About Us
Our story began when we recognized that in our busy society, broken people all too often remain isolated and unable to heal from the trauma they’ve experienced. This is especially true for refugees and immigrants far from home. There is a need for safe places to rest, heal, create and share in community.
We believe this can be achieved by joining together from various backgrounds and cultures and using the arts to inspire compassion, well-being, peace and hospitality. Collaboration is at the heart of our organization. We don’t want to be an American organization merely serving refugees; we want to do life together.
At Art Inspiring Change (AIC) you can share your story and know that you are heard, seen, and cared for. It is a safe place to find the freedom that comes from self-expression. We want to provide the time and space to be with you on the journey of healing, whatever form that takes.
Inspire means to fill someone with the ability to do something creative - at AIC we want to inspire people to move from isolation to community, and in doing so, share the beauty and uniqueness that God has given each person.
Inspire also means to breathe in or inhale - at AIC when people walk through our door, we want them to be able to take a deep breath and feel welcomed, loved, and at home.
IN·SPIRE
/inˈspī(ə)r/
verb
verb: inspire; 3rd person present: inspires; past tense: inspired; past participle: inspired; gerund or present participle: inspiring
1.
fill (someone) with the urge or ability to do or feel something, especially to do something creative.create (a feeling, especially a positive one) in a person.
animate someone with (such a feeling).
give rise to.
2.
breathe in (air); inhale.
Origin
Middle English enspire, from Old French inspirer, from Latin inspirare ‘breathe or blow into,’ from in-‘into’ + spirare ‘breathe.’ The word was originally used of a divine or supernatural being, in the sense ‘impart a truth or idea to someone.’