As Trump’s second term ushers in a new wave of anti-immigrant policies and aggressive enforcement, communities across the country are scrambling to protect themselves. In Boulder, one theater company is using art and dialogue to help.
“This is a pretty tense moment for the immigrant community,” says Cristian Solano-Córdova, director of communications at Motus Theater and DACA recipient. “We’re navigating fear, misinformation and being political scapegoats, really, so we wanted to host this event to equip people with the facts, to help people understand their rights and what tools they have at their disposal, as well as being in dialogue with public safety officials.”
That effort comes to life on Saturday, August 9, in a free public event co-hosted by Motus Theater and the Boulder County District Attorney’s Office at the Canyon Theater and Gallery in the Boulder Public Library. The event aims to engage immigrant communities and local leaders through civic dialogue, autobiographical storytelling and an art opening.
"One of the big issues is right now that I've seen in the community is that people have so much fear that, if they're a victim of a crime, they might be a little too scared to contact the police," Solano-Córdova. "We are continuing to try to build trust between immigrants and public safety officials, given that we have laws on the books here in Colorado, where sheriff's offices and police departments are not allowed legally to pass on information to federal immigration enforcement."
Saturday’s program begins at 3:30 p.m. with a Know Your Rights training led by District Attorney Michael Dougherty, followed by a Q&A with Dougherty, Boulder County Sheriff Curtis Johnson, former Sheriff Joe Pelle, Boulder Police Chief of Staff Alastair McNiven and an immigration attorney who is still being confirmed. Together, they’ll offer guidance on immigrant protections related to traffic stops, criminal proceedings, courthouse appearances and more.
“We want to make sure people understand that, and that people feel safe contacting public safety officials for help should they need it," Solano-Córdova explains. “So that was part of the big motivation for doing this event, as well as the human connection. We're an arts organization, so we use storytelling and art to lift up the lived experiences of people with DACA in our community."
One key highlight of the event will be a live co-reading of a Motus monologue by Dougherty and Pelle, who was instrumental in supporting immigrant protections during his tenure as sheriff. “We’re really proud to bring him back,” Solano-Córdova says. “He’s built a lot of connections with the immigrant community, and we want to honor his contribution to helping our communities feel safe.”
Following the Q&A, the evening will shift into a reception and the official opening of Reclaiming Our Presence, a new visual art exhibit from Motus Theater’s ImmigrantAmerica (formerly UndocuAmerica) project. The exhibit features murals by Edica Pacha, illustrations by Sebastián Sifuentes in collaboration with Motus artistic director Kirsten Wilson and never-before-shown photographs from Motus’ landmark 2017 show Law Enforcement Leaders Read DREAMer Stories, which introduced the co-reading model the company continues to develop today.
“It’s kind of a look back at the work Motus has done, but also looking forward,” Solano-Córdova says. “We want to be a place where the community can gather and learn about each other, and in this case, also learn about our rights as immigrants.”
Among the new elements on display are photos tied to Motus’ podcast, Shoebox Stories, which has featured undocumented Motus performers in conversation with public figures such as actor John Lithgow, humanitarian chef José Andrés and Black Lives Matter co-founder Patrisse Cullors. The exhibit will remain on view through September 30.
While the Motus is facilitating the event, Solano-Córdova emphasizes that the informational content will be led by trusted legal experts. “
We’ve worked with several of these public safety officials in the past, and all of our monologists and our staff really have a lot of trust for these folks,” he says. “So we think it’ll be really helpful for the community — not just to hear know-your-rights information, but also to build community by listening to stories.”
That emphasis on storytelling is core to Motus’ mission. “We believe in the power of story to change how people see each other,” Solano-Córdova explains. “When public officials read the words of someone with DACA, they, in a way, step into our shoes and become allies in a new, deeper way.”
For those unable to attend in person, a recording of the event will be available on Motus Theater’s YouTube channel and the District Attorney’s Office website. Community members can also submit questions in advance to [email protected], and organizers will do their best to address them during the Q&A. Though some may be hesitant to attend public events due to immigration enforcement concerns, Solano-Córdova emphasizes that all are welcome.
“I can definitely understand people’s fear of attending public events at this time,” he says. “But we still have a lot of immigrants and people who hold marginalized identities showing up to our performances and events. We're doing well on our registration numbers, but I have noticed a lot of allies are showing up, and I find that really beautiful that people are going out of their way to learn more and get a little more involved in whichever way feels most comfortable for them."
