tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23423135137342478342024-03-13T14:32:18.564-07:00Refugee ProjectBuildaBridgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657256060255345998noreply@blogger.comBlogger79125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2342313513734247834.post-27676265313819457692018-01-03T19:40:00.002-08:002018-01-03T19:52:57.358-08:00BuildaBridge Participates in Jefferson University Symposium<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Symposium attendees worked as a group to make a finished art piece</td></tr>
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On December 2, 2017, Assistant Director of Community
Programs Stevie French was honored to represent BuildaBridge as a presenter in Thrive: Trauma-Informed
Practice in Community-Engaged Art. The 5-hour event was hosted as part of Thomas
Jefferson University/Philadelphia University’s Asano Humanities and Health series.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">BuildaBridge Assistant Director Stevie French presenting<br />on trauma-informed community art-making</td></tr>
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The symposium aimed to bring together<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;"> “arts and health professionals, students and community members in conversation at the intersection(s) of trauma-informed practice and community-engaged </span>art.” The event was open to the public, and was attended by individuals from fields including medical, mental health, pharmaceuticals, education, and community non-profits.<br />
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Stevie delivered a 5-minute presentation and a breakout workshop. Her presentation focused on the role of metaphor and non-verbal communication as demonstrated through her work with the Bhutanese Elders Project in Refugee Project in 2014.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Attendees working to complete their group art project</td></tr>
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">The day also
included a 2-hour keynote presentation by Sandra Bloom MD, Drexel University
Dornsife School of Public Health. Dr. Bloom discussed the trauma through a
neurobiological lens and the important role that art can play in trauma
treatment by accessing the right hemisphere of the brain. Other breakout
presenters included </span><a href="https://www.muralarts.org/program/porch-light/" target="_blank"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">Mural Arts Philadelphia's Porch Light
Program</span></a><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">, </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=http://villagearts.org/&source=gmail&ust=1513393842855000&usg=AFQjCNHA6iOAQU3wMW93M6tUbvDPAhgFBQ" href="http://villagearts.org/" target="_blank"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">The Village of Arts and Humanities</span></a><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">, and <a href="http://www.warriorwriters.org/" target="_blank"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">Warrior Writers</span></a><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">. </span></span></div>
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The brief presentations
were followed by half-hour breakout sessions focusing on the presenters’ speeches
more in-depth. For her breakout Stevie engaged attendees in an art experiential
meant to exemplify the power of non-verbal communication and encourage
qualities that constitute a healthy community, such as collaboration, finding
common ground, and the sharing of resources. The group began work individually
and then moved to working together towards a common goal (the finished
artwork, a giant puzzle). After the attendees finished the art experiential, they were invited
to process the experience as a group, and to apply what they had learned to
their own professional work. Some of the discussion included exploring the
power of art to bring together in a short period of time, the relief that some
experienced by working in silence, and metaphors that arose from the artwork
and the experience as a whole. <o:p></o:p></div>
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The day
concluded with a lunch provided by Jefferson followed by a panel discussion with professionals from Jefferson and Wests Philadelphia Cultural Alliance, which touched on intersectionality in the arts and social justice and other related
topics.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Detail of the completed art project, with drawings from all attendees in the breakout session</td></tr>
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BuildaBridgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00414757521428063503noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2342313513734247834.post-9927156023817417912017-12-07T07:10:00.000-08:002017-12-07T07:10:50.876-08:00Open Art Studios<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My name is Marilyn Rodriguez and I have been working with BuildaBridge for about a year now.</span></div>
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<b id="docs-internal-guid-5b4ee340-3185-e24b-fccc-88b5e98b7bec" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I have truly enjoyed teaching the very diverse population in which BuildaBridge serves. I especially enjoy the concept of an open art studio. The staff prepares a brief demonstration for a task that the participants may choose to do in the open art studio or the participants can try something else. The participants are given a wide range of art materials to choose from in this context, if they decide not to do the activity that the staff members gave the demonstration on. The staff then helps the participants articulate what they would like to voice, whether it is through art or music.</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The most beautiful component I have witnessed is how music can be transferred to so many different languages and then can be merged into one. A good example of this in the open art studio environment, is when everyone sings the BuildaBridge song, some people chime in with their native languages. This song has also been written in various languages, so the staff and clients can continue to learn together. Overall, it is a great joy seeing how the participants are always eager to engage in the art-making and learn.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><img alt="Macintosh HD:Users:marilynrodriguez:Desktop:BAB , (student) art abstract piece summer 2017.jpg" height="360" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/WfvmGPLBwnNgYhpXN5NrgGpJxjVNwCT9jyckgIm34beKwiAWGEA6K3B3U31k_CNchWn672t9NI8FsF4nlB3cFwyhTLd7vHvww_EPpt5RdRFo1sv3n6PVTWU_0CcWKhwFO3MF9jjplVMi2m1SRQ" style="border: none; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="218" /> <img alt="Macintosh HD:Users:marilynrodriguez:Desktop:Bab , student abstract symmetry painting, #2.jpg" height="320" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/88sS2v2ovAxWWACZEm116jNtbGX_6tsFY9-3dz1d20xP4VVRR6ZITvIhuD4Pb3f4dCthinf4HlPvjpxCAOczQOBrtj5GQFaZl3HeXEcZIQnlNgi7Wfc1c1LKCCe_dXuQcLbWD6445PWPr4yhvQ" style="border: none; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="276" /></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-decoration-skip: none; background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 9pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">BaB, Abstract Symmetry Paintings #1 and #2</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-decoration-skip: none; background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 9pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This these two paintings were created in an “</span><span style="-webkit-text-decoration-skip: none; background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 9pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">open studio concept</span><span style="-webkit-text-decoration-skip: none; background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 9pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">” where the participant felt free to express themselves and create.