US and Afghan Women Veterans Connect, Heal, Transform, and Inspire through Art
As the world focuses on other conflicts, Afghan and U.S. Servicewomen Continue to Grapple with the fall of Kabul more than two years later
“Raha” which translates to “release” from the Dari language in Afghanistan, is a joint art project between Afghan and U.S. women military veterans and a partnership between equals — The Command Purpose Foundation; Sisters of Service, a collection of women veterans from the U.S. Cultural Support Teams and their Afghan sisters in arms; and artist Jenn Hassin — and demonstrates the power of art as a medium to process transition. Project Raha took flight on the two-year anniversary of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, bringing together a diverse group of women committed to creating something extraordinary.
This exhibition not only shares a glimpse into the strength, perseverance, and profound connections of U.S. and Afghan veteran women who served alongside one another in Afghanistan for twenty years, but also serves as a visual reminder of a conflict long forgotten. It is a testament to friends and service members lost, an ode to the women who forged bonds of sisterhood through service, and a story of collective healing for all post-9/11 veterans that transcends national and cultural divides.
As part of Project Raha, U.S. and Afghan women veterans joined forces for two art retreats in Texas to transform materials tied to memories from their time in service into paper and pulp. These materials included old military uniforms, traditional Afghan clothes, hijabs and shemages, as well as clothing worn during the evacuation effort. Through this creative process, they honored loved ones lost, memories forgotten, and friendships reborn anew. Veterans Day weekend, we invited the public to join us in commemorating the service and sacrifices of our veterans, while celebrating the resilience of these women who continue to inspire in the face of hardship.
The art associated with this beautiful project is exhibited at Affirmation Arts from November 2nd to November 30th. The following were ways our broader community engaged in this culminating phase of Project Raha.
At 6pm on Thursday, November 2nd, Affirmation Arts opened its doors to this new exhibit. This served as a time to celebrate and come together and engage with labors of love, hope and release.
This event was graciously sponsored by
The evening of Thursday, November 9th, a private gala was held to highlight the story of transformation founded in sisterhood at Affirmation Arts. This small and intimate gathering represented a powerful venue to share stories and instill comraderie.
Project Raha created pieces that represent transforming trauma into hope. One of our favorite quotes from the women involved with this project, “Art releases you from the jail that you are in” proliferates the artwork that this community created over the past three months.
The formal auction closed November 13th.
This auction was powered by
Project Raha Art Auction: The Power of Equal Exchange
“Helping is not a relationship between equals…Service is.” Project Raha is the manifestation of this idea, stated so eloquently by Dr. Rachel Remen. By serving each other, we strengthen each other and in doing so, we build the foundations for enduring healing after the long conflict in Afghanistan.
Embracing the concept of an equal exchange of service, the proceeds of this art auction are divided equally among partners in service. Donors who purchase a piece of art from Project Raha may claim a charitable contribution deduction for the excess of the purchase price paid for an item over its fair market value. These funds will be used to continue serving veteran women experiencing transitional times in their lives, in accordance with Command Purpose’s 501(c)(3) mission of serving veteran women as they transition from the military. The distribution of funds were as follows:
30% to Jenn Hassin, for her contribution as the US veteran artist and heartbeat of this project as a healing veteran herself. Her work, rooted in the transformation of personal artifacts carrying histories of trauma, breathes life into the very matter they’re composed of. This donation allows Jenn to continue her livelihood as an artist and continue to focus on healing communities through artwork and community practice.
30% to Command Purpose Foundation, for providing the venues for the Afghan and US military women to come together and embrace the transition of resettling and healing from the Global War on Terror Conflict. This donation empowers the organization to provide similar programming for veteran women and other communities of need.
30% to Sisters of Service, for serving as the sisterhood between these US and Afghan women who served alongside each other, and providing a trusted channel for them to engage with the broader community of support. This donation provides them the ability to provide pathways of service to the women interested in continuing their transition from the military into different opportunities, along with venues to process this transition through acts of inspiration and sisterhood.
10% to art advisory consultation, who Command Purpose Foundation leaned on to provide services for Project Raha. In particular, we trusted their knowledge around how to share the artwork and raise the funds needed to support this act of service.
Thank you to everyone who supported this project, we continue to embrace our connection with our sisters in arms, even after Project Raha completed in 2023.
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