, drawing, dramatic play, singing, and conversations with peers and educators, children explore letters, sounds, and vocabulary. These experiences are essential precursors to literacy learning in later years, laying the foundation for academic success.

Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving

Children are encouraged to think critically, make decisions, and test ideas. They explore possibilities and take on feedback from others to inform their decision-making. Opportunities to practice making choices and taking risks safely in supportive environments equip children to respond to challenges effectively.

Arts and Creative Expression

Engagement in music, movement, arts, and dramatic play allows children to explore the world and find new ways to express themselves. Skills learned through the arts, including spatial awareness, are vital precursors to other areas of learning, such as early numeracy development.

Inclusive and Supportive Environment

Uniting Vic Tas is committed to creating an inclusive and community-oriented environment. The organization celebrates diversity and ensures that every child and family feels welcome and valued. By embracing inclusivity, Uniting Vic Tas creates a rich and supportive environment that benefits all children.

Preparing for School Readiness

The transition from early childhood to school is an important milestone for both children and parents. Uniting Vic Tas’s kindergarten programs are designed to help children transition seamlessly into formal schooling. By focusing on foundational skills such as literacy and numeracy, the programs create a solid academic base. At the same time, they foster a sense of excitement and curiosity about learning, giving children a great start on their educational journey.

Concept of Uniting Vic Tas

Understanding Uniting Vic Tas kindergarten programs offers valuable insight into how early childhood education shapes young learners. These programs focus on building strong foundations in literacy, numeracy, communication, and social skills through structured play and guided learning. By creating inclusive, supportive, and nurturing environments, they help children develop confidence, curiosity, and creativity. Families are encouraged to be actively involved, ensuring a smooth transition from home to school. With dedicated educators and tailored learning approaches, children gain essential skills that prepare them for primary education and beyond. This understanding highlights the lasting impact of quality early learning experiences on lifelong success.

Conclusion

Uniting Vic Tas’s kindergarten programs offer a nurturing, play-based environment that supports children’s development in various domains. With a focus on social-emotional growth, early literacy and numeracy, critical thinking, and creative expression, these programs prepare children for a successful transition to school. The inclusive and supportive environment ensures that every child feels valued and has the opportunity to thrive.

More Than Poetry: A Testament of Womanhood and Survival

NY Weekly Staff on October 15, 2025

Catrina Boyer’s Through My Eyes, I See My World is not merely a poetry collection; it is a voice, a testimony, and a lifeline. Structured in four distinct sections, the book moves from collective empowerment to personal healing, offering readers both a mirror and a map. Boyer writes with honesty that does not flinch, grace that does not fade, and conviction that does not compromise. Each page carries her heartbeat, her history, and her hope.

The opening section is a resounding call to Black women everywhere. These poems speak to dignity, perseverance, and the kind of quiet power that history too often overlooks. Works such as Lead the Way and Heart of a Black Woman frame Black women not only as survivors but as leaders holding families together, shaping communities, and setting moral compasses. Boyer presents womanhood as a mantle of both burden and brilliance. When she writes of rising “from the mountain top to the valley low,” she is not exaggerating; she is documenting the spiritual geography of women who carry entire worlds on their shoulders. This is not rhetoric; it is affirmation. Her words transform stereotypes into battle cries, dismantling invisibility by placing Black women at the center of progress.

The second section transitions into an inward journey. Here Boyer becomes both confidante and coach, guiding readers toward self-recognition. Pieces like True Self and Beauty Within remind women that identity cannot be outsourced to external validation. In a world where expectations attempt to confine women into impossible boxes, Boyer redefines worth as something intrinsic and indestructible. This is where the book becomes deeply personal. Boyer admits her own struggles with self-image, offering poems that read like open letters to the spirit. The refrain is steady: you are enough, you are worthy, you are more. Self-love, in Boyer’s framework, is not indulgence but survival. It is an act of protest against a culture that often dismisses women’s voices and diminishes their value.

