Posts Tagged ‘Education’

Week of our DREAMS

Sunday, September 19th, 2010

“Undocumented and Unafraid.” This slogan has emerged as the motto for undocumented students and their allies who have taken up the fight to pass the DREAM Act, which will create a path to citizenship for many undocumented youth conditioned upon their earning a college degree.

Undocumented and unafraid of what? Of deportation. Of suddenly being torn from your family and detained in deplorable conditions. Of experiencing racist violence or violence at the hands of law enforcement. Of being forever ousted from the place you call home.

Undocumented and unafraid. When I think about the potential implications of uttering those three words for these young people, I am humbled and motivated to take action. Want to join me?

First, check out the video below:

Then, text DREAM or SUENO to 69866 and visit action.dreamactivist.org/movedream

The Dream Act will be up for vote in the US senate this week. Don’t miss your chance to join thousands of DREAM activists across the country in the “Week of our DREAMs“.

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Let It Be, Drag King Rebellion style

Wednesday, April 29th, 2009

Last weekend I performed with Drag King Rebellion at Kiss My Gender, a drag show that uses gender performance and choreography to entertain and educate. Some wonderful fans at the show videotaped it and there are quite a few excellent videos I plan to post and review. 

For now, I’ll start with one video. Check out DKR’s rendition of “Let It Be” by the Beatles:
I love this number because it incorporates three of my favorite things about Drag King Rebellion:
  • Use of popular music/pop culture
  • Empowering social message
  • Audience Involvement

Linking popular songs with activist messages reaches both the entertainers and the audience in a new ways; it’s a chance for music to become more than just entertainment and for activism to be fun and entertaining.

And when DKR connects with their fans, there’s nothing like it! Starting with the cheers as each performer came forward with messages like, “My liberation is bound up with yours” and “Am I conscious of my own privilege” the audience helped to illustrate the whole point of the number as people of varying identities in the room all cheered for the same messages. Later, we asked the audience to join us in shouting out identities that empower them  and by the end, the whole room was singing and swaying together. I even heard that someone started crying and I think its so cool that someone connected with the moment and the message that much.

Its a perfect illustration of the potential of using entertainment as activism – providing an entertaining, empowering and fun experience with a chance to connect with others to challenge ourselves and renew our commitments to social justice.

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