Charlotte Huggins spreads joy as a clown in Guatemala

UNC Asheville's Class Clowns student group will hold a workshop on humanitarian clowning from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, May 2, at UNC Asheville's Highsmith University Union Grotto. The event, "How to Build Community and Have Fun Too: Connecting Your Life to Social Justice," will feature a session with special guests from the Geshundheit! Institute, founded by renowned medical doctor Hunter "Patch" Adams. The workshop is free and open to the public.

UNC Asheville seniors Charlotte Huggins and Ash Devine are humanitarian clowns, who formed the student group Class Clowns, based on their work with the Geshundheit! Institute. They have traveled to Peru, Venezuela, Ecuador, Haiti and Guatemala, donning funny costumes to bring joy to those confined to hospitals, orphanages, retirement homes, prisons and psychology centers. This form of "humanitarian" clowning offers individualized care and attention to combat loneliness, depression and caregiver fatigue.

"In addition to the humanitarian part of our work, these trips are also missions of awareness. We work to extend a warm outreach on behalf of the people of the United States to those who may have a negative view of our country," Huggins said. "Being a clown means calling attention to yourself for the greater good. Making the world a better doesn't have to be a boring, flat-faced thing."

The two are bringing this workshop to Asheville to share their passion for community outreach and social justice in a fun way. The event will include four sessions with a break for lunch.

For more information, contact Devine at 828/691-0802 or abkrauss@unca.edu.