The third section expands the circle from self to spirit. Boyer’s faith is not performative but lived; it is the scaffolding that holds her together. In poems such as Blessings and Faith Will Make It Better, she acknowledges the storms of life while pointing toward divine shelter. These are not abstract musings on theology but grounded testimonies: God shows up in the midnight hour, when friends walk away, when family disappoints, when the mind itself feels fractured. What is striking here is how seamlessly Boyer ties faith to resilience. Belief in God becomes not just a matter of doctrine but a source of courage to face trauma, loss, and uncertainty. This section positions spirituality as both compass and comfort, a reminder that no battle is fought alone.

The final section is the most vulnerable, and perhaps the most necessary. Boyer lays bare her lived experiences: broken friendships, distorted religion, unresolved grief, and the relentless weight of PTSD. Pieces like Lost Friendship and Skewed Religion do not sugarcoat pain. Instead, they confront it head-on, demanding honesty from both the writer and the reader. And yet, even in the darkest recollections, there is light. Healing and My Life demonstrate that pain does not have the final word. Boyer does not present herself as someone who has “arrived,” but as someone still walking the path. This humility makes her voice credible, her perspective relatable. She proves that transparency is its own kind of triumph.

Boyer’s own life gives weight to her words. With more than fifteen years as a childcare teacher, she has devoted herself to nurturing the next generation. Her work in the medical field and with the homeless further reflects her calling to serve. Beyond her professional roles, Boyer is a lover of sports, strategy games, and long walks in nature. But above all, she is a student of self-love and faith-based inspiration, drawing constantly from sources that remind her to grow, give, and guide. Her personal story, intertwined with the legacy of her late mother, who never had the chance to publish her own poetry, gives the book an added dimension. This collection is not only a personal milestone but also the fulfillment of a shared dream.

What makes Through My Eyes, I See My World powerful is its refusal to remain in one category. It is at once a celebration of Black womanhood, a toolkit for self-love, a devotional for faith, and a memoir of resilience. Boyer insists that women do not have to choose between these identities; they can be all at once: strong, tender, spiritual, scarred, and triumphant. Her voice is direct yet nurturing, bold yet compassionate. 

In today’s climate, where conversations about equity, wellness, and spirituality are both urgent and fragmented, Boyer’s collection acts as a unifying force. It reminds us that literature can heal as much as it can critique, and that poetry can be both a personal diary and a cultural manifesto. By interweaving the personal with the political, and the spiritual with the practical, Boyer demonstrates that the challenges of life are not meant to silence us but to shape us. Her work tells women everywhere: you are not alone, your story matters, and your voice carries power.

Through My Eyes, I See My World is ultimately a book of courage. It stands as proof that poetry can still be both deeply intimate and widely resonant, both balm and battle cry. Boyer has not only written a collection of poems; she has built a legacy that will empower others to rise, reflect, and reclaim their own stories.

How Long Do You Have to File a Car Accident Lawsuit in Mississippi?

NY Weekly Staff on October 15, 2025

After a car accident, the days and weeks that follow can be chaotic—doctor’s appointments, insurance calls, vehicle repairs, and mounting bills. But amid the confusion, there’s one crucial detail you can’t afford to overlook: the legal deadline for filing a car accident lawsuit. Known as the statute of limitations, this deadline determines how long you have to pursue legal action for your injuries and damages.

Missing this window can potentially mean losing your right to recover compensation entirely. That’s why it’s advisable to understand how Mississippi’s laws work, what exceptions may apply, and why acting quickly may help protect your future. With the help of an experienced Jackson Car Accident Law Firm, victims can ensure their case is filed properly and on time, which could increase their chances at financial recovery.

