so we live at a time in history where we can be any place at any time where an
can be any place at any time where an
can be any place at any time where an idea can travel the world in an instant
idea can travel the world in an instant
idea can travel the world in an instant and yet on some of our most pressing
and yet on some of our most pressing
and yet on some of our most pressing social issues we are resistant to new
social issues we are resistant to new
social issues we are resistant to new ideas and stubbornly cling to old
ideas and stubbornly cling to old
ideas and stubbornly cling to old outdated methods that have proven not to
outdated methods that have proven not to
outdated methods that have proven not to work and in fact can be damaging one
work and in fact can be damaging one
work and in fact can be damaging one idea that’s been gaining a lot of
idea that’s been gaining a lot of
idea that’s been gaining a lot of traction recently is harnessing the
traction recently is harnessing the
traction recently is harnessing the power of the Arts to lift up and change
power of the Arts to lift up and change
power of the Arts to lift up and change our social justice issues we often think
our social justice issues we often think
our social justice issues we often think of the arts as a luxury and add-on to
of the arts as a luxury and add-on to
of the arts as a luxury and add-on to our daily life but right here in the
our daily life but right here in the
our daily life but right here in the Central Valley a few miles down the
Central Valley a few miles down the
Central Valley a few miles down the street a silent revolution is happening
street a silent revolution is happening
street a silent revolution is happening in the darkest most hidden of places 11
in the darkest most hidden of places 11
in the darkest most hidden of places 11 years ago we at the actors gang theater
years ago we at the actors gang theater
years ago we at the actors gang theater company started to bring our style of
company started to bring our style of
company started to bring our style of theater into prisons in the hope of
theater into prisons in the hope of
theater into prisons in the hope of giving people tools to help repattern
giving people tools to help repattern
giving people tools to help repattern behavior what we found is that through
behavior what we found is that through
behavior what we found is that through the power of the masks that we bring and
the power of the masks that we bring and
the power of the masks that we bring and through the joy of transforming our
through the joy of transforming our
through the joy of transforming our emotional life together this work had a
emotional life together this work had a
emotional life together this work had a profound impact on our incarcerated
profound impact on our incarcerated
profound impact on our incarcerated students not to mention the staff and
students not to mention the staff and
students not to mention the staff and their families and friends and also the
their families and friends and also the
their families and friends and also the culture of with their which they are a
culture of with their which they are a
culture of with their which they are a part so thanks for the skill of our
part so thanks for the skill of our
part so thanks for the skill of our teaching artists some of whom were
teaching artists some of whom were
teaching artists some of whom were formerly incarcerated the courage of our
formerly incarcerated the courage of our
formerly incarcerated the courage of our students and the support of foundations
students and the support of foundations
students and the support of foundations partners and staff this little program
partners and staff this little program
partners and staff this little program has now expanded into 12 prisons to
has now expanded into 12 prisons to
has now expanded into 12 prisons to reentry programs a girls juvenile camp
reentry programs a girls juvenile camp
reentry programs a girls juvenile camp program and last week we just completed
program and last week we just completed
program and last week we just completed an amazing two-day pilot program with
an amazing two-day pilot program with
an amazing two-day pilot program with correctional and probation officers
correctional and probation officers
correctional and probation officers pretty amazing we’ve discovered so many
pretty amazing we’ve discovered so many
pretty amazing we’ve discovered so many things in these last 11 years but
things in these last 11 years but
things in these last 11 years but probably one of the most profound is
probably one of the most profound is
probably one of the most profound is that people who are incarcerated
that people who are incarcerated
that people who are incarcerated particularly as young people usually
particularly as young people usually
particularly as young people usually don’t come from similar circumstances to
don’t come from similar circumstances to
don’t come from similar circumstances to me or probably to most of you there are
me or probably to most of you there are
me or probably to most of you there are a large swathe of the population in this
a large swathe of the population in this
a large swathe of the population in this country who have no discerning
country who have no discerning
country who have no discerning fear of prison and in fact have
fear of prison and in fact have
fear of prison and in fact have expectations to spend some time there
expectations to spend some time there
expectations to spend some time there just like so many people have
just like so many people have
just like so many people have expectations to go to university so I
expectations to go to university so I
