Moving to a new country often feels like waiting for permission…permission to belong, permission to work, or permission to feel at home. But for May, the founder of The Brush Strokes Society, the power to create a sanctuary doesn’t require a specific passport or a prestigious background. It requires a choice.
Every Sunday, in the corner of a quiet Berlin cafe, a small group of immigrants transforms a public space into a private “healing spot.” They aren’t waiting for the city to integrate them; they are building their own infrastructure of support through the simple act of putting pencil or brush to paper.
Creating What You Love
The group didn’t start with a complex manifesto, but with a fundamental decision to align their external environment with their internal passions.
As May explains:
“The thing that brought our group together is a shared passion and love for drawing and painting. Everyone wants to express their creativity… simply spending time drawing and painting with like-minded individuals.”
By focusing on a shared love of art, the members have bypassed the traditional barriers of the “immigrant experience.”
Instead of being defined by their struggle, they are defined by their creation.
They have built a “small family where we can care for and support each other,” proving that community is something you manufacture, not something you find.
The Power of the Choice
The most profound shift seen in the group isn’t just the quality of the brushstrokes, but the dismantling of internal borders.
When we move to a new place, we often carry “mental barriers” that tell us we aren’t good enough to lead or create. May has watched these walls crumble in real-time.
“Our members have been able to overcome mental barriers that they previously held back from due to fear of making mistakes or thinking they couldn’t do it. They’ve gained increased self-confidence that they can create much more and draw much better than they imagined.”
This confidence ripples outward. By choosing to show up every Sunday, the members have fundamentally changed their relationship with their new home. They aren’t just living in Berlin; they are “more at home in Berlin, and more empowered.”
Start Where You Are
For those waiting for the “right time” or “enough experience” to build something they love, May’s advice is a direct call to action.
You don’t need a master’s degree in community building or a lifetime of residency to create a space that matters to you…
“Don’t be afraid! It’s important to set aside thoughts of not being good enough or not knowing how, and to simply start. Don’t worry about making mistakes. All of us grow by learning from our mistakes.”
The “glue” that keeps this diverse group together isn’t a shared nationality or a specific legal status…it is “Sharing & Caring.”
They have proven that when you choose to share your art and your emotions, you create a structure that is stronger than any institution.
