Native American Art and Human Trafficking Awareness Converge at Dorchester Arts Center

In a unique fusion of culture and social awareness, the Dorchester Center for the Arts (DCA) is hosting an exhibition featuring Strong Feather Creations’ Native American cloth dolls and the Red Sand Project’s human trafficking awareness board. The center, located in Cambridge, Maryland aims to broaden horizons through showcasing indigenous artistry while shedding light on pressing societal issues.

Denise “Strong Feather” Lowe-Williams, a Cambridge resident and member of the Narragansett Indian Tribe from Rhode Island, handcrafts these unique cloth dolls. Each doll is about 13-14 ½ inches tall, weighing between 4-7 ounces.

Their bodies, clothes, and moccasins are intricately made by Denise herself. The dolls, designed solely for display purposes due to small pieces of jewelry and beads, bear Strong Feather’s signature, creation date, and ID number on their backs.

Born into a family acclaimed in New England’s Native American art community, Lowe-Williams launched her own business in 2001—“Strong Feather Creations.” Her faceless creations aim to reflect that real expressions originate from the soul. These soulful creations can be purchased at the Studioworks Gift Shop at DCA.

Meanwhile, For All Seasons’ Red Sand Project has partnered with the Dorchester County Detention Center to raise awareness about human trafficking. Participants have filled sidewalk cracks with red sand as part of this initiative – symbolizing victims who have fallen through society’s cracks but continue existing in plain sight.

This stirring project was introduced to Kenneth Rodgers by Susan Ahlstrom from For All Seasons who works with incarcerated women at the detention center.

Together they created a grey board replicating a sidewalk where women could participate indoors in highlighting this critical issue—the adhesive filled board now stands as a permanent reminder within their facility.