expectations to go to university so I have never been incarcerated nor has
have never been incarcerated nor has
have never been incarcerated nor has anybody in my family so why am I talking
anybody in my family so why am I talking
anybody in my family so why am I talking to you today about something that is not
to you today about something that is not
to you today about something that is not my lived experience well I’m an
my lived experience well I’m an
my lived experience well I’m an immigrant and as an immigrant I’m an
immigrant and as an immigrant I’m an
immigrant and as an immigrant I’m an outsider and I have the privilege of
outsider and I have the privilege of
outsider and I have the privilege of viewing this culture through a different
viewing this culture through a different
viewing this culture through a different lens just like you would be able to view
lens just like you would be able to view
lens just like you would be able to view mine and I see as also a teaching artist
mine and I see as also a teaching artist
mine and I see as also a teaching artist working in prisons that while I’m part
working in prisons that while I’m part
working in prisons that while I’m part of the system I’m also divorced from it
of the system I’m also divorced from it
of the system I’m also divorced from it and at this tumultuous time in our
and at this tumultuous time in our
and at this tumultuous time in our history where ideologies clash and
history where ideologies clash and
history where ideologies clash and rhetoric is prevalent it’s really
rhetoric is prevalent it’s really
rhetoric is prevalent it’s really important that we’re having the real
important that we’re having the real
important that we’re having the real conversations about the real issues
conversations about the real issues
conversations about the real issues below the outrage provoking surface so
below the outrage provoking surface so
below the outrage provoking surface so why should I care about people who are
why should I care about people who are
why should I care about people who are incarcerated or why why should I care
incarcerated or why why should I care
incarcerated or why why should I care about what happens to them when they’re
about what happens to them when they’re
about what happens to them when they’re behind bars or when they return to us
behind bars or when they return to us
behind bars or when they return to us why when I’m just trying to live my
why when I’m just trying to live my
why when I’m just trying to live my daily life should I care about
daily life should I care about
daily life should I care about statistics or voices that have been
statistics or voices that have been
statistics or voices that have been silenced well much as we might like to
silenced well much as we might like to
silenced well much as we might like to deny it as a society we have helped to
deny it as a society we have helped to
deny it as a society we have helped to create the systems and often the reasons
create the systems and often the reasons
create the systems and often the reasons for mass incarceration of course not
for mass incarceration of course not
for mass incarceration of course not everybody who was born into poverty or
everybody who was born into poverty or
everybody who was born into poverty or grows up and more challenging
grows up and more challenging
grows up and more challenging circumstances goes to prison and so
circumstances goes to prison and so
circumstances goes to prison and so people must accept responsibility and in
people must accept responsibility and in
people must accept responsibility and in my experience they mostly do but when we
my experience they mostly do but when we
my experience they mostly do but when we incarcerate huge amounts of people for
incarcerate huge amounts of people for
incarcerate huge amounts of people for crimes that we could deal with in our
crimes that we could deal with in our
crimes that we could deal with in our communities we waste precious resources
communities we waste precious resources
communities we waste precious resources that could be better spent addressing
that could be better spent addressing
that could be better spent addressing serious crime and real rehabilitation we
serious crime and real rehabilitation we
serious crime and real rehabilitation we all lose between 1980 and 2014 the
all lose between 1980 and 2014 the
all lose between 1980 and 2014 the number of women incarcerated in this
number of women incarcerated in this
number of women incarcerated in this country grew by 700 percent our women
country grew by 700 percent our women
country grew by 700 percent our women and girls have shown us that when we
and girls have shown us that when we
and girls have shown us that when we incarcerate them for crimes we could
incarcerate them for crimes we could
incarcerate them for crimes we could deal with in our communities for
deal with in our communities for
deal with in our communities for instance most drug-related crimes we
instance most drug-related crimes we
instance most drug-related crimes we create generational damage and when we
create generational damage and when we
create generational damage and when we incarcerate our girls we all lose most
incarcerate our girls we all lose most
incarcerate our girls we all lose most girls who are incarcerated have extreme
girls who are incarcerated have extreme
girls who are incarcerated have extreme trauma that they’re dealing with that
trauma that they’re dealing with that
trauma that they’re dealing with that cause them to not be able to concentrate
cause them to not be able to concentrate
cause them to not be able to concentrate at school and got them pushed out and
