Director's Note
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When I was nine years old, my parents sent me, along with my cousin Maria, to live with our Costa Rican grandparents for the summer. The hope was that we would come back having learned to speak fluent Spanish. I remember having to sit behind the seats in my aunt’s pick-up truck for the long ride to LAX. It was hot and uncomfortable and those twelve hours felt like a life time. I don’t remember feeling scared or nervous about the plane ride, even though we were two unaccompanied minors traveling to a different country. We felt safe because we knew our family was waiting for us on the other side and that we would be loved and taken care of.
That summer was my first memory of occupying a space that many bi-racial and bi-cultural children experience. At home, my long dark hair and olive skin meant I was too dark to be all the way American and in Costa Rica my language barrier meant I was too American to be completely Latina. I was a part of two different and simultaneous worlds but unsure about my place in either one. Tonight, you’ll see the gift that Fornés has given to anyone who finds themselves in a similar situation. You’ll feel the poetry of the longing to leave home and the longing to love home. You’ll see how those long journeys are complicated by elements beyond our control. More importantly, you’ll hear the languages of both worlds. We are a resilient and strong people made stronger by those we love and those with whom we surround ourselves. We are thrilled to share our stories with you tonight. Online program (left) |
