FIRT Steps Together with the Cape Cod Children’ Place is honored to present the Ribbons for Recovery art installation, a traveling display that visually represents the many pathways to healing from substance use. During Recovery Month, the Cape Cod team traveled to over 20 spots on the Cape to display this work.
Billie Starks, FIRST Steps Together Social Worker shared, “even the most experienced among us continue to learn about the insidious ways that stigma creates injustice, perpetuates trauma, and prevents attainable and sustainable recovery. It’s so difficult to bridge the knowledge gap for those who don’t understand disparities in systems for those living with addiction as compared with other medical diagnoses. Art and visual representation is an alternative pathway to opening hearts and minds to the herculean efforts mounted by individuals and families we serve. The creative minds on the FIRST Steps Together Cape Cod Team brainstormed about visual representation [with many factors -in mind] They then decided on a plan: Past and present participants of our FIRST Steps Together Community were surveyed, including team members. Materials were gathered in an iterative process- a rope, key rings, pins, ribbons of various colors, carabiners, bungee cords. Ribbons were each cut and assembled to represent 42 unique stories and a placard and color key display was created. The weight, emotional and physical, required some additional processing and self care time for team members”
We believe in deconstructing stigma and constructing recognition and honor those who have chosen a recovery journey in whatever form. The process of identifying the catalyst for recovery is not for the faint of heart and should be understood and appreciated by community member from all walks of life. The disease of addiction does not have to cast one into the shadows to suffer and recover alone. Our wish is for the ribbon to illuminate all the possibilities for pathways to recovery identified by parents served by our program and their children and light the way for others who may still feel like they’re wandering in the dark.
The Ribbons to Recovery is a beautiful tribute to folks whose lives have been affected by substance use. Seeing this tribute shared around the community was inspiring and gives a lot of room for thought. The visual representation that people’s journeys are different is important. It signifies that recovery is for everyone, regardless of their experiences. The display was hung around multiple spots in the community, including a playground, the fire station and the beach. People had the chance to read the description, learn more about what recovery means, and how to honor people affected by substance use during recovery month. Viewers could see a visual representation of a collection of stories shown with these ribbons. Each story is important and each set of ribbons stands for someone’s journey.
