‘Gimme Sum Sugar’ raises funds for BRP
Written by Khadeine Ali
Photographed by Katherine Rountree
The Batey Rehab Project (BRP) hosted its third annual “Gimme Sum Sugar”
event last Saturday, Oct. 3 at Savannah Coffee Roasters in Savannah, GA. The event featured live shows from artists, live music and exhibitions with work from students spanning more than 20 majors.
BRP is a nonprofit, volunteer organization founded by Katie Godkin, a SCAD alumna with her MFA in architecture. BRP works in the South Batey Region in the Dominican Republic.
“Batey literally translates to Haitian migrant worker camp where 95% of the population in this region is unemployed, and sugar cane workers make $3.00 a day,” said Godkin.
BRP has grown drastically since its founding in 2012. Originally, the program opened only to students from the School of the Building Arts. Now BRP involves students from all majors, which Godkin said creates a highly collaborative atmosphere.
According to Godkin, the vision of BRP “is to create sustainability within the Batey community” and to “help the people so that they can continue to help themselves.”
Workshops are part of each venture trip, teaching locals how to create beaded jewelry and to sew tote bags.
This was BRP’s third “Gimme Sum Sugar” event, and the first hosted in Savannah. When Godkin created the event, she held it in Orlando, Florida where BRP is based. By holding it in Savannah she hopes to include and inform more staff and students about the project. Live jewelry exhibitions and live henna art were among the features of the evening.
“[BRP] is a unique experience,” said Bernie Thompson, third-year jewelry
design major from Malvern, Pennsylvania. “It’s rare to be able to do something that you love and also be able to help others.”
Thompson is among those who attended a BRP venture trip. For “Gimme Sum Sugar” she made brass and silver pieces that incorporated beading and larimar stones, which are native to the Batey region.
“[Gimme Sum Sugar] is good to create awareness,” said Thompson. “BRP is highly involved in the SCAD Community, but overall more people need to know more about it.”
“I chose to paint on the backpacks what reminded me of the Dominican Republic,” said Chantal Quamina, a fourth-year accessory design major from Chaguanas, Trinidad. “I chose hibiscus flowers because women would often wear them in their hair, and I chose meringue dancers because dancing is a popular pastime.”
Quamina went on her first venture trip last spring. The backpacks she painted during “Gimme Sum Sugar” were designed by Godkin and some SCAD students. Quamina’s senior collection will be based on poverty in the Caribbean.
“This past trip showed me how easy it is to take everything for granted,” said Quamina.
“Gimme Sum Sugar” serves as a doorway for students to get involved in the Godkin’s project. The successes of BRP’s trips are based on the diverse mindsets of the students and according to Godkin, “creativity has no end.”
For more information about the Batey Rehab Project visit the website here.
