The Mom Bag
The Mom Bag was inspired by a friendship with a Syrian refugee woman. We shopped together to introduce her to American culture. She had not been able to buy lotions and soaps for four years since her house was bombed. After our shopping trip, she felt like herself again. The Mom Bag began with a pineapple bag and a wishlist, and by the end of the week, I had received over 1,000 self-care donations for refugee women. The Mom Bag group grew to become a mentorship group for newly resettled women, hosting English classes, field trips, and monthly get-togethers. We also supported women farm workers in Ventura County and women and children at the border.
"Each time women gather in circles together, the world heals a little more.”
A Mom Bag Distribution in Partnership with Lideres Campesinas
With over $1200 in donations, we distributed 120+ COVID care bags for our essential women farmworkers in Ventura County, CA.
The Mom Bag at The Border
We partnered with a great organization on the border in Tijuana, Mexico called Instituto Madre Assunta that houses migrant women + their children. Read about the experience here.
The Mom Bag Mentorship Group
We had monthly gatherings with refugee and immigrant women who were new to Nashville. We had guest speakers, English lessons, field trips, and cultural exchange dinners. Thanks to local donations, we offered free haircuts, winter coat distribution, and essential care items.
The Mom Bag Packing Parties
The Mom Bag collects and distributes self-care donations to newly resettled refugees with the help of kind people who donate their time, money, and items.
A Mom Bag Packing Party in 2017
Video by Dogwood Films
Immigrant Run Eateries
Supporting our immigrant neighbors, one bite at a time.
In January 2017, I launched "Immigrant Run Eateries" in Nashville, TN to support local immigrant-run restaurants. It started as a printable pdf and soon expanded into a website, featuring interviews, downloadable maps, and categorized listings of restaurants. It gained popularity with over 1,500 downloads and was mentioned in the New York Times and The Nashville Scene. Future plans include expanding to other cities.
A Resistance Kit
A resistance kit for the modern suffragette, the Memo Kit for 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. This kit includes a notebook, Joan of Arc-inspired pencils, postcards, thank-you notecards, and a screen-printed bandana. It is sold online and in local Nashville retailers.
TIRRC Votes
TIRRC Votes strengthens and expands our democracy by building power in immigrant and refugee communities and advocating for equitable and inclusive public policy. I had the honor to design their social media campaign before the midterm elections. Using the photos they provided, I created a modernized American color scheme and used fresh, bold modern typefaces to represent forward progress.
