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Photo by Liana Elguero
Destiny's bedroom design
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Photo by Liana Elguero
SOHO participants Carley and Tiasia
Remember back in middle school when you mused about the perfect bedroom? The colors, the comforters, the curtains, posters and pillows?
It was fun, for sure, and a great way to express your “grown up” self. But for nearly 75 sixth-grade girls from Anna Julia Cooper Episcopal School, it means that and a whole lot more.
It means bonding and developing art skills, learning to trust and looking forward to a brighter future.
As particpants in the Visual Arts Center of Richmond’s SOHO (Space Of Her Own) program, girls meet for 22 weeks for “girl talk,” hands-on décor-making and mentorship. This year’s class graduated 24 particpants: 12 girls and 12 women, their mentors.
For girls facing challenging circumstances living in Richmond’s East End, SOHO can make a life-changing difference.
During the program, girls are paired with young professionals who encourage and support them. And yes, they redesign their bedrooms.
They sew bedding, create art, dye fabrics and design their spaces. The program, though, is so much more than just a room makeover.
“It’s all about creating a safe, inspiring and comfortable place where girls can grow and learn and express themselves,” says Jordan Roeder, outreach coordinator at VisArts.
Redesigning their rooms and the personal work that goes with that can make a big impact. “A lot of times we see this immediate change in the girls. They’re proud of their space,” Jordan says. “We hear a lot of them say that they now have a place to just ‘be themselves’ or a better place to do homework, a place to dance, a place to make art."
Since SOHO started six years ago, 74 girls and their 74 mentors have participated in the program.
