By Alicia Stemper/Vitamin O
Through her Floraffiti project, founder and event-coordinator Carter Hubbard works with spoken word poet Josephus Thompson and local youth. Floraffiti’s tagline is “Bringing Words to Life and Life to Words.” Participants write and distill poetry into one significant word which is then planted in crimson clover in locations throughout Chapel Hill and Carrboro. The words grow, an art offering to the community; a reminder that community voices are the seeds of tomorrow. Thompson challenges participants to answer the question, “What are you going to do here on this earth?” Hubbard notes the project “…puts a spot light on the arts in a way that is non-traditional” and she reminds folks that “We all bring a piece of ourselves to whatever we are doing. By planting your words, you are able to share a part of yourself and build connection.” Hubbard splits her time between the Triangle and Portland, Oregon. When she leaves here, she finds herself with a fresh perspective on “all the things I took for granted – the incredible connections.” Her biggest advice to others is “Just go and do.”