Understanding Mississippi’s Statute of Limitations

In Mississippi, the statute of limitations for many car accident lawsuits is three years from the date of the accident. This rule applies to both personal injury and property damage claims. That means if you were injured or your car was destroyed in a collision, you generally have three years to file a lawsuit against the at-fault driver or other responsible parties.
 However, while three years might sound like plenty of time, delays can increase the risk of losing valuable evidence. Evidence such as witness statements, surveillance footage, and accident reports can become harder to obtain as time passes. Filing early helps your attorney preserve crucial evidence and build a stronger case before details fade or disappear.

The Clock Starts Ticking on the Date of the Accident

In many cases, the countdown begins on the day the accident occurs—not when injuries are discovered or when you first realize the full extent of your damages. This is why immediate medical evaluation and legal consultation are so important. Even injuries that seem minor can develop into serious conditions, and early documentation helps establish a clear connection between the crash and your symptoms.
 If a loved one is killed in a car accident, the wrongful death statute of limitations also follows a three-year period—but the countdown starts on the date of death, which could be later than the accident itself.

When Shorter Deadlines May Apply

While the general rule allows three years, some cases have significantly shorter timelines. For instance, if your accident involved a government vehicle or a public employee—such as a city bus or road maintenance truck—you may need to file a notice of claim before filing a lawsuit.
 Mississippi law requires this notice to be filed within one year of the incident, and it must meet strict procedural requirements. Failing to file the notice properly can permanently bar you from recovering compensation. This is one of many reasons why consulting a lawyer soon after an accident is crucial.

Exceptions That Can Extend the Deadline

Mississippi law recognizes limited circumstances where the statute of limitations can be “tolled,” or paused, giving victims extra time to file. These exceptions include:

  • Minors: If the injured person is under 21, the clock doesn’t start until their 21st birthday.
  • Mental incompetence: If a victim is legally incapacitated at the time of the accident, the statute may pause until they regain capacity.
  • Out-of-state defendants: If the at-fault driver leaves Mississippi after the crash and before the lawsuit is filed, the time they’re out of state may not count toward the three-year limit.

However, these exceptions are narrowly interpreted. Relying on them without legal advice can be risky, as courts enforce filing deadlines strictly.

Why Acting Early Strengthens Your Case

Even though the law allows up to three years, it’s rarely wise to wait. The longer you delay, the harder it becomes to prove your case. Key evidence such as vehicle data, police reports, and eyewitness memories can degrade or disappear. Insurance companies might also use delays to question the seriousness of your claim.
 By taking action early, your attorney can:

  • Secure and preserve evidence before it’s lost.
  • Interview witnesses while details are fresh.
  • Obtain black box data or surveillance footage before it’s deleted.
  • Ensure medical evaluations accurately reflect injury timelines.

A proactive legal approach typically results in faster settlements and stronger negotiation leverage.

The Process of Filing a Car Accident Lawsuit

When you decide to pursue a lawsuit, your attorney begins by investigating the accident thoroughly—collecting medical records, police reports, photographs, and expert testimony. Once they have the evidence needed, they’ll file a complaint in civil court, outlining how the other driver’s negligence caused your injuries and the damages you’ve suffered.
 The defendant (the at-fault party) will then have a set amount of time to respond. From there, both sides exchange information in a process called discovery, which includes depositions, document requests, and expert evaluations. While many cases settle before trial, filing within the statute of limitations ensures you have the legal right to go to court if necessary.

What Happens If You Miss the Deadline?

Missing the filing deadline can be devastating. In many cases, the court will dismiss your lawsuit outright, no matter how strong your evidence or how severe your injuries are. Insurance companies are well aware of these deadlines and may use them to their advantage—delaying negotiations in the hope that victims run out of time.

If your case is dismissed for being late, you lose the ability to recover compensation for medical expenses, property damage, lost income, and pain and suffering. The ideal way to avoid this outcome is to consult an attorney as soon as possible after an accident.

How Insurance Claims Fit Into the Timeline

It’s important to note that insurance claims and lawsuits are not the same. Filing a claim with your insurance company should happen immediately after an accident, but this process doesn’t stop the statute of limitations clock. If negotiations with the insurer drag on and no settlement is reached, the three-year deadline for filing a lawsuit continues to count down in the background.
 To protect your rights, your attorney can handle both the insurance process and any potential court filings simultaneously. That way, you’ll be prepared for either outcome—settlement or litigation.

