Abuelita Theology with Hna. Matilde Serrano

Bienvenidos to The Feature, a podcast where we highlight individuals who are doing great work in the culture, bearing witness to the Kingdom, bringing about justice, or addressing a cultural change. In honor of Women’s History Month, we partnered with scholars Sito and Ina Esquilin to bring you the stories of two Latina ministry pioneers of the Hispanic church in the US. As second and third generation Latin@ church leaders, we need reminding of the rich heritage of faith and theology that was given to us by our abuelitas. To honor the legacy of these women, the following interviews are en Español. We hope that these stories will remind you to treasure the history of the brown church in the US.

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English Translation

Introduction

Greetings, dear family! My name is Ina Esquilin. In this opportunity, I will be with my sister in the faith, Matilde Serrano. Who has become, lovingly, a grandmother figure to many in the fellowship of Assembly of God in Manhattan, of which I’m, currently, also a part. Our sister Matilde is an example worth following because, in spite of the adversities, she remains faithful to the Lord. In the 70s, after the death of her husband David Serrano, she moved to the big city, where she started a new phase of her life, as a single mother. Here, is where she helped her children grow, get an education, and become professionals. After her oldest son invited her to church, she gave her life to the Lord and that’s where the importance of this interview lies. From that moment on, the Lord has blessed her mightily. Four of her children became pastors of Assembly of God churches, while her other children help, not just the community in general, but mainly help the faith community by providing social services. Currently, our sister Serrano is a tremendous blessing because she shares her knowledge with humility and joy wherever she goes.

In times, such as the ones we are living in, with social distancing being our everyday norm now, it is refreshing to find a person who is always so willing to open her arms and, with everything she has in her heart, warmly embrace anyone she can reach.

Our sister, as a single mother, a Latina mother, a Christian mother, can show us it is possible to make a difference in this world, truly, passionately, and with longevity by believing in Christ.

Interview

I was born on September 5th, 1926, in the quaint small town known as Toa Alta in Puerto Rico.

We were a family of 7 siblings, 4 men and 3 women, of which only I remain alive; all my siblings went to be with the Lord.

I’m second to last among my siblings.

I grew up in a Christian environment but Catholic because my parents were Catholic.

I used to go to church, but I wasn’t really familiar with the Bible. In the Catholic church they didn’t teach much about the Word, but I always went to that church.

I realized that families went to church a lot; the fathers, the mothers, and all the children, they all went to church together. There was a lot of unity too, the neighbors always were willing to help, if one of them had something they would always share it with their neighbors. If anyone was sick, people would go to their house to help that person, if the lady of the house was sick, neighbors would go to her house and do the laundry, make the food, and clean her house for her. The environment was very nice, it was a community of unity and love.

My husband was a baseball player, he used to play with the double A class (AA). He was also a painter, carpenter, electrician, everything! He did it all! But one time he broke a foot and he couldn’t run anymore, because of this he couldn’t play baseball anymore. So then he focused on work, working as an electrician with my brother. He always said to me that maybe, some time, in the future, we were going to live, perhaps, in a better place; that God was going to give us a better life.

But for that moment, God was giving me everything I needed to live a quiet and content life. Living with my husband and my children, we were happy. He was a very good man, a very responsible father, and husband; he was good.

God gifted me 10 children.

All of my children were born there (in Puerto Rico). So once my husband died, my older children moved to the States to be able to help me. In 1970, they asked for me to be brought here with the rest of my children.

4 of my children are pastors. My son Luis was a pastor and chaplain for the New York police department — he went to be with the Lord. My son José, my son David and my son Ricardo are also pastors.

My son José is the pastor of the Jehova Jireh church, and my son David is the pastor of Tesalónica church, and my son Ricardo is the pastor of Tabernáculo de Gracia church. (13) I also have a granddaughter who is the pastor of a church in Florida.

When I and the rest of my children moved here, my son Luis already lived here and was married to his wife, Abigail. They both went to Macedonia church, and they brought all my other children and me, to that church. That’s where I found the Lord. At that time the pastors of that church were Reinaldo and Blanca Romero. They helped me so much in studying the Bible. They helped me so, so much! So that I would have a better life, because I was still a little sad since I was missing my husband so much. These pastors helped me understand that God was with me, that He was going to help me. They told me to be faithful to the Lord and that He was going to provide anything I could ever need, and that has been true in my life.

All of my children serve the Lord.

I believe they have seen me being faithful to God, as a testimony, how I’ve always been faithful to Him. I’ve taught them that the best way to live is being close to God, because He can help us! The same way he helped me when I became a widower, and He provided for me, and I never lacked anything. I always tell them that God is going to help them. They started going to church too, and little by little, they gave their lives to the Lord as well. Now they are all faithful to the Lord and serve him, all of them do.

I went to study in the Juan 3:16 Institute when sister Carmelia was the principal there.

My children were teachers in the institute too. My sons Luis and Ricardo were teachers at the institute. My son Jaime and my daughter Sonia also studied at the institute, and I also got to teach a class there. When I finished my 4th year, sister Carmelia allowed me to teach the Pauline epistles class. That’s what I was teaching for more than a year, after that I didn’t continue because I was taking care of my grandchildren, by then and I was also working here, in New York.

I worked for 10 years at a school; I was working as a teacher’s assistant.

