i was the first woman to be a part of backyard mosaic women's project when the project began at st. mark's many years ago. from its humble beginnings, i have helped the project grow from a program with two facilitators and one participant (me) to a welcoming and supportive community of women, where the group's fluidity reinforces its strength. and as the program has grown, i, too, have grown from an ashamed and traumatized young woman to a confident and compassionate mother, partner, family-member, friend, small business owner, naturalist and marketing manager .
over the years, the gifts i have received from backyard mosaic women's project have been many. i have received the support of a dedicated and compassionate team of project consultants that has held my hand and stood by me through my life's challenges (such as re-incarceration, probation violations and public speeches) and my life's joys (such as the birth of my child, college graduations and the return to freedom). i look up to these women and gain, not only a sense of community, but also wisdom, insight and compassion in knowing that their experience is also mine as we are all connected in this world.
in turn, i bring many gifts to the backyard mosaic women's project. i bring my experiences in the correctional system, in life, in school and in my work to the table as i strive to be of support to the project in anyway that i am able. i bring my ears and my heart, i bring compassionate understanding. i bring my skills as a graphic designer and marketer. i bring my life.