at school and got them pushed out and
at school and got them pushed out and led them into dangerous and damaging
led them into dangerous and damaging
led them into dangerous and damaging situations and yet they are dreaming
situations and yet they are dreaming
situations and yet they are dreaming still as one of our girls wrote my dream
still as one of our girls wrote my dream
still as one of our girls wrote my dream doesn’t involve fancy things expensive
doesn’t involve fancy things expensive
doesn’t involve fancy things expensive tastes even though that would be nice
tastes even though that would be nice
tastes even though that would be nice all I would wish is to have a better
all I would wish is to have a better
all I would wish is to have a better family and another chance I’m not saying
family and another chance I’m not saying
family and another chance I’m not saying I have any regrets because I wouldn’t be
I have any regrets because I wouldn’t be
I have any regrets because I wouldn’t be where I am today if it wasn’t for what
where I am today if it wasn’t for what
where I am today if it wasn’t for what happened yesterday and another student
happened yesterday and another student
happened yesterday and another student wrote this beautiful poem all the
wrote this beautiful poem all the
wrote this beautiful poem all the judgmental Minds not taking it in that I
judgmental Minds not taking it in that I
judgmental Minds not taking it in that I too can be kind I also have a heart I
too can be kind I also have a heart I
too can be kind I also have a heart I did what I did because my whole world
did what I did because my whole world
did what I did because my whole world was falling apart wanting someone to
was falling apart wanting someone to
was falling apart wanting someone to understand that my mistakes don’t define
understand that my mistakes don’t define
understand that my mistakes don’t define me
me
me all I wanted was someone to stand right
all I wanted was someone to stand right
all I wanted was someone to stand right by me so I wouldn’t give in to the
by me so I wouldn’t give in to the
by me so I wouldn’t give in to the demons and hold my head highly so what
demons and hold my head highly so what
demons and hold my head highly so what can the arts do well the arts when done
can the arts do well the arts when done
can the arts do well the arts when done well can affect a part of the human
well can affect a part of the human
well can affect a part of the human condition that nothing else can reach
condition that nothing else can reach
condition that nothing else can reach they act on the psyche like cognitive
they act on the psyche like cognitive
they act on the psyche like cognitive behavioral therapy and give us a mirror
behavioral therapy and give us a mirror
behavioral therapy and give us a mirror to hold up for us to be able to take
to hold up for us to be able to take
to hold up for us to be able to take responsibility for our emotional life in
responsibility for our emotional life in
responsibility for our emotional life in our modern society the arts are usually
our modern society the arts are usually
our modern society the arts are usually lastin first-out
lastin first-out
lastin first-out and I used to think that that was the
and I used to think that that was the
and I used to think that that was the fault of a population who just didn’t
fault of a population who just didn’t
fault of a population who just didn’t understand what artists did
understand what artists did
understand what artists did but now I can see but actually that’s
but now I can see but actually that’s
but now I can see but actually that’s the responsibility of an artist that we
the responsibility of an artist that we
the responsibility of an artist that we as artists are responsible for the lack
as artists are responsible for the lack
as artists are responsible for the lack of understanding about the importance of
of understanding about the importance of
of understanding about the importance of the arts and when I was 18 I became her
the arts and when I was 18 I became her
the arts and when I was 18 I became her professional dancer and actor and I was
professional dancer and actor and I was
professional dancer and actor and I was really excited to launch myself on this
really excited to launch myself on this
really excited to launch myself on this career where I’ve been training since I
career where I’ve been training since I
career where I’ve been training since I was three years old and so I threw
was three years old and so I threw
was three years old and so I threw myself into it safe and the knowledge
myself into it safe and the knowledge
myself into it safe and the knowledge that I had been taught that my success
that I had been taught that my success
that I had been taught that my success lay and how many people knew my name and
lay and how many people knew my name and
lay and how many people knew my name and how much I was paid as a result and of
how much I was paid as a result and of
how much I was paid as a result and of course I wanted to be good but I was
course I wanted to be good but I was
course I wanted to be good but I was also taught that good lay in the eyes of
also taught that good lay in the eyes of
also taught that good lay in the eyes of audiences and critics and employers and
audiences and critics and employers and
audiences and critics and employers and so I was lucky enough to have some of
so I was lucky enough to have some of
so I was lucky enough to have some of that success but it always felt Hollow
that success but it always felt Hollow
that success but it always felt Hollow and I became aware that the mountains I
and I became aware that the mountains I
