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| Home > Continued |
Building Friendships, Half A World Away February 2004, four interns from substance abuse recovery programs in Japan came to visit Amity. With the help of an interpreter, stories were shared, and friendships were built, with our visitors from halfway around the world. The connection between the Amity Foundation in America and Japanese rehabilitation programs began around 1995 with a phone call from Alice Miller (PhD, Psychotherapist, Researcher, and author of several books concerning the influence of childhood on the life of adults). Amity uses some of Miss Miller’s writings in our curriculum. Kaori Sakagami, a documentary maker for Japanese television, was shooting a film about Miss Miller titled 'Miller on Monsters'. Alice suggested that the filming take place at Circle Tree Ranch, and before the project was complete, Kaori decided to include an interview with Naya in the production. Kaori's next Japanese documentary, 'Coming Out of Darkness', was released in the late 90's. This film focused on personal transformation in the Therapeutic Community, and was comprised of footage recorded during a week-long retreat at Amity in Tucson. The success of this film brought recognition of the Amity Foundation to several organizations in Japan, including the Ministry of Justice, APARI (Asia-Pacific Addiction Research Institute), and DARC ( Drug Addiction Rehabilitation Center). A new organization called 'friends of Amity' was then formed, as well. Soon after, Naya and Bette Fleishman found themselves accepting invitations to travel to Japan and present workshops to residents and staff from many aspects of community building, treatment, corrections and government. As this over-seas relationship continued to grow, it was arranged for our four visitors to come to America and experience Amity Communities first-hand. Our guests, Peeco (staff, Women's Recovery House, Tokoyo), Koji (APARI staff, Awakening House, Gunma, Japan), Mayumi (Therapist and Social Worker, Okinawa), and Tohru (staff at DARC, Sapporo, Japan) spent almost a month visiting Amity Campuses in Los Angeles, Las Lunas New Mexico, and Tucson, Arizona. From their experiences they wrote: "At each Amity site, we saw students working hard and positively on their own issues. The trust level within the TC was as if they were a family"- Mayumi "I have been working my issues such as honesty, trust, acceptance, gratitude and being humble, etc., I found them already systematically integrated into Amity's program here." "I pray that the Amity philosophy will take root and spread around Japan." - Tohru "I didn't really like sharing my story, but by doing so I started to see what had been inside me which I wasn't able to name before. I guess I started to trust the place to be my sanctuary of safety..." - Kohji "The new journey has now begun. I really want to make Amity's program blossom in Japan!!" —Peeco Another visit from our Japanese friends is already being planned! Coming in October, Kaori Sakagami, additional staff, and twenty of her students from Kyoto Bunkyo University, will be visiting Amistad de Los Angeles, and Amity at Circle Tree Ranch in Tucson as part of their fieldtrip entitled "Alternatives to Violence and Re-building Community". We look forward to their visit, and to continuing to build this friendship with our sister-communities half a world away. |
Circle Tree Ranch Embraces the Arts As of July 1st 2005 Amity at Circle Tree Ranch in Tucson AZ is offering the use of culture and creativity to it’s students. Their intention is to enhance the community as well as nurture creative expression as a part of personal growth and change. In July, Heather Hardy, Amity alumnist, returned to Tucson and is currently working to create opportunities for participation and exposure to the arts for all those that are part of the Circle Tree Ranch community. Heather has been working as webmaster for Amity Foundation since March of 2004. Now we will take advantage of her many talents by adding “culture” to her assignments. She is an extremely talented violinist and pianist and has delighted the Amity Foundation by performing in each of our California Prison Projects and at Circle Tree Ranch. In the spring of 2004 Rod Mullen, Amity’s CEO, asked Heather if she would be willing to really develop an Arts Program at Circle Tree Ranch in Tucson. Her role is to help to expand consciousness, and skill in the fields of music, art , film and even graphic arts. Heather has a band called “Lil’ Mama” and has been playing in the blues circuit in and out of the country since she graduated from Amity in 1992. She will continue touring and working professionally as a musician. She tells us “I’m excited to give back to the community and I really believe in the power of creativity to heal. Rod Mullen CEO is providing computers for computer graphic work and video equipment for movie making and all kinds of uses. Heather will be working to acquire instruments and art supplies as needed for each student. “We’ll be just starting up, but there is so much potential for this program to grow. This will allow people to connect with their artistic selves and provides other ways of expressing feelings that are positive. I’m excited that Amity is supportive of nurturing the complete person and all the talents of its students.” On February 10, 2005 Amity at Circle Tree ranch held its first annual fundraising concert to support its Cultural Program . The fundraiser and the cultural program, were the subject of a feature story in the Tucson Citizen. The most profound success of this concert was the wonderful response of the Tucson community and it’s artists. We have been encouraging those with creative skills to share to participate with our students and help some people who have never had any creative opportunities. One organization that has generously donated their time is Laughing Stock Company. Founder, Dean Steeves began a 7 week workshop that focuses on having fun, opening up, learning to communicate all with the aid of comedy and theatre. Dean has been performing improvisational comedy for over 20 years and believes the basic rules of “improv” are rules to live and laugh by. He teaches how players can cooperate to create fun and funny scenes right before their own eyes. Their has already been great response by our students to our cultural activities . And great talent in all areas of the arts supports our belief that creativity exists in all individuals that are provided opportunity. For information on how to support cultural arts at Circle Tree Ranch, contact Heather via E-mail at hhardy@amityfdn.org. You may have musical instruments or other equipment that would be valuable assets what we are doing. |
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