April 6, 2018 at 1:53 p.m.
HUMAN TRAFFICKING
Roarke Center patrons use art to advocate for Boko Haram victims
Members of the Roarke Center in Troy, which is overseen by Catholic Charities, recently invited people attending the city's River Street Festival to help create artistic statement pieces representing the Nigerian schoolgirls kidnapped by Boko Haram. The Islamist militant group has been holding close to 300 girls since abducting them in April.
The Roarke Center patrons wanted to raise awareness about slavery and human trafficking worldwide.
"It's not even in the news anymore," said Moses Lugo, a member of Roarke's art programs for eight years. "We're trying to bring [attention to] all kinds of slavery."
Pointing to kidnappings and other forms of trafficking, he added: "There's still some form of slavery in the United States."
The project was born in the Roarke Center's writing class, which often incorporates current events into assignments. Students there wrote about the scourge of human trafficking; then printmaking students designed a "word cloud" poster and made drawings and prints of faces and eyes.
Joining in
At the festival, passersby were encouraged to transfer drawings onto wallboard. The Roarke Center's pottery class also participated by putting the printmakers' work into clay.
"The project was really looked at through every aspect of the Roarke Center," said Mary LaFleur, a retired teacher who volunteers in the pottery program. She says the clay faces representing Nigerian girls show that "every one of them is an individual who is lost.
"It's such a learning experience for all of us," she said of the project. "It makes it seem [like] this is really happening in the world. We are really trying to make a difference. I didn't realize how rampant [trafficking] is. It's everywhere."
Sister Loretta Hoag, DC, the center's art coordinator, said the tiles of individual faces are their own works of art, because they represent the isolation of the abducted children: "It's a haunting sense of loneliness, because it's not with the others."
Compassionate artists
Roarke Center members volunteered all day at the festival, helping members of the public participate and teaching them about the issues.
"They sold the concept to the public," Sister Loretta said. "They know that other people have a harder time than they do. We're helping our people advocate for others. They have the ability to have compassion because they've been given a forum for expression. It affirms them at the same time that they have something to give. They can go beyond themselves.
"That's primarily what we like to do: We like to help them become part of the larger community," she continued. "So often, they feel isolated because they don't have the same ideas to share. It's not all about 'doing my own art;' it's about creating community. And isn't that what the Church is about?"
The Roarke Center offers free classes in the arts five days a week, from digital photography to sewing, weaving and painting. The art program drew more than 2,000 people last year.
Ms. LaFleur said she's witnessed clients "grow so much. All their lives, they've been told they aren't worth too much and they can't do this or can't do that - but nobody told them they couldn't do art.
"It helps their self-esteem," she added. "They can do art. I don't know if there's another place in the country that does this. This is truly an amazing place."
Positive attitude
Mr. Lugo, who has been on disability since he was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis a decade ago, said he was "hooked" after one session of watercolor painting. Now, he attends various classes at the Roarke Center four days a week.
"It helps me mentally," said the artist, who displays dozens of his works in his home, along with awards he's won from the center and from festival contests. "If you're mentally healthy, your body's healthy. It makes me look at stuff, be creative [and, through accepting critiques,] accept even the negative stuff. It creates a positive attitude.
"Every piece of artwork you've done is an achievement," he continued, noting that art isn't a gift reserved for just a few people: "It doesn't have to be perfect. Everybody could learn."
Mr. Lugo enjoyed talking to festival-goers: "I think we did something good. I hope they remember it."
Some of the human trafficking artwork will be on display at local Catholic parishes. Sister Loretta said the center, which helps 200 people a month with emergency services, aims to "have the attitude of Christ, to be there for people. We are advocates so that they can attain some of their own goals."[[In-content Ad]]
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