The ‘I Am…’ Experience: Social Justice Art from Process to Product

Paulo Friere said, “We cannot enter the struggle as objects in order later to become subjects.” Freedom Players is one of the two ensembles within the Black Theatre and Dance Program at Wayne State University. As a group of young Detroit based artists met and interacted, challenges arose as they realized their birth was political. These artists explored how they can survive and thrive in a place where everything seems to be set up against them. As clashes built, their journey lead them on a path of discovery and renewal. The result was I Am…, a performance piece that illuminates for and engages audiences in current socio-political challenges, utilizing teaching artists through performance and conversation on race, gender, sexuality, and privilege as a means of bridging communities. This report documents the process used to create I Am… as a way of healing, empowerment, and discovery