Sister Carmelia always used to tell me: you have a gift, the gift of teaching! She always used to tell me that.

Well, what I always them is that they need to be faithful to the Lord. That’s my main advice to them, to always be faithful to God, to never stop being honorable and responsible. I tell them, “If God has given you a ministry, be responsible in that ministry God has given you!” And they truly are responsible. “Always go to church, teach your children in the ways of the Lord. Just like God has helped me, He is going to help each and every one of you too.” I tell all of them the same things, even the pastors. Because my son Luis and his wife, my son Ricardo and his wife, all of them are Christians, and all their families too. They all go to church with their children. Seeing them all, like a momma hen with their little chicks, that makes me so happy!

I am happy, but most of all thankful to the Lord. That’s the first thing for me. I thank God for everything He’s done with my family. Every day I tell Him: “Lord, my words are not enough to thank you for so many blessings you have given me and my family!” And my prayer is always, “Lord, cover each one of my children, my grandchildren, and my great-grandchildren with your protection!” I pray for each one of them every day. I keep on placing them in God’s hands. That is the happiness that has allowed me to live for so many years because my children make me happy. They buy for me everything I may need; they visit me, they are very good to me. I believe that is what has kept me alive all these years, their love for me.

I would like to see a change in this world. I would like to see people being better people, and more love and unity in this world. A lot of times I feel a little sad because I don’t know why people’s love has grown colder, like the Bible says it would. One of my goals is to reflect love in the lives of the people I know. Even in those that I don’t know, I just want to see that— more love in this world, more unity.

I’m constantly praying, not just for my family, I pray for the whole world. I always tell God, “Lord, rebuke this pandemic, rebuke it in the whole world!” I know that there has been a lot of sadness and so much death. That’s why I’ve been asking God, I always pray, at all times of the day, and that’s what I ask God now, for this pandemic to disappear.

I would tell them to draw closer to God, to walk away from those things that can harm them. There’s a saying that goes “whoever leans on a good tree would be covered by a good shade” That’s the saying that my dad taught me when I was little. What I’m saying is that you should look for people that will help you, instead of people who will harm you. One should always follow the path of goodness and not the bad path. If we take the wrong path we will stray. If we follow the right path, we’ll see that God will help us, that God is there! God is always waiting for us to talk to Him, to ask Him for anything. Because He always gives us everything we want as long as it’s something beneficial for us.

I always say that we should draw near God and seek him more, walking away from things that can damage us.

Always look for places that won’t harm us and people who will help us. Anyone who is feeling depressed or sad, look for someone who can help you. A pastor, or a mentor, an older person, a relative, someone who can help, but seek that help. Nowadays, people who don’t see help end up doing whatever they think is best, but it’s always better to find help.

The first thing I do if I have a problem, whatever it might be, is to seek God. That’s the first thing I do, ask “Lord, tell me what I should do, how should I do it, and when should I do it. Help me, Lord! Because I can’t do it on my own.” You know, every time I’ve had a problem, like you said, or when I’ve felt sad, or whatever, I run to God, and I see that the answer is there. There, at that moment, when I seek God, it is like a little green light turns on in my mind and shinning light on me and telling me what I have to do. That always happens to me.

I tell my children the same, sometimes they come to me, and they tell me, “Mom, look, this thing happened, what do you think I should do?” I answer, “Well, first we must seek God!” and I start thinking, and I say, “Wait! Do this thing!” Like in that moment, God tells me what I have to tell them they should do. God puts the answer in my mind, I’ve come to notice that, so God tells me, and I tell them what they should do. That is why I feel so thankful to God.

For example, I have lost tings, like my glasses, or money or something, and I can’t find it, and I go, “Oh my God! I lost this thing!” “Lord, I don’t know where it is, but You do! Please, Holy Father, tell me where the thing is, guide me!” and I start thinking for a while, and all of a sudden, it comes to my mind! Like God telling me, “look in this place,” and I go there and there it is, what I’ve been looking for! “Thank you, Lord, Thank you! Thank you!” that’s all I can say to Him.

I’m trusting, oh Lord, in You. I remember when my son was sick, I kept saying, “I’m trusting in You, Lord!” because we have to trust in Him.

That one (hymn) that says, “You are faithful, Lord, so faithful to me”? That one, right?

“Even though I’m weak, I am trusting, oh Lord, in you!” My whole life I’ve trusted God.

I want to tell you something before you go, you know which one is my favorite Bible verse? It’s Psalm 37:25 “I have been young and now I’m old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his children begging for bread.”

About Ina B. Esquilín & R. L. Ortiz, Jr. (Sito)

Interview host Ina B. Esquilín is a Master’s Degree candidate at Gordon-Conwell Seminary and a credentialed minister with the Spanish Eastern District of the Assemblies of God. Esquilín’s interests are missiology, music, teaching and health and wellness within the Latinx Pentecostal Church.

Researcher R. L. Ortiz, Jr. (Sito) is a PhD candidate at Regent University, an adjunct professor at New York Theological Seminary & an ordained minister with the Spanish Eastern District of the Assemblies of God. Ortiz’ research interests are the genesis and development of 20th century Latinx Pentecostalism on the east coast of the United States and contemporary renewal movements within New York City.

Why Can't We Sing "Normal" Worship?

