"Where Do We Stand" at Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day Celebration (2012)

"Where Do We Stand?" Special Theatrical Performance by SCPA students during Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day Celebration Monday, January 16th at Noon at Music Hall.

January 13, 2012 --Cincinnati, OH -- A committee known as the Over the Rhine/School of Creative and Performing Arts (OTR/SCPA) Committee is pleased to announce a special artistic performance written and performed by a group of SCPA Creative Writing students. This 10 minute performance is just one of many that will take place during the BE THE CHANGE -- LIVE THE FREEDOM! event taking place on Monday January 16, 2012. BE THE CHANGE -- LIVE THE FREEDOM! is the 37th Annual Commemorative celebration and is sponsored by the Martin Luther King, Jr. Coalition and The National Underground Railroad Freedom Center. The celebration begins at 12:00 noon at Music Hall.

"Where Do We Stand?" was created under the direction of University of Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music Theatre Professor Michael Burnham and SCPA's Creative Writing Department and Spoken Word Team teacher, Wendy Braun. Together with students in the Creative Writing program, they took a concept and made it come to life. Students conducted research and participated in discussion sessions with individuals who were alive during Dr. King's movement in an effort to create the 10 minute spoken word piece. Interviewee's included William L. Mallory, Sr. and Rev. Damon Lynch, Jr. Braun compiled and reviewed the student's individual writings "weaving them together" she stated "so that the message of unity could be heard through each unique voice."

Burnham, who directed this project, says "I'm just so thankful that this opportunity came about to help these young people connect to their history. Yes, they knew it existed, but now -- with the help of people like Reverend Damon Lynch, Jr and William Mallory, Sr -- they've actually touched it, interacted with it, and let it touch them and their work. That's one great gift the OTR/SCPA Committee, The SCPA, and the MLK Committee have given to these young people and this city. I'm grateful to have gotten to see it start to happen."
Where Do We Stand? is a concept suggested by OTR/SCPA committee member, SCPA Alumni Justin Jeffre. Jeffre vocalized a desire for a collaborative tribute to Dr. King's poor people's campaign efforts. Jeffre suggested that art students read stories of redemption, as well as quotations from King's speeches and interviews. Jeffre sought to move away from the same few quotes that are highlighed year after year and move toward examining Dr. King's legacy. As stated by Jeffre, "to have the arts community working together to raise awareness and understanding would be a powerful way to build the community."

The OTR/SCPA committee, a sub committee of the People's Platform for Equality and Justice, is a group of invested parents, alumni, artists and community members that formed to work on building bridges and a solid relationship between SCPA and the OTR community. The goals of the group include advocating for an inclusive community, negating intolerenace, creating opportunities for SCPA students, their parents, staff and faculty to participate in various service learning and service opportunities, as well as addressing misconceptions and negativity surrounding issues of race and class. The committee formed in 2010 and actively works with the SCPA administration to meet their goals.

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Contact:
Jeni Jenkins, Director of Education & Outreach
OTR/SCPA Committee Co-Chair
Greater Cincinnati Homeless Coalition
Telephone: 513-885-0504
Email: jenijenkins@cincihomeless.org

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People & Blogs

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• MLK
• diversity
• inclusion
• Martin Luther King
• Cincinnati