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Shirey Archie
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Activist, Shirey Archie, holds a sign that reads,
"Stand Against Racism" on the corner of a busy intersection in
Albany, NY the first Saturday of every month. Archie receives enthusiastic
honks from supporters, choice words from detractors, and an understanding of the reality that
is the space in the middle — the silence. "I knew I had to do something. If
there is something you are concerned about, there is something you can do about
it." Archie's motivation? His teenage son. "As an African American in
this society, I have learned how to navigate racism in America. When my son was
born, I realized he was going to have to learn the same. I was sad and angry. I
decided to do something."
Creative Action Unlimited is a non-profit organization that
creates original theater and films that address current social issues to raise
public awareness and to inspire audience members to take action in terms of
social change. Director Michael Kennedy invited a group of actors, artists and
activists from the Capital region, people who identified as Black or a person
of color, to help her create a theater piece around the topics of race and
racism. "Working with people of color is amazing," Archie remarked.
"I've always worked in spaces, white spaces, where I am the only one. So to
work with a group of people who I didn't have to explain about who I was and
what I was saying was an amazing event."
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| Archie: "Stand Against Racism |
"The encounters and relationships with other performers
were dynamic, we sat in a room, we brainstormed, we created individual monologues,
and we collaborated with Ms. Kennedy, who condensed and edited the piece into
the version of the play that finally appeared on stage." When asked if the
experience of participating in Whitewashed: The Racism Project was
freeing, Archie responded, "`Freeing’ is not even the word for it. Just to
not be on guard in a space is an amazing feeling."The play (now turned feature film) is provocative and was
repeatedly sold out and well received. It asks the audience to address
historical racism but also confront systemic racism, white fragility, and
internalized racism. "When I started doing anti-racism work, I had to stop
and ask myself, what were my biases? And I had a few. I found that I had to do
something about those before I could ask any other person to do something about
theirs."
"We are truly a divided people, divided to the point
where we won't even take time to talk about the differences anymore. We need to
be able to talk across color lines, so that we can solve the problem as a
country. Waiting on people to tell us what to do has not worked well. We as
individuals, communities and small groups of folks, need to get together, make
decisions about what to do and then commit to those actions over time."
We encourage everyone to go see Whitewashed: The Racism Project by Creative Action Unlimited.
Written by Jennifer Howard
