Zach Gordon Youth Center (ZGYC) is proud to host weaver Lily Hope and her team of mentor weavers for a year-long Community Pride Robe residency beginning July 7. Over the course of the year, the weavers will support Juneau youth in the creation of two Youth Pride Robes—one each in Chilkat and Ravenstail techniques, the two premiere woolen textiles of Northwest Coast—to be woven on-site at ZGYC and danced at Sealaska Heritage Institute’s Celebration 2024.
The “Weaving Our Pride” project brings together Native, non-Native, queer, straight, cis-gender, transgender, allies, and all identities youth to sit side by side and create a shared work celebrating pride, community, and self. Lily says, “Our best work as humans are the things we co-create together. At any age, we are stronger through meaningful manifestations bigger than any single one of us.”
The project kicks off with a First Friday event on Friday, July 7, from 4-8 p.m. All Juneau youth and supportive adults are invited to ZGYC (396 Whittier Street) to meet the weavers, learn how to thigh-spin, help cut the first warps, and spend time with friends.
After the Celebration, the robes will live at ZGYC as a permanent wearable art piece, to be worn only by youth during SHI’s biennial Celebration, graduations, new-names parties, coming out parties, and significant Native and non-Native Pride events.
This project is sponsored by Goldbelt Heritage, the Juneau Community Foundation, Central Council Tlingit & Haida, Sealaska Corporation, and Emma Goldman.