Vermont Conversation: A new Santa Claus is coming to town and ‘he is a uniter’

The Vermont Dialog with David Goodman is a VTDigger podcast that options in-depth interviews on native and nationwide points with politicians, activists, artists, changemakers and residents who’re making a distinction. Hear beneath, and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts or Spotify to listen to extra.

Santa Claus is coming to city. However the particular person shimmying down the chimney might not be the rotund, bearded white man who has lengthy performed the function of St. Nick.

“Santa Camp” is a brand new documentary from HBO Max about an effort to diversify who represents Santa Claus. The story begins on the annual summer time camp of the New England Santa Society, which represents greater than 100 Christmas performers. The Santas realized that they should look extra like a few of the communities that they serve. In order that they welcomed three new Santas: Chris Kennedy, a Black Santa from Arkansas; Levi Truex, aka Trans Santa, from Chicago; and “Santa Fin” Ciappara, a Santa with spina bifida who communicates by way of an iPad, joined by his mom Suki Ciappara.

Santa Fin all the time dreamed of being Santa in a parade. The film captures the day in December 2021 when his dream got here true and he sat in a sled pulled by elves within the River of Gentle parade in Waterbury. 

“Consider in your goals and do not surrender,” he mentioned. “Be form to people who find themselves completely different.”

For some, range is a menace. Kennedy arrange an illuminated, inflatable Black Santa Claus show in his yard. Quickly after, he obtained a racist letter. That motivated him to grow to be Black Santa. 

“You are not going to steal my pleasure,” he instructed The Vermont Dialog. 

“I am interesting to households who need range and wish to see themselves represented or their adoptive children wish to see themselves represented. That is what I am right here for. I am not right here for the naysayers,” Kennedy mentioned mentioned.

The documentary confirmed the “Proud Boys” protesting Trans Santa Levi Truex outdoors the Chicago church the place he was greeting youngsters final 12 months. Truex talked about violence directed in opposition to LGBTQ+ individuals, together with the killing of 5 individuals at a Colorado Springs homosexual bar this week.

“We have all the time skilled hate. It is what makes us resilient. It is what makes us get louder and push tougher,” he mentioned. “The extra that we really feel the strain from the hate, the extra we’re simply going to be much more seen and extra open. It is simply what must occur.”

Truex believes that Trans Santa makes a distinction, particularly for the LGBTQ+ youngsters who go to him. 

“I haven’t got an agenda to make your children trans or no matter. My agenda is only to unfold pleasure and simply be a great particular person, to be a great human. And to deal with individuals with respect and dignity and simply unfold the love of Christmas,” he mentioned.