Flyer: Refugee Assistance Center
PublisherPublished by
Jubilee House
Dateca. 2009
MediumPaper
ClassificationsInformation Artifacts
Credit LineConnecticut Cultural Heritage Arts Program collections
DescriptionEphemera relating to the Sewing Circle Project
Flyer for the Refugee Assistance Center at Jubilee House.
Flyer for the Refugee Assistance Center at Jubilee House.
Object number2015.196.39.5
CopyrightIn Copyright
NotesSubject Note: The Sewing Circle Project began in 2007 as an initiative to encourage production, marketing, and sustainability of traditional crafts among the many immigrant and refugee communities in the Greater Hartford area and across the state. Developed by the Connecticut Cultural Heritage Arts Program based at the Institute for Community Research (ICR) in Hartford and at the Connecticut Historical Society after 2015, the project supported the remarkable traditional arts of these newcomers. Members of the Sewing Circle met regularly at ICR and also at the Hartford Public Library to work on their art forms, learn new skills, and share coffee and conversation. This cooperative environment fostered social interaction among the artists and public audiences, respected and encouraged their cultural heritage and artistic traditions, stimulated literacy improvement, and helped to develop marketplaces for their artwork. CCHAP organized gatherings, exhibits, workshops, marketplace events, promotional materials, and educational activities for the group’s participants. While most of the artists experienced war, trauma, and dislocation, they continue to practice their cultural heritage and artistic traditions, blending these with current experiences and materials to create artwork that is both beautiful and functional. Even when immigrants and refugees embrace a move that takes them to a more stable and prosperous place, resettlement poses challenges of physical and psychological adaptation. Many new Americans have eased transition by continuing, recreating, or reinventing familiar art forms. For many members of refugee communities now living in New England, practicing their familiar arts of weaving, knitting, basket making, lace making, music, dance, and storytelling helps them to cope with the trauma of the genocide and displacement their families have suffered. Subject Note: Jubilee House’s mission has been to enrich the lives of people in the Hartford area by offering educational opportunities for adults and social services for post-resettlement refugees and immigrants. Formerly staffed by nuns who lived in the convent next to St. Augustine’s School, Jubilee House became affiliated with the House of Bread when the school closed. At the time of the brochure (c. 2000-2018), Jubilee House worked extensively with refugees resettled to the Hartford area, proving social and educational services and including ESOL classes under the Refugee Assistance Program. The organization continues to provide writing, math, and computer literacy, and world of work instruction to adults who have a high school diploma or GED and who wish to pursue higher education or build life/work skills; and tuition-free ESOL instruction.
Additional materials exist in the CCHAP archive for this project.
Cataloging Note: This project was made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services MA-245929-OMS-20.
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Lamothe's Sugar House
