UC San Diego

On November 4th, 2023, in a large celebration at Casa Familiar Station San Ysidro, a 12-foot puppet named Little Amal united a diverse group of individuals hailing from all areas of San Diego, Southern California, and Mexico. In July 2021, Amal, a beacon of hope, love, curiosity, and human rights, embarked on a journey around the world to spread awareness about displacement and community building across cultures, nationalities, and politics. I participated as a member of the UC San Diego Chicanx Teatro Ensemble, a collective of artists dedicated to using theater as a means of activism and cultural expression. An hour-long event titled Take a Message For Me connected the San Ysidro neighborhood and Teatro students across various disciplines, including design, dance, and acting, to curate a ceremony in honor of Amal’s last day in the United States. Amal and the Handspring Puppet Company had been traveling across the country from September to November, where she made multiple appearances and eventually landed in San Ysidro. On the day of her celebration, she danced with us, received a blessing from Kumeyaay elders, and took our messages to share with those at a migrant facility in Tijuana, Mexico. My role included establishing connections and liaising between the institutional entity of UC San Diego and the San Ysidro community. In traditional theatre, where the performance occurs on a stage, and the audience enjoys the show from a seated area, a Stage Manager coordinates when technical elements such as lights, sound, scenery, and video cues are executed. However, in site-specific events, such as Take a Message For Me, where the performance occurs in an alleyway surrounded by residential backyards and driveways, I originated and reshaped the role of the traditional Stage Manager into one that responds to the troupe’s dynamics and a non-traditional environment. The values I carry as an artist were transferred into my role as the Production Coordinator, modeling compassion, trust, and authenticity, allowing myself to remain fluid yet responsive to the needs of this production while highlighting my strengths as a collaborative leader. I flagged and addressed logistical challenges, such as ensuring safety and accessibility for all in attendance, managing crowd control, and addressing potential environmental concerns. I utilized my organizational skills from traditional stage management settings, creating reports and schedules the team referred to throughout the process. In our final collective gathering, I was honored with music and special messages, a moment reminiscent of that day when Amal celebrated with us. As a Latina artist who aspires to uplift voices, I learned through my work with Little Amal that I am committed to building community by integrating three essential ingredients: collaboration, curiosity, and celebration.