This summer, Voice of Witness was proud to support Amplifying Sanctuary Voices with personal storytelling performances, produced in collaboration with Berkeley Repertory Theatre.
Amplifying Sanctuary Voices (ASV) is a collaborative initiative that provides space for immigrants and asylum seekers to express themselves through creative means. ASV supports public-facing events such as performances and exhibitions to promote empathy, engagement, and collective action towards equity and justice for migrant communities.
Developed by East Bay Sanctuary Covenant, an organization that provides legal and social services to immigrants and refugees, ASV consists of a coalition of community organizations. The driving mission of ASV is to support asylum seekers to tell their own stories in healing, supportive spaces. VOW has been a member of ASV since its inception in 2019, working directly with community members on a number of storytelling and advocacy trainings and events.
The partnership between ASV and Berkeley Repertory Theatre created a unique opportunity for immigrant community members to engage with each other and theater teaching artists in storytelling workshops. Starting in August 2023, these workshops provided a space for participants to learn theater and performance skills, explore improvisation, and craft monologues rooted in their personal experiences. As an ASV collaborator, Voice of Witness supported and participated in the performance development process over the past year.
Four performers—Crecencio, Marta, Irma, and Diego—worked for months to write and develop their pieces for the June 2024 event. While their performances ranged in topic from Indigeneity to gender and sexuality, they were tied together by the overarching theme of migration from Latin America. Each actor spoke in both English and Spanish during their monologues, with some also speaking the Indigenous Mam language. In a “black box” style theater, they used props and costumes to supplement their performances.
- Crecencio used radio equipment as props while he discussed his work for Radio B’alam, the first station dedicated to serving Oakland’s Mam-speaking Guatemalan immigrant community.
- Diego used a costume change to transform into Estrella, concluding with a joyful, interactive drag performance.
- Irma commanded the stage with expressive movement as she shared a monologue detailing her experiences with gender-based discrimination in Mexico, traveling to the US, and finally receiving support and resources from EBSC after years of living as an undocumented immigrant.
- In front of a packed audience, Marta read her own poetry and declared, “Now I am from the Bay Area… Now I am a citizen,” and was met by thunderous applause.
The performance highlighted how oral history can intersect powerfully with theater, turning first-person narratives into dynamic, communal experiences.
The theater is another platform where oral histories can serve as a foundation for diverse forms of artistic expression, including poetry, radio, and drag. ASV aims to continue these performances, shining a light on voices that often go unheard.
Interested in partnering with Voice of Witness? Learn more and reach out to ela@voiceofwitness.org.
