Fifty years! As my cousin would say "'s not every day!"
There is a very solid base of values and a set of determining factors for a non-profit organization to be able to maintain itself for half a century doing what it does best with all the challenges it has encountered along the way. (If it survived the most isolated days of all times - Covid - it survives anything!)
It was founded by the best and kindest person in the world, with the best intentions, thinking not only about the people who would benefit from it but also about the humanization of those who embody it. It was thinking about the dignity of people as artists and performers that Bread&Roses took its first steps.
The experience of bringing together people who have so much to give, with people who do not have access to culture either for health or social reasons, is the perfect combination for any community. Entertainment should be accessible to everyone, because we are all made up of body and soul and both need to be nurtured. Like bread for the mouth, roses for the soul. It seems pretty obvious and easy, but we all know that sometimes it isn't. It takes will, availability, commitment, but above all you need to believe the organization's values and mission.
Bread&Roses is a local, transparent organization, created for the benefit of the community. It's not about numbers, it's not about global recognition, it's not about money or big shows and events, it's about people at their everyday life and about the global goal of those who live on earth: to be happy and to feel a sense belonging.
Every show gives hope and joy to those who don't have it, in the form of music and smiles. In the form of time, art and dedication to others. Sometimes you just need to listen, and be heard. Because it is by serving others that we serve ourselves. It is by giving to others that we receive. And at the end of the day, and of life, it is these experiences, connections and exchanges that go with us. It's those hands on the shoulders in form of songs that says "i'm with you, i know what you're going throught" or "i don't know what you're going throught, but i want you to get better and to heal", the stories, the smiles, the time, the hugs, how we made each others feel, that's what Bread&Roses is all about.
The experience of bringing together people who have so much to give, with people who do not have access to culture either for health or social reasons, is the perfect combination for any community. Entertainment should be accessible to everyone, because we are all made up of body and soul and both need to be nurtured. Like bread for the mouth, roses for the soul. It seems pretty obvious and easy, but we all know that sometimes it isn't. It takes will, availability, commitment, but above all you need to believe the organization's values and mission.
Bread&Roses is a local, transparent organization, created for the benefit of the community. It's not about numbers, it's not about global recognition, it's not about money or big shows and events, it's about people at their everyday life and about the global goal of those who live on earth: to be happy and to feel a sense belonging.
Every show gives hope and joy to those who don't have it, in the form of music and smiles. In the form of time, art and dedication to others. Sometimes you just need to listen, and be heard. Because it is by serving others that we serve ourselves. It is by giving to others that we receive. And at the end of the day, and of life, it is these experiences, connections and exchanges that go with us. It's those hands on the shoulders in form of songs that says "i'm with you, i know what you're going throught" or "i don't know what you're going throught, but i want you to get better and to heal", the stories, the smiles, the time, the hugs, how we made each others feel, that's what Bread&Roses is all about.
The benefits are visible, the emotional connection by evoking memories - which is trully important specially for older audiences because it stimulates memory and brain areas that are not very stimulated on the daily basis. It provides entertainment and distraction - sometimes isolated folks just need to break the routine and monotony. It helps to create community building by sharing experiences and improving bonding among individuals, it reduces stress, opens horizons by cultural enrichment, audiences became more aware of creative expression and the performers and artists get some artistic fulfillment and validation and last but not least, it brings a sense of normalcy, offering a comforting presence amid unfamiliar surroundings.
I keep the Bread&Roses newsletters hoping that in twenty or thirty years I will be able to look back, read them again and be even more happy of what was built there in that corner of the street and of the world that sadly - at least until today, I haven't had a chance to visit but it feels like home away from home. I'm grateful to every single person who helped and made part of it: because we all know that our bodies will disappear one day, but our souls - despite there is no scientific evidence of it - I believe it remains in some way and...
I am left with the joy of believing that there is a soul who left in 2001 who remains very happy and proud of everything she witnessed from another plane over the last 25 years.
A very special thanks to Catarina Rolim from Golden Hands for doing this embroidery exactly as i wanted it with so much care and detail. For all the patience - I am sorry for being so picky!
