September 8 | 2pm | Wavertree | Free
A panel of speakers representing the Seaport Museum, Shaker Museum, Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation, and Immigrant & Non-Citizen Rights Clinic will come together for an engaging panel discussion on the immigrant experience.This conversation will explore the origins of immigration and how they illuminate or contrast with the present and future.
Drawing inspiration from the 250th anniversary of the Shakers arriving in New York City in 1774, as well as the journey of over six million immigrants who passed the 1908 lightship Ambrose on their way into New York Harbor, we will compare the Shaker experience with the broader immigrant story. We’ll also delve into the surprising commonalities among the many waves of immigrants who have come to New York City in search of a new life. Following the panel, we’ll open the floor for an audience Q&A.
Advanced registration is encouraged for this free open house but walkups will be accommodated as possible. Access to Wavertree involves climbing a few stairs, walking up an angled gangway, and descending a few stairs onto the deck. The lower decks are accessible via stairs, while the upper deck requires navigating steep ladder-like stairs.
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About the Panel
Nermeen Arastu is an Associate Professor of Law and the Co-Director of the Immigrant & Non-Citizen Rights Clinic at the CUNY School of Law. She and her students represent non-citizens through all aspects and postures of the immigration system with the express mission of representing those who are most marginalized. Her writing, scholarship, and advocacy focus on racial and religious disparities in our nation’s immigration adjudication and enforcement. Most recently her writing and scholarship have been published in the UCLA Law Review, Newsweek, City Limits and Slate.
Jerry Grant, the Director of Library and Collections at Shaker Museum, came to Shaker Museum in the Fall of 1987 following a decade of experience working in various capacities at Shaker museums and as a maker of Shaker furniture. Jerry has published and lectured widely about the Shakers.
Stephen Lean, Director of American Family Immigration History Center, started his career in the corporate sector, and embraced his passion for public history and storytelling when he joined the Foundation team on July 4, 2015. Under Lean’s leadership, the History Center’s team is an indispensable resource for visitors exploring their family heritage. Stephen holds a B.A. in American History and has a deep knowledge of Ellis Island and the Ellis Island immigrant experience. Armed with this expertise, Stephen is a frequent guest speaker and interview subject for local, national, and international media.
Zak Risinger, has served as the Director of Engagement and Public Programs at the South Street Seaport Museum since 2022. He has consulted museums throughout the United States and Canada on best practices to engage audiences with art and history, served on numerous cultural panels, and presented at the Council of American Maritime Museum’s national conference. Previously he served as the New York Creative Manager and Curator of Special Events for Museum Hack where he worked extensively with the MET, American Museum of Natural History, and Philadelphia Museum of Art.
Sarah Van Buren, the Programs and Outreach Manager at Shaker Museum, is an artist and educator with 20 years of nonprofit arts management and event production–half in New York City, half in the Hudson Valley. She has been facilitating public programs and developing partnerships at Shaker Museum since the summer of 2023.
About the Shakers
The United Society of Believers in Christ’s Second Appearing, more commonly referred to as the Shakers, arrived in New York City in 1774. From there, they would eventually find their way upstate, building their first community near Albany in 1776. Their influence and membership grew throughout the 19th century and declined during the 20th century, with two living Shakers today. The Shakers are one of the most intriguing and influential religious and social movements in American history. The Shakers were early advocates of gender and racial equality, practiced pacifism, and believed in putting community needs above individual ones.
About Shaker Museum
With more than 18,000 objects, Shaker Museum stewards the most comprehensive collection of Shaker material culture and archives. It is the leader nationwide among organizations devoted to Shaker history. Its permanent new facility in Chatham, NY, which is in development, was designed by Selldorf Architects. The museum also stewards the historic site in New Lebanon, NY, has a pop-up gallery at the Kinderhook Knitting Mill, and has a campus in Old Chatham, NY, which is open year-round by appointment, where the administrative offices, collections, library, and archives are housed.
About the Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation
The Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation is a non-profit that collaborates with the National Park Service in one of America’s most successful public-private partnerships. In 1982, President Ronald Reagan asked Lee Iacocca to head a private-sector, philanthropic effort to raise funds for and oversee the restoration and preservation of the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. The American people responded enthusiastically, and continue to do so 40+ years later, donating hundreds of millions of dollars to provide support for the mission.
About the 1908 Lightship Ambrose
Lightship LV-87, also known as Ambrose, was built in 1907 as a floating lighthouse to guide ships safely from the Atlantic Ocean into the Lower New York Bay. Occupying her station from 1908–1932, she guided mariners to the nation’s busiest port, and welcomed over six million immigrants into New York Harbor.
About the 1885 Tall Ship Wavertree
Wavertree was built at Southampton, England, in 1885 and, after a 24-year sailing career and circumnavigating the globe at least three times, is now the last remaining iron-hulled three-masted full-rigged cargo ship. Today, Wavertree serves as the iconic centerpiece of the bustling waterfront that shaped New York City into a modern metropolis
Extend Your Visit
Access to Wavertree is included with your event ticket. To extend your visit and see more that the Museum has to offer, ask Museum staff about our Pay What You Wish General Admission tickets when you check in. Before or after your event, between 11am–5pm, get Pay What You Wish General Admission tickets to see more of the Museum.
General Admission includes access to all current exhibitions on view in the introduction gallery space at 12 Fulton Street and access to the 1885 tall ship Wavertree. Free timed tickets for a tour of the 1908 lightship Ambrose are available separately at no additional cost.
Tickets to sail New York Harbor on the 1885 schooner Pioneer and 1930 tugboat W.O. Decker are available separately and range from $15–$70.
Ready for more?
Head over to our Programs and Events page to see what else is happening at the Museum. Sign up for an upcoming talk, learn more about visiting Wavertree, or explore our virtual offerings.