Connecting ATD Fourth World USA with Our Worldwide Movement
By Maria Sandvik, ATD Fourth World National Director
“You have a treasure here in your hands, you have the strength to reach others, to invite them to be part of this,”Alvaro Iniesta, a member of the ATD Fourth World International Leadership Team commented at the end of a two week discovery visit to New York City, New Orleans, and Gallup, NM with teammate Martine LeCorre. The International Leadership Team, based at our International Center near Paris, France, is responsible for coordinating ATD Fourth World Movement worldwide. They promote cohesion of ATD Fourth World projects, public message, planning, and impacts and help encourage and spark creative initiatives that support ATD Fourth World members.
The cross-country trip was a first for Martine and Alvaro in the United States and an opportunity for them to meet ATD Fourth World allies, activists, Volunteer Corps members, and partners and discover what ATD Fourth World is like in our country. I was with Martine and Alvaro in New Orleans and Gallup and heard from them first impressions of how what they have learned and discovered contributes to the mission of ATD Fourth World elsewhere in the world.
Dierdre Mauss and Maria Victoire showing Alvaro, Martine, and Susie Devins a portion of mural made by children at Street Library in New Orleans years ago that is still displayed at a local restaurant and youth training center, Café Reconcile.
Drawing success and high five! Martine and Alvaro were able to take part in the weekly Street Library in New Orleans’ 7th Ward.
Inviting new people to join ATD Fourth World in overcoming poverty and building inclusive communities is an aspect that came through strongly throughout their visits. Martine noted how the Fourth World People’s University in New York City is bringing young people, families facing poverty, and allies who are new to ATD Fourth World together with activists and allies who have a long experience and involvement. In New Orleans we met with a group of active members, some involved for 25 years and some just discovering ATD Fourth World through volunteering at Street Library. Many said that the community connections being made between ATD Fourth World projects and the neighborhood public library branch was an exciting and important part of what is currently developing.
Martine and Alvaro, together with Guillaume Charvon and Monica Jahangir from the New York team, visited a long-term member Tina Lindsey who has been involved in ATD Fourth World for more than 25 years.
Harold Brenier gave Alvaro and Martine a sampling of the Discovery Traveling Science Exhibits experience, including a chance to see 3-D video footage of Mars at this Space Exhibit station.
The last leg of the trip was in Gallup, NM, where the Story Garden program, Discovery Traveling Science Exhibits for schools, and local partnerships are continuing to reach and involve new people. Karen Stornelli, National Director and member of the New Mexico team, connected the team’s work with the principal objective of ATD Fourth World. When commenting on the importance of their visit, she told Martine and Alvaro: “You remind me that the first partners of ATD Fourth World are the families most left behind because of poverty. That’s who our priority is to. Our institutional partnerships should be at the service of this priority.” Alvaro in turn gave the team this challenge; to reach other people who can join their team and work: “It’s never easy and takes a lot of energy to be with others, to answer a lot of questions - but I feel here that you have the ability to do that and encourage you to continue.”
In our expansive and diverse country the challenges of reaching new people are real, sometimes daunting, but also achievable when respect and dignity are central. Through meeting many of you and discovering the rich diversity in our communities and projects, Martine and Alvaro will continue to promote the cohesion of a strong International ATD Fourth World Movement of which we can all be proud to be part of.
Martine works on a puzzle with a young participant at Story Garden at the Gallup Flea Market.
Martine, Alvaro, and Maria Sandvik taking time to meet and work with Dierdre and Maria V. in the New Orleans Team.