</span></div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2342313513734247834.post-61549564794431430932017-12-07T07:04:00.001-08:002017-12-07T07:04:30.992-08:00HIAS Afterschool Program<b id="docs-internal-guid-a2294ad1-3180-cd14-775f-c2cc28ee6b54" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My name is Debra Cotterall and I am a board-certified music therapist who has been working as a lead teaching artist with Buildabridge for over 3 years now. Throughout the month of February 2017, I had the pleasure of working with fellow music therapist, Grace Clements and the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society (HIAS) Afterschool Program in order to implement a therapeutic, creative-arts based series of four lessons aimed at promoting students’ sense of self-efficacy and positive vision for the future in order to further increase personal resiliency. The curriculum aimed to support students’ holistic development through creative and academic experiences to foster inclusion, hope, resilience, self-efficacy, mastery, and vision for the future. Each lesson primarily integrated the music modality, exploring a variety of musical elements as they related to real-world application in everyday life. Music and movement were utilized to assist students in processing and coping with current resettlement to the US, promoting mental health and acculturation, and building community.</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This was an exciting and new experience for all involved as this was the first multi-week series with the HIAS after-school program. Students were enthusiastic about using instruments and working on English language skills. After our first session, it was clear that interventions and activities to support language learning and increased impulse control were best suited for this active group. There were a few activities that worked best and led to great learning/teaching moments, community building, identification of resiliency statements, and embracing and sharing of one’s personal culture. After beginning each lesson with our opening ritual, students learned new musical terms such as “allegro” or fast, “adagio” meaning slow, etc. The group discussed that most musical terms are written in Italian. Students eagerly shared the meaning of these words in their native languages and discussed how they could be applied in our music making as well as everyday lives. This time always seemed to foster increased community and understanding of others as well as reinforcing the importance of one’s culture and background. Our next activity, created and led by assistant teaching artist Grace Clements was a big hit! The students were seated in a circle and each had a different instrument. They initially worked on following the teacher’s instructions to stop and go and pass instruments to their peers in order to try all instruments. As lessons progressed, the students began following musical terms/instructions in order to change the tempo or dynamics. Teachers encouraged students to lead the activity at times and utilize musical terms in their native languages as they had shared with the class. </span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The next activity combined both music and movement to reinforce language learning, specifically opposites. This body percussion exercise was entitled “This is…” and included the following lyrics: </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“This is big, big, big [clap, clap], this is small, small, small [clap, clap], this is short, short, short [clap, clap], this is tall, tall, tall [clap, clap],this is fast, fast, fast [clap, clap], this is slow, slow, slow [clap, clap], this is yes, yes, yes [clap, clap], this is no, no, no [clap, clap]!” </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Students were taught with limited verbal directions but through modeling of hand gestures and melody. The group seemed to love singing this song several times each week and eventually added musical directions to change tempo and dynamics.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The movements of the arms to mimic words in the song helped to support the newest language learners in the group to understand and practice basic vocabulary in a fun and creative way!</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">All four weeks culminated with our Resiliency Song! A verse of the song was written each week and then recorded in our final session. It was based on the song “Stand By Me” originally performed by Ben E. King. Each week students focused on different resiliency statements including “I haves” (identifying personal supports), “I cans” (personal skills and coping skills), and “I ams” (positive traits and characteristics). Students utilized musical experiences from the beginning of each session to identify such statements (i.e. I can sing, I have friends, I am funny, etc.). The group re-wrote the verses to the song to include a resiliency statement from each student and learned the chorus to “Stand By Me” which includes “so friends, friends stand by me, oh stand by me…” This project allowed students to identify and share the basic building blocks for personal resiliency and worked perfectly with amount of time given for this group. This was such a fun and inspiring group to work with! Each amazing student shared some part of their journey and I will remember our work together for years to come!!</span></div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2342313513734247834.post-6425009831568617792017-11-12T12:00:00.000-08:002017-12-07T07:14:14.334-08:00PPR Field Trip to Bartram's Garden<span style="color: white; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">On October 27, 2017, Sofya Mirvis, Chelsea Faulkner, and Julie Kring-Schreifels, teaching artists at BuildaBridge, led a group of six people on a field trip to Bartram’s Garden in Philadelphia. This trip began with a very tranquil and engaging tour through Bartram’s Garden. During the tour, everyone got to try out different types of edible wild fruit, flowers, and plants, including: passion fruit, figs, and locust pods. The clients also picked out their favorite plants, fruit, and/or flowers while on the walk through the garden to later draw, paint, or put on a sun print. When we got back from the tour, the group was given a demonstration on botanical illustration. In the demonstration, they learned about the history, the techniques necessary, and the resources that were available in the classroom for botanical illustration. Two alternative activities were also given: sun prints and printmaking. After the demonstrations, everyone excitedly and diligently got to work. Overall, the trip felt like a success to BuildaBridge staff and the PPR clients who attended. Each person went home with one or more piece of art, had a great time expressing themselves with the art mediums available, bonded and reminisced over plants native to their home countries, and relaxed. We are all looking forward to the next PPR field trip in October of 2018!</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Searching for appealing plants for the botanical illustration</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Working on a botanical illustration</td></tr>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2342313513734247834.post-78334489222572022222016-07-20T10:00:00.002-07:002016-07-20T10:00:48.422-07:00PPR Women and Children Group Explores Healing Through Mural<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Macintosh HD:private:var:folders:mx:lx90j5f564g69x7fb4wj5c440000gr:T:TemporaryItems:f19755ca-60ad-4a0c-af3e-e8adbcdb265a.jpg" height="229" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/Oxc3HF0lDoacgCpjkZH6Qfk-JQ6-U7RgB95H2vH7alVWlidG6JHvA9rLVOus-U80qyrh8wvVcgx3Q5yubCt9bZOes5eQUayhhEtWMN6cPyDeoW1_3y1FAbeLQ6RWjX5W2sPu19HkHrAMRcX46Q" style="border-image: none; border: medium; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="575" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Full view of the classroom-size tape-art mural, which dealt with themes of healing and safety.</td></tr>
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<br /><br />Lead Teaching Artist - Jeane Cohen<br />Assistant Teaching Artist - Mimi Scalia <br />Volunteer - Hayley Stricker<br /><br /><b>Tape Art - Safety Theme</b><br />The families class at NSC is doing a curriculum on safety The purpose of the activity this class was to foster participants’ awareness of their own ability to rise up in the face of instability and make change. Participants were prompted to use tape as a tool to draw a temporary mural. Staff set the stage of the mural by drawing on the wall with painter's tape, drawing a storm with clouds, lightning and rain. Participants were prompted to draw images of items, people and scenarios that they wanted to keep safe and protected in their life and in the box of safety, under the storm on the wall. The instructors then metaphorically “exposed” the things in the safety box by removing the tape barrier between the storm and the box. Participants then taped onto the mural ways of staying safe in the storm. They depicted umbrellas, shelters, and windshield wipers. They then taped on those “ways of staying safe” between the storm clouds and the box of safety. In closing participants reflected on their ability to make change and be resilient in the face of uncontrollable circumstances. <br /><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Macintosh HD:private:var:folders:mx:lx90j5f564g69x7fb4wj5c440000gr:T:TemporaryItems:unnamed.jpg" height="239" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/QhzudcNy9ujrA_s1zB7c4WW7cxMk1Bb6z5h9dwDF6My3aGeQIUOiUfwrj5cymH2dCoUVDkcwZuP3LWs4-tpLngC7L1ZxxURpK5NUThRlr2B2XoFWOAOQ33geP6hMpeNtyPk8gNviOuxENbhpaQ" style="border-image: none; border: medium; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The mural depicted scenes from nature</td></tr>
