Have you ever written a mission statement for your business or other organization?  We usually try to make them inspirational and empowering.

Well, how about this mission statement?  “Our mission is to embody the philosophy of combining art and beauty with the purpose of helping women overcome extraordinary circumstances of sex trafficking, abuse, and socioeconomic hardships. We believe through finding your own beauty, love and light, you are empowered to transform the world one woman at a time. By bringing to life the cast away or overlooked you transform your own hearth while breathing life into another.”

Lisa Clark, one of the women who lives by that beautiful mission statement, will be speaking at the April 27 Democratic Women’s Club meeting, telling and showing how she and her determined and devoted colleagues are actually helping to save women and children from lives of present-day slavery, indentured servitude and crushing poverty.

Ms. Clark is the proprietor of a textile art business, The Artful Pear, in Hendersonville.  According to Ms. Clark, “Our passion for art and design came together with our passion for women’s issues around the world. Starting with an ironing board workspace, a tea towel project exploded in an extraordinary way to reach across the earth and help women victimized by human trafficking.”

“Made for the kitchen, office, bath, living room, picnics, serving trays, etc., the Hearth Scarf provides a cheerful statement to brighten your everyday routine,” according to Clark. The hearth scarves use traditional colorful cotton sari fabric with decorative trim. Sales of these scarves directly fund programs helping women and children.

Sadly, the United States is not immune from sex trafficking and other abuse. Lisa and her colleagues work to help women here, too, in part by working with Mainstay, a Hendersonville shelter for women and children who’ve been victims of interpersonal violence.

Come hear Lisa Clark at the Democratic Women’s Club meeting on Monday, April 27, at 11 a.m. at Polk County Democratic Headquarters, 64 Ward Street, just in front of Steps to Hope in Columbus. All are welcome to attend this exciting event.  Both men and women are welcome as guests or as members of the club.

– Submitted by Renee McDermott