we all grew up with fairy tales right well my fairy tale sounded something
well my fairy tale sounded something
well my fairy tale sounded something like this three characters character
like this three characters character
like this three characters character number one the quiero mucho character
number one the quiero mucho character
number one the quiero mucho character number two eres el amor de mi vida no
number two eres el amor de mi vida no
number two eres el amor de mi vida no quiero vivir sin T and here comes the
quiero vivir sin T and here comes the
quiero vivir sin T and here comes the crisis character number three no sorry
crisis character number three no sorry
crisis character number three no sorry Blair in justo Jo Kira star come in and
Blair in justo Jo Kira star come in and
Blair in justo Jo Kira star come in and just to rub in the drama a little deeper
just to rub in the drama a little deeper
just to rub in the drama a little deeper with character one two and three damn
with character one two and three damn
with character one two and three damn they are mu mas
that was my life
that was my life when I was growing up my mom had
when I was growing up my mom had
when I was growing up my mom had telenovelas on all the time
telenovelas on all the time
telenovelas on all the time they don’t know a lot you know soap
they don’t know a lot you know soap
they don’t know a lot you know soap operas but they’re even better
operas but they’re even better
operas but they’re even better so the tenant living elsewhere my go to
so the tenant living elsewhere my go to
so the tenant living elsewhere my go to dream world
dream world
dream world they were my fairy tale the romance the
they were my fairy tale the romance the
they were my fairy tale the romance the melodrama it incited my imagination it
melodrama it incited my imagination it
melodrama it incited my imagination it was my escape from the real world escape
was my escape from the real world escape
was my escape from the real world escape what better way to escape from the real
what better way to escape from the real
what better way to escape from the real world than by taking a road trip that’s
world than by taking a road trip that’s
world than by taking a road trip that’s right this summer my family and I took
right this summer my family and I took
right this summer my family and I took an epic cross-country trip let me show
an epic cross-country trip let me show
an epic cross-country trip let me show you from the clear blue waters of Crater
you from the clear blue waters of Crater
you from the clear blue waters of Crater Lake to the humongous redwood trees to
Lake to the humongous redwood trees to
Lake to the humongous redwood trees to the breathtaking Grand Canyon
the breathtaking Grand Canyon
the breathtaking Grand Canyon our voyage continued from June to August
our voyage continued from June to August
our voyage continued from June to August every road trip needs music right well
every road trip needs music right well
every road trip needs music right well that could be a little challenging for a
that could be a little challenging for a
that could be a little challenging for a family of five I mean our musical tastes
family of five I mean our musical tastes
family of five I mean our musical tastes runs the gamut from rock to salsa to hip
runs the gamut from rock to salsa to hip
runs the gamut from rock to salsa to hip hop to reggae so deliberations about
hop to reggae so deliberations about
hop to reggae so deliberations about what to listen to can go on and on and
what to listen to can go on and on and
what to listen to can go on and on and on so like the theater geek that I am I
on so like the theater geek that I am I
on so like the theater geek that I am I popped in my favorite musical Hamilton
popped in my favorite musical Hamilton
popped in my favorite musical Hamilton which I had just recently seen and to my
which I had just recently seen and to my
which I had just recently seen and to my surprise my family loved it you know
surprise my family loved it you know
surprise my family loved it you know Hamilton the most popular Broadway
Hamilton the most popular Broadway
Hamilton the most popular Broadway musical today with a record setting of
musical today with a record setting of
musical today with a record setting of 16 Tony Award nominations and winning 11
16 Tony Award nominations and winning 11
16 Tony Award nominations and winning 11 Awards this musical written by
Awards this musical written by
Awards this musical written by lin-manuel Miranda uses hip-hop and R&B
lin-manuel Miranda uses hip-hop and R&B
lin-manuel Miranda uses hip-hop and R&B to narrate the story of a less-popular
to narrate the story of a less-popular
to narrate the story of a less-popular founding father Alexander Hamilton the
founding father Alexander Hamilton the
founding father Alexander Hamilton the man
man
man the $10 bill so Hamilton became our
the $10 bill so Hamilton became our
the $10 bill so Hamilton became our soundtrack for our road trip in search
soundtrack for our road trip in search
soundtrack for our road trip in search of the American dream scape every time
of the American dream scape every time
of the American dream scape every time we set or collapsed our tent my children
we set or collapsed our tent my children
we set or collapsed our tent my children would ask me mommy can we listen to
would ask me mommy can we listen to
would ask me mommy can we listen to Hamilton and I was proud I was proud
Hamilton and I was proud I was proud
Hamilton and I was proud I was proud that my children were connecting to a
that my children were connecting to a