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<br /><br />In a previous and similar activity, we made a healing garden out of tape. Participants were asked to plant seeds in the ground of the garden by drawing them with tape. They were then prompted to add sprouts to the seeds and so on until the seeds grew into trees, flowers, and vegetables. Participants were also able to contribute to the garden by caring for the garden itself, by making sure it had water and sunlight. <br /><br /><b>Tape Art - Healing Theme</b>I learned about making art out of tape when I worked on a few projects with a group called Tape Art in Providence RI. Using tape is great for community engagement because there are many different ways to draw and create with tape, and no predetermined expectation. Its flexibility makes it a great therapeutic medium to work with. <br /><div style="text-align: right;">
- Jeane Cohen</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A detail of the tape mural including a watering can for the garden</td></tr>
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BuildaBridgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00414757521428063503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2342313513734247834.post-25556161406225091342016-07-13T14:52:00.000-07:002016-07-20T10:21:33.097-07:00Refugee Project Celebrates World Refugee Day at City Hall<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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On Saturday, July 9 volunteers from BuildaBridge led creative arts activities at Nationalities Service Center's World Refugee Day 2016 celebration. The event took place in the courtyard of Philadelphia Hall. The event was attended by many from the public as well as several familiar faces from our PPR and PRMHC classes. </div>
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Visual artist Arielle led an arts activity where visitors were encouraged to create "<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prayer_flag">prayer flags</a>." Prayer flags originate in Eastern cultures, and were originally used to promote compassion, wisdom, peace and strength (Wikipedia). It is believed that each one's message of goodwill will spread to the space around them. Each visitor was asked to use paint, glitter, glue, and sequins to create a flag representing "What does HOME look like to you?" Among the flags were images of hearts, smiles, and the word "love." We at Refugee Project think that the idea of home being "love" is an especially great example of how "home" can be wherever you make it if it starts inside of you!</div>
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Later in the day, BuildaBridge artists Liz, Amy and Arielle led a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drum_circle">drum circle</a> and invited visitors to come on stage and join in. Drum circles are an improvisational form of music-making used to bring communities together. Adults and children from all different backgrounds came together to make a harmonious beat. Some were even inspired to dance to the powerful music!</div>
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BuidaBridge would like to thank everyone at Nationalities Service Center and our creative volunteers for making this day a success. We hope to see everyone at this celebration again next year!</div>
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<br />BuildaBridgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00414757521428063503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2342313513734247834.post-9568076038113674282016-05-10T14:47:00.000-07:002016-05-10T14:47:13.557-07:00Spring Term Updates<br />As we move into May and warm weather finally arrives, both our PRMHC and PPR programs have been progressing. At Southeast by Southeast, Burmese Karen refugees have been using ceramics to explore ideas of support. The children created unique plates, cups, bowls and boxes using a variety of clay techniques. The items will be donated to newly-arrived refugee families in need to support them in their transition to Philadelphia.<br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigGCdWWLy62zqcabRv2kJeGbcya-9IdbqdTzQoRlhXbuBeStCiQSw9NT5XrftujArHtUdc5FJBGU3K9nFyXI9kWOUEXnWshBC8rUtgJ2XzizqlI9cS7ZpnD5Pop72qVjTGRlQ9F4eosl7G/s1600/20160404_183210.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigGCdWWLy62zqcabRv2kJeGbcya-9IdbqdTzQoRlhXbuBeStCiQSw9NT5XrftujArHtUdc5FJBGU3K9nFyXI9kWOUEXnWshBC8rUtgJ2XzizqlI9cS7ZpnD5Pop72qVjTGRlQ9F4eosl7G/s320/20160404_183210.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Burmese Karen children paint designs in glaze onto clay plates they made</td></tr>
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<br />The Iraqi group in Northeast Philadelphia evolved to include Sudanese refugees as well. Parents and children in that group have been learning how to make colorful mosaics from broken pieces of ceramics. They are exploring the concept of identity, including their identities of their native countries as well as newly-formed identities in the United States.<br /><br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Iraqi/Sudanese group learned how to make mosaics using many different tools</td></tr>
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<br /><br />At Nationalities Service Center, our Mixed Adult group is using music and art to explore themes of improvisation in art and in life. They are learning various musical beats and instruments as well as the technique of applique while exploring these themes. The Parents and Children’s group has been using visual art to explore the concepts of home and community, and has been working on a different project each week to work towards building a sense of community within the group.<br /><br />Stay tuned as the Refugee Project gears up for our summer programming!<br /><br /><br />BuildaBridgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657256060255345998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2342313513734247834.post-28285363326322003452016-01-28T17:35:00.001-08:002016-01-28T17:35:47.399-08:00Fall Term Highlights!The Refugee Project provided therapeutic arts and art therapy programming for 148 refugees and immigrants since October 2015. With the PRMHC, this included groups serving Iraqi women and children, Burmese Chin and Burmese Karen refugees. The seven week Iraqi group created tapestries at individual, familial and generational levels which 1) enhanced social support and promoted social engagement; 2) nourished a sense of pride and respect for one’s identity; and 3) connected language to meaning in the context of family and community. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5i1pI18u38ItAsxr5UlNEojbz8U7S3SV-YINOEQz7Wate3MkfkZ-SwfHwpIHPmg8dDqLbUsibiWtQcFcvNCmjtkfPetm3XPs7-maLkAAvcdE7dm4oH3y8ht-Ok0B5z7GIThhbgXEe1SYH/s1600/BaB+PACA+2016.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5i1pI18u38ItAsxr5UlNEojbz8U7S3SV-YINOEQz7Wate3MkfkZ-SwfHwpIHPmg8dDqLbUsibiWtQcFcvNCmjtkfPetm3XPs7-maLkAAvcdE7dm4oH3y8ht-Ok0B5z7GIThhbgXEe1SYH/s320/BaB+PACA+2016.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hope Mead demonstrates painting ceramics</td></tr>
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BuildaBridge artists used ceramics, music and visual arts in a seven week term with the Burmese Chin and Burmese Karen groups to encourage individual creative expression while learning social skills of working together, turning mistakes into opportunities and academic skills that met the Pennsylvania Academic Standards for the Arts and Humanities. Natalie Hoffmann led the project at Southwark School, creating a mural with nearly 20 students to illustrate the diversity of the school. Final touches are happening soon so stay tuned!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Southwark School mural in process</td></tr>
