Quilting and Textile Arts are powerful mediums for storytelling and cultural connection across diverse communities and histories. This series, through its collaborations, promotes cultural exchange by bringing together quilting, textile arts, and shared storytelling. The Heritage Museum of Asian Art has a long-standing commitment to serving the Asian American community, partnering with artists and cultural practitioners to preserve and promote the richness of Asian art, culture, and history. As a way to deepen this commitment, we knew we needed to cross cultural boundaries and build new relationships that foster solidarity between the Asian American and Black American communities.

During this project, three paid youth employees worked closely with the museum’s curatorial team and participating artists, gaining hands-on experience in program development, community engagement, and exhibition support. Their involvement was made possible through the Illinois Arts Council’s Youth Employment Grant.

This workshop and exhibition series is a space for racial healing, bringing two communities together to share cultural histories, personal narratives, and artistic expressions. Through this shared creativity, we hope to foster empathy, understanding, and respect for the intersections between our cultures. Throughout this series, we are collaborating with the Needles and Threads Quilters Guild, the HerArt Foundation, and the Abrahamic Center for Cultural Education.

The Stitching Stories project works to bridge the Black and Asian communities through the art of textile making and was made possible by Healing Illinois. Healing Illinois is funded by the Illinois Department of Human Services in partnership with The Field Foundation of Illinois.

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