that my children were connecting to a Latino Broadway performer who was also
Latino Broadway performer who was also
Latino Broadway performer who was also the composer
the composer
the composer the lyricist and a writer I mean when
the lyricist and a writer I mean when
the lyricist and a writer I mean when was the last time you saw that on
was the last time you saw that on
was the last time you saw that on Broadway and not only that but he was
Broadway and not only that but he was
Broadway and not only that but he was bringing in Broadway musicals like West
bringing in Broadway musicals like West
bringing in Broadway musicals like West Side Story Sweeney Todd and South
Side Story Sweeney Todd and South
Side Story Sweeney Todd and South Pacific in conversation with classic hip
Pacific in conversation with classic hip
Pacific in conversation with classic hip hop artists like jay-z Tupac and the
hop artists like jay-z Tupac and the
hop artists like jay-z Tupac and the notorious b.i.g
notorious b.i.g
notorious b.i.g and I was even prouder when my children
and I was even prouder when my children
and I was even prouder when my children put their own defiant flair to the rap
put their own defiant flair to the rap
put their own defiant flair to the rap my shot hey yo I’m just like my country
my shot hey yo I’m just like my country
my shot hey yo I’m just like my country I’m young scrappy and hungry and I ain’t
I’m young scrappy and hungry and I ain’t
I’m young scrappy and hungry and I ain’t throwing away my shot because that’s a
throwing away my shot because that’s a
throwing away my shot because that’s a musical tells us immigrants get things
musical tells us immigrants get things
musical tells us immigrants get things done and they’re central to the history
done and they’re central to the history
done and they’re central to the history of America and I think with all this
of America and I think with all this
of America and I think with all this anti-immigrant sentiment today this
anti-immigrant sentiment today this
anti-immigrant sentiment today this verse affirms this nation’s immigrant
verse affirms this nation’s immigrant
verse affirms this nation’s immigrant origin history and that is the dose of
origin history and that is the dose of
origin history and that is the dose of medicine that Hamilton offers as a first
medicine that Hamilton offers as a first
medicine that Hamilton offers as a first generation American from Ecuadorian
generation American from Ecuadorian
generation American from Ecuadorian parents who made their penny out of 50
parents who made their penny out of 50
parents who made their penny out of 50 cents by bringing home pieces of
cents by bringing home pieces of
cents by bringing home pieces of garments to sew for 10 cents apiece I
garments to sew for 10 cents apiece I
garments to sew for 10 cents apiece I was proud that Hamilton affirmed that my
was proud that Hamilton affirmed that my
was proud that Hamilton affirmed that my parents and I that we are part of
parents and I that we are part of
parents and I that we are part of America’s fabric so there was something
America’s fabric so there was something
America’s fabric so there was something special about watching my children
special about watching my children
special about watching my children along with lin-manuel Miranda narrating
along with lin-manuel Miranda narrating
along with lin-manuel Miranda narrating the foundations of America well we were
the foundations of America well we were
the foundations of America well we were at a campsite living the quintessential
at a campsite living the quintessential
at a campsite living the quintessential American dream of driving across the
American dream of driving across the
American dream of driving across the United States in search of nature’s well
United States in search of nature’s well
United States in search of nature’s well kept secret and it took me back it took
kept secret and it took me back it took
kept secret and it took me back it took me back to when I went to see Hamilton
me back to when I went to see Hamilton
me back to when I went to see Hamilton on Broadway
on Broadway
on Broadway throughout the three-hour performance
throughout the three-hour performance
throughout the three-hour performance the music entered my body my head
the music entered my body my head
the music entered my body my head bopping to the hip-hop beats my feet
bopping to the hip-hop beats my feet
bopping to the hip-hop beats my feet tapping to the polysyllabic rhymes
tapping to the polysyllabic rhymes
tapping to the polysyllabic rhymes seasoned by RMB flavor held by clouded
seasoned by RMB flavor held by clouded
seasoned by RMB flavor held by clouded punctuation I was listening to an afro
punctuation I was listening to an afro
punctuation I was listening to an afro diasporic soundscape and the site the
diasporic soundscape and the site the
diasporic soundscape and the site the site of thing are largely black and
site of thing are largely black and
site of thing are largely black and Latino cast of amazingly talented
Latino cast of amazingly talented
Latino cast of amazingly talented performers who reflected contemporary
performers who reflected contemporary
performers who reflected contemporary America deeply deeply moved me it was
America deeply deeply moved me it was
America deeply deeply moved me it was like a dream come true a fairy tale but
like a dream come true a fairy tale but
like a dream come true a fairy tale but all fairy tales must come to an end and
all fairy tales must come to an end and
all fairy tales must come to an end and as the performance of Hamilton came to
as the performance of Hamilton came to