Why Legal Guidance Is Crucial

Every car accident case is unique, and understanding how deadlines apply to your specific situation can be complicated. A skilled attorney can evaluate your case, determine which statutes or exceptions apply, and ensure all filings meet Mississippi’s strict procedural requirements.

In addition to managing timelines, your lawyer can negotiate with insurers, gather expert testimony, and fight for full compensation for your injuries. Having professional guidance removes uncertainty and allows you to focus on healing instead of paperwork and deadlines.

 

Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. The content is not intended to establish an attorney-client relationship. Legal outcomes depend on individual circumstances, and you should consult with a qualified attorney to discuss your specific situation and receive tailored legal guidance. The law is subject to change, and it’s important to ensure that your actions comply with the latest legal requirements.

From Playing Nice to Playing Big: The Story of Tiffani Barton

NY Weekly Staff on October 15, 2025

By: Elena Mart

Tiffani Barton seemed unshakable. On the outside, she was strong and steady, scaling government contracts to impressive heights and navigating the intricate world of public sector procurement with skill. But inside, there were cracks in the foundation she hadn’t addressed, patterns of disempowerment, a lack of self-awareness, and the quiet erosion of her personal well-being.

When illness hit, it forced everything into sharp relief. “I learned how little personal power I had,” she says. What followed was a period of reckoning that nearly dismantled her life but ultimately set her on a new path. Tiffani decided not only to rebuild her health but also to reinvent her approach to living and leading. Out of that commitment came a realization: to never abandon herself again, to stand firmly in her own power, and to help other women do the same.

That personal turning point sits alongside a corporate career that would be enviable by many standards. Over 11 years in public sector sales, Tiffani scaled multiple cooperative contracts to substantial figures annually and sold nearly $2 billion in goods and services to government clients. From IT to commercial roofing, she brought the same tenacity: helping cities, counties, colleges, and schools protect their communities with solutions that have been proven to save money, time, and stress.

From Playing Nice to Playing Big: The Story of Tiffani Barton

Photo Courtesy: Tiffani Barton

But for Tiffani, success was never just about the numbers. It was about the people on the other side of the contracts—the overworked public servants trying to keep their communities safe. She remembers one procurement director nearly collapsing with relief when he learned he could bypass months of bidding headaches through her cooperative contract. “Thank God you’re here,” he told her. “You called at just the right time.”

It’s those moments that remind her why she does this work. Procurement may sound dry, but in her hands, it becomes a form of service: helping to remove roadblocks so communities can thrive.

At the same time, Tiffani has built a second career as a mentor and author. Her bestselling book SHED grew out of her own recovery, offering women a roadmap to self-awareness and empowerment. She now runs a mentorship business where she works one-on-one and through her signature group program, Blueprint, guiding women to speak up, negotiate with confidence, and build lives they are more likely to enjoy.

Her message is simple but powerful: empowerment is a skill, not a personality trait. She knows this firsthand. Once held back by self-doubt and unhealthy patterns, she rebuilt her life gradually, choice by choice, vow by vow. Now she embodies the lessons she teaches, showing up as the woman she once needed, and offering that model to others.

Her achievements haven’t gone unnoticed. She’s been named one of MSN’s “Top 10 Most Inspiring Self-Made Women to Follow in 2025,” honored with multiple industry awards, and continues to be promoted within her corporate career. But the real reward, she says, is in the ripple effect. Every woman she mentors helps to create another spark, another light added to a collective fire.

Looking forward, Tiffani sees great potential. She envisions leading public sector sales at the highest level while expanding her mentorship reach to support women on a global scale. Having lost years to illness, she feels an urgency to make every moment count, but she also knows the wisdom those years gave her could be the very thing that sets her apart.

