Stitch Buffalo empowers refugee women through textile arts, offering space, training, and opportunities to create and earn from their craft.
When you enter Stitch Buffalo, a community hub in Buffalo, New York’s west side, it’s like walking into a rainbow, says Michelle Perkins, the organization’s development and communications director. “It’s brimming with hope, creativity and lovely, accepting, warm people.”
Upfront, the workshop boutique sells one-of-a-kind textile products made by local refugee women. Off to one side is a resale area where donated supplies and materials line shelves. Behind are studio spaces where artists work and students of all ages learn about textile arts. Members of the Refugee Women’s Workshop meet at the long communal table every day to make, taking advantage of supplies and equipment that have been donated. Wet processes like dyeing take place in another studio. Commercial and domestic sewing machines hum along with the steady beat of looms.
All this activity connects back to one thought founder and executive director Dawne Hoeg had in 2014.
A Shared Love of Textiles
A professor in the Art and Design Department at Buffalo State University, Hoeg noticed the wide variety of beautiful, traditional clothing worn by refugees living near the university. “She thought, ‘We have something in common here,’” Perkins says. “We all love textiles.”
Hoeg started with embroidery because it’s inexpensive and portable. Working with local resettlement organizations, she planned a drop-in workshop for refugee women at a local community room. Just one woman showed up for the first meeting, but word spread.
“It wasn’t too long before there were 60 to 90 people coming,” Perkins says. “It became clear that it was going to be more than just a community meetup.”
Many of the refugee women had textile art training, especially in embroidery, either from living in refugee camps, learning from family members or being taught in school.
Stitch Buffalo’s colorful Plymouth Avenue home features a vibrant retail shop where one-of-a-kind textile goods made by refugee women are sold.
“While we didn’t start off with the idea of making money – it started as a community endeavor to get people together – it was clear there was a level of artistry among the women who were showing up that made it possible for them to earn some much-needed money through sale of goods,” Perkins says.
The organization grew, became incorporated as a 501(c)3 nonprofit and was offered incubator space in a neighborhood building. Before long, they were bursting at the seams. The move to their current larger space at 284 Plymouth Avenue at Connecticut Street, has allowed the organization to offer more programs and services, including:
- Textile art studios with equipment and space for sewing, weaving, dyeing and more.
- A wide range of community classes including textile arts camp for children.
- Second Stitch, where donated goods that aren’t used in the Refugee Women’s Workshop are sold.
- A retail shop with items made by refugee women, ranging from jewelry to accessories to home goods.
- Custom sewing and tailoring services provided by refugee women.
- Small-scale manufacturing services.
Hometown Connections
Therese Forton-Barnes, a Buffalo Bills super fan, is one of the local entrepreneurs who turned to Stitch Buffalo for the manufacturing of her now iconic furry water buffalo hats that fans wear to Bills’ games.
Because she wanted the hats to be made locally, Forton-Barnes followed up on a recommendation she received for Stitch Buffalo. “I met with Dawne, brought in all the materials and one prototype. She said she had the perfect people to make these hats.”
Munawara Sultana, from Pakistan, Palwasha Basir from Afghanistan, and Hkawng Lung, from Burma, took on the job. After making thousands of hats, these women are now training additional members of the Refugee Women’s Workshop on the project — and several sewists, including Sultana, have joined the Stitch Buffalo staff.
“These crazy hats have tied so many different communities together,” Forton-Barnes says. “They have changed lives.”
A welcoming hub for learning and connection, Stitch Buffalo brings together refugees, neighbors, students, and volunteers to create, share skills, and build community.
Growth Follows
The reasons behind Stitch Buffalo’s success vary. “I feel like there’s some magical chemistry here that made it possible at all,” Perkins says.
“One of the things that’s special to Stitch Buffalo is that we started from a place of diversity. A lot of arts organizations that I talk to are trying to figure out how to build diversity in their organization.”
Being in the community is key, since many in their population don’t have cars. Maintaining a homey, comfortable space reinforces the mission. “We’re trying to be grassroots, approachable and humble,” she says, “and a place where everybody and anybody can feel comfortable.”
She also credits founder Dawne Hoeg’s propensity to take leaps of faith.
“Dawne is a very ‘say yes’ kind of person. Let’s take this on and we will figure out how to make this work for us,” Perkins says.
The approach establishes relationships that bear fruit, if not immediately, then in the long run. “Being receptive and open to just about any collaboration or crazy idea that people come to us with has really paid off.”
The Stitch Buffalo benefits have accumulated: Refugees have a source of income and hone English language skills as they work together. Traditions and skills are shared with neighbors, both long-time residents and those new to the area. Local designers don’t need to offshore manufacturing of their goods. Residents take advantage of classes and can purchase artisan-made items. Donations and resale keeps supplies out of the landfill and creates a resource for residents and students in the textile course at nearby Buffalo State. Volunteers reap the rewards of helping.
In addition, Stitch Buffalo’s growth means a formerly derelict factory building now hums with activity and brings life to its neighborhood with a colorful wrap-around mural. The Buffalo AKG museum’s public art initiative worked with Stitch Buffalo to design the artwork. Public paint days followed. “Local businesses, schools, community members… Everybody got to lay hands on the actual process,” Perkins says.
The finished mural depicts the stages of making, from images of raw materials near the back of the building to stitching to final products shown near the front door. Most prominent is the embroidered heart ornament, a perennial favorite and one of the first products made by refugees. A tag on every one of these hearts reads: Buffalove.
Janice Brewster Weiser
contributor
