acknowledge, Participate & heal
I believe that our best future is one where we acknowledge our painful histories & participate in each other’s healing.
:: VISION ::
Theater for Humanity envisions communities where we are policed by our neighbors: people whose names we know; friends who we trust. A world where committing a crime does not condemn a person forever but where forgiveness, healing, and reconciliation are available for both the police and the policed.
:: values ::
Compassion
In a world that values punishment, Theater for Humanity embraces compassion. Whether guilty or innocent, we do not judge anyone.
Openness
We value open and honest communication that builds trust. Open dialogue allows us to celebrate our uncensored identities. Storytelling, theater and film share the truths, histories, and experiences that emerge from the work with a larger audience. This promotes an open society and makes seemingly distant groups more relatable.
GATHERING
Something happens when people come together despite negative or traumatic experiences to express, heal and forgive with the aim of healing themselves and building with one another.
Freedom
Each person has a unique purpose. By healing the trauma, pain, and restrictions blocking the participants, Theater for Humanity helps them to live freely – “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all people are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”
Mission
I am on a mission to influence the decision-making patterns of formerly incarcerated persons and law enforcement officers.
APPROACH
Community Creation ModelThe community creation model continues the American racial integration movement. If our society is to succeed, we must move beyond cohabitating into an era where we intentionally cultivate and nurture honest dialogue, healing, and relationships.
Pursuing A Dream
I share in Dr. King's Dream
Overcoming barriersI believe that we can create a society where we value character rather than judging others by their race, gender, or other labels. Yet I know that we have challenges to overcome: our society is hostile, judgemental, and fearful.
HOSTILE
Hostility is increasing in our world. We aggressively define ourselves by differences in race, language, nationality, gender, religion, class, and more.
Judgmental
Our global hostility has created a culture of judgment that is rooted in shared and practiced values.
Fearful
Our increased reliance on weapons, security systems, surveillance, military, and violence, generally, is not accomplishing our stated goal: safety and peace. In fact, we are accomplishing the exact opposite. Our fear is rooted in what we do not know: one another.
From Desegregation to Social Integration
Self Healing
Our reconciliation work addresses our human need to reconcile with ourselves first, others second. Participants are given the tools to heal themselves.
More than Race
While the need for reconciliation presents itself very visibly in the history and relationship between blacks and whites because of the media, the need for reconciliation is actually a raceless one.
Acceptance
Theater for Humanity’s vision of social integration extends to those who society has overlooked including those dealing with mental illness, formerly incarcerated persons, those in prison, all who we label as being “different” and not normal.
Placemaking
We pursue the dream by making a place for all of our participants; first through listening to their stories and then through supporting them as they pursue their purpose.