SPIRITUAL INSPIRATION While Amaranthia finds the courage to continue this work by watching her mother’s recovery, Claire takes strength from watching her daughter’s resilience and from their Buddhist practice. Having spent time in Japan due to her and her husband’s careers, she and her daughter are familiar with Buddhist teachings. “As a survivor of childhood domestic violence, I inherited the intergenerational legacy of abuse, which means negative self-talk and patterns are within me, and I have to be ever watchful of my thoughts and actions. The patterns can play out whether I am aware of them because they are a part of my psychological DNA.” Her Buddhist practice helped her take responsibility for her life and empowered her to work toward creating a better future for herself and her daughter. “Once I understood [the law of karma], I felt I had some control over my life through the choices I made and that by making better choices, my life would be directed onto a path grounded in reality, not illusion or delusion. “Even though there is suffering, as long as I remain rooted in the present moment’s reality and have some discipline, I can overcome and go through anything, even sickness or death,” she affirms. WORKING TOGETHER AS A MOTHER AND DAUGHTER DUO “I love working with my daughter,” Claire reflects. “She is very inspiring, mindful, and thoughtful. I cannot imagine the last 23 years without her. Mothering her has made me a better person, and her presence in my life made me grow up.” The two began working together on art and cultural projects when Amaranthia was 13, right after bullying forced her into homeschooling. “Amaranthia constantly communicated through her art, and I collected the pieces because I thought her artwork was unique for someone so young. She sent powerful messages with the details she created.”
NEXT STEPS FOR SISTA CREATIVES RISING The first Art and Mind show was entirely run by volunteers and funded through Amaranthia’s government disability funds. This year, they’ve partnered with Brain Arts to further their reach and help us ensure things would be more organized. “Brain Arts donated funds to Sista Creatives Rising for our next Art and Mind, titled ‘I Know Who I Am!’ which focuses on BIWOC artists.” Now, they are able to pay a stipend to five artists they will select from their open call. Also, they connected with another nonprofit, Dancing Queerly Boston, to fund a short dance and spoken word film and to pay a team of 13 creatives. “For the first time as artists, we are finally getting paid opportunities, although we don’t yet have consistent income. It feels as if our voices are being heard,” Amaranthia says. They have greater ambitions for the future while remaining grounded and realistic. “One day, we hope to have a physical space that’s disability accessible to accompany our virtual Art and Mind event. In the meantime, our primary focus is recovery and stability after such a challenging year. Art and Mind is a healing balm helping us get back on our feet,” says Amaranthia.
Claire remembers that Amaranthia found her voice because of her “I’m Proud of Who I Am” shows, for which she received much positive feedback. “Amaranthia had health problems from a young age, and we decided to incorporate her art shows into her healing journey. I knew we would do something with my writing and her art, as they naturally flow together, and we believe in the same ideals.” Amaranthia keeps her 60-year-old mother up to date with technology and helps her decipher young people’s language and actions. She designed the website and created the logo, and combined her graphic designs with Canva images. “She set up most of everything with Art and Mind from the ground up, and we work together to tighten all the concepts with that and Sista Creatives Rising. We consult with each other on everything. Because we have disabilities, we care for each other so we do not become too overwhelmed. Together we bridge the gaps from the past to the present and future, which is our slogan. I am the only one in my birth family who broke intergenerational abuse patterns.”
Because we have disabilities, we care for each other so we do not become too overwhelmed. Together we bridge the gaps from the past to the present and future, which is our slogan.
By confronting and continuing to shatter these dysfunctional patterns, Claire intends to help Amaranthia start a healthy new generation if she chooses to have a family. She reflects on the influence of her own mother in her life. “I would not be here without her strength and determination to survive and take care of my brother and me and everything else under a very challenging life situation such as domestic violence. I miss her energy here on Earth. We had our differences, but she was home to me. Both she and my brother’s passing have affected me deeply.”
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