With daily life under the current administration consistently sinking to new lows, it’s hard to know the efficacy of political satire. Just ask Senator Eric Lesser, representative of the First Hampden & Hampshire District. The Longmeadow, Massachusetts native serves as a political consultant for Veep, the Julia Louis-Dreyfus-starring sendup of American government headed for its eighth season on HBO. Compared to Trump, he says, “sometimes it feels like the show is more restrained.”

“Everything has been turned on its head by the Trump White House, and all of us are trying to reorient toward this new reality,” he says. “I see this play out across the board in all the work we’re doing.” While Lesser is contractually prohibited from discussing explicitly how Veep will explore the current political landscape in its upcoming season, he points out that the changes affect all elements of his work. “Certainly it’s been a new angle for Veep, but it’s also been a new angle for how we approach work for the Massachusetts senate, how we view activism, and the role of citizens in our democracy.”

Julia Louis-Dreyfus in Veep. Image courtesy of IMBd

Lesser assisted President Barack Obama during his 2008 campaign and worked for the first two years of his administration under David Axelrod in the White House. He began consulting for Veep during its initial development. A friend of his in Washington “who does a lot of work around arts, culture, media, and does a lot of work for HBO” asked Lesser if he would be interested in helping the new show accurately reflect the American political system. His involvement, Lesser says, “runs the gamut.” He reviews scripts and acts as a “sounding board and a resource” to help the writers ensure “the feel of [the show] is true to how politics usually plays out.”

While he admits his role on Veep is “fairly modest,” Lesser dedicates much of his time as a senator to promoting the creative economy. He points out that western Massachusetts is “very dependent on culture, arts, and tourism,” and discusses the impact of proposed cuts to national arts and cultural funding programs. “People should be outraged,” he says. “It’s particularly bad for us. We’re a cultural center. It would be devastating for our community and it would cost thousands of jobs, because there are thousands and thousands of jobs linked to the tourism and arts/cultural economies here.”

“I think that makes it even more important that we double down, and we ban together as a community, and we do our best and plug holes where we can on a state level,” he adds. Lesser has worked to do just that. His 2015-16 legislative accomplishments include securing new funding for bilingual accessibility at The Amazing World of Dr. Seuss Museum in Springfield and increasing funding for the Massachusetts Cultural Council from $12 million to $14 million. He recently voted with the state senate to override Governor Charlie Baker’s veto, restoring that extra $2 million previously cut from the culture budget for fiscal year 2018. Lesser points out the need to recognize arts, culture, and tourism “not only as a policy in and of itself but as a core economic development strategy.”

“It’s really important that we not only protect all of those assets and characteristics of western Massachusetts, but that we nurture them and grow them and expand them and work very hard on promotions, and on fostering the community.”

Eric Lesser–Senator, First Hampden & Hampshire District
Longmeadow, Massachusetts
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Top image: Senator Eric Lesser. Photo courtesy of Ryan Migeed

The post Eric Lesser: Filling in the Gaps appeared first on Take Magazine.

For those of you not in the know, Worcester has churned out quite a bit of brilliance over the years. From the first public reading of the Declaration of Independence in 1776, to the founding of New England’s beloved Polar Seltzer in 1916, to Harvey Ball creating the smiley face that has haunted our culture, we can safely note that the city has a placeholder in history. Now meet Che Anderson, the man that is putting our beloved Wormtown on the map again, this time as a big league arts and culture epicenter.

Back in September, Take Magazine met up with Anderson to discuss the much-anticipated POW WOW! Worcester, a ten-day international art festival that left Worcester covered in breathtaking murals, and put it in the spotlight as a “must see” destination for art lovers, tourists, and townies alike. When we spoke to him, his dream was to see Worcester as part of a global dialogue about art alongside cities like Austin, New York City, London, and Tokyo. “The question to me was never, When will Worcester become a cultural epicenter?, but rather, When will the world notice that Worcester already is one?,” says Anderson.

Che Anderson | Photo by Erika Sequiera

He notes that, “The greatest change to the city was the increased belief of the arts community that these types of events are possible. There is nothing too ambitious or outlandish for Worcester, and as long as you have a coalition of engaged citizens, anything can thrive here.” Anderson’s enthusiasm and dedication have undoubtedly made him a local celebrity. At the blooming age of 27, he was recently named Worcester’s Person of the Year 2016, and continues his illustrious career as the staff assistant to the city manager, where one of his main objectives is to establish public arts initiatives to further the city’s cultural economy.

A New York city native who transplanted to Worcester in 2007, Anderson graduated from the College of the Holy Cross, thinking he would become a lawyer. However, his growing passion for street art, theater, and culture, and his interest in having an impact on the city, propelled him on his path to his current job at City Hall. For all the accolades and recognition that Anderson has been receiving of late, he is keeping a cool head and an eye on the future. “I hope 2017 pushes me, and Worcester, to new heights,” he says. “POW! WOW! Worcester is returning this summer, and I can only hope it’s as impactful as our 2016 efforts. I look forward to working more with Mass Development and keeping up with the Mass Cultural Council to better my understanding of statewide arts policy and funding. I also hope to attract some new ideas and organizers to the City of Worcester to facilitate further growth.”

Taken at Secret Walls: Art Basel Edition in Miami | Photographer unknown.

When Anderson is not tearing it up at City Hall or furthering the burgeoning art scene of Worcester through his participation in PAWG (Public Art Working Group), he can be found enjoying a beer at Deadhorse Hill or seeing the latest installation at Nine Dot Gallery. He is looking forward to the new year, despite a fraught political climate, and believes that art is the future of change. “Politics greatly influence art (a trend displayed from Warhol’s Kennedy to Hanksy’s Trump), as art serves as the voice a person chooses to express their belief on everything from a political party to platform,” he says. “Art is a reactive voice of the people; and sometimes, with enough support, the art can influence political policy and ideology leading to a cycle of influence and change.”

Find him at your local Worcester hot spot, or follow him on Instagram to see his favorite art and #latenightthoughts. His passion and style are sure to capture your attention.

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