This collage is a tribute to my journey dealing with the dismantling (to use a generous word) of the U.S. Agency for International Development in January and February 2025 and the aftermath it’s left us in. From left to right, the matches overflowing in their box and the open flame represent destruction, the lit candles show vigil and honoring our service and community. The napkins in the oblong wicker box represent compartmentalizing, thus the title of the piece. The greenery represents a peak into renewal and acceptance. Finally the empty chair looking out represents the trauma of USAID’s dissolution shifting from defining my life to becoming just a part of my story.
This collage is a tribute to my journey dealing with the dismantling (to use a generous word) of the U.S. Agency for International Development in January and February 2025 and the aftermath it’s left us in. From left to right, the matches overflowing in their box and the open flame represent destruction, the lit candles show vigil and honoring our service and community. The napkins in the oblong wicker box represent compartmentalizing, thus the title of the piece. The greenery represents a peak into renewal and acceptance. Finally the empty chair looking out represents the trauma of USAID’s dissolution shifting from defining my life to becoming just a part of my story.