as the performance of Hamilton came to an end I wiped the tears away you know
an end I wiped the tears away you know
an end I wiped the tears away you know that moment when you realize that you’re
that moment when you realize that you’re
that moment when you realize that you’re in public and you’re crying so you
in public and you’re crying so you
in public and you’re crying so you quickly wipe the tears away and you
quickly wipe the tears away and you
quickly wipe the tears away and you self-consciously look around you and as
self-consciously look around you and as
self-consciously look around you and as I was looking around I noticed the
I was looking around I noticed the
I was looking around I noticed the audience a predominantly
audience a predominantly
audience a predominantly white middle-aged audience who was as
white middle-aged audience who was as
white middle-aged audience who was as proud and as inspired and as emotionally
proud and as inspired and as emotionally
proud and as inspired and as emotionally moved as I was and I contemplated for a
moved as I was and I contemplated for a
moved as I was and I contemplated for a moment on my feelings and wondered
moment on my feelings and wondered
moment on my feelings and wondered whether or not my fellow spectators were
whether or not my fellow spectators were
whether or not my fellow spectators were reading Hamilton in the same way I was
reading Hamilton in the same way I was
reading Hamilton in the same way I was with respect to difference and then my
with respect to difference and then my
with respect to difference and then my American fairy tale turns into an
American fairy tale turns into an
American fairy tale turns into an American Nightmare
American Nightmare
American Nightmare when my daughter asses me mommy do you
when my daughter asses me mommy do you
when my daughter asses me mommy do you know what I want to be for Halloween and
know what I want to be for Halloween and
know what I want to be for Halloween and I think muchacha it’s summertime why are
I think muchacha it’s summertime why are
I think muchacha it’s summertime why are you thinking about Halloween yes tell me
you thinking about Halloween yes tell me
you thinking about Halloween yes tell me I want to be one of the Schuyler sisters
I want to be one of the Schuyler sisters
I want to be one of the Schuyler sisters Angelica Schuyler and as I hear my
Angelica Schuyler and as I hear my
Angelica Schuyler and as I hear my daughter’s wishes I get this awful
daughter’s wishes I get this awful
daughter’s wishes I get this awful visceral gut feeling what have I done
why does my dollar want to be angelica
why does my dollar want to be angelica Scheider my beautiful brown body 10 year
Scheider my beautiful brown body 10 year
Scheider my beautiful brown body 10 year old latina
old latina
old latina want to be a slave owner and
accomplished women in her own right but
accomplished women in her own right but a slave owner I realized I had to wake
a slave owner I realized I had to wake
a slave owner I realized I had to wake up from my hamilton fairy tale for
up from my hamilton fairy tale for
up from my hamilton fairy tale for America is the model of practicing
America is the model of practicing
America is the model of practicing equality and democracy in exceptional
equality and democracy in exceptional
equality and democracy in exceptional ways I had to wake up from this Hamilton
ways I had to wake up from this Hamilton
ways I had to wake up from this Hamilton fairy tale and pull my daughter out of
fairy tale and pull my daughter out of
fairy tale and pull my daughter out of it the harmonious and democratic America
it the harmonious and democratic America
it the harmonious and democratic America that we see on stage it’s what we aspire
that we see on stage it’s what we aspire
that we see on stage it’s what we aspire to be
to be
to be but it’s not our current reality yet the
but it’s not our current reality yet the
but it’s not our current reality yet the mass incarceration of people of color
mass incarceration of people of color
mass incarceration of people of color the high percentage of death by cops of
the high percentage of death by cops of
the high percentage of death by cops of young minority men in the hands of law
young minority men in the hands of law
young minority men in the hands of law enforcement the scrutiny faced by gays
enforcement the scrutiny faced by gays
enforcement the scrutiny faced by gays and transgendered people that is our
and transgendered people that is our
and transgendered people that is our current reality lin-manuel Miranda puts
current reality lin-manuel Miranda puts
current reality lin-manuel Miranda puts a colorful America on stage so that we
a colorful America on stage so that we
a colorful America on stage so that we can imagine the possibilities and in
can imagine the possibilities and in
can imagine the possibilities and in envisioning the possibilities we can
envisioning the possibilities we can
envisioning the possibilities we can have difficult conversations about race
have difficult conversations about race
have difficult conversations about race and racism the reason why I stand here
and racism the reason why I stand here
and racism the reason why I stand here before you today to see our colors on
before you today to see our colors on
before you today to see our colors on stage and to hear us speak our
stage and to hear us speak our
stage and to hear us speak our which that is what profoundly moving me
so let’s imagine for a moment like
so let’s imagine for a moment like lin-manuel Miranda access to do let’s
lin-manuel Miranda access to do let’s
