Ollin Imagination

Ollin Imagination's Anti War Expressions (AWE) is a Latino response to the Iraq War. It is a performance combining poetry, spoken word, music, and theater to convey the horrific effects of war on communities in the united states and abroad.

The various characters explore the multifaceted dimensions of people affected by the war. The artists delve into the lives of war veterans, women, poor youth, and immigrants. While some characters are affected by the psychological and physical aftereffects of war, others come to the realization that joining the military didn't help them achieve the "American Dream." The desperation and resiliency of mothers and children torn by war are also depicted. The crude reality, discrimination, and hopelessness faced in war are common threads uniting the lives of these characters.

Although filled with the injustices and horrors of war humor and hope also blend to remind us of the possibility of a just and peaceful society.

AWE intends to nurture dialogue and action by placing people closer to the reality of war. It is a call to use our imagination to create a world beyond hatred and the destruction of human beings and the planet the houses us. Advocating for liberation and creative solutions that address the moral, physical, and spiritual destruction caused by war, Ollin Imagination hopes the show will inspire others to create their own expressions of resistance against warfare, exploitation, all forms of discrimination, or any other issue affecting their communities.

The show is followed by a dialogue/workshop that engages that audience to reflect and talk about how to stop the war.

Ollin's AWE originated from RAWE (Rafi's Anti-War Expressions), a one man show written and performed by Rafael Landrón, one of Ollin's founding members, as a personal response to the Iraq war when it first started. This show toured high schools, after school programs, and the streets of Brooklyn, NY bringing a message of peace and hope to youth of color. The show has evolved to include the voices and experiences of mothers and immigrant women.

AWE's debut was on June 16th, 2007 at Hunter College's Lang Recital Hall. Since then, AWE has performed in venues like the Brecht Forum, Manhattanville College, churches, and the streets!