We will be having a very special Art N' The Lobby this Wednesday 12:15pm-1pm in the downstairs lobby at our new West County Health Center. Personal Historian Trena Cleland will be joining us to talk about her amazing project. Please join us for this special program.
Legacy Letters (also known as ethical wills and spiritual biographies) :
Reflections and Reminiscences of HIV-positive Women
A project of Trena Cleland, personal historian
2011 - 2012
Here is a brief overview of this powerful work:
Legacy Letters: Reflections and Reminiscences of
HIV-positive Women
A project of Trena Cleland,
personal historian
2011 - 2012
Through Alameda County’s Innovative Grants Program (funded by the so-called “millionaire’s tax” passed by voters in 2004), funds became available for innovative projects that tap the positive wisdom and experience of mental health consumers, creating ways for them to participate in their own recoveries.
In Trena Cleland’s project, several HIV-positive women
in Oakland recorded their life lessons and values in lovely written documents
called Legacy Letters.
Legacy Letters (also known as ethical wills and
spiritual biographies) are statements of one's values, beliefs, and learnings
to pass on to future generations.
Through written exercises and oral history interviews,
Trena guided the participants in considering such questions as:
- What
values and principles have guided your life?
- What
important lessons have you learned?
- What
spiritual teachings and practices move you?
The responses were then edited and polished and
matched with family photos to create written testimonials for the participants
to share with loved ones. Creating these letters was empowering and healing for
the women, and they reported an increased sense of peace, confidence, and
well-being.
Trena will show samples of the Legacy Letters, provide
handouts and resources, and discuss the healing benefits of life review and
reminiscence.
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