HER NAME IS JYOTI

Jyoti's huipil is an homage to the 23 yr. old  woman who died after she was gang raped on a bus in Delhi, India in December, 2012.  It is also an homage to her father, the hero in this tragic tale. Overcoming the traditions of secrecy and shame that have always surrounded rape in his culture, he has spoken her name publicly: "Her name is Jyoti Singh Pandey."  He has denounced the culture of rape in his country, and the shame that goes with it, so that his daughter's life and her death will not be forgotten.  

  The small blue patch peeking out beneath the veil is embroidered in gold thread with the words "imagine a world without violence", or something like that, in Hindi. The fabric was purchased on my first trip to Delhi in 2010, the embroidery was done in Nepal. I thought I was making them for the Mariposas. Who would have guessed how it would come to be used in 2013.  Here's to lifting the veil; we must expose the wrong if we are going to change it.