Freedom Love Birthright is no longer an active program, however you can get in touch with one or both of the founders at:
www.kristinforharlem.com – If you live in the Harlem NYC area consider getting involved in Kristin’s campaign for New York City Council to represent district 9 (Central Harlem).
www.farisojordan.com – see what Fariso has been up to.
In the 2018 to 2019 school year, Fariso Jordan from Setting the Stage and Kristin Richardson Jordan from Uproar Poetry teamed up to present…
BIRTHRIGHT
Birthright was a writing and community theatre program in the spirit of African and African-American ancestry for students ages 12 – 21. Participants examined past and current freedom movements, took part in personal and communal liberation through performance art, and dove into different artistic expressions while also exploring cultural identity, gender identity, and concepts of freedom. The program included the following goals:
- Breaking through limiting beliefs and promoting self love
- Exploring the dynamics of loving, healthy relationships
- Encouraging students to learn more about themselves, each other, their community, and the world
- Taking a glimpse into African and African-American cultural identity and ancestry
- Appreciating the depth of human experience within the African diaspora
- Growing in writing, theatre, and performance art
- Exploring change-making through creative expression
- Understanding equity and equality and liberation and community
- Supporting a women’s saloon and sister circle for female and gender non-conforming participants
- Supporting a men’s saloon and brother circle for male and gender non-conforming participants
- Undermining stereotypes, societal norms, gender bias, racial bias, low self-esteem and self hate to build authentic versions of self- knowing each person’s inherent value
- Enjoying ourselves and each other
Participants learned the following skills:
Theatre Skills
Stage presence, movement, improvisation, vocal training, memorization, acting techniques, character development, storytelling, script building
Writing Skills
Brainstorming, developing a storyline with contrast and conflict, poetic devices, self and peer editing techniques
Activist Skills
Critical thinking, know your rights, advocacy techniques, grassroots organizing, self-care, community-care, community service, ancestor calls
The program ran from October 2018 to June 2019 on Sundays 2pm – 5pm, beginning on Sunday October 14th in Harlem NYC. It was open to all genders, ethnicities, and sexual orientations and rooted in a Black liberation lens.
Birthright 