Abstract
Recognizing the importance of the stories of immigrant and refugee experiences from Latin America to the United States; we have created a testimonial based theatre, Acto Latino, a student led organization in Los Angeles, California, to showcase emerging discourses that challenge anti-immigrant paradigms. This group is composed primarily of first generation college students that collaboratively write and perform productions based on their own immigration experiences and those of their relatives. We use drama based pedagogy to create a space where theater is used as a therapeutic tool and as a platform to promote the history of immigrants and refugees. Our plays denounce the struggle and discrimination of these communities in crisis, and motivate the audience to “know the other’’ and perhaps more importantly “know about the other.”, due to these problems extending beyond geographical borders that impact identity as well. Thus, the immigrant is left to remap both physical and mental spaces to establish themselves in a new territory, new language, and new culture.
Presenters
Melissa OsorioTeacher, World Language, Moreno Valley Unified School District, California, United States Bibiana Díaz
Associate Professor, World Languages and Literatures Department, California State University, California, United States
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
KEYWORDS
THEATER, ART, IMMIGRATION, IMMIGRANT, SOCIAL JUSTICE, EDUCATION, LATIN AMERICA