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With PPR, the Fall 2015 ten week term served adult and children refugees from eleven countries all of whom were first and secondary survivors of torture. Artists used drama, movement and the visual arts to create self-portraits of their emotions, explore themes of travel and home as it related to their journeys to Philadelphia and the metaphor of water for movement, flexibility and change. See 'Boat <a href="http://buildabridgerefugeeproject.blogspot.com/2015/12/boat-full-of-emotions.html" target="_blank">Full of Emotions'</a> for details.<br />
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Spring Classes are coming soon!<br />
<br />· BuildaBridgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657256060255345998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2342313513734247834.post-9084268406430424762015-12-26T03:50:00.000-08:002015-12-26T03:50:36.385-08:00Art-Making builds Resilience<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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BuildaBridge features artists Hope Mead and Robert Kelleher in this video illustrating how art-making has made a difference this semester. Groups this semester took place at the<a href="http://www.culturalcommunities.org/" target="_blank"> Philadelphia Refugee Mental Health Collaborative's</a> (PRMHC) new storefront site in South Philadelphia, Southeast by Southeast.BuildaBridgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657256060255345998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2342313513734247834.post-57292832888539675682015-12-02T17:50:00.000-08:002015-12-02T17:50:11.945-08:00Boat Full of EmotionsThe PPR (Philadelphia Partnership for Resilience) Families and Children’s group reflects on the mural that they have been working on for the past several weeks. PPR is a collaborative between BuildaBridge, Nationalities Service Center (NSC) and Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society (HIASPA) providing services and programs to survivors of torture. The weeks’ themes have been “travel” and “home”, two issues of concern for all refugees. They reflected on what could be in the conversation bubbles next to each of the people. The figures in the boat were made by tracing each of the group members’ silhouettes, and the stars that reflect light to the waves in the ocean were made by participants tracing their hands.<div>
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Jeane Cohen (Lead Artist), Mimi Scalia (Assistant Teaching Artist) and Hayley Strickler (Volunteer) led the workshops. Each workshop examined a topical aspect of self reflection, identifying barriers, tools, and skills for resilience related to that aspect. For example, the topics addressed were:<ul>
<li>Language as a platform for self-expression</li>
<li>Emotion based Self Portraits</li>
<li>A boat as a metaphoric safety container</li>
<li>Generated maps as a tool for understanding that home as place can be flexible and what you make it</li>
<li>A sail to learn how to be aware and in control of self directed activities</li>
<li>Water and the ocean as a metaphor for movement and change</li>
<li>Created stars of people who are important to us to remember that they are watching out for us</li>
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The artwork made during each workshop served as a component for a small-scale mural, or wall hanging collage. All of the components were created individually and then combined together for the final class to reflect the interconnectedness of the different components of healing and resources explored. They then provided a strong and lasting image of the process of resilience.<br />
The final image included figures of emotion, speaking created languages in a boat of safety with a sail of direction, traveling on the ocean, at night time with a map in the sky and stars of guidance.<div>
The final piece is 10 feet x 10 feet.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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BuildaBridgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657256060255345998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2342313513734247834.post-83726392834445849532015-11-24T17:01:00.000-08:002015-11-24T17:01:15.439-08:00"We Iraqis have long stories" "We Iraqis have long stories" said a participant in BuildaBridge's therapeutic arts group for Iraqi families living in Northeast Philadelphia. This group, comprised of Iraqi mothers and children who have lived in the U.S. for over three years, will be focusing their efforts this Fall on telling their stories through a group made tapestry. Operationally, a tapestry is a single composition which is comprised of many threads. Conceptually, a tapestry displays a meaningful moment in time that is a symbol and a distillation of many smaller experiences and moments. In addition, many people with unique lives and backgrounds come together to form one community. The group will keep this metaphor - the whole is greater than the sum of its parts, at the forefront of their art experiences to create the piece. Since October, 28 participants have attended three groups. Over the next few weeks, participants and BuildaBridge artists will create story-based pieces about their families, their generation, and then their group/community histories. <br />
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Also during this Fall term BuildaBridge is providing the Burmese Chin and Burmese Karen communities therapeutic arts groups in South Philadelphia. BuildaBridge's efforts with the Bhutanese children have phased out as many of them are feeling more socially connected after living in Philadelphia for over four years now. BuildaBridge has thus re-focused efforts on the Burmese communities who are still arriving in relatively high numbers to the Philadelphia region. These groups have served 32 participants so far this Fall.<br />
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Another new project was launched at Southwark School in South Philadelphia. This school has a wide diversity of students from over 10 countries including many of the Bhutanese and Burmese refugees with whom BuildaBridge works. Southwark invited BuildaBridge to create a mural that represents the diversity of their students and to use the school's main quote "We honor the greatness in you." See the mural in process below and stay tuned for more Fall program updates!<br />
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BuildaBridgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657256060255345998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2342313513734247834.post-11288950893248457072015-10-10T07:50:00.000-07:002015-10-10T07:51:06.556-07:00Funding received by the PA Council on the Arts<strong>This Refugee Project is supported in part by the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, a state agency funded by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency.</strong> <br />
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On October 9th, BuildaBridge was presented with the award check from the PA Council on the Arts. Hosted by PECO and led by the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance, the event highlighted each of the grantees from the five-county Philadelphia region. <br />
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Maud Lyon, President of the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance with BuildaBridge Co-Founder Dr. Vivian Nix-Early and PRMHC Project Manager, Danielle Bossert</div>
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BuildaBridgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657256060255345998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2342313513734247834.post-33899746488726692552015-10-08T17:11:00.000-07:002015-10-09T04:03:15.416-07:00Thank you Creative Philadelphia!BuildaBridge thanks the <a href="http://creativephl.org/" target="_blank">City of Philadelphia's Office of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy </a>for the recognition of our Refugee Project. On Thursday, October 1st, BuildaBridge was honored in a ceremony for our work exhibited at City Hall with the Mayoral Certificate of Artistic Excellence. The works represented five years of our project with 500 refugees from 13 countries with the help of 33 BuildaBridge artists. BuildaBridge exhibited pieces from The Refugee Project, which is comprised of participation in three collaborations: the <a href="http://www.culturalcommunities.org/" target="_blank">Philadelphia Refugee Mental Health Collaborative</a>, the <a href="http://www.nscphila.org/social-services/torture-and-trauma/" target="_blank">Philadelphia Partnership for Resilience</a> and a partnership with Nationalities Service Center's <a href="http://www.nscphila.org/social-services/reap/" target="_blank">Refugee Employment and Advancement Program</a>. The presentation also recognized programs by the School District of Philadelphia. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Helen Haynes, Chief Cultural Officer with Dr. Vivian Nix-Early, Co-Founder of BuildaBridge</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Certificate received by BuildaBridge </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mayor Nutter with Dr. Nix-Early and PRMHC Project Manager, Danielle Bossert</td></tr>