Looking back at 50 years of ministry, Tim Keller says this about the Western church: “While many Christian leaders were bemoaning the cultural changes, Western churches continued to minister as before – creating an environment in which only traditional and conservative people would feel comfortable … All they preached and practiced assumed they were still in the Christian West, but the Christian West was vanishing.”[1] The church got stuck moving to the same rhythms, singing the same songs, year after year until the world around them no longer understood the melody. Today, as non-Hispanic whites already are less than 50 percent of the youth population in 632 of America’s 3,142 counties, worship leaders like Sandra Van Opstal introduce us to The Next Worship.

This is not about updating the playlist for relevancy or belittling the old hymn. It is about worship that captures the full picture of God’s Church, His mestizo people. How do we worship God in a diverse world? Should a monocultural church really sing songs in different languages? What forms of leadership do we need to make the diversity of the Church plain in our context? What if we don’t have the musicians to pull this off? We explore these questions and more with your host Emanuel Padilla and our guest, author Sandra Maria Van Opstal.

About Sandra Maria Van Opstal

Sandra Maria Van Opstal

Sandra Maria Van Opstal, a second-generation Latina, is co-founder and Executive Director of Chasing Justice and lives on the west-side of Chicago with her husband and two boys. She is a preacher, liturgist and activist reimagining the intersection of worship and justice. Sandra served with Urbana Missions Conference, Chicago Urban Program, and Latino National Leadership Team (LaFe) of InterVarsity. Sandra’s influence has also reached many others through preaching globally on topics such as worship and formation, justice, racial identity and reconciliation. Sandra currently serves as Content Director for the Justice Conference, is a board member for CCDA and holds a Masters of Divinity from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. Her most recent books include Still Evangelical and The Next Worship.

Footnote

[1] Timothy Keller, Center Church: Doing Balanced, Gospel-Centered Ministry in Your City, 8.9.2012 edition (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2012), p. 253.

When Teen Moms Preach

Dr. Joyce del Rosario reintroduces us to a biblical Mary, through the eyes of unsuspecting theologians and the unfamiliar likenesses of an icon. Meet a Mary who is unseen and forgotten by many, yet intimately known among those who share her experience. Dr. del Rosario, labors to center the margins, through Mary, the Teen Mother of God, taught to us by the teen mothers of our cities.

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“Greetings, you who are highly favored!
The Lord is with you.”
-Luke 1:28-”

God meets us in the most unlikely of places. For Dr. Joyce del Rosario, it was in a doctoral seminar class. Her class was in the middle of examining the Vatican II documents, which were written in 1966 by the Catholic church to re-establish key doctrines. One of the doctrines in question was the role of Mary within the church. There, among her aspiring Evangelical PhD colleagues, which was noticeably predominantly male, she found an underwhelming amount of interest in the Mother of God. So, with only a swift overview, her class found it fitting to move on. Del Rosario, however, did not share this sentiment. Stuck on this woman, she found the subject of her dissertation. Resolved, del Rosario, dedicated her next few years to the study of Mary, the Teen Mother of God.

This is the story Dr. del Rosario shared with me in our recent interview together. She was quick to explain that this moment of academic discovery didn’t happen in a vacuum. Prior to pursuing her PhD at Fuller Theological Seminary, del Rosario served over 20 years in Urban Youth Ministry at New Creation Home in Palo Alto, CA. She specialized in ministry specifically to marginalized teen mothers, predominantly Latina and African American. It was in these black and brown faces that she found a likeness to the woman she read about in Luke 1.

Mary was a teen mom. And a marginalized teen mom at that. In fact, del Rosario was quick to remind me of the fact that God’s very choice of the single teen Mary was a divine critique on the human conventions of economics, social class, and gender—just to name a few. In an article for Relevant magazine, she writes:

Although she is self identified as a “servant-girl,” although she is economically and socially vulnerable as a young, single girl with no one to fully claim ownership of her until her marriage is solidified, although she has no status or title to speak of, God, through the angel Gabriel, calls her “highly favored.”[1]

Nothing was simple about the call of God on young Mary. The complexity of societal scandal, family disownment, and potential rejection from her suitor all weighed heavily on the sore shoulders of this vulnerable teen.

“Mary was greatly troubled at his words and
wondered what kind of greeting this might be.”
-Luke 1:29-”

Mary’s marginalized and vulnerable status is often neglected in our retelling of her story. Dr. del Rosario sensed this by the disinterested silence of her seminary colleagues in Mary, the Mother of God. Nevertheless, she knew that God had something important to give to the church through this teen mom. More so, she believed that it was the marginalized and the vulnerable who would have insight into exactly what that was. What she would soon realize, through her research, is that no one could understand Mary more profoundly than the young, unseen mothers of our cities.

Dr. del Rosario went on to explain just how astounded she was by these young mothers’ insight into the personhood of Mary. “I learned,” she confessed, “what profound theologians teen moms can be.” Unfortunately, communicating these theologians’ thoughts proved to be a challenge.

Just like in Mary’s time, we find an unbalance in the systems that man builds. There is a hierarchy and a belief that there are people who have something to say—usually educated, usually white—and the rest are meant only to listen and to take in with thanksgiving. Dr. del Rosario’s work directly challenges this system. In her experience, she found that the teen mothers she worked with had much to say to the church, if only the church would listen.

This was del Rosario’s challenge. She needed a medium, a bridge to carry the message of these unseen theologians.

