It's Party Time: Design Workshop RSVP 10/20

Arm candy...? It's an arm PARTY! For our second event, we will be creating designer-inspired wrap bracelets at Design Workshop. The workshop is a make-and-take jewelry collaborative between the refugee artisans and participants, which will be both interactive and beneficial in teaching the women how to design accessories that can be sold year round.

Date and Time: Saturday October 20
Time: 2:00 - 4:00PM
Location: Vox Culture Warehouse (8570 Katy Fwy. Suite 116  Houston, Texas 77024)

The $25 participation fee includes training for you, sponsorship for an artisan, materials, light refreshments and a take-home customized wrap bracelet!

VOLUNTEER: We are looking for volunteers who would be willing to provide transportation for the artisans from their apartments in Harwin to and from the Vox Culture Warehouse, setup for the event, as well as folks who want to attend and participate! Sign up here.

RESERVE YOUR SEAT: RSVP here to design your own wrap bracelet!

If you have any questions, please contact Linda Fox at linda.fox@voxculture.org

Fashion Forward at Francesca’s!

On Saturday, our volunteers woke up bright and early to pick up the awesome refugee artisans from The Community Cloth at their respective homes. When we arrived at Francesca’s on Woodway, everybody was eager to shop around and learn all about the new styles and trends popular for the new season. We all learned a little something about hot colors for the fall like purple and hunter green, beautiful fabrics like crochet and lace, and even how to dress up a casual outfit with a tailored blazer. The staff members (D'Naya, Thuy and Tatiana) were also very informative when it came to questions about jewelry and knit accessories, which are what the refugee artisans can effectively produce and sell. We had a ton of fun browsing the store and getting to know such amazing women.

A special thanks to Francesca’s, the Community Cloth, and Vox Culture volunteers for a successful event! Thanks to Wind Photography for the beautiful photos from Style Scope!

Also, Design Workshop is right around the corner, so if you missed this event, make sure you come out on October 20^th to support these beautiful refugee artisans! RSVP here.

 

September Newsletter: "Style Scope" THIS Sat 9/15!

a. 9/15 Common Threads: "Style Scope" THIS Saturday!
b. 10/20 Common Threads: "Design Workshop"
c. "Paid in Greens" at The Last Organic Outpost Field Trip
d. Welcome Celia Ybarra, Social Media Voice
e. September is Houston's Human Trafficking Awareness Month

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Around the globe, over fifteen million people are considered refugees, persons who are unable or unwilling to return to their home countries due to violence or well-founded fear of persecution. The United States receives the largest number of refugees yearly for resettlement, and Houston is one of the top resettlement cities. Refugees have made significant contributions to our city, yet they are a struggling community.

For our Refugees at Home trimester, Vox Culture is excited to launch a three-event series themed "Common Threads" in partnership with The Community Cloth!



a. 9/15 COMMON THREADS: "STYLE SCOPE" THIS SATURDAY!



What is the color trend? What is bohemian chic? Find out what is fashion forward at "Style Scope" THIS Saturday! Vox looks  forward to taking the refugee artisans on an educational field trip to Francesca’s Collections (6514 Woodway, Houston, TX) to learn about the latest trends and styles. These ideas aim to inspire creations that will expand the refugees’ businesses. Join us from 9-10AM at the boutique for an engaging shopping experience! Bonus: 20% full-price purchases. Details here.

b. 10/20 COMMON THREADS: "DESIGN WORKSHOP"



Love the Arm Candy Craze?? WE DO! The second Common Threads event is an interactive jewelry making collaborative that will be held at the Vox Culture warehouse (8570 Katy Fwy, Suite 116). Come learn how to make these tribal wrap bracelets with us!

Many of the refugee artisans' current offerings are beautifully handmade scarves and accessories perfect for cool autumn and winter weather. We chose jewelry-making to offer the artisans training for creating items that can be sold year round. The $25 fee includes participation for you AND an artisan, materials, and a take-home customized wrap bracelet! RSVP here.

c. "PAID IN GREENS" AT THE LAST ORGANIC OUTPOST FIELD TRIP



Vox took a fun field trip to The Offical Last Organic Outpost, an urban farm that "pays in greens" and a place where you can "never make a mistake". We had a blast with Joe Icet and his team who taught us how to weed, till, plant and water plots of land which we officially declared as VOX BOXes!! Check out our blog post and pictures.

