OUR STORY
When our founder decided to establish Know Your Rights workshops for immigrant communities, she understood the need to first empower immigrants. This involved grounding them and reminding them of the freedom and joy they often miss. She discovered that clay, food, and earth were the perfect materials to reconnect people with their history, roots, bodies, and communities. Touching clay - feeling, working with land - has a grounding element. That same grounding element that many immigrants feel when arriving after fleeing perilous conditions. The kinesthetic nature of clay allows people to open up, learn, listen and connect with others in a very human way that removes power structures engrained in our society and bodies.
The first words shared by a student at the first Know Your Rights class held at our partner Bklyn Clay studios in 2016 were: “the last time I touched land this way was when I crossed the border barefoot.” This moment of vulnerability, inspired others to open up and share their stories. The connection and trust was electric and created a space for building and JOY!
That’s the moment when we realized we had created something very, very special.
We have since grown into exploring not just ceramics as a tool for building change and power, but also food, yoga and other somatic practices like running. We love that we continue to explore other ways of building power, joy and belonging, not just with immigrants but the communities that welcome immigrants.
All it really takes is for the right conditions to enable vulnerability to show up!
CAROLINA RUBIO-MACWRIGHT
Photo by: Kisha Bari
MEET THE FOUNDER
Carolina Rubio-MacWright is an artist, immigration lawyer and activist fighting for immigrant and humanitarian rights. Her experience as an immigrant and attorney opened her eyes to systems of oppression and how these all intersect and prevent people from being free and joyful. She believes art is the most powerful way of explaining these inequities. She has thus mixed her law and art experiences into performances, installations and workshops that serve a dual purpose - empowering (reminding) vulnerable communities and educating those holding more power. Whether working on policy campaigns for non-profits, performing public art pieces, speaking at events or organizing her community, she is guided by a simple principle: anything is possible when inspiring ideas and passionate people come together.
Touching Land is the perfect platform for reminding community of their power, building equity, building bonds that can bring about joy and visibility.
Born and raised in Colombia, at 19 she fled due to safety reasons. She attended art school and law school in the United States, and throughout was active in her local immigrant community. She has worked as an immigration attorney in Miami, Oklahoma and New York City.
She is currently Touching Land’s Executive Director.