lin-manuel Miranda access to do let’s imagine did you know today enrichment
imagine did you know today enrichment
imagine did you know today enrichment here that the Tony Award musical is
here that the Tony Award musical is
here that the Tony Award musical is running 1776 1776 is just like Hamilton
running 1776 1776 is just like Hamilton
running 1776 1776 is just like Hamilton it celebrates the history of America but
it celebrates the history of America but
it celebrates the history of America but this time through the lens of John Adams
this time through the lens of John Adams
this time through the lens of John Adams now let’s imagine for a moment if the
now let’s imagine for a moment if the
now let’s imagine for a moment if the cast was as diverse as the rich
cast was as diverse as the rich
cast was as diverse as the rich population of Richmond the capital of
population of Richmond the capital of
population of Richmond the capital of the Confederacy what if the cast
the Confederacy what if the cast
the Confederacy what if the cast included Native Americans Asian
included Native Americans Asian
included Native Americans Asian Americans blacks and Latinos did you
Americans blacks and Latinos did you
Americans blacks and Latinos did you know the highest growing population in
know the highest growing population in
know the highest growing population in Richmond is the Latino community yet
Richmond is the Latino community yet
Richmond is the Latino community yet Latinos are still the most neglected
Latinos are still the most neglected
Latinos are still the most neglected historical group in the Commonwealth
historical group in the Commonwealth
historical group in the Commonwealth whose presence predates American
whose presence predates American
whose presence predates American independence so if we can imagine for a
independence so if we can imagine for a
independence so if we can imagine for a moment this diversity then we can talk
moment this diversity then we can talk
moment this diversity then we can talk about who is excluded and if we
about who is excluded and if we
about who is excluded and if we understand that then we can begin to
understand that then we can begin to
understand that then we can begin to practice inclusivity with intentionality
richmond needs to break the
richmond needs to break the black-and-white binary it needs to see
black-and-white binary it needs to see
black-and-white binary it needs to see itself as a multicultural city
for the first time Richmond is
for the first time Richmond is acknowledging the presence and
acknowledging the presence and
acknowledging the presence and contributions of Latinos in Richmond
contributions of Latinos in Richmond
contributions of Latinos in Richmond with an exhibition called nuestras
with an exhibition called nuestras
with an exhibition called nuestras Astoria’s our history which will open up
Astoria’s our history which will open up
Astoria’s our history which will open up at the Valentine July 2017 that is the
at the Valentine July 2017 that is the
at the Valentine July 2017 that is the narrative that my daughter needs to
narrative that my daughter needs to
narrative that my daughter needs to witness she needs to see herself in
witness she needs to see herself in
witness she needs to see herself in Richmond she needs to hear the voices of
Richmond she needs to hear the voices of
Richmond she needs to hear the voices of people who look like her if she doesn’t
people who look like her if she doesn’t
people who look like her if she doesn’t it is harmful and damaging to her and
it is harmful and damaging to her and
it is harmful and damaging to her and that is the reality she lives in now so
that is the reality she lives in now so
that is the reality she lives in now so no no mama you can’t be Angelica
no no mama you can’t be Angelica
no no mama you can’t be Angelica Schuyler the woman that you hear and who
Schuyler the woman that you hear and who
Schuyler the woman that you hear and who performs Angelica Schuyler is the
performs Angelica Schuyler is the
performs Angelica Schuyler is the virtuous African American performer Rene
virtuous African American performer Rene
virtuous African American performer Rene Elise Goldsberry and what you love about
Elise Goldsberry and what you love about
Elise Goldsberry and what you love about her is the Destiny’s Child Desk RMB so
her is the Destiny’s Child Desk RMB so
her is the Destiny’s Child Desk RMB so she brings to that character aspire to
she brings to that character aspire to
she brings to that character aspire to be Dolores Huerta Angela Davis Malala
be Dolores Huerta Angela Davis Malala
be Dolores Huerta Angela Davis Malala yousufzai liberators not oppressors so I
yousufzai liberators not oppressors so I
yousufzai liberators not oppressors so I invite you yes to imagine imagine dream
invite you yes to imagine imagine dream
invite you yes to imagine imagine dream the American dream but then take it one
the American dream but then take it one
the American dream but then take it one step further and push it into reality
step further and push it into reality
step further and push it into reality because we’ve come someplace but we
because we’ve come someplace but we
because we’ve come someplace but we still have not gone where we need to go
because mija you are an American
because mija you are an American I’m an American we are Americans and
I’m an American we are Americans and
I’m an American we are Americans and that is not a fantasy that is a reality
that is not a fantasy that is a reality
that is not a fantasy that is a reality we need to reckon with thank you
”
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