Designer Cynthia Davis is bursting with heart and impact! Cynthia has a flourishing business with her Cynthia Designs, which seems like a fulfilling full-time job. But not for Cynthia who extends her creativity to support refugees in Bridgeport, Connecticut.
“The heart of the program, Our Woven Community, is to provide a skill to refugee women that can help them to earn a supplemental income so they can become more economically self-sufficient.” Cynthia Davis
Through the unique nonprofit, refugee women can address their needs for help financially to integrate into the community; find camaraderie and more; all through—sewing! I wanted to find out about Cynthia’s motivation and Our Woven Community’s refugee women who are successfully turning out beautiful handbags, scarfs, pillows and more. They are amazing. You’ll see!
Photo: Cynthia with Gabriel Bol Deng, South Sudan/Courtesy Cynthia Davis
EYE: How did helping refugees from around the world become so important to you?
CYNTHIA DAVIS: After completing the Carl Wilkens Fellowship with United to End Genocide and working with the STAND organization as a parent liaison in 2006, I met Gabriel Bol Deng, one of the Lost Boys of Sudan in 2009.
His story and the plight of refugees fleeing from terrors of war and violence became a focal point of my volunteer work. I worked with Gabriel to help him bring his dream of formal education to his village in South Sudan, which now serves thousands of children.
It was through the fellowship and working on the board of Gabriel’s organization, Hope for Ariang, that my desire to deepen my education and support for refugees took root.
EYE: Yes, and then following that experience came the idea for Our Woven Community?
CYNTHIA: In 2015, at age 50, and after a trip to South Sudan with Gabriel, I entered the SIT Masters program where I studied social entrepreneurship and non-profit management. My focus was on organizations founded to help vulnerable populations earn a supplemental income.
When I connected with our local refugee resettlement organization in Connecticut, I began to learn about refugees in my neighborhood and the incredible need to support their integration into the community.
I chose to focus on this for my thesis and worked directly with CIRI (Connecticut Institute for Refugees and Immigrants) to launch a pilot. Thus, Our Woven Community began and now thrives at the Burroughs Center in Bridgeport, Connecticut. The founding women came from Congo. Since then we have had participants from Rwanda, Burundi, Burkina Faso, Eritrea, Guatemala and Afghanistan.
Photo: Artisan Nyankombwa selling at community fair
EYE: What makes OWC pieces unique?
CYNTHIA: Let’s begin with the fact the items are all made by local resettled refugees. So OWC products support women in our own neighborhood. Each item also has the story of each woman who made it, so the purchaser can learn a little about the artisan. I have heard from many customers say that they keep the item for years but never remove the tag.
Next, each item has a piece of fabric from either Africa (the continent of our first five founding women) or from Afghanistan. We are working on adding more to keep the connection between the women and their home countries and culture.
The women get excited when they see the fabrics from their country. An OWC item cannot pass quality control without this international fabric.
EYE: I understand you are proudly “green?”
CYNTHIA: All other fabrics are donated from community members, designers and local design houses. We recycle hundreds and hundreds of pounds of new fabric from designer sample books and fabric bolts that would be dumped in landfills. We consider each item a recycled and environmentally friendly creation.
EYE: Is there more to OWC than learning to sew?
CYNTHIA: There is so much more to OWC. Some of the highlights are the artists in the program have an opportunity to be in community with other women who have been through similar experiences. They receive paychecks that have covered significant expenses. They include paying credit card bills, car payments, utilities, paying off their family’s resettlement flights and purchasing supplies for the home. Women have learned to open a bank account and deposit checks.
EYE: What have you seen with the women in the program?
CYNTHIA: We have seen women from the same country laughing, dancing and sharing ideas, culture and language. They are from all different countries, caring for each other’s children, picking up and returning packages for women who can’t come, sharing bus and car rides.
Even when we have women training together who speak different languages, the sewing machine acts as a vehicle for them to learn and be in community.
After a few months of training an artist will also receive a sewing machine for home use. It is a very exciting day for us in the program when an artisan earns her home machine! This enables her to complete sewing work at home. Participants have told us it relieves boredom and provides them with a therapeutic activity.
EYE: What skills do the women acquire?
CYNTHIA: Giving the artists the chance to use and develop creative and decision-making and business skills, they have the ability to self-assess progress and take steps for improvement. They find and help each other identify mistakes and resolve them both in the sales booth and in sewing workshop.
They are encouraged to communicate when they want to change fabrics; notice materials missing; and also participate in new production development working on and changing prototypes.
👉 Check out the OWC Store to see more items.
EYE: What has been the most impactful refugee story?
CYNTHIA: Every volunteer for OWC has her own impactful story to tell. One of the highlights for me was when one of our refugee artists was moving to Colorado. I ran to the bus stop to see her before she left, and I climbed on the bus to say goodbye.
Halfway down the bus I saw her in a seat hugging her sewing machine on her lap. I knew at that moment this was one of her most important possessions for many reasons. It gave me so much joy.
EYE: What is the connection you have between your creative business and the outreach program OWC?
CYNTHIA: When developing OWC, I imagined a product that would be creative. However, the idea had to come from the refugees themselves. We held focus groups with refugee women, which lead us to sewing. The first designs and ultimately the whole look of the products emerged from my art studio where we cut and designed the first prototypes.
