For their installation, Brocados: Life, Sueños, Magic and Ilusiones, the artists Patricia Cazorla and Nancy Saleme interviewed former Latina seamstresses and workers who once worked in the textile factories that populated Philadelphia and the North East. Most of these factories are now gone. The job was strenuous and they worked long hours. Their earnings were often based on the amount that they were able to produce, and for many this was their first job. A few learned how to sew and cut before they could speak a word of English. The women started this work at a very young age. It became all they knew how to do. Some employers treated them well, others did not. Life was often difficult, and the country was alien to them, but they met these challenges head on, with dignity. With their earnings they help support their families in Puerto Rico and other parts and started new families in the states. Their proudest moments was when they saw their children graduate college and knew that their family back home were well provided. They were everyday heroes.
Posted on: Wed, 07 May 2014 09:51:48 +0000
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