to be committed to making their lives better. “If you aren’t equal you cannot have a successful project,” she says. She says children are the secret to success. “If you start with children first, the laughter of children will bring a smile to the adults’ faces,” she says. Everyone then is feeling happier, more optimistic, and motivated. Ms. Yeh and the community members transform dreary walls by adding colorful patterns and designs. They make baskets, sew, and paint. She gives children art supplies and games. Bringing art into a community inspires people to begin other projects to improve their lives, she says. They might choose to build more homes or make it easier to get clean water. Art became a passion for Ms. Yeh when she was 15 and growing up in Taiwan. She came to Philadelphia to earn a master of fine arts degree at the University of Pennsylvania. For many years Lily Yeh Using art to heal broken communities “Making art is powerful,” says Lily Yeh. It can be the spark to help people turn their lives around. For more than 20 years, Ms. Yeh has shared her passion for art to help heal “broken communities” from Philadelphia to Rwanda. A broken community, she says, is a place where people don’t have what they need to thrive. They may have experienced war, separation, poverty, or other traumas. Ms. Yeh finds these places heart- breaking and has chosen to do something about it. When she goes into a broken community, she first listens to the people to learn about the hardships they face and what they need to survive. Their physical needs are often basic. She also learns about their emotional needs. Then she shows them how together they can create joy and hope through art. Working with community members as equals is important to Ms. Yeh. She never lectures people. The community members need to be at the center of the healing process. They need 28 Illustration by Jayda Soto, William Cramp Fit Flyer