Hello, hello!
I'm Ang: playwright and collaborator for "The White Feather Project"
"Inequality and racism exist not because of evil but because the unaffected majority put their interests above all others, and their inaction allows inequality to flourish. That is why I believe that silence in the presence of injustice is as bad as injustice itself. White people who are quiet about racism might not plant the seed, but their silence is sunlight".
Inspired and invigorated by Michael Harriot's words in his article "White People Are Cowards", I applied for Ursinus' Diversity and Inclusion grant. I knew wanted to explore and challenge whiteness in a creative piece. I also knew that I wanted to explore cowardice and inaction in white circles. As a queer, POC college student, I especially wanted to explore those things at Ursinus.
I specifically looked outside the Ursinus community for my second collaborator. A long, rigorous interview process lead me to Rachel Ceciro-- a dynamic, passionate theatre maker and anthropologist and recent college graduate of a predominately white institution like Ursinus. Ironically, Rachel is white. Unironically, this will serve our process.
"The White Feather Project" aims to lift the veil of "don't talk about it"-syndrome that permeates conversations of race on our campus. Rachel and I aren't interested in surface-level conversations, pandering, or hypothetical. We are, however, interested in honesty and, to quote Rachel, "urgent tenderness". In addition to remarkable talent and passion, as a white collaborator for "The White Feather Project" Rachel has a better sense than I have to facilitate these kinds of conversations and environments. Working with them is truly a gift.
Like Rachel, I believe that we all are cowards. "The White Feather Project" will challenge our audiences and ourselves as we swan-dive into discomfort.
This is how I know this work needs to happen. I am equal parts excited and terrified.
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