Sept. 6, 2002
A Patchwork for Freedom
GW Sophomores Guide Tribute to Humanity and Community
By John
Carroll
One year and a day removed from the most horrific act of terrorism on
United States soil, GW students and other members of the University
community will converge on the grounds of the Washington Monument Sept.
12 to participate in the unveiling of their colossal handiwork known
as the Freedom Quilt. A patchwork of 350 three-foot square fabric panels
creating an enormous American flag with giant stars and stripes, the
quilt will serve as a tribute to the values that terrorists attempted
to destroy last year.
The Freedom Quilt is the brainchild of sophomores Taryn Schaberg and
Ari Mittleman. Schaberg, a Chinese and international affairs major,
was instrumental in pioneering a program called “The Children of
Chernobyl,” which funded a Christmas for children suffering from
terminal illnesses in the Ukrainian city. Mittleman, an American studies
major, was recently chosen as one of 12 students to travel to Kharkiv,
Ukraine, to bring Passover ceremonies to that country’s Jewish
community, only now reemerging from decades of persecution. Together,
the two came up with the idea for the Freedom Quilt on the Mall as a
way to remind Americans of the principles on which the country was founded
and the importance of civic duty and participation in a democratic society.
GW community members, student organizations, fraternities, sororities,
residence halls, sports teams, and administrative and academic departments,
decorated panels like a scrapbook of accomplishments and unselfish contributions
to humanity and the community
“There are so many youths out there that do so much,” Schaberg
says. “Their efforts go unrecognized and are under-appreciated.
We thought a day that was dedicated to the unity that US citizens, particularly
the students, exemplify every day would be powerful. That is why our
slogan is ‘exemplify how we unify,’ ” says Schaberg.
The idea expanded to include other organizations with similar missions
such as the Participate America Foundation, which will partner with
GW to promote the Freedom Quilt and the four-day Freedom Fair. The similar
missions of the Freedom Quilt and the Participate America Foundation
events naturally came together to form a larger, more significant event.
According to Schaberg, Mittleman saw the Participate America Web site
and gave them a call. “They were excited to hear about our project
and to make it the main event in DC,” explains Schaberg. “The
combination of these elements that are going to make National Civic
Participation Week so significant is only a piece of what is really
going to impact America that week. Participate America has set up 21
sites all around the country, so being a piece of that larger picture
will definitely help our mission reach more people.”
The Participate America Foundation is a not-for-profit organization
created to promote National Civic Participation Week that is being observed
nationally Sept. 11–17. Created by the US Senate as one of the
ways to honor those who lost their lives on Sept. 11, National Civic
Participation Week will encourage citizens to renew democracy through
civic participation.
Eric Welch, media director for the Participate America Foundation, explains
the historical significance of the dates, “The week was chosen
for its uniquely American bookmarks. The 11th being the date of the
World Trade Center attacks and the 17th being the anniversary of the
signing of the American Constitution in 1787. We see the 11th as a very
solemn day of remembrance and self reflection. The 12th is the day to
hop out of bed and react positively because of it.”
The unveiling of the quilt kicks off the Freedom Fair, which runs Sept.
12–15. Each day’s activities will highlight a different aspect
of civic participation and feature prize give-aways and live radio broadcasts.
Honored guests will include: Rep. Cliff Stearns (R–FL), GW President
Stephen Joel Trachtenberg, DC Council members, and even World Wrestling
Entertainment (WWE) superstar Maven. WWE will host its “Smack Down
The Vote” program to register voters.
There will also be blank panels in the quilt to give visitors a chance
to add their own sentiments. Mittleman sees this free-speech opportunity
as a great way to get people involved immediately and be active participants
rather than observers. He says, “If you can get down on your hands
and knees with a Sharpie and make your own personal contribution to
the quilt right then and there, then you’re really going to feel
like you’re part of the unity.”
Schaberg and Mittleman hope success of the Freedom Fair will be a call
to action to other universities and large organizations to sponsor their
own quilts. Mittleman envisions civic-minded Fortune 500 companies with
large numbers of employees mobilizing their workforces and touching
a substantial chunk of the population, spreading the message of the
importance of conscience citizenship in a democratic society. He says,
“What better way to demonstrate to the world the American commitment
to these values than through the great corporations that already have
worldwide standing creating their own Freedom Quilts?”
Schaberg and Mittleman are calling for student volunteers to help out
at the Freedom Fair and are optimistic they will have a great turnout
because GW students have a track record of volunteerism. For more information
about the quilt or to volunteer at the fair, E-mail ourflag@gwu.edu
or visit www.participateamerica.org.
Send feedback to: bygeorge@gwu.edu
