Hi, my name is Amanda Rigatti, I am an art therapy intern here at Emmanuel from Lesley University’s graduate expressive therapies program. Evey, Liz, and I all feel incredibly lucky to be a part of this community and I can’t even begin to express how thankful we all are for how kind everyone has been to us as we work our way through our first semester.
It’s hard to believe that it’s only been three weeks since I began at Emmanuel. I feel like I have learned more in the past few weeks working with common art, Ethos, and women at the Suffolk county prison than I have in years of schooling. I have learned to expect the unexpected.
Common art continually challenges the way I see the homeless community. The men and women work take part in common art are some of the most artistically gifted people I have had the opportunity to work with and as a graduate from Mass Art that says a lot. While everyone in the parish hall turned art studio has a different story, they all share a true passion for the creative process.
One of the most rewarding things for me in the past few weeks as been being able to share with the people who come to Emmanuel. The men at the Ethos (Café Emmanuel) lunch have never failed to make me laugh. When I first sat down to eat with them they made me feel like an old friend. Whether it be something as simple as talking about the how packed the MBTA was that morning or sharing a childhood memory with a complete stranger, story telling allows us to connect, to bond with one another. It helps create our future and cherish our past.
Finally I want to talk about the women at Suffolk County House of Correction. I have been to the prison twice now and the stories of love for partners, children, friends, and family are teaching me to not lose faith in others. The thought that the women put into the cards that they make and send every week reminds how the smallest gift can mean the most
I hope in the next week all of you will be able to find ways to create, share, laugh and love. Those are for me what truly make life wonderful and thanks to Emmanuel Church I get to experience those things every week.
Sincerely,
Amanda