The world premiere of a student-written play by Cesar Chavez High School sophomores was well received on Capitol Hill this afternoon. Staffers from several Senate offices, as well as the Public Policy Director at Chavez and some Capitol Letters volunteers,gathered to cheer on Ms. Douglas and Mr. Morel's students as they declared through drama that "the immigration system is broken, and that it needs to do a better job of addressing the employment, educational, and social problems immigrants face." Besides seeing our new friends blossom as actors, our favorite part was the post-show discussion, in which students talked to Hill staffers about how they can continue to be effective activists and advocates around this issue. Ideas included letter writing campaigns, changes in their day to day interactions with people who may not speak English or have documentation, and organizing a group from Chavez to participate in May Day rallies or marches next year.
After a whirlwind week of research and discussion, with trips to Ellis Island the US Capitol thrown in the mix, this capstone class seems to have emerged with a more nuanced understanding of what it means to be an immigrant in the United States. We at Capitol Letters are thrilled to have been a part of one piece of that process: a day of improvisation, playwriting, revising, and rehearsal that led to today's performance. Congratulations to the playwrights and stars!