Collaborative collage created by BostonWarm participants to commemorate the program’s five-year anniversary

It was tough for me to figure out what to write about for this week. It’s not that nothing happened, that’s for sure—there’s always plenty going on at BostonWarm and common art—rather, there was no singular topic or moment I could think to focus on. I was starting to ask fewer questions of my (incredibly patient) supervisors and starting to learn better how to initiate things on my own. Was it possible that I was starting to find my “groove” here at my internship?
Of course, now I realize that I did indeed have a noteworthy moment at BostonWarm—I led my first art project!

BostonWarm began five years ago after the closing of the Long Island Bridge separated people from their community and left many people without access to shelters, substance abuse facilities, and similar resources. To commemorate this five-year anniversary, Amanda Grant-Rose and I asked community members to help collaborate on an art project that represented what BostonWarm meant to them. Some community members offered comments or suggestions, while others eagerly cut and pasted their own contributions directly onto the board. The result was an eclectic, honest, and meaningful piece of art which everyone was able to contribute to whether they did so “hands-on” or “hands-off.” It was delightful to work alongside others and discover what they love about BostonWarm and the community.

10-17-19, Amanda Ludeking