Tiffani Barton’s story is one of resilience, vision, and service. She builds billion-dollar contracts by day and empowers women to claim their voices by night. And through it all, she holds firm to the vow that changed everything: to always be her own best advocate, and to teach others how to be theirs.

Connect with Tiffani Barton on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tiffanibarton

From the Amazon to the Boardroom: The Journey of Thais Saenz

NY Weekly Staff on October 15, 2025

By: Natalie Johnson

Deep in the Brazilian Amazon, in a small town that doesn’t appear on most maps, Thais Saenz was born among the Ticuna tribe. To reach her hometown of Benjamin Constant, one must travel five days by boat from Manaus, through winding rivers lined with dense rainforest. It was an environment where survival depended on ingenuity: where the power of community and persistence shaped every day.

That setting would prove to be the foundation of Saenz’s life. She grew up understanding that limitations could be temporary when paired with imagination. “When you come from a place that requires creativity to survive, problem-solving becomes instinctive,” she says. “You don’t wait for opportunities to find you, you build them.”

From the Amazon to the Boardroom: The Journey of Thais Saenz

Photo Courtesy: Thais Saenz

Years later, when she immigrated to the United States, that instinct would play a pivotal role in guiding her again. Arriving with little more than determination and a belief in hard work, Saenz began climbing the corporate ladder. She started in entry-level roles, learning everything she could about leadership, systems, and customer relationships. By her late 20s, she was managing multi-state markets across Latin America and the U.S. for major brands, including Fortune 500 companies.

From the outside, it looked like success. Yet internally, Saenz felt something was missing. “I was helping corporations thrive, but I wasn’t changing people’s lives,” she recalls. “I wanted to build something that could allow people freedom: time to be better parents, leaders, and human beings.”

That realization led her to create Saenz Global, a fulfillment company serving one of the most overlooked sectors in business: roofing. What began as a solo project has evolved into a tech-driven operational partner trusted by roofing professionals nationwide. Unlike traditional virtual assistant firms, Saenz Global integrates directly with JobNimbus and AccuLynx — the industry’s leading CRMs — allowing the company to handle permits, production, claims, and customer communication with a high degree of precision.

“Roofing is our focus, and that’s what makes us different,” Saenz says. “We’re not assistants: we’re professionals who understand the details that make or break a job.”

But technology alone isn’t what sets Saenz apart. Her company operates with a core philosophy: that success without impact is not fulfilling. “Efficiency is important, but fulfillment is about more than speed,” she explains. “It’s about giving people their time back so they can show up fully for the parts of life that matter.”

That mindset reflects her own journey: from a girl raised in the jungle to a business leader shaping an entire niche. Saenz often shares with her team the lesson that has carried her through every challenge: clarity and action often beat perfection. “You’ll never have all the answers before you start,” she says. “But once you take the first step, the next one typically reveals itself.”

Her leadership style mirrors that belief. At Saenz Global, decisions are made collaboratively, and new ideas are tested quickly. She encourages her team to think independently and own their results. “I want every person who works with us to feel empowered to grow beyond their role,” she adds.

Looking ahead, Saenz envisions scaling the company far beyond operations. Her goal is to make Saenz Global the leading fulfillment company in the roofing sector: blending automation with empathy, and systems with heart. “We’re solving a $53 billion problem,” she says. “But what drives me isn’t the number, it’s the potential impact.”

From the Amazon to American boardrooms, Saenz’s story is one of reinvention, persistence, and purpose. It’s a testament to the idea that greatness isn’t defined by geography or resources: it’s built through resilience and faith in what’s possible.

Burning Man Storms Bring Destruction and New Meaning to Playa Art

NY Weekly Staff on October 15, 2025

BLACK ROCK DESERT, NV, Sep 2025 – The wind roared across the playa, gusting at speeds up to 70 miles per hour. In mere moments, shade structures buckled, tents were swept away, and a 27-foot-tall pink dice sculpture, still incomplete, crumbled to the ground. What had started as a relatively calm build week at Burning Man 2025 quickly turned into one of the most destructive storms the event has seen in over a decade, toppling sculptures and drastically altering the fate of several major installations.

