Pages

Thursday, August 18, 2011

Philadelphia WCA The Ragdoll Project



Open call for handmade doll donations!


The Ragdoll Project is an

ongoing project by the Philadelphia Women's Caucus for Art

that educates the public on human trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation and supports survivors and at risk women and children. By engaging artists and the public in a creative project, we hope to bring more people into the discussion and offer an opportunity to contribute to the lives of those affected by this crime.

We will create a pile of handmade ragdolls to symbolize the numbers of human beings impacted by trafficking. The pile of dolls will be presented along with educational information at various public venues through 2012. We host protests, ragdoll-making workshops, movie nights, and educational sessions on human trafficking. Scroll down to learn about upcoming and past events and calls for art.

For further information, email us at:


Join our awareness group on Facebook:



Follow our page on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/#!/phila.wca
__________________________________________________________________________________

On View: September 7, 2012 - January 6, 2013

Honoring Women's Rights: Echoing Visual Voices Together
National Steinbeck Center, Salinas, CA 



Artwork that examines and explores the social, political and economic issues related to women's activism.

We are honored that the Ragdoll Project is currently on display at the National Steinbeck Center in an exhibition presented by four WCA chapters: South Bay Area, Northern California, Peninsula, and Monterey Bay. 










__________________________________________________________________________________







RAGDOLL DONATIONS
We welcome ragdoll donations of any medium and all skill levels. Please feel free to use this pattern (thanks to missgioia.com). We ask that you either leave the face blank or write a statement related to human trafficking such as "$32 Billion Industry" or "Slavery still exists." We also ask that the size be limited to a doll that can be carried by one person. The dolls will not be returned, however we hope that the collection will grow and continue travelling to different venues to have a larger impact. At the end of the project we will sell the dolls and all proceeds will go to shelters that support survivors of trafficking. To arrange drop off, to receive the mailing address to send your doll, or request further information, contact theragdollproject@hotmail.com

________________________________________________________________________________

PAST EVENTS

(Image courtesy of WCA Member Loretta Paraguassu)
OPENING RECEPTION: Friday, April 6, 2012, 6-9pm

F&N GALLERY, 2007 Frankford Ave.

Stop Slavery Now: A Conversation About Human Trafficking

The Philadelphia WCA in collaboration with Circle of Hope Church
will present an exhibition at F&N Gallery through the month of April 2012.
The exhibition is part of The Ragdoll Project. Proceeds from art sales will be
donated to Dawn's Place, a local shelter that supports rescued victims of trafficking.
A selection of dolls will be auctioned off at the opening reception.

______________________________________________________________________________

Create Awareness Night at Follicle Studio - Join us at Follicle Hair Studio on February's 4th Friday on 4th Street and create in a creative environment. Make a handmade doll to benefit The Ragdoll Project. Donate a doll and enter a drawing to win a complementary makeover consultation by award winning artist Francesca Rivetti at http://www.folliclestudio.com/. Doll-making supplies and patterns will be available. Fabric donations are welcome. RSVP to the event on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/#!/events/238929059515179/

____________________________________________________________________
Rachel Lloyd Book Reading and Signing
March 16 at 7 pm, Circle of Hope Church, 2009 Frankford Ave.

Rachel Lloyd, Founder and Executive Director of GEMS (Girls Educational and Mentoring Services) will join us on March 16 to for a discussion of human trafficking. Rachel will read from her memoir, Girls Like Us, answer questions, and sign hooks. Copies of the book on paperback will be available to purchase.

GEMS website: www.gems-girls.org
_________________________________________________________________________________
FRINGE FESTIVAL 2011 PROTEST PERFORMANCE

The WCA launched the Ragdoll Project on September 2 at the Philadelphia Fringe Festival where we assembled a pile of rag dolls, silently passed out stickers and information, and provided a petition for the public to sign to show their support of the lives affected by modern slavery. In October, the dolls were part of Spiral Q's Peoplehood Festival in West Philadelphia where the WCA hosted a doll-making table.
_____________________________________________________________________

Further Information on Human Trafficking and Commercial Sexual Exploitation:

Recommended Research Papers available in PDF format:

The Demand for Victims of Sex Trafficking:

Deconstructing the Demand for Prostitution:

The WCA Philadelphia supports the following organizations and encourages all to visit their websites:

www.ahomefordawn.org














http://www.gems-girls.org/




www.polarisproject.org

















www.thea21campaign.org




















Ragdoll image courtesy of Joanna Fulginiti: www.joannafulginiti.blogspot.com



Follow us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/phila.wca