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BuildaBridgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657256060255345998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2342313513734247834.post-35085057590042652692015-09-24T15:44:00.000-07:002015-09-24T15:44:04.424-07:00Year 4 Report<div style="text-align: center;">
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BuildaBridge is pleased to announce the publication of its Year 4 Report of involvement in the Philadelphia Refugee Mental Health Collaborative (PRMHC).</div>
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<a href="http://issuu.com/ncorbitt/docs/dbh_year_4_report/1" target="_blank">BuildaBridge PRMHC Year 4 Report</a></div>
BuildaBridgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657256060255345998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2342313513734247834.post-56157263298876412592015-09-08T17:48:00.001-07:002015-09-08T17:48:24.604-07:00BuildaBridge is at City Hall!For a third time in four years, BuildaBridge is honored to be exhibiting its artwork at City Hall. This if the first time, however, that the Refugee Project has been featured on its own. <br />
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As part of the City of Philadelphia's Office of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy, Art in City Hall is a program presenting exhibitions showcasing contemporary artwork by professional and emerging Philadelphia artists. The program strives to link visual artists with the larger community by providing the public with a greater knowledge and appreciation of their artistic achievements.<br />
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The artwork highlights BuildaBridge's roles in the Philadelphia Partnership for Resilience, the Philadelphia Refugee Mental Health Collaborative and its partnership with Nationalities Service Center's Refugee Employment and Advancement Program.<br />
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The exhibit is on the 2nd Floor of City Hall, and can be viewed until October 2, 2015. <br />
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For more information from City Hall, <a href="http://creativephl.org/post/125770458774/buildabridgerefugeeprojectexhibition" target="_blank">read more here. </a>BuildaBridgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657256060255345998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2342313513734247834.post-29138530331466467662015-06-30T16:52:00.000-07:002015-06-30T16:52:03.911-07:00Celebrating World Refugee Awareness Month<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Arts and culture are some of the most fundamental forms of self- and community-identification humans use to mold their identities and share their stories. Refugee populations are contributing to their new American communities through the arts as a means of sharing their cultures, histories, stories and above all, shaping their identities in a new environment. BuildaBridge facilitates such efforts with refugees from over ten countries through the <a href="http://buildabridgerefugeeproject.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Refugee Project</a> - a multi-faceted program with memberships in two city-wide collaboratives designed to assist refugees, at all stages of resettlement in identifying adjustment strategies based on the strengths of their communities. The Refugee Project supports and facilitates art-making experiences for refugees as they pursue success, recovery, hope, healing and resiliency in a new culture. <br />
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This June, during World Refugee Awareness Month, BuildaBridge launched its second season of arts programming for Nationalities Services Center's Refugee Employment and Advancement Program (REAP). In addition, BuildaBridge provided a pilot art workshop for Iraqi mothers and children, re-started a summer term with refugee children from Myanmar of Burmese Chin and Karen ethnicities, and closed its first term with immigrant survivors of torture through PPR. In each of BuildaBridge's Refugee Project's programs, artists facilitate art-making experiences towards improved community mental health that facilitates the development of refugees' identities in new cultures, assists ethnic groups in strengthening their capacities and community cohesion and assists individuals in making tangible contributions to their new communities.<br />
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<br />BuildaBridge is eager to announce the launch of the <strong>Refugee Project's fifth year of programming</strong> beginning July 1st along with global examples of how the transformative power of the arts has ignited change, transformation and mutual understanding:<br />
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<a href="http://www.nscphila.org/" target="_blank">NSC celebrates World Refugee Day</a><br />
<a href="http://www.citypaper.com/arts/visualart/bcpnews-at-fells-points-tembo-shop-refugee-and-immigrant-artists-make-and-sell-handcrafted-wares-20150609-story.html" target="_blank">Handcrafted Wares</a><br />
<a href="http://www.telesurtv.net/english/multimedia/Stories-of-Migration-Images-of-Exile-and-Hope-in-Refugee-Art-20150619-0024.html" target="_blank">Stories of Migration</a><br />
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/06/11/eritrea-torture-report_n_7563850.html" target="_blank">Survivors of Torture artwork</a><br />
<a href="http://www.capitolhillseattle.com/event/artvocacy-refugee-art-exhibit/" target="_blank">Advocacy Refugee Exhibit</a>BuildaBridgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657256060255345998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2342313513734247834.post-23487519248513348432015-06-03T05:23:00.001-07:002015-06-03T05:23:09.592-07:00Thank you and Good Bye!Mark, a refugee from Iraq, had been coming to the Mixed Adults creative arts therapy group at the <a href="http://www.nscphila.org/" target="_blank">Nationalities Services Center (NSC)</a> for over two years as part of BuildaBridge's involvement with The Philadelphia Partnership for Resilience (PPR). Sunday was the last group of the Spring Semester, and it also happened to be Mark's last group meeting for good. “My case is closed here (at NSC),” he announced, “So I won’t be coming again.” There was disappointment all around. He was the major translation help for the other Arabic-speaking group members, and he was the ‘senior statesman’ so to speak, for knowing how the group “went”, and for helping new members. However, there also seemed to be a self-pride in his “graduation” from the NSC case management service.<br />
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The group, led by BuildaBridge art therapist Rebecca Asch and drama artist Francesca Montanile, was finishing up the Altered Book project. Sunday's prompt for the art-making was drawing or collaging what they (each person) gives to the group and what each person needs from the group...a prompt that brought closure through recognizing what people have given and served as transition (for when the group resumes) to what people still need. During the sharing time, Mark offered this touching letter a poignant “gift” to BuildaBridge. Mark read aloud:<br />
