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From YouTube: Sushmita Mazumdar's Women of Vision Award
Description
Arlington County's Commission on the Status of Women has presented the Women of Vision Awards for 32 years to individuals who demonstrate a strong commitment to women's issues and have, over time, developed and communicated their vision for women and engaged community members and other leaders in order to realize this vision. This year's awardee in the category of non-profit was artist, writer and educator Sushmita Mazumdar.
A
B
Was
sitting
with
a
friend
of
mine
one
day
and
we
were
just
talking
about
how
hectic
lives
were
and
he
said,
yeah
we
need
to
pause
and
I
said
you
know:
Brian
I
should
start
a
studio.
I
should
have
a
space
where
we
can
just
pause.
Studio
pause
is
really
dear
because
it
is
a
space.
I
have
wanted
so
I
started
writing
stories
from
my
life.
My
childhood
are
stories
of
an
immigrant
mom
and
then
because
I'm,
an
artist
I,
make
them
into
handmade
storybooks
and
then
I
teach
all
of
that.
B
So
people
started
making
that
art
and
now,
like
there's
people
who've,
never
made
art
with
made
art.
There's
people
who've,
never
written
who've,
written
stuff,
I
like
to
tell
women
to
kind
of
find
the
thing
or
do
the
thing
that
makes
you
be
your
best
self,
and
typically
people
will
tell
you
you
know
just
focus.
B
Do
one
thing
you
know
just
do
that
one
thing
and
do
it
right,
but
I'm
like
no
I,
want
to
figure
out
how
I
can
do
all
these
things
in
whatever
way,
I
don't
have
to
be
great
at
anything,
but
I
want
to
try
them
all
out.
The
future
is
super
exciting
because
I
don't
know
what
it
is,
but
it's
got
to
be
awesome.
So
that's
all
I
would
say.
A
Susmita
Mazumdar
is
a
greater
washington,
DC
area
book
artist,
writer
and
educator.
She
encouraged
children
and
adults
to
share
their
art
and
their
stories
from
their
lives,
so
people
can
get
to
know
them
better
and
understand
the
world
that
they
live
in
she's
Nina
has
designed
programs
for
the
Smithsonian
DC
Public
Libraries
Arlington
and
Alexandria
City,
public
schools
and
art
centers
in
the
Washington
DC
region.
She
also
collaborates
with
many
organized
organizations
working
with
students,
educators,
families
and
immigrants.
A
She
is
one
Arlington
County
individual
artist
grants
and
has
done
community
art
projects
for
Arlington
arts
like
the
art
on
the
bus,
Columbia
Pike
recipes
for
you
and
home
in
Arlington.
In
2013,
she
opened
Studio
pause
in
Arlington
Virginia,
a
space
where
everyday
people
are
invited
to
make
time
for
creativity
and
celebrate.
Community
social
media
was
nominated
by
Mary
Louise
Marino,
a
studio
pause
member,
her
nomination
included,
quotes
and
testimonials
from
15
people
who
have
been
impacted
from
vice
abuse
issues.
A
Meters
work,
one
of
my
favorite
quotes,
was
sue
she's
more
than
just
an
artist
and
studio
paws
gallery
owner
she's,
also
an
advocate
of
women's
rights
and
issues,
and
a
community
activist.
She
excels
at
creating
inclusive
communities
and
fostering
friendships.
She
constantly
seeks
to
lift
up
the
women
around
her
and
supports
them
for
providing
a
safe
displays,
a
place
for
them
to
express
themselves
and
be
by
being
a
genuine
friend.
A
Her
tireless
energy
and
enthusiasm
never
failed
to
amaze
me,
nor
does
her
desire
to
constantly
improve
community
relations
and
to
create
an
environment
where
all
are
welcome,
especially
women
and
immigrants.
So
she
unfortunately
could
not
be
here
tonight,
but
her
amazing,
co-workers
and
studio
pause
members
are
here
to
accept
the
award
on
behalf.
A
C
You
I've
known
from
susmita
for
11
years.
I
met
her
at
the
altar
writers
group
and
she
was
an
inspiration
to
me.
Even
then,
I'm
gonna
share
a
quick
story
which
I,
which
to
me
kind
of
defines
what
Sunil
Paz
is
about.
She
and
I
took
a
road
trip
a
few
years
ago
with
her
family,
she
wrote
in
my
car.
We
were
dreaming
about.
You
know,
investing
in
hotels
in
India
I,
don't
know
why.
C
But
she
called
this
creating
pulao,
which
I
I
think
is
you
know,
making
clouds
kind
of
pie
in
the
sky
dreaming
and
to
me
that's
kind
of
what
studio
pasta
is
about.
You
know
come
to
the
studio
and
dream
a
little
bit
and
you
know
get
in
touch
with
something
in
yourself.
She
says
everybody
has
their
own
story
and
she
encourages
people
to
look
within
themselves
and
find
that
story.
Write
a
story
create
a
book
paint.
You
know
do
whatever
you
know,
you
feel
like
doing.
Whatever's
gonna
help.
C
You
did
tell
that
story
and
she
loves
that
that
dreaming
of
what
could
be
possible
and
she
makes
you
think
that
it
could
be
possible.
You
saw
her
energy
on
the
video
and
just
how
positive
she
is
all
the
time.
She
doesn't
think
that
there
should
be
limitations
on
stuff
like
that.
So
to
me,
that's
kind
of
what
the
studio
is
about.