Traversing Our History To Empower Our Destiny 2023
Location: Parish of St. Elizabeth, Jamaica
Project Description:
Dear Ms Elaine:
The Wattle and Red Earth (WARE) Collective, is deeply grateful for your collaboration on our 2023 Community Mural-Mosaic/Summer Arts & Heritage Project. With our 2nd project you again demonstrated your willingness to teach our Team AND learn with us. Your contributions were priceless and we particularly appreciated your commitment to complete the installation.
Youth engagement is integral to our organization’s heritage education objectives, and since 2020 we have hosted an annual 2-week youth summer program. This year we targeted teenagers and impacted 4 girls and 3 boys from neighboring communities. Participants represented 4 St Elizabeth High Schools [St Elizabeth Technical High, Hampton, Munro, B.B. Coke High] & Mount St Joseph Catholic High. The arts represent an important expression for heritage and so the skills imparted by you and Pamella Chang have provided valuable mentorship to Jamaica’s future artists. The program enabled promising youth to use their artistic talents to enhance St Elizabeth’s natural beauty.
The Lions Club of St Elizabeth-South, St Mark’s Anglican Church, Jakes Treasure Beach, Grace Kennedy Foundation, the artists and the students all mobilized a concerted community effort. Together we created a beautiful site for community enjoyment, reflection and heritage awareness building. We hope that this initiative renews all our commitment to preserve vital and historic aspects of Jamaica’s cultural identity. The WARE Collective is dedicated to South St Elizabeth’s communities. The development of our Living Museum site in Malvern Chase is ongoing and we envision further service and collaboration with you in 2024 and beyond.
Yours Sincerely,
Georgia Love Executive Officer The WARE Collective
Wattle and Red Earth Collective Management Committee: Ms. Carol Campbell (Artist); Dr. Courtney Coke, M.D.; Mr. Peter Francis (Architect); Ms. Ann Hodges (Architect); Ms. Enith Williams (Business & Investment Consultant); Ms. Dannet Parchment (Educator) Ms. Georgia Love (Community Development Practitioner)