Piece-Makers Unveil Healing Quilt

When Diana Berthold started stitching her response to the attack of Marcelo Lucero, she had no idea how big it would get.

"We were just appalled by what happened," Berthold said of the November 2008 incident in Patchogue that claimed the life of Ecuadorian immigrant Lucero.

Berthold began making a quilt to promote peace shortly after the attack, a venture that grew into three different quilting projects unveiled at the American Legion Post in Patchogue Tuesday.

"Everyone has something positive they can give, and I felt this is what I could do to create something positive for Patchogue," Berthold said.

Berthold's quilt, dubbed the Healing Hands & Mending Hearts Quilt Project, was made by the 20-member group The Piece-Makers for Peace. Inspired by Berthold's project, the staff of the Patchogue-Medford Library and members of the Pilot Club started quilts of their own.

The Piece-Makers quilt focused on bringing different elements of the community together with patriotic and multi-cultural designs.

"Each block represents a person with different social, economic and religious backgrounds," said Elaine Perez, one of the quilters. "Change may not come over night, but we must strive to come together and initiate ideas benefiting to all."

The library staff put together a multi-cultural design on its quilt, and the Pilot Club's piece features an area view of Patchogue Village.

The quilts are dedicated to the memory of Lucero with themes of peace, unity, harmony and healing, said Village Trustee Lori Devlin.

"What we'd like to do is use it to encourage dialogue in schools and religious organizations, especially with teens and pre-teens," Devlin explained. "We want to encourage them to open up about these issues."

The unveiling included a performance by the Patchogue-Medford High School Latino Dance Team and an improvisational presentation by the newly formed Improv Theater.

"It's really nice to have a message like this, to come together for healing," said Joselo Lucero, Marcelo Lucero's younger brother, who also lives in Patchogue. "It's so sad that somebody had to die for no reason, but now we know we have a welcome community here."

Improvisational performers acted out some of the emotions and experiences from the community during the event. Producing director Paul McIssac said the group's goal is to present the stories of all immigrants through the art.

Patrice O'Neill, who is making a PBS documentary on the aftermath of the 2008 slaying, attended the event. O'Neill said production of the film should be completed by early 2011, and the documentary should air sometime next year.

"It's not just about a hate crime," he said. "It's about people who are trying to do something in response to the hate crime, who are saying, 'Let's face this.'"