THE SMILING BROWN
PROJECT
GENTE DE BRONCE: PEOPLE THE COLOR OF
THE EARTH
The Smiling Brown
Play/presentation/performance was historic. It was nothing short of amazing.
Below is the schedule for March 12. I can say it was intense. The good news is
that it was taped. This project is akin to the Vagina monologues. The most
important aspect of Smiling Brown is the dialogue. From the discussion held at
the end, it was decided that we may do it again for 5 de Mayo in Tucson, but
also in Phoenix in April and possibly in San Antonio before the actual premiere
in Los Angeles. It will also make for great curriculum. With the footage from
Jason Aragon of Pan Left, we will produce, perhaps a mini-documentary and
perhaps a 10-12 minute version that can be used in schools and other
educational settings. The topic of color and light-skin preference is very
powerful and in many cases is taboo. The project is ongoing. Feel free to send
in writings/poems, recordings or videotaped testimonios. March 12 at the Tucson
Festival of books barely scratched the surface. But also, that is a reminder;
Smiling Brown will also be a book. Send to: XColumn@gmail.com
More details later. At the moment, a huge thank you to all participated in the
Tucson preview and all those who have sent in testimonios to different parts of
the country. In the fall of 2017 and the spring of 2018, there will be a
Smiling Brown tour. The hopes are for the premier in the Spring of 2018 in Los
Angeles. Will keep everyone posted re this.
THE SMILING BROWN
PROJECT
GENTE DE BRONCE: PEOPLE THE COLOR OF
THE EARTH
Light skin preference and the denial of Indigeneity.
by Roberto Rodriguez.
What this project/book/play
examines is light-skin preference in the Mexican, Central American and Andean
communities of this nation, particularly in relationship to indigeneity and
denial of indigeneity. Perhaps counter-intuitively, this is a taboo topic in
these communities. The reason for that is because the play primarily examines
the internal dimension to this phenomenon; i.e. how it plays out within
family/relatives/friends. The external of course manifests as racial profiling
in all of this society's institutions. Part of what the play chooses to examine
are the earliest memories when children become conscious of their color and
that there is meaning attached to their color, and of course, most of these
memories are negative.
PROGRAM SUNDAY MARCH 12
Pre-Program
Somos
Mas Americanos – Tigres del Norte
Dulce
Juarez (tape)
Why
am I so Brown? By Trinidad Sanchez
SMILING BROWN 2:30-4:30pm
Opening
Poem: Susana Sandoval 7 min (live)
Susana
is a poet, human rights and Indigenous rights activist. She recently spent 3
months at Standing Rock.
Sarah
Gonzalez MC
Sarah Gonzales is an artist, community
organizer and educator living in Tucson.
Roberto
Rodriguez Dr. Cintli: Genesis of the Smiling Brown Project:
Associate
Professor in Mexican American Studies at the UA, founder of the Smiling Brown
Project and a life-long writer. Currently writes for Diverse Issues in Higher
Education.
Mictlani
Classroom powerpoint re color preference.
As a critical educator my objective has been
to interrogate colonization through a decolonizing curricular and pedagogical
focus in a K-5 classroom setting; the most decolonizing experience that I’ve
provided my students is the opportunity to love their humanity, contrary to the
dehumanizing goal of colonization. This self love objective is rooted in the
study of this ancient energy of Tezcatlipoca as experienced by my students’
love for the color of their skin, expressed through art and poetry.
The
Vai Se Voi family: Presentation on raising their family right (and importance
of Indigeneity to family/community).
Chanequeh
Vai Sevoi, Tetaviecti, Cajeme, Sewailo, Gigi Naamu, Tuituli, Marisella Kurues,
Chucho, and Maria. Calpollequeh of Teoxicalli Pueblo Tlamanalco. Maria and
Chucho are the proud parents of 6 beautiful children, instilling self-love and
self-worth through cultura.
Anabel
Aguayo: Morena Color de Llanta:
Anabel
is a social worker and a graduate of the University of Arizona and Arizona
State University.
Alexandria
Partida; live testimonio
Alexandria
is a University of Arizona graduate and an aspiring doctora.
Monica
Contreras - live testimonio
Monica Contreras is a recent graduate from the
University of Arizona's Mexican American Studies program. She is a former
MEChista, proud Chicana and was born in Arizona.
*Diana
Diaz - videotaped testimonio
Diana Díaz was born in Fresno, CA to Mexican
and Salvadoran migrants. She graduated from the University of Arizona with my
Bachelor's in Art with an emphasis in Linguistics.
Eva
Alcalde & Mictlan Alcalde testimonies
Eva (mother)
and Mictlan (son) were both born in Tucson. Mictlan is aspiring to be a warrior
artist, and his mother is a visual artist. Eva has received her Bachelor's and
Master's Degrees from Arizona State University School of Social Work. Mictlan
attends Roskruge Middle School and is in the 6th grade.
Alfred
Chavez taped testimonio
Alfred,
a graduate of Northern Arizona University was born and went to school in
Tucson. He has dedicated his testimonio to his Nana Nellie.
Timo
Padilla poem
Timoteio is a public health educator, poet
and emcee working within the anti-violence movement. Timoteio organizes,
educates and works to end violence against women, and build solidarity with
LGBTQ identified folks, while considering intersections of privilege and power
as they relate to masculinity. Timoteio pursues this work through a
decolonizing framework, dismantling systems of oppression, while building
towards indigenous resilience.
Ruben
Botello: Anglolocation:
Ruben
is retired and works at Americas and Caribbean Islands Union & American
Homeless Society
Susana
Sandoval & Karizma Blackburn: testimonios
From Chicago, Susana was our opening poet. Her
daughter: Karizma Blackburn is a writer, vocalist, activist who has
traveled to Kenya and Standing Rock, North Dakota to fight for water
rights.
Juvenal
Caporale:
Juvenal is a PhD candidate in the Mexican
American Studies Department at the University of Arizona. His research
interests include street gangs, criminalization, and youth identity and
resiliency.
Tara
Truddell: poetry and performance of her works and the works of her father, the
late John Truddell.
Armando
Bernal:
Armando,
born in Tucson, is a long-time Tucson educator and a retired librarian.
Leilani
Clark poem
Leilani is a
Tucson native, long time immigration, human and Indigenous rights activist.She
currently lives in Las Vegas.
DIALOGUE
WITH AUDIENCE: Moderated by Sarah Gonzalez
Piel Canela
(WHERE NAME OF PLAY
COMES FROM)
By Anna NietoGomez
“I grew up believe everyone’s skin color was
some color brown. Perhaps that is because I am brown, and people in my
family were either lighter or darker than I. It’s rather funny that of those
who are some color of brown, I do not know who is darker or lighter. I
don’t even describe what color of brown I am. I think it is because it
changes from season to season, and it seems to be a different color now that I
am older. But when I see a picture of myself it is a smiling
brown, but not the color of a brown crayon… “
Thanks to all who have
assisted in this process, including everyone presenting on March 12, and also:
Evelina Fernandez, Jose L. Valenzuela, Andrea Romero, Cathy Gastelum, Marc
Pinate, Milta Ortiz, Jose Garcia, Anna Ochoa O’Leary, Ada Wilkinson-Lee, Kyle Peterson,
Anahi Herrera, Elizabeth Soltero, Jason Aragon and Brillana Barraza.
Because it is an ongoing
project, we are still looking for stories, written, recorded or videotaped:
Inquire or send to: XColumn@gmail.com
You can support this
project with a tax-deductible donation to the University of Arizona Foundation.
