By: Sabrina Miller, Content Strategy Director
BALTIMORE, Md. – A Notre Dame of Maryland University professor is set to launch the Survivor Quilt Project, a new community initiative taking place in April in recognition of Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM). The project invites students, faculty, staff, alumni, and community members to come together through art, reflection, and healing.
Dr. Ariel Ludwig, assistant professor and chair of the Department of Criminology and Social Deviance and Sociology, developed the Survivor Quilt Project out of a desire to both honor the University's history and create something meaningful for the present community. When Dr. Ludwig arrived at NDMU, she inherited boxes of t-shirts from the University's long-running Clothesline Project, a national initiative in which survivors and allies decorate shirts to bear witness to the impact of sexual violence. Although the shirts had been nicely packed away, many had degraded over time and were no longer suitable for displaying.
Rather than allowing that history to be lost, Dr. Ludwig saw an opportunity. After laundering the shirts, her team began repurposing them into quilt squares, salvaging the meaningful artwork and messages they carried. New squares created by members of the NDMU community this April will be paired with the original Clothesline Project designs, so that each square will feature the meaningful artwork on one side and a fresh, community-created reflection on the other.
"We wanted to be able to do something this year for Sexual Violence Awareness Month, but we also wanted to make it green and sustainable," said Dr. Ludwig. "We figured we would salvage as much as we could, turn those into quilts, and then have the entire community of students, faculty, staff, and community members make their own squares as well."
At its heart, the Survivor Quilt Project is designed to be a safe, welcoming space for anyone who wishes to participate — whether they are a survivor, an ally, or simply a member of the community who wants to show their support. No prior art experience is necessary. The quilt-making sessions offer participants a meaningful outlet for free self-expression, providing an opportunity to process, reflect, and contribute to something larger than themselves. The project also serves as a powerful platform for raising awareness about sexual assault, consent, healthy relationships, and the resources available to members of the NDMU community.
The quilt-making sessions are open to all members of the NDMU community with no registration required. Participants are welcome to drop in at any time during the designated sessions. Dr. Ludwig hopes to engage at least 150 participants throughout the month. Those with questions or who would like more information are encouraged to contact Dr. Ludwig directly at aludwig@ndm.edu.
Once completed, the quilts will be displayed on campus as a visual representation of the University's commitment to survivor support, community solidarity, and the ongoing work of ending sexual violence. Dr. Ludwig envisions the project growing into an annual SAAM tradition, with new squares added each year to reflect the voices of each incoming generation of the NDMU community.
Here are the dates and location of upcoming quilt-making opportunities:
Established in 1895, Notre Dame of Maryland University (NDMU) is a private, Catholic institution in Baltimore, Maryland, with the mission to educate leaders to transform the world. Notre Dame has been named one of the best "Regional Universities North" by U.S. News & World Report.
