My Greatest Fear Project

In October and November 2011, during a series of Art Speaks workshops about poverty, we began to explore complex, systematic problems of classism, racism, and sexism.

Discussing these large-scale issues through a number of social awareness exercises lead to sharing how we are personally affected and then an overall sense of frustration. The “You can’t fight City Hall” mentality began to gather momentum until one of the artist asked, “Well, what can we do?”

During the workshop, Marianne Williamson’s poem came to mind for another artist, Paul Wright, who shared it with the rest of the group. Williamson writes:

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

Paul wanted to transform Williamson's poem into a project that would give a face to individual and societal fears--and so "My Greatest Fear" Project was born. We want to address and challenge global issues and “-isms” by writing out our individual fears on 5” x 7” paper.

Join us in the fight for awareness and action by downloading and printing this PDF file. Please attach your picture and write in your fear, then post multiple copies around the city.