12/13/2022
The “Edmund S. Muskie Access to Justice Award” honors commitment to the public good, advanced through hard thinking, deep feeling, a voice of eloquent civility and passion for justice.
Last summer I was lucky enough to get a commission to build a box for the Muskie Award. It was presented to lawyer Mary Bonauto, renowned LGBTQ+ and civil rights lawyer and Portland area resident.
You may remember when, in 2015, she successfully argued before the US Supreme Court in the historic case Obergefell v. Hodges, which established the freedom to marry for same-sex couples nationwide.
For over two months, I devoted almost every waking minute to designing (and redesigning), prototyping, and creating the finished box. Making this piece was one of the most challenging projects of my life. It stretched me as a maker and designer, and as a self-critical perfectionist.
I am grateful to be able to do work that stretches me, teaches me, humbles me, and helps me grow. Thank you Pine Tree Legal Assistance for the opportunity.
