An EPIC undertaking

Advocating for a cause near and dear  to one’s heart is always admirable — especially when it’s a cause that affects many. That’s exactly what the group Engaging People In Change, or EPIC, does, as it advocates for social justice right here in rural Harlem Valley.

EPIC is the brainchild of Abby Nathanson, a graduate of Vassar College who studied sociology and Africana studies. She was inspired by work she did with the Youth Arts Group pursuing social justice through the arts. Like EPIC, the Youth Arts Group also dedicated itself to high school students, though under New York’s Rural and Migrant Ministry program. 

She co-founded EPIC with Grace Episcopal Church Pastor Dr. Matthew Calkins, rector at the Millbrook church. 

The pair has been busy since founding EPIC in 2015. They work with students from Amenia, Dover, Pine Plains, Millbrook and Millerton. EPIC members meet regularly to converse about how “young people can come together across differences and explore new skills and experiences,” according to its website.

Why? Again, EPIC’s literature explains that social justice is its key focus. More than that, though, it seeks to promote youth-led projects and encourage “dialogue on identity, inequality and imaging different futures together.” It works, through its many initiatives, to help our youth become leaders of tomorrow.

EPIC has a great shot at accomplishing what it sets out to do because it’s a group for youth, led by youth.  Young minds help develop EPIC’s direction and create its programming; it is supervised by adult mentors and facilitators, but as EPIC states, “youth run the show.”

What an innovative idea. It’s one sure way to attract the attention of the young — often ignored. Young people have a sense of what matters to their kind, of what values are non-negotiable and of how society could change for the better. 

EPIC is not only diverse in its composition — it’s diverse in the issues it addresses — and with those whom it attempts to share its message. And while run out of the Grace Episcopal Church, EPIC is a multi-faith program open to people of all races, religions, genders, and, especially, those who have been marginalized by society.

Here is what EPIC is about at its core: it encourages youth to root out social problems and address them, not only in theory but in reality, in structural and systemic ways. An example given is that rather than having a trash pick-up day, EPIC members might lead workshops on the importance of recycling and advocate for more recycling facilities in the community. So it’s more holistic than just offering a band-aid — it seeks to identify and cure the problem itself. 

Nathanson, Calkins and their colleagues should be praised for what they’re attempting. It’s not always easy to highlight social injustices within one’s own community, and it’s even harder to make change. That a new generation is learning the ropes of how to advocate for people in need of support is really wonderful, because sometimes we want to help but just don’t know how to help. EPIC is offering such tools.

Teaching people, especially young people, the need to be open and accepting will help make responsible, just adults. That’s what we all should strive for — but having a group dedicated to such truths is certainly helpful. Take into account that many of those who benefit from EPIC are those who are typically under-served or historically marginalized, and it’s clear that this group is doing important work. 

EPIC just held an open house on Friday, Sept. 23. Read all about its latest work on the front page of  this week’s Millerton News.