Then. She found Tim Okomara’s Courage 3.0. [2]

Courage 3.0 is a painting emulating the traditional iconography of Mary. The classic elements are present. The subject is a young woman holding a baby. Her eyes register a resolute purpose of being. She is a mother, yet she is the sole adult in the image, and she looks strong. Around her head is a bright brimming halo with a crown to make even clearer her stately status. However, there is something decidedly different about this image of Mary. At first glance you might reject a likeness of the mother in this painting to the Mary we have grown accustom to. This is because Okomara’s Mary is a dark colored girl, donning an afro and surrounded by graffiti. “It was the most beautiful picture of Mary I had ever seen,” del Rosario explained, “she looked like the teen moms I knew.” This Mary looked both fierce and restless, courageous and vulnerable. She was a Mary with whom del Rosario was familiar.

“Icons,” Joyce reminds us, “transcend our human constructs like race and class.” It became clear, that this was her bridge. Contemporary icons that emulated this marginalized, Jewish teen mother would give her teen theologians the passage to preach. She would use icons to help bridge the chasm of biblical literacy. Historically, when the majority of people were illiterate, the masses looked to art and icons to connect to God. For centuries, the faces of icons stained in glass and lit by light was where God met the poor, marginalized and uneducated. Icons in stained glass windows was how God spoke for generations; they were the filter between the earth and the sky.

Icons, then, were what del Rosario would use to bridge the gap of the marginalized and the educated. Through them she found she could democratize religious power, by giving those who are often passed by in the church, the marginalized teen mother, the pulpit to speak. By making this the content of her dissertation, Rosario would bring to light both in the academy and whatever pulpit she was offered, the message of these young teen moms. Thus, for her dissertation research, del Rosario curated a collection of contemporary images of Mary and selected her focus groups: Teen mothers and the Women who mentor them.

What she found humbled her. While the Mentors were immediately aware of the iconology of Mary emulated through the images, the Teen Mothers were unaware of this fact. This, del Rosario explained, created very different insights. The Mentors, conditioned by an image of a Virgin Mary produced an almost recycled list of insights on the Mary they felt familiar with, even though the Mary shown to them was radically and racially different. The Teen Mothers, on the other hand, unconditioned and free from a conventional list of “right” ways to see Mary, described a woman who was like them: human, stuck in a hard position, ready to fight to the death for the baby she held, tired, alone, and resolved to rise to the position in which she found herself. This was the Mary that the Teen Mothers of questionable circumstances and racialized realities preached. Arguably, this is the Mary whom the church must refamiliarize herself with, because it is only then that we can see her Son for who he truly is: the brown, poor, and marginalized Son of God, born of a teen mom.

In her final comments, Rosario labored to communicate that we should stop assuming that we as evangelicals “bring Jesus to the margins”. “Jesus,” she expressed, “already exists in the margins!” He was, after all born there. She concluded our interview asserting that it is not about “giving the margins Jesus”, but rather, “it is about seeing the Jesus the margins already know.”

The work that Dr. Joyce del Rosario dedicated her academic life to is work that we should all strive to incorporate in our churches. It is the work of centering the margins—of allowing a teen mother to preach.

“ And Mary said:
“My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant.”
-Luke 1:46-48-”

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More about Joyce del Rosario:

From her bio found here

Dr. del Rosario earned her M.Div. from Princeton Theological Seminary and her PhD from Fuller Theological Seminary School of Intercultural Studies. Her research interests include youth ministry with a special focus on teen moms and urban and multiethnic youth ministry, social justice and racial reconciliation, theological anthropology, marginalized women, and postcolonial Filipino-American theology.

She is on the Board of the Directors for the Christian Community Development Association, where she is committed to encouraging and equipping churches and organizations across the country to transform their neighborhoods through community development. Dr. del Rosario is also on Fuller Youth Institute’s Expert Advisory Council for the Character and Virtue Development in Youth Ministry (CVDYM) planning project, funded by the John Templeton Foundation.

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About Jelyn Leyva

A Second-generation Filipina born in Tampa, FL, Jelyn Leyva graduated Moody Bible Institute in Chicago on May 2017 with a Bachelor’s degree in Women in Ministry and an Interdisciplinary in Theology. She is currently in Los Angeles, CA pursuing an MDiv at Fuller Theological Seminary with her emphasis in Christian Ethics. Having lived in various places in the US, Jelyn’s interest lie in the complex history and multi-ethnic life of the Protestant Church in the US. Her hope is to serve this church and its many colors with the consideration of traditional and contemporary theological scholarship.

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 Footnotes

[1] “Dear Politicians, Leave Mary Out of the Sex Abuse Scandal,” RELEVANT Magazine (blog), November 13, 2017, https://relevantmagazine.com/current/dear-politicians-leave-mary-out-of-this/.

[2] Tim Okamura, “Courage 3.0, 2010-2012”

Making Ballet Accessible

Ballet, as with many of the “fine arts,” is perceived as art for the aristocracy. The art form is commonly expensive, exclusive, and occasionally elitist, but Ballet 5:8 subverts these common values to provide accessible, high-quality dance training to students of all ages, levels of ability, and ethnic backgrounds. Their school commits to fostering a nurturing environment where instructors care for the students’ spirits and bodies. This is Ballet reimagined. This is a studio telling a different story.

