the occidental arts and ecology center’s historic timber-framed barn burned down in april of 2020 and due to the beginning of the covid-19 pandemic none of us in the extended oaec community could come help with the recovery process. when an opportunity came around almost two years later to be a part of the team that would raise a new barn in its place, i couldn’t pass it up. the slab of the new barn was poured the week i returned to oaec and i got to see the project through final inspection and onward as it continues to grow and evolve and hold space for that community that matters so much to me.