Finding Resonance Amongst Diverse Cultures Through Weaving
The project Finding Resonance Amongst Diverse Cultures Through Weaving aims to support diverse immigrant populations with trauma in Sunset Park, Brooklyn, through the Center for Family Life's Family Enrichment Center (FEC).
The majority of clients at Sunset Park's Center for Family Life are Asian or Latino immigrants who have migrated to the U.S. under duress, often experiencing danger in their country of origin, poverty, or limited educational opportunities. Many have faced trauma and stress, both in the past and as a result of relocating, along with separation from their culture of origin. Additionally, the clients primarily speak Spanish and Chinese and may experience systemic oppression due to biases related to their race, language, and economic status. Black, brown, and immigrant communities live side-by-side here but often separately. People tend to be healthier when they feel integrated. This work with immigrant communities aims to help participants maintain their connection to their cultures while living in the U.S. The communities in Sunset Park share immigration stressors but remain isolated from one another. Part of the mission of the FEC is to bridge these two communities, which can offer each other resilience and compassion and help reduce isolation. Weaving together can bypass language differences and build interdependence. Rhythm through weaving serves as a pre-verbal means of creating connection.
Weaving is a natural metaphor for integrating parts of the self. Participants will literally weave together various facets of themselves through objects that hold symbolic meaning. Native materials may be used alongside materials sourced in the U.S. Weaving is a bilateral activity, requiring the use of the body and both hands to move the material across the midline. This helps integrate both sides of the brain to mend psychological splits, which often occur when moving from one’s culture of origin, where conscious processing may initially be too painful. Weaving will help heal individual schisms and address community isolation. In this process of healing their trauma and building resilience, participants give back to the community that supports them.
The act of externalizing creatively builds resilience. In these sessions, groups will first be guided through individual projects and later through a group project that will be installed in a community space. Creation releases emotions and allows for sharing with other community members. Weaving is soothing, organizes thoughts, improves focus, and reduces trauma. It provides accessibility and transcends cultural barriers, regardless of one’s language or other economic obstacles.
Sara and Family Enrichment Center staff, Liangliang Han and Zenayda Bonilla, strongly believe in a client-led therapeutic approach that centers and empowers clients. We will guide participants to identify themes important to them to manifest in their weavings and in their process.
Sara and the FEC intend to involve participants in deciding how the projects will be implemented. Projects may be conducted in a workshop format if necessary, but will likely consist of weekly group sessions divided into class modules to ensure consistency, which is crucial for developmental growth, trust, and community building.
The FEC is designed to resemble a home-like atmosphere that reflects the surrounding cultures, providing direct services, activities, and resources aimed at promoting the well-being and empowerment of community members. While the majority of clients are immigrants of Latin American and Chinese descent, the center also welcomes individuals from other regions who speak various languages, including English. The objective of the FEC is to foster connection, capacity, and resilience by collaborating with community members and local leaders to identify community strengths and develop programs. The project will provide access for people of all backgrounds and promote a space for racial equity and cultural expression. Weaving will be integral in helping participants “nest” in and create this shared space.
The looms used will mirror traditional techniques found in Latin America and around the world. The fiber arts processes are integrative and reparative. The thin belt looms are especially fun for children, rewarding, and helpful for those with attention deficits. Creating patterns is akin to coding, supporting mathematical development. Box looms or frame looms can be used to create pillows, bags, or hangings that can be linear or abstract. Felting, an integrative fiber technique, can also be used to create new pieces from wool roving. Sara hopes to hire weavers indigenous to the Sunset Park communities to share their expertise in weaving. Regardless of the method, integrating left and right brain functions and body movements through weaving can help repair trauma and build resilience. Engaging in this activity together fosters a sense of belonging and shared community.
The method of introducing projects is modeled after a multicultural developmental continuum of human growth, attachment, and belonging. From a Western (modern) perspective, the individual grows from the self outward. In many indigenous cultures, developmentally, family comes first. At the FEC, participants will begin exploring weaving either as individuals or in small groups, as they are currently living quite separately. Projects will familiarize them with different processes and invite them to contribute their own knowledge and creativity. These projects will provide opportunities for visual instruction and hand-over-hand support among participants. Group cohesion will build over time, non-verbally, transitioning from self and family to the community at large, thereby increasing the sense of belonging. Participants will collectively begin to populate the space with their creations, which may also be displayed in local venues and sold, aiding in economic mobility.
The project will culminate in the creation of a shared installation. For this installation, the group will choose a vision and materials, and the space will be selected in cooperation with community representatives who support the center in an ongoing manner.