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“When I was at the first time of the BuildaBridge Group, I was so sad and felt I am alone. But when I came the second time and came again, I felt better; and my feeling became good. So that day after day I found myself as a part of a good human group. Now I am sure this group is good treatment for the immigrant peoples, especially at the first period when they [leave] their country to [come to] another country. So that I think this BuildaBridge program must be continued [for] the new immigrant people. About what I give to the group? The opinion of the [others] from the group about me is the answer for this question. I hope I was [a] good person [for a] good team.” <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgONlGS50UwXR3q3XHVXi5sNOzEGL5XOUfIb93dMxiniem9fp5DRNGYorBF3P9O-_k8KpiV4VNAVQRgA4pzQQYRs3JRb5p2Q0jEza07gcUq_3oRq9Zj6NO06ps0-f3rfayZAyS-tmGpsf-i/s1600/M+Artwork.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgONlGS50UwXR3q3XHVXi5sNOzEGL5XOUfIb93dMxiniem9fp5DRNGYorBF3P9O-_k8KpiV4VNAVQRgA4pzQQYRs3JRb5p2Q0jEza07gcUq_3oRq9Zj6NO06ps0-f3rfayZAyS-tmGpsf-i/s320/M+Artwork.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Mark's art piece from November, 2014 conveys a similar message about the impact on him of the art therapy group. “This group changed my life. For the first two months here my life was like a desert, and now it’s like these flowers. In the art group, I could say my true feelings, I could trust everyone in the group and I met new friends - connection. It changed my life”<br />
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Mark owned and ran his own laundry business in his home country. He had hoped to do the same when he arrived here, but disappointingly found it difficult to even begin working at a laundry facility, let alone get the large amount of cash needed to start such a business here. The laundry shops all seemed to be very tight, closed family-run shops, at least in his region of the city. Mark does not worry about working now, though. He is “retired”. BuildaBridge, too, will miss his serious intellect, creativity and empathy for others.BuildaBridgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657256060255345998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2342313513734247834.post-46357781428294895942015-05-18T08:36:00.001-07:002015-05-18T08:36:38.312-07:00Message for Nepal<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/FdPDd23O2Mw/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/FdPDd23O2Mw?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
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This is a video message from the Bhutanese refugee community in South Philadelphia who called Nepal home for over twenty years. They are concerned for their brothers and sisters who have been affected by the earthquakes. They are praying for the victims, survivors and families and for the rebuilding and restoration of Nepal. BuildaBridge assisted this community in creating artwork that illustrated their memories of Nepal, concerns for the earthquake victims and their hopes for the future of Nepal. Since many from this community are unable to travel to Nepal help, they created this video message as a gesture of their concern for and solidarity with those in Nepal.<br />
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The BuildaBridge-led workshops, artwork and video were made possible with support from:<br />
<a href="http://muralarts.org/southeast" target="_blank">The City of Philadelphia Mural Arts Program: Southeast by Southeast</a><br />
<a href="http://www.culturalcommunities.org/" target="_blank">The Philadelphia Refugee Mental Health Collaborative</a><br />
<a href="http://dbhids.org/" target="_blank">The Department of Behavioral Health and DisAbility Services</a><br />
Artists: Jessica LaBarca, Julie Rosen, Stevie French & Natalie Hoffmann<br />
Individual financial donors: Kristen and Monica<br />
BuildaBridgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657256060255345998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2342313513734247834.post-4289288366951352272015-05-14T15:28:00.001-07:002015-05-14T15:28:42.710-07:00The Nepal National Anthem<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/AzTkZvw2owY/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/AzTkZvw2owY?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #333333; display: inline !important; float: none; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 13px/17px Roboto, arial, sans-serif; letter-spacing: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: yellow;">During the course of three workshops, BuildaBridge assisted this group of Bhutanese refugee adults create a visual representation of their memories, concerns and hopes for Nepal. During the close of each workshop, the group sang the Nepal national anthem featured here as a gesture of their solidarity and concern for Nepal.</span> </span>BuildaBridgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657256060255345998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2342313513734247834.post-50609911720269129072015-05-12T19:17:00.001-07:002015-05-12T19:17:20.012-07:00Responding to the Earthquake in Nepal“When I am dreaming, I dream about Nepal and I wish I could go to help them” said a Bhutanese refugee in response to the earthquake. <br /><br />Bhutanese refugees in South Philadelphia, many of whom spent twenty years in refugee camps in Nepal, are responding to the earthquakes through the healing power of art-making. The group's goal: To create prayer flags and paintings illustrating their fond memories of Nepal and hopes for Nepal's recovery and rebuilding.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCOlvQId9-uEqbIvWeXIHjj9irOpRiGXtVzy4zlX9wXXtmLa_MPFqfafg6mmjmc_LXyMy1qImZrcjF5JtO0guzjXNyKmR59nVt6WQfw-9v7P80Aihyphenhyphen2Ovcl0Lk3UosmCiI_X-shjJkTOYt/s1600/photo+1+(1).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCOlvQId9-uEqbIvWeXIHjj9irOpRiGXtVzy4zlX9wXXtmLa_MPFqfafg6mmjmc_LXyMy1qImZrcjF5JtO0guzjXNyKmR59nVt6WQfw-9v7P80Aihyphenhyphen2Ovcl0Lk3UosmCiI_X-shjJkTOYt/s320/photo+1+(1).JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
BuildaBridge International is assisting the group, many of whom contributed to the PPR mural, with creating artwork that reflects the group's responses to three prompts: Nepal as you remember it (stories and memories); Nepal today (concerned, imagined struggles Nepalis are currently facing); and Nepal in the future (hopes, and prayers for the rebuilding). The art piece being created consists of four bamboo poles, seven feet high, that are linked together. In each of the three sections are canvas paintings responding to the three prompts. Adorning each section above and below the canvases are prayer flags - the community's hopes and prayers for Nepal. <br /><br />”We would like to help with our hands [In Nepal] and want to do something; though we can’t help with our hands, we are glad to fundraise by sending money and a message.” One Bhutanese woman exclaimed. This group is eager to send money and help in whatever ways they can.<br /><br />Though tangible relief efforts are not possible from Philadelphia, this group wants to at least send their thoughts, messages and prayers to those suffering in Nepal. "We hope", said another Bhutanese, "that Nepal is rebuilt and constructed better then before." <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYNYe-ZY-k0ei425tGzP8KQ2b5l-jgbXqY2H9R9jZpqx2NiRdUWtklwD2B_cal1oOTYZ9hG-uTws_PN9vi_2aX-Ba2yHP0WBOpxbYu_IKlAOtzO1QQ5KeiuaGslr-FWUNhlcdVYlujXeSm/s1600/photo+1+(2).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYNYe-ZY-k0ei425tGzP8KQ2b5l-jgbXqY2H9R9jZpqx2NiRdUWtklwD2B_cal1oOTYZ9hG-uTws_PN9vi_2aX-Ba2yHP0WBOpxbYu_IKlAOtzO1QQ5KeiuaGslr-FWUNhlcdVYlujXeSm/s200/photo+1+(2).JPG" width="150" /></a>During the past week, the Bhutanese group was energetic, fully focused and engaged. They did not want to stop. In fact, they went 40 minutes over time -- twice. Their artwork is bright, beautiful and hopeful with lots of trees and flowers. When asked if someone would like to lead a prayer for those in Nepal and this community suffering from afar to close class, they instead sang a song. The group had a moment of silence and then almost all of them erupted into the song. This past Monday, our interpreter played the music for the Nepali anthem. All twenty-one participants stood in a circle, hands clasped in a prayer stance at chest level, and sang along. While there is much sadness and solidarity with those in Nepal, there is also hope as illustrated through this Bhutanese community's art and song.<br /><br /> In partnership with the Philadelphia Refugee Mental Health Collaborative, BuildaBridge is responding to the earthquakes by supporting and engaging the Bhutanese community in Philadelphia.BuildaBridgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657256060255345998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2342313513734247834.post-39442563904700419892015-04-29T11:42:00.001-07:002015-04-29T11:42:09.476-07:00The Birthday PartyLast Thursday evening; on my way to assist with a BuildaBridge group for Burmese children in South Philadelphia, I pulled up to the street address greeted by yellow caution tape, police and crowds of neighborhood on-lookers. My car window was down and I overheard the words spoken, “somebody was shot.” My heart sank into my stomach.<br />
