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Some people spend their whole lives fighting for a cause." The performers in the show, "A Slice of Rice, Frijoles and Greens," could easily be considered such fighters and can back it up with a lifetime of experience trying to combat racism and cultural misunderstanding. Dan Kwong, Paulina Sahagun and Chic Street Man resemble a sort of rogue band of superheroes fighting the darkest forces of the world. But they have a different arena in which to fight -- on stage. Kwong, Sahagun and Chic, who come from diverse ethnic, racial and economic backgrounds, look different, but have a lot in common. They have dedicated their lives to proving everyone has a lot in common with each other. "We are something like 99.9 percent the same genetically. We all love people, have families and share the same emotions," Sahagun said. "But we are losing sight of that more and more each day." The artists blame technology for what they perceive to be isolation and avoidance of personal contact. "People used to always be out there on the street, telling stories and joking and sharing, but now we are not as community-oriented as we used to be," Chic said. "We have lost so much of that because of modern-day technology like television, video games, etc., etc. As the logic goes, the decline in interpersonal communication and community contact has fostered a lacking sense of identity in every new generation. Thus, children begin to perceive their identities through the all-pervasive mass media." Kwong elaborated on Chic's ideas. "Most of my work over the last 10 years has dealt with issues of identity - cultural/ethnic identity, gender identity and class identity. I've always been interested in the socialization of identity - how identity is shaped by social influences -- whether from school, from family or from the mass media." Kwong said the mass media affects every part of almost everyone's life. "It happens on a huge enough scale. Millions and millions of people are being presented with the same images day after day," Kwong said. "They see what certain people are supposed to be like or not like, and this gets internalized. Mass media has a brainwashing effect." The performers said they feel in a culture as media-saturated as America, trusting only images seen on television can have disastrous effects on identity and racism. "I only see my people (Hispanics) on television news when they are doing the robberies and the killings, and then I don't see them on any movie or TV program," Sahagun said. "Now imagine I'm a child and I'm growing up and watching my people do the bad stuff. I'll think 'Oh, I guess that's what I'm going to be when I grow up,'" she said. In an effort to combat the negative effects of technology and mass media, Kwong, Sahagun and Chic have come together to present an alternative portrayal of the minority experience in America. Through the arts, we are able to touch our humanity, be aware of our humanity, preserve our humanity," Sahagun said. Kwong concurred, saying "art is being able to put a human face and a human story to these abstract issues of identity or racism, which makes it easier for people to understand." Their plan of attack has been chosen. And, their message, that, as Chic put it, we need "to love, appreciate and admire the differences that different cultures bring to ours," is crystal clear. These performers know there are those who perceive the message they are sending as idealistic and naive. Maybe they are right. But Sahagun, Kwong and Chic continue their efforts in hopes children would benefit from a dose of cultural sensitivity in between "Pokemon" and "Power Rangers" - and just maybe enjoy it a bit more. |
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