Cynthia
Cynthia
Low is the administrator of the Downtown Eastside Women's Centre (DEWC). Cynthia
explains that the DEWC focuses on providing the basics - food, safety, showers
and shelter - for women in hardship; WEAVE builds on these services by providing
an opportunity for women to think through a problem, plan an outcome, express
an opinion. "The art projects done as part of the WEAVE program aren't merely
a distraction to pass the time at the centre," Cynthia says. "They offer the
opportunity for real individual and community development and social commentary."
Sometimes the most poignant social commentary comes from the very act of creation. "Most people take for granted the ability to give a birthday gift to a friend, a token of appreciation to someone who helped you-but the women here have so little," Cynthia says. "In the workshops, you find the women will make things for their friends and family. The pleasure and benefits of making and giving are astounding."
"There are a lot of negative perceptions about the Downtown Eastside," Cynthia continues, "but WEAVE offers the women a chance to feel pride and express their own experience of the Downtown Eastside. These are images of hope, strength, care, faith and optimism. The WEAVE project brings a colour, lightness and joy that is infectious. It means that the services of the Women's Centre can go beyond survival into empowerment. Art helps individuals think about how they can be a part of the social fabric," she concludes. "It empowers them."
