If you live in the San Francisco Bay Area, you can see a sneak preview of my new show, Class Migrant: de Aquí y de Allá, this coming weekend on August 9th and 10th. The Marsh Theater is celebrating its 35th Anniversary by hosting the In Front of Your Eyes Festival throughout August with shows in its San Francisco and Berkeley venues. It is a Women’s Festival of New Performances, and some performers, like me, are showcasing brand-new plays in the development stage. I’ll be performing a 15-minute excerpt.
My performance on Friday night, August 9th, will be followed by Shubhra Prakash’s Fontwalla, an hour-long show that I am eager to see. This will be Shubrah’s closing night. Tickets are available here. Two shows for the price of one.
On Saturday night, August 10, my performance will be followed by an hour-long show, The Breakup! A Latina Queer Torch Song presented by Tina D’Elia. I’ve not seen this show either, but I am familiar with Tina’s work, having attended her other shows. Tickets are available here. Two shows for the price of one.
In Class Migrant, I explore the great American myth of meritocracy. Class migrants, especially people of color, are held up as examples of what anyone could achieve if they only work hard enough. Of course, we know that the path to success is greased for children with well-educated parents, who have access to good schools, and who are surrounded by people with social capital who open doors for them. So many smart, talented children in low-income communities have little opportunity to develop their talents and skills, with many obstacles before they even make it to the starting line.
While some praise class migrants for our success, others see us as unworthy DEI recipients who presumably achieved only because of (rather than despite) our race or gender. We are seeing all this play out on the national political stage every day. I tackle this topic in my new show.
Next Friday, August 9, will be a very long day as I attend the Take Charge 2024 Annual Latina Lean-In Conference in Silicon Valley. Last year, I was one of several keynote speakers and, throughout the day, participated in a fun and engaging program with women leaders, already well established in their careers, and many young women who are bursting with talent and eager for the opportunity to thrive in their respective careers in tech, law, medicine, the non-profit sector, and many other fields. I just learned it's sold out, but if you are interested, get on the waiting list. Registration link here.
I will perform Why Would I Mispronounce My Own Name? in the East Bay, Richmond, California, at Central Stage on Saturday, September 26th, at 7:30 pm and the following Sunday, October 6, at 2 pm. Tickets will go on sale this coming week, and you can order them through my website.
Finally, I will be the Emcee at the East Bay Sanctuary Covenant’s Annual Fundraising Event on Saturday, September 21st, in Berkeley. Tickets are available here. Do join us if you live in the Bay Area at any or all of these events.
Thanks for taking the time to read my newsletter.
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