Among the hardest hit was Mona DIE! DIE! DIE!, the final piece in a trilogy by artist Miao He, following the 30-foot pink Mona Bunny and the mystical Mona Mushroom. The sculpture—a massive wooden die painted in bright pink—was meant to explore themes of fate, chance, chaos, and impermanence, encouraging participants to embrace uncertainty and “roll with it.” And this year, the playa certainly provided plenty of chaos to engage with.

As the build crew was lowering the third die piece into place, a rare dust storm arrived unexpectedly, reducing visibility to an arm’s length and tipping over the forklift that was holding the piece. The die groaned, then collapsed, shattering into pieces before it could be completed.  Benjamin Brast-McKie, a member of the build crew, commented: “When you call upon chaos, you don’t always get to choose what you get.”

However, the story didn’t end with the destruction—it marked a new beginning for the piece.

Burning Man Storms Bring Destruction and New Meaning to Playa Art

Photo Courtesy: Jamen Percy

Embracing Chaos: A New Chapter

Instead of hiding the damage, the team chose to incorporate it into the artwork. In an act of improvisation, the team reassembled the remaining die faces into a pyramid, with the shattered surfaces forming new entry points. The piece was transformed into an interactive installation that people could climb, much like ancient ruins. Participants stepped through the cracks, engaging with the artwork’s fragility, which was no longer seen as failure but as an integral part of its life cycle. “I could not have come up with a better depiction of chaos by myself,” reflected project lead Janis K. Hesse. “Nature inadvertently became our collaborator. She fractured the artwork into many pieces, but at the same time made it more complete than we ever could have planned.”

Mona DIE! DIE! DIE! was one of three large art pieces destroyed by the storm on Saturday. In a twist of poetic irony, one observer noted that nature seemed to have targeted the installations that most resonated with the themes of impermanence and resilience.

Black Cloud: From Ominous Presence to Message of Fate

Not far from Mona DIE! DIE! DIE!, Ukrainian artists led by Oleksiy Sai unveiled Black Cloud, a monumental inflatable sculpture symbolizing the destructive force of war. Hours before Ukrainian Independence Day, the storm tore it apart. Afterward, the fragmented remains were reassembled into letters spelling out a powerful statement across the playa: “No Fate,” referencing the idea that “there is no fate but the one we create for ourselves,” as explained by lead producer Vitaliy Deynega. What had begun as a symbol of looming threat was transformed into a declaration that the future, though uncertain, is still ours to shape.

Resilience: Rebuilt from the Ashes

Whitney Webb and a group of North Carolina artists who had survived Hurricane Helene built Resilience from the debris of their own homes as a tribute to the process of rebuilding after devastation. While building on playa, the Burning Man storm capsized the trailer and demolished their art piece in the process. The artists decided to rebuild it right there on the spot with whatever materials the desert left them. “I’ve always said that resilience isn’t just about surviving the storm, it’s about what you build from the wreckage. Now we’re doing that in real time… It’s even more resilient now,” Webb recalled.

A Funeral for Art: Mona’s Final March and Burn

To honor the art pieces destroyed in the storm, the Mona team led a jazz funeral parade, New Orleans-style, from Center Camp to Mona DIE! DIE! DIE!, stopping along the way for interactive performances at various art installations. The parade culminated in the burning of the damaged piece. Participants organized a symposium with talks on impermanence, and created their own death masks representing their external identities, which were burned in a pink coffin along with remnants of the destroyed artwork, to reveal their true selves. Artists whose pieces were also destroyed contributed pieces of their sculptures to the coffin, and after eulogies and performances, the coffin was placed inside the dice and set ablaze in a dramatic fire display.