Ballet 5:8 is a non-profit dance company and school changing the way this art form is perceived and used in the Chicago-land area. Their faith-based commitments drive their pursuit of excellence in their craft and informs the outward focus of all their programming and performances. According to their handbook, “We see dance not as a means of self-glorification, but as a way to share the joy of our faith with the communities around us and to invite others into meaningful discussion of faith topics.”

We sat down with Ballet 5:8’s Artistic Director and Resident Choreographer Julianna Rubio Slager to discuss their commitment to share their faith and make quality ballet accessible to all. Watch the video below, then listen to the podcast to learn more about Ballet 5:8 and the city they make. If you are in the Chicago-land area, you should make it out to their upcoming show!

About Julianna Rubio Slager

Ballet 5:8 Artistic Director and Resident Choreographer Julianna Rubio Slager is originally from Spring Arbor, Michigan. Slager began her dance training with Mrs. Lori Ladwig and went on to study under notable teachers from Ann Arbor Ballet Theater, New York City Ballet, the Vaganova Academy and Puerto Rican National Ballet. Slager enjoyed dancing under Barbara Smith at Greater Lansing Ballet during her training, and also under Kathy Thibodeaux and Sol Maisonet at Ballet Magnificat. Upon moving to Chicago, Slager had the opportunity to work as freelance artist, teacher and choreographer in the Greater Chicago area. Slager was instrumental in the co-founding of Ballet 5:8 in 2012. Beginning in 2014, Ballet 5:8 began touring nationally, bringing Slager's critically acclaimed ballets such as Scarlet and The Stor(ies) of You and Me to audiences across the nation. In 2015, Slager was awarded the Individual Artist Program Grant from the City of Chicago for recognition and continued development of her choreographic work.

In the short span of six years, Slager has enjoyed training and mentoring her first generation of aspiring artists in Ballet 5:8 School of the Arts' Pre-Professional and Conservatory programs, and in the Ballet 5:8 Trainee Program. She has had the joy of watching her students be accepted into many prestigious summer intensive, trainee and year-round programs, including the Kirov Academy, Pittsburg Ballet Theater, Houston Ballet, Washington Ballet, Joffrey Ballet Trainee Program, Alonzo King Lines Ballet, Oklahoma City Ballet, Gelsey Kirkland Academy of Classical Ballet, American Ballet Theater, Ellison Ballet, School of American Ballet, and others.

Radical Root Organic Farm

What has the farm to do with the city? How do they relate to one another? More often than not, the city is a parasite of the rural region beyond its limits. It attracts and often keeps the young talent born in the small town. It demands increased development to house commuting workers and their families, absorbing acres of farmland to that end. The city continues to leach from the land around it. When the local region reaches its limits, the city makes use of the global economy to continue to sustain its life. According to the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP), Illinois residents spend $48 billion on food annually, but roughly $46 billion is spent on imported food.[1] At the time of CMAP’s original report, food consumed in Chicago traveled an average of 1,500 miles to get from farm to plate. The habits of Chicago and cities like it have become “increasingly violent toward the landscape.”[2]

This global food economy depends on industrial farms that produce efficient crops like maize, soybean, and grains. These industrial farms are highly subsidized by government agencies.[3] They make use of genetic modification, seed homogenization, mechanized planting, fertilizers, and pesticides which enable more efficient farming, but they also have devastating environmental repercussions. “For instance, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations records food wastage in the world at 33 percent, with little over half of that occurring at the level of agricultural production and storage, a number that if more responsibly managed would halt deforestation for agricultural production in the Amazon rainforest altogether.”[4] Whether we realize it or not, our choices about the food we buy and consume supports a system that affects everything from water shortages to insect populations and climate change.

“How we imagine and use the land and its resources is a moral and religious concern as much as it is a practical one.” [5]

We need a new way of thinking about food, farming, and the city. Radical Root Organic Farm is one of a few Community-Supported Agricultural farms (CSA) surrounding the city of Chicago. Alison, a mother of two and co-owner of the farm along with her husband Alex, writes, “Instead of simply being careful not to harm the environment, we want to farm in way that benefits and contributes to the earth and to our communities.”[6] This feature is a conversation with Alison about the food industry, CSAs, and their call to make a system that connects the farm to the city in new ways. They graciously received the WOS team to their home and gave us a tour of the farm. Watch the video below, then listen to the podcast to learn more about ways you can support local organic food production and a new relationship between the city and farm.

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Footnote

[1] “Local Food - CMAP,” accessed November 14, 2018, https://www.cmap.illinois.gov/about/2040/livable-communities/local-food-systems.

[2] Jennifer Allen Craft, Placemaking and the Arts: Cultivating the Christian Life (Downers Grove: IVP Academic, 2018), 24.

[3] According to one report, $500bn is spent every year on agricultural subsidies (Damian Carrington Environment editor, “Avoiding Meat and Dairy Is ‘Single Biggest Way’ to Reduce Your Impact on Earth,” The Guardian, May 31, 2018, sec. Environment, https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/may/31/avoiding-meat-and-dairy-is-single-biggest-way-to-reduce-your-impact-on-earth).

[4] Craft, 24.

[5] Ibid.

[6] “Radical Root Organic Farm,” Radical Root Organic Farm, accessed July 17, 2018, http://www.radicalrootfarm.com/about-us.

