Call for Survivors: Soulfire 2023
Soulfire 2023 is a collection of art based on the experiences of adult survivors of child sexual trauma. For the past ten years, Soulfire has been taking place in the Lansing community as a fundraiser for the holistic healing programs of The Firecracker Foundation and a community child sexual abuse awareness project. Since 2013, The Firecracker Foundation has worked with artists who produced self-portrait works or collaborated with survivors to share their stories.
The Soulfire Project Digital Photo Album is a collection of survivor-submitted stories and images similar to Humans of New York.
This year, we are focusing this storytelling project on BIPOC survivors of CSA with identities that match the community we serve — people who come from communities that have been historically marginalized by white supremacy and systemic oppression.
We ask that you submit a short reflection (500 words or less) of your life based around one (or more) of our 3 themes:
- Disclosure-ready Community — stories that highlight the person who responded to a survivor’s story by believing, supporting, and helping survivors get what they need to heal.
- Resiliency + Coping — stories that highlight the resiliency + coping skills of survivors to help other survivors see and celebrate those same skills in themselves.
- Survivors Save Themselves — stories that highlight how survivors are not often rescued by law enforcement but they do find ways to save themselves.
Along with your story, we ask that you submit 1 – 3 images that represent your story. These can be images of you, of a place or an object that holds some significance to you and your story, or an image of someone who is central to your story (with their permission, of course). These do not need to be current images; old photographs or images may also be submitted.
You are not limited to one theme. Your reflection and images may incorporate all three of this year’s themes. Stories and images submitted before April 1st will be woven together into a central art piece by local BIPOC artist Ana Holguin.
