Do you really care?

Sit-In Reflections

I sincerely appreciate all of the support and attendance at today's sit-in demonstration. Sitting in the mock cell for two hours, I have been able to create dialogue about the facility in Taylor, Tx called T. Don Hutto: Family Residential Center. With the comments that over 60 students and faculty left, there is plenty of analysis waiting to happen. Please feel free to create a dialogue here. I would love to discuss your reflections of today's event.

Sit-in Demonstration

WHEN:          Nov 9, 2010      

                       1:00 PM-3:00 PM

WHERE:        Southern Illinois University Carbonale

Center of the Communications Studies Building

WHY:             Protesting against the T. Don Hutto: Family Residential Center

FOR WHOM: Victims, Social Awareness, Experiences of those released

My Mission:

I am creating a demonstration where people will be welcomed to gather for a sit-in in the center of the communication studies building where there is an enclosed glass sitting area. This space is often forgotten about and unused. When I asked the Theater manager about he space, he said it is not anyone’s space, no one has jurisdiction on the space and therefore it is free to use. This caught my attention as the people awaiting immigration status who are stuck in T. Don Hutto: Family Residential Center are also under noone’s jurisdiction.

Hutto is not your typical center, it is an institution where families are detained until their asylum or immigration status is determined. The entire family is detained, women, men, and children. Sometimes they are detained separately and other times the family is altogether. I will be setting up a mock cell, where I will sit as Justicia with several municas, or Mexican dolls, in place of children for two hours. I will be allowed to have paper and a black marker, while I remain locked up and masked in a 5x8 plastic cell.

Outside of the cell, the ladies will be providing information about T. Don Hutto: Residential Center and inviting people to go view her through the window. Audience members, need not attend the entire  time, unless you just want to, come and go as you please. Just remember to leave me a note somewhere before you go. My flyer provides information about the facility for people to take away with them as well as my contact information for further dialogue, and current information on laws on immigration detainees. Lastly, I will set out computers where people can reflect on the experience by leaving comments on Justicia’s available blog and facebook open and available on site.  A projected video, "The Least of These" will be shown on the outside of the cell and will be providing a visual and mediated image of T. Don Hutto. The ladies will simply direct the people who are willing to come and see what is happening.

After a two-hour period, Justicia will be released. The gathered elements that were set out to have the information provided from audience members, during the sit, will be used in conjunction with the experience reflections from Justicia as a tool to analyze the effectiveness of a sit-in to create social awareness through political performance.

Justicia

I see you HUTTO!

Justicia, where is your border?

Pink, Pink, Pink

I’ve seen her before

Pink, Pink, Pink

I’ve seen her before

Pink, Pink, Pink

I’ve seen her before

Justicia, where is the border?

Do you perform the art? Discover the self?

You climb the steps but over no wall

Where is the Hutto border?

Buying and trading those who buy into free trade

Born on the “wrong” side?

“Why is God not helping us?”

Pink, Pink, Pink

I’ve seen her before

Pink, Pink, Pink

I’ve seen her before

Pink, Pink, Pink

I’ve seen her before

Hutto, Hut-who, Hut-what, Who you?

Justicia, where is the border?

Do you perform the art? Discover the self?

A native Arizonan, I watched my contractor father pick up day laborers from empty lots.

He doesn’t do it anymore.

I’ve never been sure how I feel about either choice.

What I know is that Mexico isn’t Latin America, the way a rectangle isn’t a perfect square.

You climb the steps but over no wall

You tape yourself, your heart, to your flag.

¿Dónde está su frontera?

¿Dónde está su frontera?

Justicia, where is your border?

BY HH

Mujeres de Juarez

I have been inspired by the efforts of mothers, activists, protestors and the many missing women of Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. My eyes have been opened. I now see in pink and black. I see in pink to understand what is known as femicide in Mexico, pink reminds me of the symbolic crosses seen as you enter the sandy deserts of Chihuahua and Juarez, and pink stimulates me to fight in the name of Justicia. I see in black to seek the murderers of over 400 women in the last decade, to see the blackness of silence, and to remind me of the women’s long walks home from the Maquiladoras. My mission: Justice. Justice for living in a country without fear. Justice for life and prosperity for the women of Juarez. Justice for the families who are victimized by the loss of a loved one. Creating social awareness is the first step, opening the eyes of others who also seek justice is my path.

Justicia