Fabric of Self: August Newsletter
Our debut in Thailand, and one final program with the SG Eco Fund
A Message from Changing Room’s Thailand Lead
As we wrap up August, I’m reminded of the journey we’ve been through together and the gratitude I feel for this wonderful community I’ve now become a part of.
I’ve been reflecting on our launch in Bangkok and the work with the wonderful team behind Changing Room and what it means to me to have had the chance to bring people together to explore personal and environmental connections. How wonderful it was to witness the impact that our weekend of creativity, sustainability, and community had on an individual's relationship to themselves and the world around them (me included!).
Many thanks to you, our attendees of the Bangkok Changing Room launch, and to your openness for our programs. The curiosity that you brought to the room created a truly meaningful experience. None of this would have been possible without our participants, sponsors, and partners.
Looking ahead, I’m excited about the possibilities that lie before us and am eager to see how we continue to grow and evolve.
Thank you for having me.
Cat
Thailand
We did it. We ran a Changing Room program in Thailand. This month, we conquered a mountain that the team had been arduously climbing for months. Planning for Changing Room’s international debut was tough – we were bringing a complex idea to an entirely new audience and testing new program formats for the first time. The programming took several iterations, working together with local partners who helped us understand what Thai audiences were looking for and what made sense in a new cultural context.
We were met with a cozy group of around 15 participants over the August 17 and 18 weekend, with many queries from organizations and individuals on when we’ll be back in Thailand. The buzz in the room and the curiosity from those trying out something new was reassuring to us, that despite the challenge to plan and execute this program, we brought something meaningful to a community that was eager to learn something new, to explore a new lens to view how they see themselves, and to understand how this resonates with the environment. Thank you to those of you who were in the room with us that weekend, for being open to explore your relationship with yourself, to understand how this impacts your relationship to your clothes and the planet.
None of this would have been possible without our sponsors with were generous in their giving and support, Kimpton Maa-Lai, OurHours, Big One and KWT, as well as partners who helped raised awareness of our work to an unfamiliar network in Thailand: Bangkok Recycling Chain, CCCL Film Festival, Team Spirit, Soledad Design, and The HOME Network.
Check out a wrap up of this weekend by watching our latest reel on Instagram.
Singapore Program Update
On August 3rd we ran the final event of our series with the #SGEcoFund, titled The Sun Sets for New Beginnings. Running a similar format for our Singapore community of guided writing followed by a somatic movement workshop, we were so pleased to see so many new faces at a Changing Room event. This time Thammika ran the event with a new vibe, and the mood was pensive and highly, highly introspective.
We were also joined by MJ of @justkeepthinking on Instagram and social media, who will be creating a video series of grantees of the SG EcoFund. Stay tuned for our feature, which includes an interview with our founder, Thammika.
While this is the last program we have planned in Singapore (for now!), newcomers to this community left asking us whether there would be more events to join. Watch this space, as we look to rethink how our programs in Singapore can grow. What we’ve learned is that we have an astounding community in Singapore – familiar faces who often bring new faces to our events.
On that note, we are looking for collaboration, inspiration, and partnerships in Singapore. If you have an idea or are keen to link up with Changing Room for future events or programs, please drop us a note at: thammika@changingroomproject.com and erin@changingroomproject.com.
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