and I became aware that the mountains I had to climb to maintain and expand that
had to climb to maintain and expand that
had to climb to maintain and expand that success just became higher and higher
success just became higher and higher
success just became higher and higher and so I started to view my work as
and so I started to view my work as
and so I started to view my work as something very special and magical the
something very special and magical the
something very special and magical the audiences could observe but never really
audiences could observe but never really
audiences could observe but never really be a partner in until I started working
be a partner in until I started working
be a partner in until I started working in prisons and that’s where my journey
in prisons and that’s where my journey
in prisons and that’s where my journey as an artist really began so as I said
as an artist really began so as I said
as an artist really began so as I said in our modern society so often the arts
in our modern society so often the arts
in our modern society so often the arts are lastin and first out and it is our
are lastin and first out and it is our
are lastin and first out and it is our responsibility as artists to teach young
responsibility as artists to teach young
responsibility as artists to teach young artists what the arts can do if we use
artists what the arts can do if we use
artists what the arts can do if we use our art and think of it as rarefied and
our art and think of it as rarefied and
our art and think of it as rarefied and elitist or you know only the domain of
elitist or you know only the domain of
elitist or you know only the domain of special magical people or we use it just
special magical people or we use it just
special magical people or we use it just to gain fame and fortune we as artists
to gain fame and fortune we as artists
to gain fame and fortune we as artists create the circumstances for the
create the circumstances for the
create the circumstances for the belittling and marginalization of this
belittling and marginalization of this
belittling and marginalization of this incredible call of the human spirit we
incredible call of the human spirit we
incredible call of the human spirit we have to have universities that teach
have to have universities that teach
have to have universities that teach their arts students how the arts can
their arts students how the arts can
their arts students how the arts can affect social change we must have the
affect social change we must have the
affect social change we must have the arts in the core of the school day not
arts in the core of the school day not
arts in the core of the school day not as some elective that only kids who are
as some elective that only kids who are
as some elective that only kids who are interested in the arts can do because
interested in the arts can do because
interested in the arts can do because the people we have to reach the most and
the people we have to reach the most and
the people we have to reach the most and the people who have previously had no
the people who have previously had no
the people who have previously had no access
in our work we ask our students to play
in our work we ask our students to play characters in highly emotional states
characters in highly emotional states
characters in highly emotional states and we ask them to do it looking in the
and we ask them to do it looking in the
and we ask them to do it looking in the eyes of another human being
eyes of another human being
eyes of another human being allowing themselves to be witnessed that
allowing themselves to be witnessed that
allowing themselves to be witnessed that is something you do not do in prison it
is something you do not do in prison it
is something you do not do in prison it can get you hurt or even killed
can get you hurt or even killed
can get you hurt or even killed but in our room it’s a safe space where
but in our room it’s a safe space where
but in our room it’s a safe space where people of all backgrounds races and gang
people of all backgrounds races and gang
people of all backgrounds races and gang affiliations can come together and
affiliations can come together and
affiliations can come together and become vulnerable and learn how to
become vulnerable and learn how to
become vulnerable and learn how to overcome problems together as an
overcome problems together as an
overcome problems together as an ensemble as one of our students said
ensemble as one of our students said
ensemble as one of our students said that they gain empathy and when you have
that they gain empathy and when you have
that they gain empathy and when you have empathy it’s very difficult to create
empathy it’s very difficult to create
empathy it’s very difficult to create because who commits crimes so they say I
because who commits crimes so they say I
because who commits crimes so they say I care about everyone now that’s what it’s
care about everyone now that’s what it’s
care about everyone now that’s what it’s done for me I don’t need this program to
done for me I don’t need this program to
done for me I don’t need this program to get out of prison
get out of prison
get out of prison I need this program to stay out of
I need this program to stay out of
I need this program to stay out of prison in our in classical times the
prison in our in classical times the
prison in our in classical times the arts was seen as an essential part of
arts was seen as an essential part of
arts was seen as an essential part of human life and in most indigenous
human life and in most indigenous
human life and in most indigenous cultures they still are the arts were
cultures they still are the arts were
