Pillowcase art project helps fight intolerance
Published 10:27 am Saturday, January 30, 2016
Island families and individuals interested in decorating pillowcases for the #GiveRefugeesRest campaign are invited to attend a decorating event at the Eagle Harbor Congregational Church from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 30.
Organizers said that participating in the #GiveRefugeesRest campaign is a symbolic statement about fighting intolerance and fear based on a person’s place of birth or their ethnicity. The campaign endeavors to change the narrative around refugees, both those fleeing violence in the Middle East and those fleeing gang violence in Central America, from one of fear and resentment to one of peace and welcome.
Those who have pillowcases to bring are encouraged to do so Saturday, but there also will be pillowcases on hand for participants to use.
Decorating materials also will be available, including paints, ribbon and buttons for those who want to do more elaborate designs, and also felt-tip markers for those who want to keep things simple.
Craig Spencer will be available to offer guidance to those who want it, based on his own experiments painting pillowcases.
The pillowcase campaign is organized by the Fellowship of Reconciliation (FOR), an international peace group whose local effort is being coordinated by some of the same people who organized the recent candlelight vigil at the Japanese American Exclusion Memorial.
The program invites participating individuals to decorate pillowcases around the #GiveRefugeesRest theme, and send or bring them to the governor of their state — or to the governor of one of the 31 states that have expressed opposition to allowing refugees sanctuary.
Completed pillowcases will be collected and displayed at an exhibition event from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 5, also at the Eagle Harbor Congregational Church.
