Engaging Social Justice Through Art

Creating the REA Signature Quilt
Saturday, Nov 3, 8:00 a.m.—3:15 p.m.

Grace Yun, InterRelations Collaborative
Patricia Maunder, Founder, Stories Through Art

In the aftermath of September 11, InterRelations Collaborative (IRC), a nonprofit organization dedicated to fostering cross-cultural understanding through art, brought together young people from across New York City to document their reactions to 9/11. The students’ drawings and writings were part of a project that became the focus of What Will YOU DO For Peace? Impact of 9/11 on New York City Youth (InterRelations Collaborative, 2004).

In 2006, the organization commissioned children’s book author and illustrator Faith Ringgold to design the “9/11 Peace Story Quilt” based on the book. Comprised of three 72″ x 50″ panels, each with 12 squares, the quilts were constructed in collaboration with New York City students between the ages of eight and nineteen for the fifth anniversary of September 11.

9/11 Peace Story Quilt

 Since its creation, the quilt has been displayed in museums, universities, and public spaces, and it was the opening for New York Metropolitan Museum of Art’s 10th Anniversary of 9/11 commemorative programs.

Grace Yun        Patricia Maunder

Dr. Grace Yun and Visual Arts Educator Patricia Maunder have conducted many IRC Peace QuiltMaking Workshops for conferences, schools, universities, and organizations. Workshop participants collaboratively design and construct their own Peace Story Quilt. In 2008, Grace and Patricia led an IRC Workshop in this new genre at Yale Divinity School for students in Yolanda Smith’s “Youth, Culture, and Christian Education” class. The banner they created will be on display at the REA meeting.

YDS Quilt-Making Workshop, 2008

Grace and Patricia will help us create our own REA quilt, finishing it in time to display at the meeting! Members are encouraged to drop in on Saturday to participate by painting a square for the quilt. Volunteers are needed to help put the squares together (involves no sewing) on Saturday afternoon. Don’t miss this opportunity to help create a lasting memento of beauty for future REA meetings!