Five words.The United States is based on these five words. A mission statement of 5 words is memorable. Everyone in our country knows them. Really our only task is to test whether or not our actions contribute to liberty and justice for all people on the planet. The idea is that one person's liberty is balanced by the justice of the action they have chosen. And all means ALL, even if it didn't in our country's founding. ALL means a multi-racial democracy with men and women, rich and poor, having Liberty and Justice. It's brilliant. Yes, it's also messy, painful, complex and difficult beyond our wildest dreams - loggers and environmentalists, unborn children and endangered or over-burdened mothers, short term energy needs and preventing the collapse of eco-systems, to name a few. I see closing the gap between our vision of Liberty and Justice for All and our reality to be a clear goal for all of us to work on in every sphere of our society.
The Singing Tree Mural of What Makes America Great wasmade in 2017 by an intergenerational, inter-political group of people, exploring a positive future for our country. It also honors our ancestors. The tear in Lady Liberty's eye is for the suffering in our country and our world as we fail to guarantee Liberty and Justice for All.
Unity Through Creativity Foundation seeks to demonstrate the beauty of our nation's mission. In the Singing Tree Mural Project, the whole world is invited to make a painting together, envisioned by an 8 year old girl. While making collaborative murals inspired by the mutualism of trees and forests, each person is free to express their vision of a positive future with just treatment for people and planet. The daunting goal is achieved one mural at a time, and the training of Singing Tree Mural facilitators.
A remarkable organization that is bringing Liberty and Justice to All is Education Cannot Wait, the Global Fund hosted by UNICEF for children in emergencies. It has brought education to 30 million children who have experienced upheaval and displacement. If the children traumatized by loss of their state, natural disaster and violent conflict can receive support for their natural creativity, compassion and curiosity, the world will have more Peace Leaders and collaborators than terrorists, rogue militias and lone wolves. It is such important work. Unity Through Creativity will be cross-marketing with Education Cannot Wait as we begin to explore how "Peace Buliding Through Art" might play a role in their Multi-Year Resilience programs.
Our work in the Kyangwali Refugee Settlement is ready to launch as soon as we raise the last $10,500. You can support the pilot Singing Tree to Heal the Trauma of War here.
Facilitators of the Month
This month we recognize Gabi Lipska and Bobbie Rae Jones, the first two certified Singing Tree Facilitators. Gabi is an artist, social worker, mother and Polish immigrant living in Cumbria, England. She is in the middle of her third Singing Tree. Her first is called The Willow Singing Tree of Celebrating Our True Value, co-created with immigrant women in rural England.
The second was made with elementary school students when they first came back from Covid. It's called The Singing Ash Tree of Abundance and Protection.
Bobbie Rae, the second Facilitator we are honoring, is an artist, educator, mother and Disaster Recovery Worker whose family has lived in northern California since the Gold Rush in 1849. People who lost their homes to fires in Northern California helped design and paint The Magnolia Singing Tree of Our Inner Wellspring.
In these short videos, Gabi describes the magic of collaborative art and Bobbie Rae shares the process and symbolism of the mural.
To end, I'd like share another commentary in El Paso Matters on-line newspaper about the power of Connection, Purpose and Creativity to help end gun violence. Please share your ideas and actions to heal, regenerate and transform the disfunction and harm we are witnessing. We are in this together.
With Gratitude,
Laurie
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