Meet Jill, founder of CircusAid. I met Jill in at art Basel last year. She walked in to my show and we had an instant connection. A few months later she brought me on board as an artist in residence for CircusAid's summer work in Greece. Working with Jill this past month has been the experience of a lifetime. It has not been easy, but nothing worthwhile ever is. Jill and I have very different backgrounds, political views, and we are both very passionate about what we do. The fact that she hasn't killed me yet on this trip says a lot about her but what really speaks volumes is the work she's doing here with the refugees and us volunteers. Perhaps one of the most rewarding things I've seen here is volunteers from all over the globe from different cultures and with different views and upbringings, coming together for a greater good. From team building workshops to debriefing sessions over a meal, Jill is constantly plotting a road map to effectively administer circus therapy workshops with kids and young adults in the refugee camps. "Our biggest asset when planning is planning to be flexible. The structure and scheduling of these camps is always changing, but the work still needs to be done." – Jill Maglio. The growth I have seen in our team and the kids we're working with over the last three weeks is astounding. Being involved in this work with CircusAid has taught me that growth takes time. Sometimes it's a long and painful process. Empathy has always helped me to grow but in order to practice empathy you have to practice gratitude. I am grateful for Jill. I am grateful for CircusAid, and I can point out 150+ gleeful refugee children who would say the same.
