The goal of Sanctuary Stage is to initiate healing through theater, music, and dance and to bridge the gap between youth across oceans. We will introduce the power of drama into the lives of adolescent refugees and empower them to tell their own stories without a filter, never forgetting the rich and varied cultures of all of the places they come from. Through ten days of guided workshops and storytelling sessions, we will foster a community where all members are able to amplify their voices and create art that they want to create, together, culminating in a final, collaborative performance of storytelling through monologue, song and dance.
As five students native to New York City, we hail from a place whose hallmark is diversity. Throughout our formative years, we have seen people of all shapes and colors flock to this city in search of open arms. We have seen people from all walks of life, from the farthest reaches of the world, come here in search of a voice, a place where they can be as they are. Yet there are still others searching: there are almost 71 million people displaced, unaccounted for, seeking this inalienable human right of a voice. This body of people is diverse in its own right, comprised of people of all ages and ethnicities, including some 50 million children and adolescents. In our childhood years is when we find our own voices, yet these children are left searching for theirs, invisible.
But in New York, we have been so lucky as to have an invaluable tool in finding our own voices. Through the arts of theater, music and dance in all of its colors and forms, we have found something that has defined us, something that has left an indelible mark on us as people. We believe this tool transcends the boundaries of distance and language. This tool has the power to give a voice to those who have always been spoken for. It has the power to give people a chance to tell a story through their own eyes. The beauty and power of the stage is so compelling, and as people who have been so lucky to experience it ourselves, it is now our duty to share it.
So often marginalized groups are spoken for, never given the opportunity to project their own voices. With various programs for children, we feel adolescents have been left out of the narrative. They have stories that need to be shared, and they are the generation who are entering adulthood. They have the power to make change with their message, and make it last as they grow up. We hope that, as peers, we can impart the values and mechanisms through which we have been able to broadcast our thoughts, feelings, and opinions. Together, we will use art to find refuge and sanctuary in today’s increasingly disjointed world.
We are raising money to support our project and fund the spaces and supplies required to make our vision into a reality. In conjunction with other organizations in Athens we have been able to find discounted spaces to host our workshops, but need your help in covering all costs. We also wish to provide a meal for every participant in the program for all ten days. Please help us in any way you can: even the smallest amount helps!
With love,
Zeynep, Cosmo, Loula, Sammie and Sara
As five students native to New York City, we hail from a place whose hallmark is diversity. Throughout our formative years, we have seen people of all shapes and colors flock to this city in search of open arms. We have seen people from all walks of life, from the farthest reaches of the world, come here in search of a voice, a place where they can be as they are. Yet there are still others searching: there are almost 71 million people displaced, unaccounted for, seeking this inalienable human right of a voice. This body of people is diverse in its own right, comprised of people of all ages and ethnicities, including some 50 million children and adolescents. In our childhood years is when we find our own voices, yet these children are left searching for theirs, invisible.
But in New York, we have been so lucky as to have an invaluable tool in finding our own voices. Through the arts of theater, music and dance in all of its colors and forms, we have found something that has defined us, something that has left an indelible mark on us as people. We believe this tool transcends the boundaries of distance and language. This tool has the power to give a voice to those who have always been spoken for. It has the power to give people a chance to tell a story through their own eyes. The beauty and power of the stage is so compelling, and as people who have been so lucky to experience it ourselves, it is now our duty to share it.
So often marginalized groups are spoken for, never given the opportunity to project their own voices. With various programs for children, we feel adolescents have been left out of the narrative. They have stories that need to be shared, and they are the generation who are entering adulthood. They have the power to make change with their message, and make it last as they grow up. We hope that, as peers, we can impart the values and mechanisms through which we have been able to broadcast our thoughts, feelings, and opinions. Together, we will use art to find refuge and sanctuary in today’s increasingly disjointed world.
We are raising money to support our project and fund the spaces and supplies required to make our vision into a reality. In conjunction with other organizations in Athens we have been able to find discounted spaces to host our workshops, but need your help in covering all costs. We also wish to provide a meal for every participant in the program for all ten days. Please help us in any way you can: even the smallest amount helps!
With love,
Zeynep, Cosmo, Loula, Sammie and Sara
Organizer
Zeynep Bromberg
Organizer
Brooklyn, NY