Carolina Mayorga: ‘Amigos of the World’

I’m Carolina Mayorga, a Colombian-American interdisciplinary artist who has spent 22 years living and working in the DMV as a teaching artist. My practice centers on bold, community-based projects that bring art into daily life. Rooted in the belief that art should be a joyful, accessible experience for all, I create initiatives that engage diverse audiences, especially underserved communities. Support from the Tour de Force Foundation will fund 300 more copies of Amigos of the World, a bilingual coloring book that is part of my larger project, ARTidotes 4.0: Colors of Humanity. Rooted in my 21 years teaching in the Youth Art Program at Capitol Hill Arts Workshop (CHAW), the project celebrates the DMV’s cultural diversity through illustrations of children from various backgrounds. The first 300 copies—partially funded by the Capitol Hill Community Foundation—are being distributed for free at CHAW, public libraries, community centers, and tiny libraries. At the Capital Art Book Fair in April, we distributed 50 copies and held a signing and family activity with strong community participation. Due to the book’s success, the Art Museum of the Americas (AMA) is sponsoring 100 more copies, now in production, to be launched at a family workshop and signing event on June 8. This project builds on previous bilingual coloring books: Arte Para Dibujar y Colorear/Art to Draw and Color (2022), supported by DCCAH and Mt. Pleasant Library (600 copies), and AnimalandiaDC: Colorful Poemas of Endangered Species (2024), supported by DCCAH, CHAW, and Main Street partners (1,200 copies). Project Timeline 4/5/25: Launch/signing at Capital Art Book Fair; 50 copies distributed. 6/8/25: Workshop/signing at AMA. 6–10/25: Ongoing distribution via CHAW, AMA, and DMV locations.