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I pulled across the street and parked my car. When I got out and started walking down the sidewalk, I saw Zing and her three children standing on the corner. It was a relief to see them and we waited together outside for a while, waiting for some communication with the teachers inside the classroom, which was directly behind the caution tape that we were not allowed through. After some time passed and still no word, Zing asked if I wanted to go with them to a Burmese family’s home a few blocks away where apparently there was a birthday party happening. When we got to the home, as we walked in the front door, a wave of warmth came over me. Not only was the temperature warmer-compared to the cold, Spring day outside-but we were greeted with such a warm welcome!<br />
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We were immediately given chairs to sit upon. I saw some familiar faces and waved; and some of the children recognized me and said, “Hi Miss Danielle.” The children were laughing and running about, the adults were sitting on the periphery chatting or contentedly watching the children’s activity, the birthday boy’s father was walking around and taking pictures with a proud smile on his face. I was sitting with a smile in my heart, taking in this joyous occasion. Cake was brought out and we all gathered around Steven, sang Happy Birthday to him and then bowed our heads in prayer. This celebration, this birthday party was the perfect antidote to not dwelling on the tragic act of violence that happened just minutes ago. My phone rang and I received an update from Natalie and Liz, the other artists in our team. The relieving news came, everyone was safe and they had proceeded with the group as normal for the children who had already arrived. Shortly after, Zing and I left the party to return to the classroom, the caution tape was gone. We got back just in time for the children to share their artwork with us, they appeared calm and happy. It was comforting to know that they were safe inside the center, creating art, while all the commotion was going on outside the classroom walls. Instead of leaving the night with a heavy heart, still at the bottom of my stomach, I left feeling hopeful and confident… because of the birthday party, because of the BuildaBridge artists' efforts to maintain safety, structure and a sense of normalcy in the midst of chaos, and for this reason, I call this a tale of one teaching artist’s transformative moment.<br />
<em>- <a href="http://buildabridgerefugeeproject.blogspot.com/p/personnel.html" target="_blank">Danielle Owen,</a> Assistant Art Therapist</em><br />
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The <a href="http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/2015/04/23/police-man-shot-in-face-in-south-philadelphia/#.VTl5THruBO8.twitter" target="_blank">shooting that occurred</a> just minutes prior to BuildaBridge's Thursday night art group with Burmese children remains under investigation by police. The good news is that all twenty of the children attending that night were not harmed. BuildaBridge artists responded by remaining calm, flexible and adaptive. While half of the children attended the birthday party, the other half proceeded with the normal group that evening, processing the incident through art-making experiences in a safe and supportive environment.BuildaBridgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657256060255345998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2342313513734247834.post-29125424795474234672015-04-21T15:58:00.000-07:002015-04-21T15:58:05.388-07:00They fled Bhutan with their children on their backsSince the early 1990’s, over 100,000 ethnic Nepalese refugees from southern Bhutan have fled to Nepal as a result of racially-motivated forced eviction. In 1989, the king of Bhutan announced that the country would adopt the ‘One Nation, One People’ policy (also known as Bhutanization) prohibiting the practice of Nepali language, Hindu culture and religion, and any dress other than the traditional Drukpa dress. Thousands of Lhotsampa of Nepali descent who had been living in southern Bhutan since the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries were forced to leave the country. Many were brutally tortured and others imprisoned; some spent nearly twenty years living in crowded refugee camps. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTUlKiSloFQRZFbNYudizvxTrfz8wnf9HXE6LL4GCYSGPZw_tGnbHNnKNet4cLsqJ2D31Q2xclzGzwPzQrEYO93pTp06vePxoaNFrOHV_wg2rKpQTdLvM7NgLXF2b0LegXnyz_uRrWJnxR/s1600/DSC_7637.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTUlKiSloFQRZFbNYudizvxTrfz8wnf9HXE6LL4GCYSGPZw_tGnbHNnKNet4cLsqJ2D31Q2xclzGzwPzQrEYO93pTp06vePxoaNFrOHV_wg2rKpQTdLvM7NgLXF2b0LegXnyz_uRrWJnxR/s1600/DSC_7637.JPG" height="212" width="320" /></a></div>
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For the Bhutanese community in South Philadelphia, images of this history are now illustrated in a mural hanging at the Bhutanese American Organization of Philadelphia (BAOP). Facilitated by BuildaBridge artists Julie Rosen and Stevie French, as part of <a href="http://www.nscphila.org/" target="_blank">Nationalities Services Center's</a> Philadelphia Partnership for Resilience with support from the <a href="http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/orr" target="_blank">Office of Refugee Resettlement</a>, twenty-nine Bhutanese elders spent three months processing their histories through art-making experiences to create this mural. The left-most section of the mural illustrates their lives as farmers in Bhutan. The middle section depicts their forced journeys to Nepal and living in the refugee camps. The third, right most section, shows their new home - Philadelphia. Since the beginning of this idea in 2013, the goal has always been to display the mural at the BAOP in order for the elders to share their history with the next generation. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwad1LCgW41hgBWUuOkckJ2-QV2OPpBHBE7DUMXX549jOuLAkMutWHvecgKtyFVqNJEVDWBf4IgH619AJpzC7ygLnxq06Eg_mlKpF9A_mzjxjvG90QKhgBvnNCgiuJf1C2pqbn2gLKhk5b/s1600/IMG_9799.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwad1LCgW41hgBWUuOkckJ2-QV2OPpBHBE7DUMXX549jOuLAkMutWHvecgKtyFVqNJEVDWBf4IgH619AJpzC7ygLnxq06Eg_mlKpF9A_mzjxjvG90QKhgBvnNCgiuJf1C2pqbn2gLKhk5b/s1600/IMG_9799.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
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On April 11th, that goal was accomplished. Sixteen children, some parents and other leaders from the Bhutanese community gathered at the BAOP to reveal the mural and listen to the elders share their stories and process of the mural. <br />
"We want to keep our history alive; we want to pass our history on through the mural to our children."<br />
"It's a blessing being a part of this community and share the artwork with them."<br />
"All [of us] were resettled in different countries, we came to Philadelphia. I love Philadelphia. I traveled to many cities - Philadelphia is my favorite."<br />
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<a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/117182181509527732452/BhutanseElderMuralHistoryApril122015SHU?authkey=Gv1sRgCJGKoMXbhZjzJg&feat=directlink" target="_blank">See pictures from the BAOP event here.</a> <a href="http://buildabridgerefugeeproject.blogspot.com/2014/09/conquering-that-first-scary-mark.html" target="_blank">Read about the beginnings of this mural here.</a> BuildaBridgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657256060255345998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2342313513734247834.post-62555785317410841292015-04-15T05:28:00.001-07:002015-04-15T05:28:59.143-07:00The Things We Leave Behind<br />
There used to be a tree outside of my childhood home that my sisters and I loved. We’d claim to be queen and play on it, imagining that the world was ours. Eventually, the roots from the tree dug their way underground towards the house. It was no longer safe to have it there. The tree had to be chopped, the stump uprooted. We had to leave the tree behind and although I loved that tree and it held a plethora of memories, with time comes change. <br />
