About the Project

Over a thousand paper flowers were created with messages of freedom for the detained families at the Berks Detention Center.

As part of Michelle's moving monument entitled, “Seguimos Caminando” (We Keep Walking) honoring the mothers at Berks, we led several free paper flower workshops open to the public at the Monument Lab Research Field Office at the Barnes Foundation.  

More than 100 participants that include students, educators, and families in Philadelphia made flowers that were joined with the flowers made by the mothers detained at Berks which carry messages of freedom and the continued fight against family detention. 

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On Wednesday, October 25th at noon, the hand dyed flowers were assembled at the north gates of City Hall to spell out the 10’x40’ word “Libertad” (Freedom/ Liberty).

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The collective artwork is a creative action that was followed by a press conference led by the Shut Down Berks Coalition to put pressure on Governor Tom Wolf who has the power to shut down the center and end family detention in Pennsylvania.

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