The Path Of My Hands

Organizers: Caicu Inc.

Location: E. Robert Moore Neighborhood Senior Center

Participants: Migdalia Lebrón, Clara Viñas, Ernestina González, Gladys Echevarría, Jaunita Delgado, Astrid López, Susana Morales

Dates: June - July 2024

The Path Of My Hands is an artistic and archival project created by Caicu Inc. The project is made up of a series of theater, movement and creative writing workshops that lead to the creation of a live performance and a written publication. This time, it was the Super-Adults at the E. Robert Moore Center who embarked on a beautiful creative journey over the course of three weeks. Through Image Theater exercises, participants reminisced and shared details about various job experiences throughout their lives. Under the guidance of a teaching artist, their proposed gestures, images, and stories were transformed into a heart moving performance piece. The workshop culminated in a presentation featuring a choreographic performance and the distribution of a booklet titled, The Path of My Hands. Both the performance and the booklet highlight the trials and triumphs of a generation that has paved the way for Latinx communities in New York. With this booklet we honor our participant's life experiences and acknowledge the important role Super-Adults play in our society.

The booklet is a tribute to the resilient hands of older adults, capturing their enduring spirit through stories of labor in New York City and beyond. The Clemente is inspired by Puerto Rican poet/ singer/ songwriter El Topo’s verses celebrating working hands, as we explore the profound connections between our elders' histories and their hands.

Tus manos, recientes, renovadas

por el fuego y por los huesos

de los héroes se levantan.

Acarician y enamoran a la tierra

hasta dar con el dulzor

del trabajo, la esperanza.

Tus manos pequeñas y adorables

transparentes como un árbol

en la luz de la mañana.

Relucen en el campo

como un fruto.

Se mueven tan ligeras

como ramas

y de ella crece

el sueño del futuro,

el sueño del futuro de la patria

que está en tus manos. *

*Manos del Campo by Antonio Caban Vale aka El Topo.

This project highlights the stories behind the hands that have shaped both rural landscapes and urban environments. It honors those who migrated to New York City, bringing with them a wealth of experience and an unwavering work ethic. Each pair of hands serves as a map to the past, bridging the shape-making efforts that built our city.

Through their hands, we glimpse the unsung folks whose labor built and sustained communities. Their hands, renewed by fire and bone, cradled hope and perseverance, shaping dreams.

As you turn these pages, may you feel the strength, tenderness, and legacy of these remarkable individuals. This booklet is a testament to their invaluable contributions and a celebration of the labor that shapes our city.

-Libertad Guerra, Executive Director, The Clemente.