Uprising Theater: Voice for Palestine

Iymen Chehade teaches the “Israel-Palestinian Conflict” course at Chicago’s Columbia College. Focusing on critical inquiry and alternative viewpoints brought him into the crosshairs of the Columbia College administration that cut his course because of an accusation of bias after he showed the film Five Broken Cameras. The Respect Academic Freedom: Palestine is No Exception (RAFPINE) campaign successfully defended Chehade's right to teach about Palestine and his classes were restored.

As a result of support from thousands of people around the world, Chehade and his students and colleagues in the social justice community have been inspired and are moving on to their next project: Uprising Theater. Uprising Theater will be a permanent space where freedom of thought and expression will flourish, using theater as a means to bring to light social justice issues that currently do not have a voice. Uprising Theater will build on Iymen's experience as an actor and a playwright. Uprising Theater will be the first theater in the country that will prioritize plays that present the Palestinian experience to the public.

We strongly believe that art can play a strong integral role in exposing the Palestinian issue to the public along with many other issues of social justice that face people in the United States and around the world. Issues of poverty, racism, women's oppression, and repression of freedom of expression are common problems that people deal with. Theater can play an important role in helping people to imagine an alternative future where these issues have been addressed.

Our permanent space that will house the theater is located on Chicago's northwest side in the Logan Square/Avondale neighborhood. Please donate to help bring this theater to life.