Donna Gentile: Connecting with Community Through Communication

Teacher, musician and artist Donna Gentile knows how to set up a space to encourage creativity.

At a recent meeting with About Town, Gentile expressed her passions for musical story telling; arts that express a connection to community; and creative tools for developing self-awareness. It was a whirlwind of a show and tell.

First there was Gentile herself, dressed in a flowing dress colored in a peacock’s rainbow. To her right was a basket full of small, porcelain dishes filled with strips of paper on which were written affirmations: I manifest my dreams. I choose peace. I am letting go. I am moving forward. I am a thriver.

Small stones scattered on the table before her held complimentary declarations: Truth. Gratitude. Heart. Then, she played an original song on her guitar.

Gentile has a lot to say about her goals to create arts and musical programming that will enhance community connections and communication between people.

AT: What brought you to this work?

DG: I had a magical childhood living in the woods of Barkhamsted. My parents were musicians and encouraged my creativity. My view of the world, however, was not very realistic. I didn’t know about tragedy in the world.

At about age 25, I started becoming aware that many children had been abused. My response was to turn inward and get sad. I felt I couldn’t change the world. By feeling overwhelmed, however, I developed empathy and wanted to do something about helping others. I meditated and prayed on how I could do it.

Then, I got a really good piece of advice. A close friend told me that if I can let go of wanting to change the world, which I cannot control, that I could instead focus on my own community, where I could affect change and make an impact.

AT: There are a number of creative tools you use to connect with the community. One is the Community Mandala Project.                  

DG: A mandala is a circle. We create a circle within another circle that radiates out and represents what’s important to you in your community. It’s art and story telling for healing.

The basis of the mandala is to tell the story of who a person is now. So, someone who is a victim of domestic abuse, is in pain or has suffered a trauma doesn’t have to stay in that place. They can write the story of where they are now and where they are going versus just focusing on their pain and trauma.

The mandala is typically filled with mantras, symbols and artwork that we create. The project is customized for each community or group of people. When we’re done, there is this beautiful art work with positive affirmations, gifted to you by others, that remind and support you in your life or recovery.

The mandala is a visual piece of art that also honors and gives back to the community and to those who have helped along the way.

I am developing expressive arts, music and story telling mandala workshops for healing, empowerment and strengthening people and communities. I want to encourage others to use their life experiences to tell their own story.

Another part of the workshop will be a huge, group mandala which can be installed in a public place, so that its messages of empowerment can get out there and affect change.

AT: One of the focuses of the work you do revolves around building up survivors of abuse.

DG: Using Susan Omilian’s surviving to thriving philosophy, you can learn to go beyond the pain and oppression of the past, which is keeping you down, stuck in anger, holding you frozen in fear and shame. You can leave all that in the past because it does not define you.

We are all connected by pain, regardless of where we’re from. We can all relate to pain. But, I’m not interested in feeding shame, anger and control. Instead, I’m interested in connecting to building the self.

For a while, I was isolating myself. I came out of this isolation, after a series of painful experiences. Things kept showing me that I needed to connect with people and let go of the fear. I’m ready for abundance and know that I deserve it!

AT: Another one of your interests is story telling. Specifically, your 'Wisdom of the Elders' project.

DG: The Wisdom of the Elders project provides a forum for our elders to speak and share their wisdom with younger generations. An elder is a person who’s lived and exhibits wisdom.  We used to listen to these stories, sitting by the fire and at dinner time. There is a void in our culture filled by this project.

AT: This work is all obviously very personal to you. In 2009 you wrote, “This is Me.” So, is this you? 

DG: It is about telling my own story; who I am now in this very moment. It’s about dreaming the big dreams for tomorrow; believing in myself and inspiring others to do the same; to show our beautiful colors, like a stunning peacock!

Excerpt from, “This is Me,” by Donna Gentile

Here’s some wisdom I found  my friend, it’s called, “living well is the best revenge.” It starts with the courage, the fight to survive and ends with the glory of living to thrive.

Here’s the Deal

www.donna-g.com; www.facebook.com/DonnaGentileMusic;

www.communitymandalaproject.com; www.facebook.com/CommunityMandalaProject