An orange and gray bird sits on a branch in a verdant forest

The Bond of Live Things Everywhere Closing Day Celebration

November 6, 2022

12–3 p.m. | At the Garden

Close out this celebration of art and poetry with an afternoon of conversation with Joshua Bennett, poetry readings by the selected winners of the Youth Poetry Contest, and music—all enjoyed against backdrop of the Garden’s fall beauty.

Conversation with Joshua Bennett and Arvolyn Hill

12–1 p.m.

Join curator Joshua Bennett and the Manager of NYBG’s Everett Children’s Adventure Garden, Arvolyn Hill, for a classroom-style reflection on The Bond of Live Things Everywhere and a meditation on Black ecological thought in their respective work.

About the Speaker

Arvolyn Hill (she/her) is the Manager of the Everett Children’s Adventure Garden at The New York Botanical Garden where she creates nature-centered science exploration activities for kids. She is also a community herbalist and outdoor educator with a never-ending curiosity about plants and the natural world. Raised on Schaghticoke land of rural Kent, CT, her love of herbalism grew after the passing of several family members due to preventable environmental illness. She studied at Twin Star Connecticut’s School of Herbalism and Energetic Studies and in 2016 opened Gold Feather, an online apothecary and pressed flower art shop. Arvolyn is passionate about reclaiming herbalism for BIPOC communities and using herbs to build ancestral connection. Arvolyn can be found enjoying growing herbs at her local community garden in Harlem, NY, or sharing herbal tips on Instagram @goldfeather_.

A person in a long-sleeved green shirt with long dreadlocks poses for a photo in an outdoor setting

Poetry Readings by Youth Poetry Contest Winners

1–1:45 p.m.

Joshua, the Poetry Society of America, and NYBG are honored to host the selected winners of the Youth Poetry Contest for readings of their work. The poems explore the writers’ connection to nature and their observations about the trees, plants, and animals in the Garden’s landscape.

Read the Winning Poems

A wooden sign displaying poetry sits in a sunny green outdoor space

Gathering

2–3 p.m.

Come together to celebrate this installation and meet & greet with Joshua Bennett and the featured participants. We invite you to bring your own lunch and picnic under the changing colors of NYBG’s trees. This gathering will be accompanied by the groovy sounds of Bronx-based DJ collective Uptown Vinyl Supreme.