GROWING ROOTS

Second Iteration

From June to August 2024, Mohammed Zaqout and Cathy gathered with a group of asylum seekers in Vancouver every Sunday, to get to know local trees through drawing, poetry, storytelling and fabric collage. Participants were from Afghanistan, Colombia, Iran, Peru, Iraq, and Southern Mexico.

We hope that being familiar with the trees that grow here will aid in becoming grounded in this country.

Each of the participants also made a puppet of themselves, as the superhero they’d like to become.

A creative exploration of trees

Coordinator/ host: Mohammed Zaqout

Principle Facilitator: Cathy Stubington

Guest Artist: Ada Dragomir & Thomas Conlin Jones

Tree Tour Guide: Willoughby Arevalo

Participants: Sanaz Dadashi, Mohsen Emami, Zahra Salehi, Esmael Sakhi Zada, Elizabeth Bendenu, Luis Arbry, Alma Iris Guzman, Hector Hugo Herrera Escobar, Yuli Liliana Gamboa, Karzan Mohammed, Khanda Ali, Kanar Khidhir and Nour Ahnad.

We are grateful to Kinbrace Community Society for welcoming us into their space for our gatherings

Thank you to the BC Arts Council for supporting this second iteration of Growing Roots.

We would also like to acknowledge the first Iteration of Growing Roots, which was possible thanks to

The Only Animal Theatre and The Ethos Lab. We also acknowledge guest artist Pat Beaton.