Legacy Quilt - Philadelphia, PA
Creating Legacy Together
INTERGENERATIONAL MULTIMEDIA ART PROJECT
Fall 2017 — Philadelphia, PA
The Legacy Quilt was created by senior citizens and youth from the neighborhood of Hunting Park in north Philadelphia. This project was created in collaboration with Esperanza Health Center and Ayuda Community Center through their involvement in the ReACH Coalition (Redemptive Arts for Community Health). ReACH received funding from the Philadelphia's Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual disAbility Services.
As the Teaching Artist, I gathered youth from the neighborhood to work with an existing senior group meeting at Esperanza Health Center. I hosted 10 workshop sessions. We began by exploring the imprint of the legacies of others’ lives on ours. We discussed how the decisions we make throughout our lifetime determine the type of legacy we leave behind. Each participant then wrote their own “Personal Living Legacy Statement.”
We then explored empathy as a skill that we can practice. We exercised this skill by interviewing each other and practiced how to both offer and receive empathy from others. The youth developed their own surveys of 10 questions for the seniors. Selected quotes:
“What do you suggest to help avoid having regrets in life?”
“Can you share a lesson that you have learned from your life?”
“What are some ways that you have had a positive impact on things?”
I led the group in learning the basics of printmaking. Each participant developed a pattern and printed a “quilt block”. Some incorporated a “legacy word” into their design.
They youth were challenged to use themes they extrapolated from their interviews to create unique “Legacy Blocks” using fabric paint and markers.
I sewed all of the quilt blocks created by the group into a large quilt which hangs in the Community Room at Esperanza Health Center. The quilt bears witness to the legacy each artist wishes to become and speaks a blessing over the community where it hangs.
I sewed all of the quilt blocks created by the group into a large quilt which hangs in the Community Room at Esperanza Health Center. The quilt bears witness to the legacy each artist wishes to become and speaks a blessing over the community where it hangs.
Legacy Quilt Dedication — Spring 2018
We celebrated our collaborative creation by hosting a dedication attended by friends, neighbors, and family. Participants publicly read from their “Personal Living Legacy Statements”. Selected quotes are below:
“I want to inspire young African American and Hispanics girls to be themselves.”
“I my life I want to have honesty from others; I want to be myself. I want happiness, to enjoy life. I want to give respect and live with a purpose.”
“Remember in this world, you’ve got to be the best you can be. You must always fight for what you want… Pursue your dreams. If you fall down, get back up. Keep living and striving to do and be better. Let love rule no matter what’s going on. Keep your faith and stay strong. Stay prayed up and you will be ok.”
“I want all future generations to value self-awareness. In whatever a person chooses to do, it’s important that they can actually use their experiences positively. Also, making sure you are good before anyone else in your life. You shouldn’t help others if you yourself is not already in check… I just want to emphasize how important it is to value yourself and be aware of who you are at all times because I believe it will help you grow.
“Have a grateful heart. Remember to thank God for all that He does for you and just for who He is. Don’t forget to thank Him for all of the people who bless your life. Make gratitude a daily habit.”
“When I get older I will push myself to do the impossible. In addition the subject that I would like to pass on to anybody in the future is the importance of art. Art is something that describes me in a way where I can show how I feel about things in life without saying it.