The Maker's Space

In 2017, The Atlantic published “The Disappearing Right to Earn a Living.” The article reveals irrational and restrictive licensing regulations that bar aspiring entrepreneurs from competing against larger businesses. In word, the US cultural narrative champions the small business owner, but in deed, the systems in place tell a different story. Social systems and cultural values run contrary to one another, making it difficult for people (particularly POC) with skills to start their own businesses. This reality is mirrored across the world, in Jaipur, India, where culture and society run parallel in their opposition to creatives and artists trying to start small businesses.

Adityendra (Adi) Solanki and Elizabeth Schrock are the founders of The Maker’s Space (TMS). In a city that values professional, white-collar work and pressures women into certain roles, TMS subverts the cultural narrative of Jaipur. We recently interviewed the founders of TMS as they fundraise to complete the construction of their space. Watch their video above, then read the interview to hear their story. The conversation that follows has been edited and condensed.

Questions for The Maker's Space

1. What is The Maker's Space?The Maker’s Space is a members-only, community focused co-working space in Jaipur, India. We are designed to cater to local and traveling entrepreneurs, freelancers, start-up companies, and creatives who desire to work together in a professional space, yet don’t want to have the ever-increasing overhead costs of a private office.We offer a variety of membership packages to meet the needs of our clients, giving them access to a welcoming and clean, aesthetically pleasing, fully-outfitted work environment. We also provide event space on rent, cross-cultural exposure and the cross-pollination of ideas through collaborative conversation encouraged by the open-concept office floor plan, and opportunities for growth through personal and professional developmental workshops and seminars.The name, The Maker’s Space, is a nod to the Ultimate Maker’s grace and goodness in giving talents and gifts to people. We see His creativity in each person and want to celebrate that in our members. This space is dedicated to Him. Additionally, we want our members to feel a sense of ownership for the space. It is theirs to grow, to use, to invest in. They have a place to call their own, along with their fellow members.

2. What inspired you to create the space? role do disabled persons share in our culture-making?Elizabeth: The original inspiration came from communications with new friends I was making when I first moved to Jaipur in 2015. When young women get married in this culture, they move in with her new husband’s entire family. Many of these women are not allowed to work outside of the home because they must be available to meet the needs of the family. So, home-based business seems like the only way to fulfill their dreams or have a bit of an escape from what feels like a heavy hand from the new family. Textiles, clothing, and jewelry design seem to be the most popular, but many don’t have the resources they need to succeed and do well in their venture.As I got to know more about these needs, I met more people who desired to follow a dream or passion, but didn’t have the confidence or prior training, and felt the need to help in some way and begin to think about a design studio to encourage new ideas in design.In early 2017, I reconnected with Adi whom I had meet two years prior through a mutual friend. I knew he would have some good insight about this potential project with his experience as a freelance photographer. Our first meeting lasted four hours, and in that time, I realized that the issues I had seen in the lives of young women trying something new were for all freelancers and entrepreneurs in much of India. That meeting helped to form my scattered ideas into a concrete idea for a co-working space, catering to more individuals than just women or designers.
   Adi: As a freelance photographer myself, I know the struggles that those who try a self-made business face and I wanted to help Elizabeth bring a space to Jaipur to help people like myself. I believed in the vision that she had and wanted to be a part of bringing dignity back to the individuals who take the risk to follow a passion.

3. Adi, you mentioned that freelancers and entrepreneurs are often deemed “failures” by the society in Jaipur. Can you tell us more about the social expectations for work? Why are freelancers and entrepreneurs deemed failures?Local entrepreneurs, freelancers, start-up companies, and creatives have been ostracized in the community due to their choice in profession. Historically in India, this group of people have been looked down upon by society, including friends and family, for not having a socially acceptable, corporate job, and no office of their own to work from. In the eyes of those around them, freelancers are seen as lazy, rebellious, and lower class individuals who couldn’t make anything good come from their life in the way a doctor, engineer, or lawyer could, and are not serious about providing for their families or other social duties. The amount of risk involved for a creative entrepreneur and freelancer is high, and because of the lack of support and exposure to opportunities, many freelancers and creatives become discouraged and give up, losing much of their potential to the demands of family and society. I left a well-paying job and a lot of opportunity in Australia in 2013 due to a family crisis. I had done a masters program in hospitality and event management and had a bright future in Australia. But, when I came back to India, I immediately fell back to the lowest of the bunch and knew I would be doing tasks I was too qualified to do in the corporate world. I realized very quickly that life was too short to be miserable in work and decided to pursue something that I wanted to do and brought me happiness.As I studied and taught myself photography, my immediate family was supportive, but only as much as they could be. My other relatives were much less supportive and understanding, and I became the focus of jokes. This was hard, but not as discouraging as what I faced from society. In India, art and creativity are not highly valued. So, as a photographer, someone with the stress of capturing important events and editing them well, my clients see very little value in paying me a fair price for what is considered to be a lesser job. I know the frustration freelancers and creatives face in this society, and want to help support them and share my experiences with them. By providing our members at The Maker’s Space a place to work outside of the home, but still allowing them the freedom to work for themselves, we want to bring a sense of dignity to the freelancer and increase the sustainability of their work through community support and training.

