Artisans for Hope: A Community of Creators from Refugee Backgrounds

Amy Pence-Brown is the new executive director of Artisans For Hope in Boise, Idaho, a vibrant community space of creativity and economic empowerment. Here's their story:

In 2009, a group of Boise women in a book club began discussing their common interest in textiles and care for refugees resettled in Boise. They felt many refugees were met with difficulties of adjusting and community misunderstanding and ambivalence. These women wanted to help find a creative and inexpensive way to help refugee neighbors feel welcome and become a part of the larger Idaho community. The vehicle? Textile handcrafts and an opportunity to connect, learn, create, and earn. Artisans For Hope became a nonprofit and started teaching Idaho refugees to sew and knit for free in beginner courses and the opportunity to become advanced sewists who sell their wares and earn a 60% commission. Sixteen years and nearly a thousand graduates later, we remain committed to the same mission.