cultures they still are the arts were viewed on the same level as science or
viewed on the same level as science or
viewed on the same level as science or medicine and artists were viewed more
medicine and artists were viewed more
medicine and artists were viewed more like shamans and celebrities in the time
like shamans and celebrities in the time
like shamans and celebrities in the time of the ancient Greeks the arts were
of the ancient Greeks the arts were
of the ancient Greeks the arts were looked to to make order out of chaos and
looked to to make order out of chaos and
looked to to make order out of chaos and in cultures that have forgotten this
in cultures that have forgotten this
in cultures that have forgotten this society suffers and we lose the ability
society suffers and we lose the ability
society suffers and we lose the ability to confront our issues with vision and
to confront our issues with vision and
to confront our issues with vision and creativity as William Shakespeare says
creativity as William Shakespeare says
creativity as William Shakespeare says in in Hamlet the purpose of playing is
in in Hamlet the purpose of playing is
in in Hamlet the purpose of playing is to hold as twere the mirror up to nature
to hold as twere the mirror up to nature
to hold as twere the mirror up to nature to show virtue her own feature scorn her
to show virtue her own feature scorn her
to show virtue her own feature scorn her own image and the very age and body of
own image and the very age and body of
own image and the very age and body of the time his form and pressure
and so here we are with one of the most
and so here we are with one of the most pressing issues of our modern times and
pressing issues of our modern times and
pressing issues of our modern times and we still think that we can incarcerate
we still think that we can incarcerate
we still think that we can incarcerate and punish our way out of it in
and punish our way out of it in
and punish our way out of it in California we have 35 prisons 14 of them
California we have 35 prisons 14 of them
California we have 35 prisons 14 of them are right here in the Central Valley
are right here in the Central Valley
are right here in the Central Valley they are mostly filled with people who
they are mostly filled with people who
they are mostly filled with people who are poor of color and indigenous and
are poor of color and indigenous and
are poor of color and indigenous and they’re mostly there for drug or gang
they’re mostly there for drug or gang
they’re mostly there for drug or gang related crimes both indicators of issues
related crimes both indicators of issues
related crimes both indicators of issues and our communities that we are not
and our communities that we are not
and our communities that we are not dealing with well and yet we forget that
dealing with well and yet we forget that
dealing with well and yet we forget that as humans as Americans we are part of a
as humans as Americans we are part of a
as humans as Americans we are part of a long history that has created this
long history that has created this
long history that has created this system and we have the opportunity to
system and we have the opportunity to
system and we have the opportunity to change it to have different outcomes
change it to have different outcomes
change it to have different outcomes that will save money potential and lives
that will save money potential and lives
that will save money potential and lives but we have to do something different we
but we have to do something different we
but we have to do something different we have to change how we think and that is
have to change how we think and that is
have to change how we think and that is the hardest things for humans to do but
the hardest things for humans to do but
the hardest things for humans to do but we cannot go back to issues and
we cannot go back to issues and
we cannot go back to issues and approaches that have been proven to
approaches that have been proven to
approaches that have been proven to create more damage like so-called tough
create more damage like so-called tough
create more damage like so-called tough on crime if we marginalize the
on crime if we marginalize the
on crime if we marginalize the transformative power of the arts and we
transformative power of the arts and we
transformative power of the arts and we try to approach our problems with fear
try to approach our problems with fear
try to approach our problems with fear and ignorance
and ignorance
and ignorance instead of courage and knowledge we will
instead of courage and knowledge we will
instead of courage and knowledge we will continue to suffer as a community and as
continue to suffer as a community and as
continue to suffer as a community and as a society we’re at a pivot in history
a society we’re at a pivot in history
a society we’re at a pivot in history right now
right now
right now what we do matters I urge you I urge you
what we do matters I urge you I urge you
what we do matters I urge you I urge you to go deeper ask difficult questions and
to go deeper ask difficult questions and
to go deeper ask difficult questions and then silently listen to the answers
then silently listen to the answers
then silently listen to the answers especially when they challenge what you
especially when they challenge what you
especially when they challenge what you hold to be true
hold to be true
hold to be true our incarcerated students have the
our incarcerated students have the
our incarcerated students have the courage to do this shouldn’t we thank
courage to do this shouldn’t we thank
courage to do this shouldn’t we thank you
you
you you
”
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