“I’m proud of how our team handled the collapse of our art piece,” said Janis K. Hesse. “It’s easy to call something like this a failure and give up. But leaning into the theme of our piece, our team really did embrace the chaos and created a new sculpture with deeper meaning. The storm didn’t destroy Black Rock City but it brought us closer together, turning chaos into something unexpectedly beautiful.”

The Playa as Co-Author

Together, these works show how art at Burning Man 2025 was not so much destroyed as rewritten. Black Cloud scattered into No Fate. Resilience was rebuilt twice. Mona DIE! DIE! DIE! taught its creators how to embrace chaos and impermanence. In the Black Rock Desert, art is never static. It evolves continuously, shaped by the people who create it, the forces of nature, and the unpredictable. Through this transformation, the meaning of the art deepens, making each piece even more profound by the end of the event. “We prepared the funeral, but nature decided the timing,” Miao He said, reflecting on the three “deaths” of the art piece. “The first death came from the storm, the second from fire, and the third will be when people forget it—but that’s in the distant future.”

About Mona Art Foundation

Miao He, born in a small rural village in China, graduated from the China Academy of Art and founded the Mona Art Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting marginalized artists and exploring art’s impact on mental health. This year, the foundation sponsored several art installations at Burning Man, including WiFi Jail, an interactive piece designed by children ages 6 to 13 that resembled a prison cell. By placing participants inside to access free WiFi while others watched from the outside, the piece prompted a confrontation with digital addiction. “We give away our attention too easily,” said lead artist Weisen Wang. “People don’t look up anymore.” WiFi Jail reminded participants that true freedom may lie not in constant connection, but in choosing when to disconnect and reconnect face-to-face.

A light show led by Chinese artist Quansheng Li projected art from over ten international artists, including Yang He and Bowei Wang, onto the remaining sides of the cube. Mona Art Foundation also supported students showcasing their artwork and music at Center Camp during the Mona Funeral March and enabled international artists to project their digital creations onto the die faces at night. The foundation is currently producing a documentary on Miao He and the unfolding story at Burning Man this year, set for release next year.

Acknowledgments 

Build Team: Mackenzie Pelletier, Benjamin Brast-McKie, Janis K. Hesse, Sparkle Pony, Renzo Verbeck, Nathan Heintz, Irene Rembado, Brian Gonzales, Ke Ming, Helen Yu, Grant Gordon, Robert Tromm, Jay Calleton, Aron Parks, Evan, Drew Wilson, Ryan Hubbs.

Documentary Team: Jing Wen, Paul Chelmis, Denis Pacuraru, Jessica Yuan, Ruoyun Tang

Video Art Unit Artists: Quansheng Li, Yang He, Bowei Wang, Zhaojun Liu, Sikey Wong, Haiyang Hu, Aiju Wang, Charmaine Lacsina, Jingxuan Hu, Yichu Li, Mantou Lin, Sophia Guo

Speakers and Performance Artists for Funeral March: Janis K. Hesse, Miao He, Philip DePoala, Charmaine Lacsina, Inani Schroedinger, Nicky Mehtani, Ben Brast-McKie, Rae Gross, Nathan Heintz, Irene Rembado, Leonardo Christov-Moore, Liz “Reality” Kilkenny, Shai Yeshanov, Kian Locke, Anthony Moreno, Julep de Soie

Burn Team: Al Stahler, Scott Ashkenaz, Grant Gordon, Kenneth Shinozuka

Youth Project “Phone Cell” (WiFi Jail) lead artists: Weisen Wang, Jason Wang, Yimo Wang, Yichen Dong, Ziyuan Fang, Yifei Peng, Yiyue Peng, Rongyi Li, Rongxing Li

Contributing artists: Yige Xie, Yaxuan Zhu, Houxiang Wang, Junyu Li, Mooie&Gala, Qi Haoran

Mona Art Foundation Support Team: Miao He, Monica Hsu, Yaqin He, Weiqiang Huang, Ruoyan Wang, Yue Yao

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