They are culturally inspired by our African artisans. So if you see me, my fashion and you see the OWC products, you will most likely notice the connection. All color, pattern embroidery, tassels!
EYE: With your flourishing design business, Cynthia Designs, you create stencils and wall coverings for your Wallovers, as well as jewelry design, denim jackets and art restoration…..and you are a Yoga teacher. Wow! Where do you get your inspiration and energy?
CYNTHIA: I found once I started doing what I love, the rewards followed. People started to gravitate towards what I offer maybe because it’s coming from the heart. I believe people know when there is passion and authenticity in something and when there is not.
My inspiration comes in so many different ways, from people, reading, travel, nature, just seeing pops of color or visiting a museum can move me creatively and inspire me to get out the paints.
Yoga started changing my life three decades ago. It’s a never-ending practice of calm and growth. I am so grateful to have yoga as my tool to navigate the journey. Being a yoga teacher allows me the honor of offering what I have learned and perhaps help someone else find it as a tool for peace.
EYE: What design trends are you seeing now for walls?
CYNTHIA: Painted walls have changed so dramatically from when I started sponging walls in the 80’s. Stencils are not the ducks and hearts of old country borders. We continue to create new and contemporary designs playing with geometric shapes and strong bold color and lines. We also still offer the classic damasks and ornament that withstand the test of time.
The latest trend I am seeing is really a connection to nature. Our newest stencil design is called “Fern” and mushroom designs on textiles are big now too. I love creating patterns and almost everything I see could be one.
Photo: Cynthia wearing one of her specially designed jackets/Courtesy Cynthia Davis
EYE: What about the jackets and jewelry you design?
CYNTHIA: I have always loved textiles. I have been a collector of vintage fabrics and fabrics from around the world. I can’t resist an embroidered or woven fabric. I now use this collection to upcycle and decorate used clothing. The jewelry is another chance to create designs with color and pattern on a small scale and every piece I make is unique.
Like a blank wall or canvas I just envision something and want to create it. I hope my customers will see the creative energy, love and design I put into every piece I make.
EYE: Does being a yoga instructor actually help in your busy life and creatively?
CYNTHIA: I challenge my creativity and memory muscle every time I create a yoga class. Yoga is a constant reminder to be aware. Be aware of my energy and how it affects others, be aware of the precious moments I am in, and how I can be less reactive and more calm.
I am constantly witnessing my own behavior and patterns and inquiring of myself, “How can I be more mindful and be a better person?” I truly believe yoga is a vehicle for peace. When we can navigate our life with some ease and calm, we become a conduit for compassion. That energy reverberates way beyond us. This peace frees me to be more creative, more loving, more patient, more grateful. So yes, yoga affects everything I do.
EYE: I understand you take women on a retreat to Marrakesh. What was your inspiration to do this?
CYNTHIA: When I first went Marrakesh for a design project I fell in love with it. I knew I would be back. The colors, designs, artisan creations, all of it exploded in my heart. I returned a couple more times and realized, like yoga, I wanted to share my passion.
So I decided to take groups of women on a “Marrakesh Immersion” retreat. It’s not yoga trip. It’s a way for women to experience Marrakesh the way I did with, of course, a little yoga!
EYE: When you have a chance to pause and look at your life’s adventure so far, what do you find has surprised you?
CYNTHIA: What has surprised me most is the incredible capacity of people. I have met humans who have resiliency, hope and compassion that is unimaginable. They are my teachers. I’m also surprised by our ability to continuously grow and how each moment is a new opportunity to be better. It gives me hope and excitement for the years ahead of me.
We are never fully grown, and life’s teachers are all around us. There’s always a chance to start anew, a bit further along the path of gratitude, love and awareness.
EYE: What is most important to you going forward?
Photo: Cynthia with OWC Project Manager Therese Lefever (r) and OWC artist and sewing trainer Nabila (l).
CYNTHIA: My family is the absolute most important thing in my life. My husband and I met in college and will celebrate our 38th anniversary this May. His creativity and entrepreneurship is honestly what has given me the opportunity I have had to do what I love.
My son and my daughter are my best friends and my biggest teachers. They are what moves my energy and inspire me to be better.
I am grateful for this long life with my parents, celebrating their 70th wedding anniversary and all their wisdom. I have three beautiful sisters I love.
Next, I am grateful to Michael Quan, the Education Director of the Burroughs Center, the Burroughs Board and Therese Lefever, Program Manager, who have put their hearts and souls into making OWC so successful.
For myself, I want to keep growing, staying open minded and full of more love each day. That will take me where I need to go.
EYE: Cynthia, your compassion and creative vision are amazing! I encourage all TWE readers, subscribers and friends to check out the unique and beautiful items Our Woven Community makes….and make a difference! Continued success in all your arenas, Cynthia!
Photos Courtesy Our Woven Community unless otherwise noted.
Social Media for Cynthia Davis and OWC:
Website: Our Woven Community
Cynthia’s website: cynthiadesigns.com
Cynthia’s instagram: cynthiadesignart
Instagram: @burroughscenter
Instagram: @wordsfrommymat (yoga studio)
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