“Don’t Look Away”, Come see the beautiful Quilts displayed in the sanctuary and the parlor, that was conceived by Glen Ring, local teacher and activist.

In July 2020 she used her online networks to ask artists and activists to send squares for a “huge quilt with 45,000 marks to help those who saw it understand the enormity of our inhumane immigrant detention system that locked up, on an average day in 2019, 45,000 people”. Squares came from all over the country, and one from Oaxaca, Mexico.

The Quilt has traveled widely, from Concord to Boston, Chicago and Cincinnati, before arriving at our Church. Would-be immigrants without visas are still being incarcerated, though in fewer numbers, by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

In Glen’s words, “We are still spending taxpayers’ money on jailing immigrants and filling the pockets of the corporations that run detention centers, when community-based approaches have been proven to cost much less and not further traumatize people who’ve experienced so much hardship already… People in many locations are seeing the Quilt and being challenged to ask the question: ‘shouldn’t things be different?’”

Viewing: The Quilt & Uncaged Art will be on display until Dec 19. Hours to visit for free are: Tues-Fri 10-3, Sat 10-2, and Mondays by appointment Office@ConcordUU.org.