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The InterRelations Collaborative, Inc. is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) research and education organization. Since it was established with a grant from the United Way of New York City in 1991, the Collaborative has been dedicated to building intergroup relations among rapidly diversifying student populations in New York City. The IRC uses the power of art to build cross-cultural knowledge and understanding among increasingly multicultural student populations in educational and community-based settings in New York and the Tri-State Area.
The IRC conducted nationwide research documenting inter-community-building models in major gateway cities (New York, Philadelphia, Washington DC, Los Angeles, San Francisco). Our cooperative research models included a cross-cultural arts model which used the power of art and narrative to build cross-cultural understanding. Faith Ringgold, Distinguished Professor of Art at the University of California, San Diego, and Lisa Yi, New York City visual artist, collaborated on a “story quilt," genre of art originated by Ms. Ringgold. The Ringgold-Yi cross-cultural story quilt celebrated aspects of their cultural and personal experiences. In Yi’s words: “We created a bridge of time and place.”
Following tragic events on September 11, 2001, the InterRelations Collaborative brought together students (ages 11-19) from across New York City to document their experiences on 9/11. In their own words and images, they created an inspiring book titled: What Will You Do For Peace? Impact of 9/11 on New York City Youth. Their powerful artwork caught the eye of acclaimed Harlem artist, Faith Ringgold, and they were honored to publish their book in association with her.
In her introduction to the "Peace Book," Ms. Ringgold writes: "When I was shown the layout for a new book titled What Will You Do For Peace? my heart filled with joy. What a beautiful collaboration, a perfect response from New York City's young people, aged 11 to 19. This gracefully poetic account of that frightening day in their young lives is a gift of sensitivity and love. I was amazed at their generosity of spirit. I found the paintings and expressive verse in the book deeply inspiring."
Peace Book authors got their voices out sending their message of hope and healing across the city. The Peace Book now resides in more than 100 branches of the New York Public Library, Brooklyn Public Library and Queens Borough Public Library. The Peace Book is available at Amazon.com
Peace Story Quilt in the Grossman Gallery at The School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
IRC commissioned Faith Ringgold to design a Peace Story Quilt inspired by the Peace Book constructed in collaboration with NYC students, ages 8-19. During a series of master classes, Ms. Ringgold mentored 50 Peace QuiltMakers on transferring their 9/11 peace images from hardcopy to canvas. The Peace Story Quilt, composed of three panels, each measuring 72”x 50,” was completed for the 5th anniversary of 9/11. The Peace Story Quilt was exhibited at ACA Galleries in Lower Manhattan and launched on its journey to spread young New Yorkers’ call to peace and understanding across their “global city.” The Peace Story Quilt continues to travel and bring its healing message and peace-building programs to educational venues throughout New York City and the Tri-State Area. The Peace Story Quilt's itinerary is posted below.
IRC’s Peace QuiltMaking Model is currently being replicated at schools, colleges and museums serving multicultural student populations. IRC's Peace Quilt Workshops are also conducted for pre- and in-service teachers and human service professionals serving ethnically diverse populations at the undergraduate, graduate and professional levels. Our Peace Quilt Workshops are conducted in collaboration with Patricia Maunder, Director of Stories Through Art.
The Peace Book has also been adapted to visual format to capture the attention of young audiences and set a tone for empowering cross-cultural dialogues. The Peace Video was produced in collaboration with media artist, Rafaela Capellan, Director of Areyto Productions. The soaring youth anthem, Can You Hear, featured on the audio-track was composed by award-winning composer, Jim Papoulis of Sounds of A Better World, and was performed by The Young People's Chorus of New York City.
IRC's Peace SongWriting Workshops are conducted in collaboration with Jim Papoulis and empower young PeaceMakers to compose both lyrics and score for their own Peace Song. The peace song is professionally produced in a state-of-the art music studio and recorded to CD. It is also performed "live" and in-concert at celebratory peace-building events.
IRC's PeaceMaking Initiative explores young New Yorkers' shared public history to promote historical/cultural knowledge, mutual understanding and cross-cultural exchange. The Collaborative's arts-driven peace-building programs carve out creative space where fast-diversifying student populations may come together, interact, and discover the common ground that they share.
Columbia University
Queens College
If your school, university or museum is interested in displaying IRC's Peace Story Quilt for educational purposes, please Contact Us
Peace Quilt at Godwin-Ternbach Museum at Queens College, City University of New York
The InterRelations Collaborative, Inc. gratefully acknowledges the generous support of: The United Way of New York City, The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, The FAR Fund, United Methodist Committee on Relief, Lutheran Disaster Response of New York
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