In this uplifting dialogue Valentine is sharing how her organization is offering women who are living in poverty stricken communities a way to earn a livable wage that supports themselves and their families. By partnering and building alliances with artisans around the world, women are rewriting their futures through jewelry making and fabric art. Valentine was the mother of a two-year old daughter when her second daughter Bryn was born prematurely, no bigger than a dollar bill at birth and weighing under 2 pounds. She says, “We were very, very lucky to have resources and the best doctors in the world.” She describes how her Aunt Jane did a long-distance healing that tapped into a field of non-verbal communication with the baby in which she received instructions she conveyed to Valentine that made baby Bryn stronger and stronger. When she finally brought four-pound, baby Bryn home, Valentine’s dearest friend Angela Melfi brought up an idea to start a business to help import products made by women and sell them through a direct sales channel creating global connections for woman artisans in developing countries as equal partners. Even though Valentine was beyond busy with this new baby she said yes to this idea and here she describes what unfolds. This work she says, “Really boils down to the family values and staying in integrity around who I want to be in the world. I believe that if we all work together, we could end systemic global suffering in our lifetime. That’s what I’m committed to and being a part of this community [gives me the] support I need to be able to continue on this journey.” Threads Worldwide offers a way for many mutually beneficial partnerships to blossom and share in the wealth.