4. How do you envision The Maker’s Space changing the story about success and work in Jaipur?Jaipur has always been a hub for traditional Rajasthani art and design and a widely known and attractive place for international designers. As the age of industry has come, much of the traditional ways of doing art has been lost, and in turn, jobs for artisans have been lost. However, many at the front of a movement to preserve such creativity are local and international creatives, many of whom are looking for community and support as they venture into entrepreneurship in Jaipur for the first time. By working under one roof, our members from various backgrounds will benefit from a network of people and the cross-pollination of ideas through collaborative conversation and developmental resources fostered and provided in the co-working space. It is our goal that the relationships and personal and professional growth developed through The Maker’s Space empowers our members, the freelance and creative entrepreneur community, to excel in business and make a difference in their spheres of influence. The level of our social impact is directly related to the level of personal touch we have with our members and therefore the community. When we directly impact our members, we will indirectly impact those whom they are connected to in life and business. In addition to this, the traditional arts of which Jaipur is known, will have a better chance of surviving if those who are working to save such artistic practices are supported and promoted. This also means more jobs for local artisans and the opportunity to expand the reach of local traditional art into the global markets.

5. Elizabeth, you expressed a special interest in serving the women of Jaipur. What can you tell us about their situation and how The Maker’s Space intends to enable their work?As we work specifically with women, we hope to encourage their growth by providing them necessary resources and help them gain a sense of ownership for their work and provide a platform from which to launch into the local and global markets. Life for women is hard in a patriarchal society, especially now as Jaipur is in the middle of redefining itself between the traditions of old and the rise of modernity. Women are being educated, but there is still a desire from the older generations for them to not work outside of the home once they are married. Traditionally, once a woman is married, it is her job to cook, clean, and care for her husbands extended family. However, today’s newly married women are finding it hard to submit to that traditional expectation as she has been educated through college or post-college degrees. She finds it hard to leave all of that behind when she has spent so much time, effort, and money on bettering herself through education. Both Adi and I see so much value in young working women, however, we both know Jaipur will not change overnight. We think it is the perfect time for TMS, especially for women. Having a co-working space to slip away to for a few hours each day meets the expectations of both young woman and new in-laws. She can take care of the household yet have the resources she needs to be empowered to follow a passion or dream. She has people who believe in her and support her, and a place to call her own.

6. The Maker’s Space is a subversive cultural space, providing opportunities for growth and support to cultural outsiders. Do you expect resistance to your space? If so, how will you respond?Adi: I don’t think there will be much active resistance to The Maker’s Space, but there will be many people who will not fully understand the need for it. Because there is not a value for freelancers and creatives in Jaipur, there is not an understanding of their specific and unique needs. We have talked with many people inquiring about office space for a large team of upwards of sixty people. It’s hard for directors of larger companies to understand that we are a community oriented, not cubical “9-5,” kind of business. The best way for people to understand who we are and what we do is to show them photos or bring them into the space and explain the needs of our members and how The Maker’s Space benefits them.

7. Can you tell us about some of the entrepreneurs and freelance workers you already work with?Currently, we are still in the renovation process of the space, and do not have any signed on members. However, the people who have shown positive interest in future memberships have been mostly local entrepreneurs, freelancers, and a few expat designers who come to India for a few months at a time.We have also been in communication with a two local textile designers who recently did a project on an all-but-lost art form call Jajam, which is all about communities coming together. They came to us asking if we would host an exhibition of the work they have done and help promote this restored traditional art form in the community. It is projects and people like these that excite us for the future of The Maker’s Space and its place in and for the creative community of Jaipur.

8. What kind of training, workshops, and seminars can members expect in TMS?The vision behind TMS boils down to growing and celebrating the God-given talents and passions in each individual, so everything we do points in that direction, including any training, workshops, seminars, and events. Examples of some of these are trainings on how to write a good business plan, hands-on workshops on local art to help preserve what is nearly lost, seminars on balancing a healthy lifestyle, and events to promote community such as Saturday member’s brunch or open-mic nights. The possibilities to promote personal and professional growth are endless.

9. Five-years from opening day, how do you imagine Jaipur changing because of TMS? What will Jaipur be with a vibrant creative community?Elizabeth: My goal in the first five years of TMS is simply to help make artistic, God-given passions and talents valued in society and bring a sense of dignity to the creative people in Jaipur.
   Adi: I want to see more established people and brands growing together under our roof. Through their success stories, Jaipur will be a more colorful city and people around the world will know it for its creative community.

10. How can people support The Maker’s Space?While we are actively desiring to pioneer a change in identity for the freelance and entrepreneur community in Jaipur and provide the necessary platform for growth and celebration, we are inviting you to join us and make our efforts go even further. We are seeking support through financial contribution in the form of a tax-deductible donation, which would help us finish the current renovations and help us meet our first-year operational expenses goal. Any money raised beyond that will go toward sponsoring memberships for female entrepreneurs who are breaking the mold of what has traditionally been their role in society and are seeking empowerment through entrepreneurship. Training for these women, as well as for locals in creative fields (artists, freelancers, startup companies, etc.), is needed to broaden their worldview and help them to think outside of the traditional box when it comes to growing their business or gaining a presence locally or globally. You would provide them an option close to home which will help them gain a new perspective, open their eyes to see their potential, and collaborate with a supportive community. You can give a tax-deductible donation online through the link on our website, www.themakersspacejaipur.com.

