A Weekend of Creativity, Connection, and Community!
A little over a week ago, our community came together for a powerful weekend of creativity, reflection, and belonging. We began on Friday, September 18th with United Against Silence at The Mansion at Strathmore, where veterans and civilians gathered to share stories, art, and connection. The following morning, we continued at Rockwood Manor for A Day of Belonging, filling the campus with writing, music, meditation, improv, and art making. Each space held its own kind of energy—quiet moments of reflection, bursts of laughter, and the steady hum of people creating side by side.
We are deeply grateful to Strathmore for co‑presenting the full weekend with us—United Against Silence and A Day of Belonging—and to the Arts and Humanities Council of Montgomery County, the Maryland State Arts Council, and the Walter Reed Society for their support. Special thanks as well to Dog Tag Inc., Costco, Safeway, and Wegmans Food Markets of Rockville, whose generosity helped keep everyone nourished throughout the day.
United Against Silence was guided by Seema Reza and her co‑host, the extraordinary Ryan Artes, and we were honored to welcome an incredible lineup of evening performers: Kevin Basl, El’Ja Bowens, Jess Bunin, MD, MHPE, Anne Friedman, George Goetzke, Joan Sullivan Green, Linda Hyman, Joe Merritt, Dave Murphy, Emily Oneschuk, Diane Osborn, Cathrine Schmid, Eli Wright, Strathmore Artist in Residence Juan Manú, and Strathmore’s own Lauren Campbell, who closed the night with a beautiful Dolly Parton song.
At A Day of Belonging, we were fortunate to have COL (ret) Jess Bunin, MD, MHPE as our keynote speaker, offering wisdom and grounding to begin the day. Music filled the campus thanks to Wytold and Christylez Bacon, who opened the morning, and Jazz Singer‑Songwriter Dominique Bianco and guitarist Knox Engler, who provided soulful lunch‑hour tunes. We ended the day with joy and rhythm led by Kofi Dennis, whose presence brought everyone together one final time.
Our hands‑on creative spaces were made possible through the generosity of our partners: The Art League for supplying easels, Frontline Arts for papermaking equipment, District Clay Center for tools for paper clay making, the Cohen Veterans Network Clinic at Easterseals DC MD VA for providing military kits to our military and military‑connected participants, and SPARTA for joining us on campus and tabling with the community.
Most of all, thank you to everyone who came, created, shared, and held space with us—and to those whose donations made this weekend possible. Your presence is what transforms these gatherings into true community.
