Risë Wilson

2004

Risë Wilson

The Laundromat Project

http://www.laundromatproject.org/

Brooklyn, New York, United States

Arts, Culture, Humanities

The Bold Idea:

Creating personal and social transformation by using the space in local coin-ops of communities of color to create and display art.

Rooted in the belief that art and cultural participation serves as an important pathway to civic engagement, The Laundromat Project aims to create socially relevant arts programming that is physically, conceptually and financially accessible to residents of Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn by offering the programming in a functioning laundromat. Bedford-Stuyvesant is a neighborhood facing a host of social challenges -- from unemployment, to an HIV/AIDS pandemic, to gentrification.

Believing that tools of self-determination lie within creative practices, The Laundromat Project uses the space of local coin-ops to provide communities of color living on modest incomes with broad access to visual art as a tool of personal and social transformation. The Laundromat Project capitalizes on the "open space" of the laundromat to engage people that may not actively seek out an arts experience and/or those who may not be involved in social change initiatives. Through programs and workshops that focus on visual literacy, art making and exhibition, The Laundromat Project raises awareness around the issues affecting its community and create substantial opportunities for social critiques that lead to action. As a social enterprise, The Laundromat Project employs an innovative funding model, whereby income from the laundromat will provide a source of sustained revenue for the arts organization.

Biography:

Risë earned her Master of Arts in Africana Studies at New York University and has spent the past 10 years in both the nonprofit art and for-profit sectors.

In an interview with Echoing Green, Risë talks about starting The Laundromat Project and her hopes for the future.

Moment of Obligation: When and why did you decide to start your organization?
I entered the art field six years ago with the specific intention of making visual art more accessible to black audiences underserved by mainstream institutions. I hoped to change where and how art could be experienced such that the emphasis would be on self-discovery and cultural autobiography. Through a practical education in the field, I hoped to distill that mission into an organization that would be not only socially relevant but also fiscally sound. By 1999, the vision for The Laundromat Project was clear. Since that time I have focused on building my own capacity to execute its multifaceted goals.

Who do you look up to and why?
There is a laundry list of people whose examples have shaped my own life: my mother, Paula Smith, for raising me with a village of women who refused the notion of “circumstance”; Robin Kelley and Deborah Willis for demonstrating that academia and activism are not in conflict; and my stepfather, Aaron Blandon, for daring to dream in technicolor. There are 1,000 names that belong here, but at root I look up to people whose sense of revolution begins with the everyday moments of life -- folks who can uncover “extraordinary” in the midst of “mundane.”

A snapshot in ten years: What is your dream of what's happening? What impact has your organization had?
My dream is that in 10 years The Laundromat Project has sites across the globe. And while their impact would be specific to the unique geographies in which they are located, there would be a common thread: each functions as a dynamic art environment in which “neighbors” become “communities” capable of bringing their dreams into fruition- using their own lives as their largest canvases.

What's in your CD player right now?
Susana Baca, Gil Scott Heron and Ursula Rucker

What are a few book recommendations (pleasure, work and anything in between)?
Freedom Dreams by Robin D.G. Kelley, The Temple of My Familiar by Alice Walker, and After the Ecstasy, the Laundry by Jack Kornfield.

What websites do you go to often (work and personal)?

• protestgraphics.org
• truemajority.org
• brownstonebooks.com

Quick piece of advice for people starting social change organizations:
Having the support of mentors and the examples of pioneers has been an invaluable part of my own path. But making courageous choices ultimately lies with each of us. So what I’ll offer is this: Believe in yourself and your mission...unconditionally and with full confidence. Listen to the gnaw in your belly. Consider the impossible. Be patient with yourself and others as you navigate a deeply personal process of growth in public view. Take your time. Invest in your health: physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual. And in the midst of all this-- be kind.