"The Last Organic Outpost motivated me to be more patient and truly understand the VALUE of hardwork" ~ Renia Butler, Core Team. We will return later this month for a concert by Carrie Ann and the Apocalyptics on Sun 9/30 @ 2PM. Can't wait to check up on our dragon kale, swiss chard, arugala, straight squash, crooked squash, pickled cucumbers and leafy parsley! It's pay day :)

d. WELCOME CELIA YBARRA, SOCIAL MEDIA VOICE



Project Coodinator by day, General Life Blogger and Social Media Addict by night...Vox welcomes Celia Ybarra, our Social Media Voice! She has on-boarded to keep us on the cutting edge of the excitement around Vox and the initiatives we support. Help generate buzz! VISIT US | LIKE US | FOLLOW US.

e. SEPTEMBER IS HOUSTON'S HUMAN TRAFFICKING AWARENESS MONTH

Did you know that 25% of all human trafficking victims are in Texas (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services)? Find out ways you can help combat modern day slavery. Image from HRRC.

1. Local (Houston Rescue and Restore Coalition, Free the Captives, Not for Sale, A 2nd Cup)
2. Global (Night Light)

Be a creative voice against poverty and injustice!

The Link Between Refugees and Human Trafficking

As Vox Culture begins its trimester on “Refugees at Home”, it is important to note how interconnected our world can be, specifically in terms of the social issues that occur around us every day.  We believe that symptoms from one social issue can be closely linked to another and our goal is to help our audience grasp a better understanding of these connections. September is Houston’s Human Trafficking Awareness Month.  Appropriately, the goal of this post is to describe how Vox’s current focus on the issue of refugees is connected to human trafficking.

The below points were drawn from a 2007 United Nations High Commission for Refugees Report, written by Kaori Saito, that addresses the new issues in refugee research.

(1)    Victims of human trafficking can be refugees.

While some trafficked victims are able to go back to their native homeland after having gone through their ordeal, some may be unable to return for fear of further reprisals by traffickers, without much state protection. These victims would fall within the definition of a refugee according to Article 1A(2) of the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees.

Trafficked persons and those who fear being trafficked can be defined as refugees under the 1951 Convention if they meet all the elements defined in Article 1(A). These individuals would also be entitled to international refugee protection as long as there is a well-founded fear of persecution based on one of the Convention grounds and their homeland cannot (or refuses to) provide protection against further re-trafficking or reprisals by traffickers. Saito further states that, “there is no reason why a victim of trafficking who fears returning home due to the real possibility of being re-trafficked, targeted for reprisals, or threatened with death, should not be granted refugee status where the state of origin is unable or unwilling to protect that person against such harm.”

(2)    Refugees can also become victims of human trafficking.

Refugees and internally displaced individuals fleeing from persecution are also targets for traffickers. Due to having been displaced and other related vulnerabilities, refugees and internally displaced individuals are put at a greater risk of exploitation and abuse. Saito further adds that, “to access countries of asylum in an environment of tightening visa regimes and border controls, some refugees may resort to desperate and even illegal measures in their search for a safe country and of livelihoods and can fall prey to trafficking.”

If Saito’s argument in this report is to be summarized, the connection between human trafficking and refugees is seen as coalescing around the term persecution. In order to learn more about the overall discussion, I highly encourage you to read this UNHCR report… you will be amazed as to how the causes that Vox Culture focuses on are truly interconnected.

http://www.unhcr.org/research/RESEARCH/476652742.pdf

"Style Scope" Visit to Francesca's Collections THIS Saturday 9/15!

COLOR BLOCKING, ARM CANDY, TRIBAL VIBE...find out what is fashion forward this upcoming season! Join us for the first "Common Threads" event, STYLE SCOPE, this Sat Sept 15 from 8-10AM. We will be taking the Refugee Artisans out on a field trip to Francesca's Collections (6514 Woodway, Houston, TX). Image is a sneak peek from Francesca's website of stylish offerings at the boutique!

The goal of the outing is for the refugee artisans to see and learn about the latest trends in fashion and accessories. By volunteering your time, you will give the artisans the opportunity to gain inspiration for their creations and businesses. Volunteers are encouraged to collaborate with the refugee artisans in pairing accessories, colors and textures for a fun and engaging shopping experience!

We are looking for volunteers who would be willing to provide transportation for the artisans from their apartments in Harwin to and from Francesca's Collections. If you are interested in driving and engaging with the refugee artisans, please sign-up HERE.

ADDED BONUS: Purchases made at this private event will be 20% off!