Someone You Should Know: Lily Yeh

“We all have that innate light within us and my role is to ignite that pilot light so that we shine together and light up the horizon.” Lily Yeh

We could do three, four, five — a hundred blog posts on Ms Yeh and still not do justice to all that she is and all that she has accomplished. From North Philadelphia to China, Ms. Yeh has used art to transform and build communities.

Ms. Yeh’s belief that “there is a light in everyone and through creativity we create and remake our world” has been an inspiration to many — including mosaic artist Laurel True. Her work in Rwanda building a genocide memorial in the village of Rugerero was chronicled in Terry Tempest Williams’ best selling book, “Finding Beauty in a Broken World.”

Recently, Lily told the story of her 20 year journey at the 2009 Bioneers Conference. Grab a cup of coffee or a glass of wine, click the link below and prepare to be — well — transformed.

http://cdn1.ustream.tv/swf/4/viewer.193.swf?vid=2370643&vrsl=c.4.239

To learn more about Lily and her work . . . .

Barefoot Artists, Inc. is a nonprofit arts organization based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. that uses the power of art to transform impoverished communities. Founded in 2003 by Lily Yeh, Barefoot Artists aims to train and empower local residents, organize communities, and take action for a more compassionate, just and sustainable (better) future.
“Warrior Angel: The Work of Lily Yeh” by Bill Moskin and Jill Jackson, a paper on Lily’s methodology of using art to transform and build community, is available for download. Click here.

The remarkable portrait above is part of “Americans Who Tell The Truth” a non-partisan series of portraits by Brooksville (Maine) artist Rob Shetterly. His portraits of past and current Americans form a travelling exhibit(s) that is hosted by schools, universities, churches, and various community groups around the country.

Enjoy — Nancie