Session after the Election
By ABIGAILRAMSAY | Published | No Comments
The day after the election was a pretty good day for me. I forgot my computer at home, which forced me to make a decision: do I work on my phone attempting to navigate a tiny screen or do I enjoy a beautiful day in NYC? The latter! By the end of the day, I walked 25000 steps. This, after my first ballet class in years.
I was surprised, and yet not so surprised. My perception of the world around me, at least in NYC, is that some folks were not quite ready to be led by a woman of color. Didn’t expect it to be that many in the City, but here we go.
But I had my session at Flanbwayan Haitian Literacy Project to join that afternoon, and there the conversations would take on a deeper significance: Many have gone through the immigration process, some escaping life threatening situations only to be demonized in their new country (let me not forget the foolishness of eating dogs and cats). These people, who chose to lead with hatred for their fellow human beings, won handily. What does that say about our neighbors who supported these vile sentiments?
The mood that afternoon was pretty gloomy, and even worse, apathetic. They couldn’t see the point of anything. Quite frankly I was feeling the same, but I am the adult, so I needed to pull up my big-girl pants and find solutions for our session.
We talked and talked and the mood would not shift, and then finally I moved to action – when in doubt just do something: Take out your phones and google protests that occurred over the past 100 years. They can have taken place anywhere in the world but during the past 100 years. You will be presenting your findings so do a little research.
Here are some:
Montgomery Bus Boycotts – We (I say we, it was mostly me, they are good at jumping in now) we discussed the power of collective action, the power of strategic action – hitting the city where it would have a significant impact…the coffers. We discussed Martin Luther King, Jr. as an activist and agitator. I gave some overlooked facts: He was only 26 and new to his job as pastor of the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church. He was a genius, starting undergrad at 15 and graduating at 19. While he was exceptional, we can all do exceptional things.
Stonewall Inn Riots – Ok this surprised me, but I was so glad someone did the research. I added context of how being gay was illegal and how law enforcement routinely harassed LGBTQ people in the Village. Mostly excited to tell them that this protest was special because it happened in our own City and ignited the LGBTQ movement around the world, AND it was started by two transwomen of color.
Of course the various Women’s Movements. I reminded them that some of the gains made for women’s rights happened in MY lifetime, not my mother’s, not my grandmothers’, MINE.
Perhaps they wanted to know if I walked the talk and asked if I had protested. Yes. Many times, but not so much now.
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The Iraq war protests around the City
Assistant directed a festival for peace during the same time
SAME: the Straight Alliance for Marriage Equality, marched in Pride
Occupy Wall Street, early in the occupation brought food and other provisions to the occupiers and spread the word in my community to do the same
Facilitated and directed a piece commemorating #SayHerName which toured lower Manhattan sites starting off at City Hall.
I even joined a march raising awareness of violence against women my first weeks in Jamaica.
I reminded them of the play they saw last term, FISH, presented by Keen Company and directed by Adrienne D. Williams, political playwright Kia Corthron’s examination of the educational system. I also mentioned a friend who quit her career to become a OB/Gyn nurse to work for the betterment of women’s health.
So the lesson that emerged that day: all the many ways you can work to change the world around you, and our purpose on a Wednesday evening is to discover and investigate some of the ways using performing art. That is why we are here.
