This article and video were submitted by West Rock resident Ulisses Santos, who has been a student at 333 Valley St., an intergenerational community center known as “The Shack,” for the past two months.
My name is Ulisses Santos, and I moved to New Haven in February 2024 from New Bedford, Mass. I made this video because I come to The Shack at least three days a week. The Shack has become a place that I can easily walk to, to learn English from the community and dive deeper into my interest in media production and journalism through its weekly programs.
When I first came to The Shack, Alder Honda Smith and her team welcomed me with open arms to the space. I was interested in her idea to bring a music studio to the neighborhood. I want to help The Shack make this happen because it has helped me significantly.
In Media Production with instructor Brian McCall I learned to edit and produce promotional videos. He taught me to use a camera for the first time, and I came up with idea to use my newly learned skills while working with instructors Brian and Maya McFadden to make a video promoting The Shack.
I did interviews with The Shack’s regulars and practiced my video editing skills. My hope is that people will give donations to The Shack to keep its programs going, build a music studio, and continue to support my dream to one day produce videos, and be a sports journalist and TV personality.
Donations to the Shack can be dropped off to 333 Valley St. or checks can be made out to 333 Valley St., New Haven CT 06515.
Honda Smith Photo
Ulisses Santos.