Justice Project Defense

By Alaina Wray

I. What did you end up doing for your project?

Marisa, Lorelia and I, a week prior to this action project being launched, had been
introduced to Kristy who works at 4 the Children a local organization that helps families in the
south west with safe exchanges, domestic violence against children cases, supervised parenting
time, sexal abuse/rape, CASA (cort apointed special advocates) and other similar child advocasy
needs. Kristy had shown us one of the rooms at their new facility in the hopes that we might be
able to help make it better. The room was a white that felt like an exam room, and there was a long
lawyer office table from their old location that definitely made you feel in trouble. At the time we
were unable to do anything for them. However, a week later when the project was launched all
three of us knew that we wanted to help them redo their room for the project.

The purpose of the room was very versatile, they needed it for visits (parent with kids they are unfit
to have custody over), meeting with their bord, as well as meetings with police, clients families, and
other professionals involved when a child is sexually assaulted or raped, so that there is a safe
comforting space where the child only has to tell their story once. There will also be a room in their
facility where a forensic interview can take place. With this in mind our goal was to create a trauma
informed space that is comforting, professional, and that fits all the needs listed above.

We started off by learning about trauma informed spaces as well as figuring out all that we wanted
to complete in the two week project. We then-after 30 minutes of analysing- picked out a blue for
the back wall and a grey for the other three walls. These colors are trauma informed because they
are calming cool colors that are found in nature. We then spent the majority of the time painting
the room. Due to the room being so large, our limited time a day, and the texture of the walls
calling for many coats of paint we spent the majority of our time painting. When we finished
painting we decorated with plants, cute lights, and framed photographs of nature. The plants and
pictures of nature helped to create a biophilic atmosphere that is very calming and good for a
trauma informed space. We also assisted Kristy and Ashely in getting rid of the lawyer table
mentioned above and picking out a rug. The rug helped to create a more homey space and had a
muted red to match the cherry branch pictures on the wall and the chairs they bought; it also had
purples to match the ugly carpet, and blue to match the accent wall. Finally, we exhibited the room
at an open house fundraising event they had.
My personal contributions were as follows: brainstorming, list making, painting, provider of some
brushes, collaborator, provider of ladders, picture hanger, provider of some plants, designor, ect.
As my strong suit was not fine painting I often painted the large spaces with the roller instead of
the edges by the trim, and as I love plants I bought in plants that were good for the space. I am also
a doer so I didn’t often get hung up on detail and was able to see the bigger picture and do what
was needed which helped the group move along. This was a pretty equal project and my group and
I each did everything together!

II. How did your project reflect your personal philosophy of justice?
My philosophy of justice is as I said in my first justice monologue is “speaking up
compassionately with love for those subject to injustice. As the Dali Lama says “What is required in
the face of injustice is strong compassion!” So let us be compassionate and loving, let's speak up for
each other, and make real change.” This is all rooted in what the bible says about justice as I quoted in
my monologue “(In) Jeremiah 22:3 it says: “This is what the Lord says: Do what is just and right.
Rescue from the hand of the oppressor, the one who has been robbed. Do no wrong or violence to the
foreigner, the fatherless or the widow and do not shed innocent blood in this place.” and in Proverbs
31:8-9 it says “Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are
destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy”. And God also says in
the second of his two greatest commandments “Love your neighbor as yourself”” As a believer I believe
that God is fair, just, love, and that all his words are true. This is why my philosophy of justice is rooted
in Him.

4 the Children is a child advocacy center, they speak up for children who can’t speak up for themselves.
They rescue children from the “hand of the (their) oppressor.” (Jeremiah 22:3). Painting and
decorating one of their rooms brings justice to the terrible situation these children and families are in
and helps further 4 the Children's efforts previously mentioned which is exactly what I believe to be
true justice and aligns perfectly with what I mentioned above about my philosophy of justice.

One of 4 the Children’s more difficult clients said in reference to the blue wall we painted, “it is the
same color as the physic ward in Pueblo….which is a good thing!” and Kristy said “When I saw the
wall painted I almost cried!” The transformation of the space has truly created a more calming and
biophilic atmosphere that has been good for both clients and the staff at 4 the Children. I am truly
excited that even this little thing will help so many people that pass through that space.
III. Did you do sufficient research and background work to pull off your project, take
an informed stance or succeed in your endeavors? Explain!
Coming into this project both Lorelai and Marisa had done research on
trauma-informed spaces and both knew what colors go together (something my brain
wouldn’t know). For example, we all knew we wanted an accent color for the back wall but
they both knew that blue would be better than green because too much green can create a
sickly feeling to the room. I like green and wouldn’t have known that. Other than that we
didn’t have to do any other research. We all had experience painting. Then decorating with
plants, pictures, and a rug was intuitive with all three of us having an interior designer's
mind.