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About Elizabeth and Adi

Adityendra (Adi) Solanki

A Rajasthan native and a freelance photographer, Adityendra Solanki has brought a necessary cultural understanding to the co-working concept in Jaipur. His unique perspective has encouraged the growth of the desire The Maker’s Space has to support individuals and teams who may not have support outside of their community. His bachelors and master’s degrees in hospitality technology and management and international tourism have also helped in making The Maker’s Space the best it can be for both local and international members. When you come to an event at TMS, you can be sure that Adi worked diligently to make it happen. Be sure to check out Adi’s other work, too. As someone who values people, culture, and traveling, his work is captivating.

Elizabeth Schrock

The Maker’s Space is the brain child of Elizabeth Schrock. After spending a few years living in India, Elizabeth saw a need in the freelance and creative entrepreneur community in Jaipur for resources and support. The desire to help her friends led to a dream to help the community, and thus, the idea for The Maker’s Space was formed. Elizabeth dabbled in many art forms while growing up in the Unity States, and has a love for all things creative, appreciating the value of each individual and their work. You will find her behind much of the networking and collaboration connections in the co-working space community and curating events to foster community and individual growth.

A New “American Dream”

Early 20th century Chicago was a grimy place. From a town of a hundred people, the city reached a population of over two million, and this resulted in filth, smoke pollution, faulty sanitation, and street congestion that was dangerous for pedestrians. Living conditions were dreadful. Despite all this, the city’s leading architect and planner still wrote, “City life has attractions that make a strong appeal to human nature. Opportunities for wealth and power and social consideration, for amusement and instruction, for the increase of knowledge and the cultivation of taste, are greater for the average person in the city than in the country.” This architect, named Daniel Burnham, believed it should come as no surprise that the city constantly drew “young men and women of ambition and self-reliance, who are lured [to the city] by the great prizes … open to the competition of all.” But, what happens when an ambitious young woman, a perfect match to Burnham’s profile, decides to renounce the “great prizes” of the city to move back home to an Island in the Pacific?[1]

Christiana Galea’i is an American Samoan singer and song-writer who was set to “make it” in Chicago, but she didn’t stay in the city, choosing to turn down a record deal to move back home to be with her people. Her dream was to inspire young musicians to produce excellent music right from the island, proving that Samoa has something precious to contribute to the global community. Christiana's costly decision reaped unimaginable reward. She’s inspired, enabled, and supported several budding artists who are now producing music of their own, making something new and good of the global city. Listen to this World Outspoken Feature to learn more about enabling culture-making musicians who are already telling a new story about the world.

About Christiana

Christiana Galeaʻi is an independent artist and creative writer who focuses perspectives of small island nations. Originally from Taʻū, American Samoa, she grew up traveling to places with different cultures from urban Japan, sunny California, and rural Alaska. These experiences inform her production of songs and writings that share native narratives from an authentic point of view. After studying music and biblical studies at the Moody Bible Institute, Christiana returned to her Polynesian home to teach. She continues her travels as an events coordinator that encourages local communities to share their unique stories. Christiana is an active member of the Congregational Christian Church of American Samoa and has a desire to see loving reform among its members. Aside from public speaking and artist collaboration, she enjoys ice cream. Her favorite flavor is mint chocolate chip, but it depends on the mood! You may find her latest creations at christianagaleai.com.

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Footnote

1. Sections of this article are from Seeking Zion: The Gospel and The City We Make, written by Emanuel (Ricky) Padilla. 2017. Quotes of Daniel Burnham are from his 1909 Plan of Chicago. Citation: Daniel Burnham and Edward Bennett, Plan of Chicago, First Edition (New York: Princeton Architectural Press, 1993), 2pg. 33.

Artz N The Hood

Young Culture-Makers make their own World

It’s nearly 1 a.m. when it’s decided. Eight high school students from East Denver convince their bible study leader to help them start an art camp. Nearly 20 years later, the week-long camp has an avg. of 350-400 campers and provides classes on everything from hip-hop dance to videography. For the original eight, camp was resistance. Camp was protest. Camp was proof their world was theirs to own. When Artz N the Hood was founded, it was a response to budget cuts in the Denver public-school system. The arts were among the cuts, leaving students with limited and costly access to creative outlets. So, on that night, eight students decided to run an art camp right from their church parking lot.

Artz N the Hood is an inspiring story of young culture-makers. The city they envision includes access to art education and a significant role for young people to contribute in real ways to making their city. Their story is a reminder that culture is always what we make. Culture is always communal. Q Nellum, the Bible study leader enabling these young culture-makers, shares our conviction that the city we make is fashioned from a diverse community of makers, including black and brown high school students. In our interview with Q and Sandra Jennings Curry, we hear the story of these culture-makers and what they produced: an intentionally wild environment of creativity and fun, where high school students lead and the whole community is involved. Artz N the Hood is a work of place-making best practices. Students learn about cooperation, leadership, social justice, and inclusion. They work together to make their city and reflect God’s Kingdom. Listen to this World Outspoken Feature to learn more about enabling young culture-makers making their city together.

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Footnote

1. Cover photo by Dayne Topkin on Unsplash

Podcast Credits:

• Recording: @lucasjmanning

• Music: @abelepadilla & @hellomrperez

• Production: @brandedhumans

• Interviewer: @rickyelpoeta