ACTion: Ecuador--Help Liz Get There!

I have been given a once in a lifetime opportunity! I’ve been accepted into Dramatic Action Theatre’s 2017 expedition to ACTion: Ecuador. I will be travelling with a group of artists and actors to Ecuador for a month where we will be teaching theater to local children, engage with the community and take part in various service projects. We will be landing in Quito where we will become acclimated to the region by training with resident playwrights and train for service projects, community outreach and teaching. Then we will head to Quilotoa where we will be teaching theater to local children. Next, we head to our site assignments (either Esmereldas, the Galapagos Islands or the Amazon Rain forest). It is here that we will engage with local children by teaching theater, completing service projects based on the particular community’s needs and working to create an original production based on our experiences which will be previewed in Quinto. We will then head back to the US where we will work together to rehearse and produce our original production in New York City.

If you know me, then you know that teaching is a calling, theater is a passion, and at my core I am a storyteller. Whether I’m writing, performing or teaching, I am always striving to give an authentic voice to my life. I am passionate about giving back and about ensuring that everyone has access to the arts. But, I can’t do it alone. I need your help. I am asking you to open your heart, and your wallet. Once-in-a-lifetime opportunities are not cheap, I am asking for $7,200. Here is the breakdown of what your donations will afford:Please know that EVERY dollar helps and goes to this program!

Here is a breakdown of what your donations go to (after Gofundme takes out their fees):

In Ecuador:
-International flights (from major hubs to Quito to NYC)
-Lodging for all 30 nights in Ecuador
-A month of traveler's insurance
-All ground transportation (including travel to the Amazon, the Coast, and the Galapagos)
-All scheduled activities, including workshops with master teachers
-A daily food per diem (to cover all meals)

For New York:
-Travel from NYC to Boston
-Lodging for a week in the city
-Food, ground transportation, and all other travel expenses

I need to pay for a portion of the trip up-front during the month of April, which I will be financing. If you can donate, please do. And, if you feel comfortable, leave your address and I will be handwriting thank-you notes along with photos of my expedition and personal stories of the lives that you have affected by sponsoring me for this trek. I have never been a woman to shy away from a challenge—I want to get my hands dirty, I want to make a difference in the lives of children through the arts, and I want to open my soul to a new culture. A thank-you note and photos are a small way that you can see the impact that your donations are making real-life impacts to Ecuadorian children and communities.