November 18, 2018

Dear Peñasco Theatre Collective Familia,

“What does freedom mean?” My six year-old daughter earnestly asked me the other day.  I stopped what I was doing and stared into the eyes of her sweet open face.  I thought seriously about her question.  In our family we talk almost daily about struggles going on in various communities locally and globally.  

My first response was “what do youthink freedom means?” “Like you could do stuff you wanna do?” she said as more of a question than an answer.  “You could go where you want” she added.  “Yeah, that’s part of it” I said.  

What doesfreedom mean?  In this current moment, no matter your personal political affiliations, one cannot deny that the conditions of our various realities are impacted by a short-sided and mean-spirited (among other things) administration whose agenda includes giving away billions of dollars to the military, affording tax breaks and subsidies to corporations that don’t need them, spending much need resources to incarcerate and separate refugee families, cutting support services for seniors and children, and other extremely detrimental policies. 

With monies being directly siphoned out of our communities, our lack of access to financial resources directly impacts our ability to access our inalienable rights.  Including the freedom to manifest our visions for ourselves and our communities, and the freedom to develop the interpersonal skills necessary to negotiate through the difficult but inspiring process of birthing a more inclusive and healthier world.  

As artists our work is to challenge the “dominant” narrative. In part by offering spaces where young people in particular can learn, dream, problem solve and dialogue.  Where they can locate themselves, be “seen” for who they are at any given moment and trust themselves and each other.  Where a strength-based, play-based skills building approach to self-discovery and collaboration makes way for openness, laughter, generosity and love. 

We believe that all people have a right to achieve their full potential and we believe that access to the arts is a critical element in our ability as humans to be free – to freely connect to ourselves and each other, to individually and collectively imagine and to internally and externally transform.

For the past 18 years the artists and educators of the Peñasco Theatre have committed themselves to the work of building community and empowering young people utilizing the self-exploration and creative expression that our multidisciplinary art programs provide. 

We have done it thru sliding scale event admissions to events, with low or no-cost class fees, as trade in goods for services, with the support of nominal albeit generous financial donations from community members, and with moderate foundation grant awards.   We have done it with the open-hearted support from the families and young people we work for.

We witness how important and impactful our work is on a daily basis.  We know too how important creative expression is for healthy individuals and communities.  The freedom to be oneself.  The freedom to imagine.  The freedom to manifest.  And the freedom to transform.  The freedom to thrive. 

That is what freedom means to me.

We recognize that our collective need is great right now, and that supporting a cause or organization that positively benefit people’s lives impacts the work of all of us trying to make a difference.  When making your year-end donations we humbly ask that you consider supporting the necessary and transformative multi-disciplinary arts and community building programs of the Peñasco Theatre.  Your generosity is directly impactful and greatly appreciated.

In solidarity,

rafa tarín, Co-Founder

Peñasco Theatre Collective

Peñasco, New Mexico

Donations can be made directly through our website donations button by clicking on this link http://www.penascotheatercollective.org/donate/.  You can also get more information about who we are and what we do at www.penascotheater.org.

The Peñasco Theatre Collective is a project of MAS Comunidad, a 501c3. All donations are tax-deductible.