Patch and writing by Hannah

This patch comes from a sentence and a half in a chapter about a woman from El Salvador in a book about women, children, and human rights in Latin America.  It is such a small part of an incredible organization of women, the Comadres (or Mothers’ Committee), that develops and enacts so many creative programs and actions.  Such a small, part, yet one that struck me:

“…We also have a group that writes bulletins and press releases and broadcasts daily for 20 minutes on YSAX, the Church station.  This program is called Desde la prisión (from prison), and it gives news about the political prisoners with whom we are in touch every day…”[1]

I love the idea of humanizing political prisoners (or not dehumanizing them, since they are indeed already human)… I love the idea of expanding people’s realities by connecting them with other realities… Communication is so vital in our interactions, in our formation of truth.  While doing this patch I consulted Tapestries of Hope, Threads of Love with its pictures of arpilleras, looking for pictures of antennae to model.  I found that quite a few of the arpilleras that had buildings indeed had antennae, which surprised me somewhat, because if it weren’t for the need to portray a radio station, I definitely would not think of antennae when drawing, sewing, or otherwise conceiving of a building.  It struck me that maybe the prevalence of antennae and wires has to do with the conscious or unconscious realization of the importance of communication.

I have unending respect for political prisoners: the people I know here in the United States, some of whom had more “choice” than others in their incarceration; and the people all over Latin America, some of whom had more knowledge than others that their commitment to justice might land them in jail.  Getting their stories out to the public is an incredible feat and an incredibly important feat. 

This is yet another story of a certain kind of freedom, a way to break through the prison bars… one more hopeful moment in the search for truth.