Ode to Women From Maya Angelou Reception | Ode to the women of Maya Angelou Reception

Ode to the women of Maya Angelou Reception, Amsterdam East

In the fall of 2024, 17 women in shelter Maya Angelou participated for 3 months in weekly painting workshops that I facilitated. These women, all without residence permits, are temporarily living in this shelter. Together they created images based on their own preferences for color and form, inspired by nature and their own culture.

As far as I am concerned, these women deserve an ode because they show how resilient they are. They inspire me with their creativity and their courage to try something new and in doing so dare to show something of themselves. I am proud to work with these powerful women to create these images that they are proud of and want to share with the city.

For the women, painting meant learning something new: “What I liked most about painting was ...that you learn something, at first you don't know anything and so you get all kinds of ideas” (Zabida).

In painting they found a way to express their ideas: “My image is green and represents nature. I hope that when people see this work they will realize how important nature is for life”. (Yodith)

The work incorporates different aspects of their own culture: “The painting looks beautiful and it reminds me of African color patterns” (G.).

Over het werk zeggen ze dat zij er trots op zijn en het graag willen delen met anderen: “Ik vind dat anderen dit werk ook moeten zien want het heeft zoveel About the work, they say they are proud of it and would like to share it with others, “I think others should see this work too because it has so much beauty. If others see what we do here it can inspire them too"(G.).

Through their presence they make Amsterdam a city where there is room for hope and a place for different cultures to live together and contribute to a vibrant life in the city: “We are different, we differ in color, in what we do, and in our ideas, but together we form one whole.” (C.).

The women feel connected to other Amsterdam residents and hope to inspire others to be creative as well: “I hope it also inspires others to express their feelings through art, because you can't say everything in words.” (Naomi).

By sharing their work with the city, they contribute to the cultural landscape of Amsterdam. They hope it will give others who see this work confidence that they can be creative too: “This work shows other people how to be creative.” (Lydia).

They are typically Amsterdam because they are proud to show who they are and want to be seen as Amsterdammers: “People then have to know that we from Maya Angelou made it, that's why the name has to go with it...I am proud that people know that we made it”, (Hannah).

They want their work to broaden the view of other Amsterdam residents: “The work then opens the viewer's eyes.” (Sherita)

The women, deserve to be seen in who they are and how they think. By being visible with their images and ideas, Samira, Samiha, Hannah, Lucretia, Nani, Gladys, Naomi, Hillary, Lydia, Zabida, Fanta, Fartun, Carine, Sherita, Yodith, Agnes, Anna, offer a colorful contribution to the city of Amsterdam. Some of them explain her work with an ode of their own.

Silvia