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When Frank and Beverly came to their second PPR session, they found the art prompt for the day to be particularly challenging for them to think about. Frank had drawn a tunnel and stated that he felt he is in darkness. They both became upset at the thought of their home, the way they had left it, and explained to the group that they had lost everything when they came here. The thought of this made them both very emotional, they thought deeply about their losses. Frank stated that he would like for his family to remember that he loves them. <br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Iii713fBjS4/UUu_VU5OapI/AAAAAAAAlsQ/LQ2t3W7Dcn0/s1600/Finlaw-Roots2Trees.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Iii713fBjS4/UUu_VU5OapI/AAAAAAAAlsQ/LQ2t3W7Dcn0/s1600/Finlaw-Roots2Trees.jpeg" height="320" width="220" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Roots to Routes, Image by Kelly Finlaw</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
At this time, Becky, our creative arts therapist, shared with the group that remembering and experiencing love for others can help guide us through darkness. I reached my hand out and placed it on Beverly's shoulder to provide comfort, we smiled at each other for a moment. When Frank apologized for becoming emotional, Becky assures them both that their openness in class is appreciated and encouraged. This is a place for them to heal. <em>- Emily Kimmelman, Artist-on-Call</em><br />
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BuildaBridge is facilitating hope, healing and resiliency through art-making experiences for Frank, Beverly and the other nearly 200 refugees served throughout the year in Philadelphia. <br />
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Donate today to <a href="https://donatenow.networkforgood.org/BuildaBridge#" target="_blank">Roots to Routes</a> to help Frank and Beverly continue their journey of processing their roots towards positive routes into the future. The goal is to raise $1,000 by the end of April!<br />
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BuildaBridgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657256060255345998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2342313513734247834.post-57102378822321688002015-04-01T16:25:00.001-07:002015-04-01T16:25:38.581-07:00Roots to Routes Full of Hope<br />Whenever a new refugee joins a therapeutic art-making group as part of the Philadelphia Partnership for Resilience, he or she wonders: How can art help me? Will others be able to empathize with me about my experiences? How do I share my ROOTS, culture and story with others who speak a different language? How can this art group help others like me?<br /><br />Their questions are answered after attending groups regularly.<br />
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<br />The boundaries and structure of the groups created a safe environment for clients. Clients came to rely on and participate in more fully the rituals and opening and closing activities that were conducted as part of each group. The art-making processes allowed clients to channel emotions through their art. The sharing of artwork prompted discussions about their feelings, experiences, hopes and dreams.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Iii713fBjS4/UUu_VU5OapI/AAAAAAAAlsQ/LQ2t3W7Dcn0/s1600/Finlaw-Roots2Trees.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Iii713fBjS4/UUu_VU5OapI/AAAAAAAAlsQ/LQ2t3W7Dcn0/s1600/Finlaw-Roots2Trees.jpeg" height="320" width="220" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Roots to Routes [image courtesy of Kelly Finlaw]</td></tr>
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By the end of the last group of a 10-week term, clients are interacting with each other openly, acting as guides for one another where language barriers were a challenge; they discuss their experiences of being victims of torture and having to uproot to a new, strange place with more ease. The client that was once new, now feels like they belong to a community; they now know that these BuildaBridge art groups have a specific purpose - to act as a catalyst towards building ROUTES full of hope, healing and resiliency. <br />
<br />You can make a difference. You can help refugees and immigrants with whom BuildaBridge works appreciate and share their ROOTS towards building ROUTES full of their dreams, hopes, developing trusting relationships with others and building community. <br />
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<a href="https://donatenow.networkforgood.org/BuildaBridge" target="_blank">Donate to Roots to Routes today to make a difference.</a><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; display: inline !important; float: none; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 12.8px/normal arial, sans-serif; letter-spacing: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;"><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" /></span><br />
[Roots to Routes, the annual fundraiser for BuildaBridge's Refugee Project, starts today, April 1st and ends April 30th, 2015.]<br />
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BuildaBridgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657256060255345998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2342313513734247834.post-67625051226173309502015-03-19T13:46:00.001-07:002015-03-19T13:46:36.686-07:00Creative Arts Therapy as a means to Rebuild<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-P3W8fjul7OI/U-3uMXiq6tI/AAAAAAABNEo/nvAcuMkD1qk/s1600/photo%2B(1).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-P3W8fjul7OI/U-3uMXiq6tI/AAAAAAABNEo/nvAcuMkD1qk/s1600/photo%2B%281%29.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a>“When there is peace, you can see it on the faces and in the eyes of children." A.K., a middle-aged man from Iraq, shared this quote about his drawing of children playing around trees. A.K. noted during his sharing time that the music playing in the background, eased his nerves as he drew. <a href="http://buildabridgerefugeeproject.blogspot.com/2014/04/bridging-cultural-divide.html" target="_blank">Read about A.K. here.</a><br />
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Oliver, a man in his young thirties, drew stick figures at an airport about to board a plane to a new land. In describing his image, he discussed his journey of leaving behind his home country and going to new country where he is currently unfamiliar with the language, people and the culture. Overwhelmed by these challenges, he shared with the group that he often thought “maybe I should go back home". With encouragement from the group and much reflection through his artwork, he felt by the end that the group would be a good place to network and share his story as a survivor of torture. <br />
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As part of BuildaBridge's efforts with the Philadelphia Partnership for Resilience, creative arts therapists and teaching artists provide art therapy and therapeutic art making groups in the community context for survivors of torture. The stories of A.K. and Oliver signify the positive outcomes art can have in facilitating hope, healing and resiliency. BuildaBridge uses creative arts therapy and the therapeutic arts because they are some of the most effective strategies for alleviating symptoms of trauma, abuse and stress through its effects on physiological, brain and hormonal activity. <br />
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In honor of Creative Arts Therapy Week (#CATW2015), we share these stories of the transformative power of the arts through our work with survivors of torture, just one of many different vulnerable populations the organization serves through the arts. <br />
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Additionally, The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) affirms strategies like the ones BuildaBridge uses. They note the use of Creative Arts Therapy with survivors of torture by describing Lembe's story. "Lembe, a torture survivor, wrote her name on a colourful cloth. As part of her rehabilitation therapy, Lembe worked passionately on it, designing a fish, a bird and adding the names of other survivors. “Designing on the cloth helped my creativity,” she said “it allowed me to mentally relax, to learn how to express myself and to forget my daily hardships.” <a href="http://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/RebuildingLives.aspx" target="_blank">Read Lembe's story and the UNHCR's article here on art therapy.</a>BuildaBridgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657256060255345998noreply@blogger.com0