"It’s up to all of us – Black, white, everyone…” Michelle Obama
“Women's empowerment is intertwined with respect for human rights.” Mahnaz Afkhami
“A woman is like a tea bag - you never know how strong she is until she gets in hot water.” Eleanor Roosevelt
"I just want to recognize that women are never congratulated for their hunger. We are never rewarded for taking up space musically. So, I just wanted to take a second to thank everybody for what we teach each other and that is to hunger for more, to not accept less, to make sure our voices are heard because the point of view that we have is required."
Jeanine Tesori, Composer
No one is able to hide anymore. No one.
We are still in a health, social, economic, political crisis which has impacted all of us. The stress of our lives multiplied over the last few years and exploded in 2020. Now time for change and renewal is at hand. How do we move forward?
How can we as artists discuss what justice for all of us looks like? What do we want for our future? How can we increase compassion and understanding to give voice to those voices that fall on deaf ears? How do we find ways for those deaf ears to hear, see and feel outside their understanding? Art can be the language of constructive action towards being heard. We want to work toward an understanding and developing movement forward through our art.
Some Topics to launch from:
Pandemic: How it has changed/impacted/escalated our lives
Discrimination: How has it changed? Not changed? What questions should we be asking?What are the answers?
BLM: social/racial justice, behavior, protesting, outsiders looting, How we are coming together?
#MeToo: equal pay, equal treatment in the office, the world… constant harassment in life and work
Division in the Country: We have never been so divided. How do we find common ground? How do we actually make these United States exactly that - United? Can we? Can this new administration?
Concentrate on one, or draw on more than one, it is all up to you and your imagination. Go for it! Written and performed pieces 3 to 5 minutes tops.
We will host a virtual evening to perform, display, discuss and enlighten the many sides of these issues that impact us all. Looking for: Scenes, Short plays, Short films, Monologues, Music, Poetry, Dance, Paintings, Sculptures and Photography - again nothing to exceed 3-5 minutes.
The entire evening will run 75-90 minutes with no intermission and will be via Zoom link. We will have a cast of professional NY actors reading the chosen pieces, and all art for the evening - photography, paintings, sculptures, music - will be put on display.
As in the past, this is open to all members of our organizations and affiliate organizations (see the list here).
