welcome to coyapaz.com!
7.01.2010
The Americans
I started my new project today!
The Americans is a piece about race and American identity during our current immigration crisis. I'm creating the piece based on interviews, community workshops, and archival documents (which includes newspapers, the Constitution, letters, etc). A big 20-30 minute chunk will be developed in collaboration with Halcyon Theatre* for the Milwaukee Avenue Arts Festival, and the remainder will be workshopped at Voice of the City this summer.
I'm excited! I've been wanting to get rolling on this for AGES! Scroll down this blog for the proof.
Today I conducted on-the-spot interviews in the park. I'm shy about approaching strangers, but I used my daughter as an "in" to people lounging in the park, and my sister as a wing man. Some of the material I collected was so interesting - people have such complicated relationships to the idea of Americanness, and everyone I asked about what it meant to be in America and live in America had something very different to say. As I cull through the interviews, I'll post some of the best answers so you can get a preview of what's to come. I also have (fingers crossed) someone who is going to make mini-documentaries about the project as we progress. SO EXCITING!
The Americans is a piece about race and American identity during our current immigration crisis. I'm creating the piece based on interviews, community workshops, and archival documents (which includes newspapers, the Constitution, letters, etc). A big 20-30 minute chunk will be developed in collaboration with Halcyon Theatre* for the Milwaukee Avenue Arts Festival, and the remainder will be workshopped at Voice of the City this summer.
I'm excited! I've been wanting to get rolling on this for AGES! Scroll down this blog for the proof.
Today I conducted on-the-spot interviews in the park. I'm shy about approaching strangers, but I used my daughter as an "in" to people lounging in the park, and my sister as a wing man. Some of the material I collected was so interesting - people have such complicated relationships to the idea of Americanness, and everyone I asked about what it meant to be in America and live in America had something very different to say. As I cull through the interviews, I'll post some of the best answers so you can get a preview of what's to come. I also have (fingers crossed) someone who is going to make mini-documentaries about the project as we progress. SO EXCITING!
posted by CP # 7/01/2010 03:02:00 PM 
Comments:
<< Home
I am interested in your piece "The Americans," especially since it will open up avenues for immigrants and non-immigrants alike to critically think and ponder issues of cultural identity and "Americanness."
The idea intrigues me because of my own immigrant status, particularly because after 24 years in this country I still haven't sought American citizenship, refuse to identify as American, and have managed to maintain my accent; an integral part of who I am.
I completed my BA in English Literature, focusing partly on World Literature because I wanted to explore issues of immigrant identity in relation to Americanness.
I found that more often than not, immigrants often sacrificed their ethnic identity for the sake of fitting into the mold of Americanness and then struggled to re-define his/her identity later on, particularly the second generation.
Personally, I still don't quite understand why I wasn't and still not concerned with acquiring my "Americanness," but I am thoroughly fascinated about how other immigrants struggle with the issue.
In your documentary, do you explore at all how personality may or may not affect how immigrants struggle with identity? Because in some ways I'm inclined to believe that my quiet, withdrawn, shy personality served as some sort of preventative, protective measure regarding my not succumbing to the peer pressure of Americanisation.
And congratulations on acquiring your PhD.
Post a Comment
The idea intrigues me because of my own immigrant status, particularly because after 24 years in this country I still haven't sought American citizenship, refuse to identify as American, and have managed to maintain my accent; an integral part of who I am.
I completed my BA in English Literature, focusing partly on World Literature because I wanted to explore issues of immigrant identity in relation to Americanness.
I found that more often than not, immigrants often sacrificed their ethnic identity for the sake of fitting into the mold of Americanness and then struggled to re-define his/her identity later on, particularly the second generation.
Personally, I still don't quite understand why I wasn't and still not concerned with acquiring my "Americanness," but I am thoroughly fascinated about how other immigrants struggle with the issue.
In your documentary, do you explore at all how personality may or may not affect how immigrants struggle with identity? Because in some ways I'm inclined to believe that my quiet, withdrawn, shy personality served as some sort of preventative, protective measure regarding my not succumbing to the peer pressure of Americanisation.
And congratulations on acquiring your PhD.
# posted by 
: 8:07 PM
: 8:07 PM<< Home
Archives
October 2006 November 2006 December 2006 February 2007 March 2007 April 2007 May 2007 June 2007 July 2007 August 2007 September 2007 October 2007 November 2007 December 2007 January 2008 February 2008 March 2008 April 2008 May 2008 June 2008 July 2008 October 2008 November 2008 March 2009 June 2009 November 2009 May 2010 June 2010 July 2010 August 2010 September 2010 November 2010 December 2010
