Empowering a City

Arts Holding Hands and Hearts, Inc. is full of passion, on a mission and bringing it to life. Coatesville, PA is long recognized as a city challenged by degradation. AHHAH is committed to changing the story. Their gesture is simple. Get books in the hands of young children, each and everyone.

And their method is empowering.

Jan Michener, the lead at AHHAH, has corralled a crew of professionals and the community to ignite the Pop Up Lending Library (PULL) project. It's her mission to place 100 boxes filled with books throughout the city so that every child can access books everyday.

Making Art A Verb was honored to be a part of this fire. For a project like this to succeed, the community needs to own it. It's needs to be theirs. I grew up neighboring Coatesville, but this is not my town. Regardless of the quality of my work, it needs to belong to the citizens for the city to be empowered. Otherwise, I'm just an intruder giving a hand-out. No one feels elevated that way. Without ownership, the library boxes might be ignored and maybe even vandalized. In this case, art is needed to inspire, not entertain. My only role is to help them see themselves in a different light and feel good about it. 

With the guidance of Good Works, Inc., PULL boxes were created by the local vocational school. Community organizations then assembled and primed them.

 

Throughout the process, I had the pleasure of meeting with organizations in Coatesville to better understand their position in the community. Afterwards, I created designs for some of the boxes. It was my objective to translate their statement artistically onto the library boxes. All the while I reminded myself that I was just a conduit. Occasionally, especially when the project was at a standstill, I struggled with letting go and having my ego step aside. I needed to remind myself of the greater need of this project, the future of the children of Coatesville.

The magic came for me when I handed over the brush to some very willing and eager youth. The light in their eyes filled me with hope. This belongs to them. It's now their fire.

My job was complete.

The PULL campaign is continuing. Sponsors are welcome to support the books needed for the children. If you would like more information, please reach out to Art Holding Hands and Hearts.