A LETTER FROM BRIDGES' NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
By Susan Olivier-Hirasawa

Dear Bridges Community,
This January I became Bridges' new Executive Director, replacing Phil who is happily returning to life as a photographer, while also continuing his involvement with Bridges as our Artistic Director.  I am honored that Phil and the Board of Directors have the confidence in me to take the lead in this extraordinary organization.

As you might imagine, Phil Borges is a tough act to follow. Working with Phil over the last eighteen months has been an amazing experience; his vision, passionate advocacy, tireless work, great sense of humor and even greater heart have shaped this organization and I will do my best to continue the spirit and direction created by Phil.

Many of you know me through my role as Bridges Curriculum Director and as the co-teacher of our continue

BRIDGES LAUNCHES A NEW EXPANDED WEBSITE
Take a look at Bridges website. We have changed the look and added many new features. Here are some of the major changes. We have expanded the Communities section to allow us to exhibit the wealth of media that our students have created. Each Bridges site now has new information, photos and movies in the following categories: Everyday Life, Education, Arts, Crafts and Music, Our Environment, Sports and Recreation, Festivals, Culture and Religion, and Friends and Families. Over time each site will be a vivid portrait of life in each of these communities from the perspective of our students. continue

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
We have a series of ambitious projects that we want to take on that will only be possible with the help of volunteers. Are you interested writing and researching grants, translating materials from English to Spanish, helping with our newsletter or mentoring Bridges students, building a mirroe website designed for dial-up connections? We have a variety of vounteer positions open.
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KERRY NEILAN - TECH GENIUS
I got involved with Bridges through my neighbors Susan and John when they needed help setting up their facility to host the Bridges workshop. With a background of 20 years of technology support for an architectural firm in Detroit I was able to help get the lab in shape and running smoothly.  While setting up the lab I was introduced to the philosophy of “Bridges” and found that Bridges matched some of the passions of my life. I started out my career working with disadvantaged kids in Detroit and found a lot of satisfaction in seeing these kids learn and grow when given the oppor-tunity. I later developed a passion for hiking and traveling and took time off to travel to Nepal. It was fascinating to travel in such a remote area and meet people that were in many ways so different and in many ways the same.