ACLU 100 National Tour and the UndocuMonologues

Working with individuals to craft autobiographical monologues and performances is always a daunting endeavor that needs a care-filled and trauma-informed approach. But never have I done this work with such high stakes.

Yes, Denver is a sanctuary city. Yes, the audience present is entirely individuals who have chosen to go out of their way to attend the ACLU’s 100th anniversary tour. But still, throughout the process of this performance, undocumented individuals, DREAMers, and DACA recipients were outing themselves and their families publicly, in Aurora, which is notoriously not a city which seeks to uplift its marginalized communities or strive towards equity. Through the performance of monologues and through an immersive and informative installation, these brave humans took a stand to call all of us, as U.S. citizens, to do better, and to acknowledge the humanity of our undocumented neighbors.

The process was careful.

I approached my role within this project with a carefully planned and specific strategy for establishing a supportive environment which promoted the sharing of stories without pressure or fear of repercussion.

Throughout the month, these individuals devised, experimented, and supported one another in crafting their performances, which would be delivered to a (predominantly white) audience unaware of the emotional, cognitive, and legal complexity of existing as an undocumented—or DACAmented, even—individual within the United States.

Sharing experiences of being carried through the desert at three years old; being pulled over by the cops for the first time while walking home from orchestra rehearsal at the age of seven; returning home to see family in Mexico for the first time after fifteen years, at the age of nineteen; the discovery of self-worth after US society had stripped it away, and shouting a bold dare to the audience:

“Go ahead, deport me! It’ll be your loss.”

I honor and admire these individuals, for their bravery throughout life and their ability to express their own pain on behalf of others with similar experiences still actively being so disempowered by the systems in our society that they dare not speak up for themselves.

I am in awe of their strength and solidarity, and am so grateful that they welcomed me to stand among them, to prompt and facilitate and hold space, to offer my theatrical support in helping them hone their storytelling and performance skills, and to bear witness over and over again while they shared their emotions, their passions, and their humanity with one another and with me each day throughout this journey.