A Motus Theater Art Opening and Community Civic Dialogue with the Boulder County District Attorney’s Office is Saturday, August 9, from 3:30 to 7 p.m. at Canyon Theater and Gallery at the Boulder Public Library, 1000 Canyon, Boulder Canyon Drive, Boulder. Reclaiming Our Presence on view through Tuesday, September 30. Learn more at motustheater.org.
“This is a pretty tense moment for the immigrant community,” says Cristian Solano-Córdova, director of communications at Motus Theater and DACA recipient. “We’re navigating fear, misinformation and being political scapegoats, really, so we wanted to host this event to equip people with the facts, to help people understand their rights and what tools they have at their disposal, as well as being in dialogue with public safety officials.”
That effort comes to life on Saturday, August 9, in a free public event co-hosted by Motus Theater and the Boulder County District Attorney’s Office at the Canyon Theater and Gallery in the Boulder Public Library. The event aims to engage immigrant communities and local leaders through civic dialogue, autobiographical storytelling and an art opening.
"One of the big issues is right now that I've seen in the community is that people have so much fear that, if they're a victim of a crime, they might be a little too scared to contact the police," Solano-Córdova. "We are continuing to try to build trust between immigrants and public safety officials, given that we have laws on the books here in Colorado, where sheriff's offices and police departments are not allowed legally to pass on information to federal immigration enforcement."
Saturday’s program begins at 3:30 p.m. with a Know Your Rights training led by District Attorney Michael Dougherty, followed by a Q&A with Dougherty, Boulder County Sheriff Curtis Johnson, former Sheriff Joe Pelle, Boulder Police Chief of Staff Alastair McNiven and an immigration attorney who is still being confirmed. Together, they’ll offer guidance on immigrant protections related to traffic stops, criminal proceedings, courthouse appearances and more.
“We want to make sure people understand that, and that people feel safe contacting public safety officials for help should they need it," Solano-Córdova explains. “So that was part of the big motivation for doing this event, as well as the human connection. We're an arts organization, so we use storytelling and art to lift up the lived experiences of people with DACA in our community."
Motus Theater’s 2018 performance of Women of Resolution at eTown Hall.
By Michael Ensminger, Courtesy of Motus Theater.
Following the Q&A, the evening will shift into a reception and the official opening of Reclaiming Our Presence, a new visual art exhibit from Motus Theater’s ImmigrantAmerica (formerly UndocuAmerica) project. The exhibit features murals by Edica Pacha, illustrations by Sebastián Sifuentes in collaboration with Motus artistic director Kirsten Wilson and never-before-shown photographs from Motus’ landmark 2017 show Law Enforcement Leaders Read DREAMer Stories, which introduced the co-reading model the company continues to develop today.
“It’s kind of a look back at the work Motus has done, but also looking forward,” Solano-Córdova says. “We want to be a place where the community can gather and learn about each other, and in this case, also learn about our rights as immigrants.”
Lafayette Police Chief Rick Bashor and Victor Galvan perform during Motus Theater’s 2017 Law Enforcement Leaders Read DREAMER Stories.
Courtesy of Motus Theater.
While the Motus is facilitating the event, Solano-Córdova emphasizes that the informational content will be led by trusted legal experts. “
We’ve worked with several of these public safety officials in the past, and all of our monologists and our staff really have a lot of trust for these folks,” he says. “So we think it’ll be really helpful for the community — not just to hear know-your-rights information, but also to build community by listening to stories.”
That emphasis on storytelling is core to Motus’ mission. “We believe in the power of story to change how people see each other,” Solano-Córdova explains. “When public officials read the words of someone with DACA, they, in a way, step into our shoes and become allies in a new, deeper way.”
For those unable to attend in person, a recording of the event will be available on Motus Theater’s YouTube channel and the District Attorney’s Office website. Community members can also submit questions in advance to [email protected], and organizers will do their best to address them during the Q&A. Though some may be hesitant to attend public events due to immigration enforcement concerns, Solano-Córdova emphasizes that all are welcome.
“I can definitely understand people’s fear of attending public events at this time,” he says. “But we still have a lot of immigrants and people who hold marginalized identities showing up to our performances and events. We're doing well on our registration numbers, but I have noticed a lot of allies are showing up, and I find that really beautiful that people are going out of their way to learn more and get a little more involved in whichever way feels most comfortable for them."
A Motus Theater Art Opening and Community Civic Dialogue with the Boulder County District Attorney’s Office is Saturday, August 9, from 3:30 to 7 p.m. at Canyon Theater and Gallery at the Boulder Public Library, 1000 Canyon, Boulder Canyon Drive, Boulder. Reclaiming Our Presence on view through Tuesday, September 30. Learn more at motustheater.org.
