When my dear friend Nina Stack told me that she wanted me to meet her Center Road neighbor, I had no idea that the introduction would lead to such an amazing community project. Nina’s neighbor Naomi Lawrence is an artist who creates gorgeous fiber art for the street. She and her husband Chris came to the U.S. from England in 2014 to serve at Church of the Living Hope UCC in East Harlem. In 2019, they took their ministry to the street when they formed InnerCHANGE East Harlem — a ministry for people struggling with isolation, immigration issues, and other challenges that leave them marginalized.
The Lawrences bought their house on Center Road in 2017 after being introduced to the island by Union Theological Seminary. The island’s new friendship with Naomi and Chris has been the catalyst for expanding the Roots and Wings exchange program between the Block Island School and students from East Harlem. It has also been the inspiration for a wonderful fiber arts project for our community during the recent shelter-in-place situation due to Covid 19.
The original plan for Roots and Wings this spring was to have the eighth grade visit to New York