Mennonite Heritage Centre Gallery located at Canadian Mennonite University in Winnipeg is getting ready for the opening of a new exhibit Friday (September 9th) night We Are Your Future.

Through a partnership with the agency Atzin in Mexico, the paintings, etchings and weavings have come together for this exhibition which showcase the women of Tlamacazapa, almost all of whom are weavers, and are the future and hope of the community.

Gallery Curator, and exhibitor in “We Are The Future”, Ray Dirks joined us on Thursday's Morning Show to share the details of the exhibit.

The paintings, etchings and weavings showcase the women of Tlamacazapa, Mexico, and how they are the future and hope of the community. It was through a number of connections between Ray and the agency Atzin in Mexico and David and Ruth Wiens, originally from Morden, who volunteered with it, that the exhibition came together and ultimately made it's way here.

Winnipeg is the first Canadian stop of We Are Your Future, and Ray spoke about the importance of having the exhibition in our province.

During our conversation with Ray we touched on how the exhibit came together with the help of Atzin in Mexico. Its founder, Dr. Susan Smith, is in Southern Manitoba this week for Friday's opening, and special events in Morden and Winnipeg connected to it.

Atzin in Mexico was started about 20 years ago. It works in one indigenous community, Tlamacazapa, in the mountains of Guerrero state. The organization focuses on four main areas in the community of 6,000 income generation for women, water sanitation and the environment, health and healing, and education and literacy.

Dr. Smith talked to about why she established the organization, and how it became connected with Gallery curator Ray Dirks which ultimately led to the paintings, drawings, etchings and woven baskets of “We are the Future” coming to Canada.

As for those special events Susan will be part of, they are called “The Long Haul: the building of creativity and resilience in a troubled Mexican village and will take place Saturday at Morden Mennonite Church from 3 to 5pm and Monday, September 12th at Mennonite Heritage Centre Gallery starting at 7pm.

The events will feature Susan speaking about her work through Atzin in Mexico, and will also feature several palm weavers from Tlamacazapa demonstrating their craft. Both dates are free to attend.