Ollin Imagination

Tuesday July 6, 2010 at 7:30pm come out to Sisters Uptown Bookstore to see Ollin Imagination perform!! 1942 Amsterdam Ave. @ 156th street!!! We will be performing pieces from our identity series. Looking forward to seeing you! Take the C to 155th street or the 1 to 157th street.

Shout Outs for Paz!
Saturday, April 17, 2010 @ El Museo del Barrio
6:30 pm - 8:30 pm
El Café
Admission: Free
Join the phenomenal women of Mahina Movement, Las Gallas, Ollin Imagination, ReadNex Poetry Squad for an evening of an Explo-fusión of poetry, activism, music, and multimedia rolled into passion and fire, served HOT!
Admission: Free

Ollin Imagination Presents:
Bruised MangOs: Rhythmic Ammunition por la Paz

a Latino response to the war

Saturday November 15, 8pm
Sunday November 16, 2pm
@ the Brecht Forum
451 West Street, NY
(take the A, C, E, L to 14th Street and 8th Ave. , or the 1, 2, 3 to 14th Street and 7th Ave ).

Thursday November 20, 7pm
@ Boricua College
9 Graham Ave. Brooklyn , NY
(take the J, M, Z to Flushing Ave. ).
Reservations are required for this location

Saturday November 22, 9pm
@ Hunter College
Lang Recital Hall, Room 424, 4th floor, Hunter North Building, 695 (69th St. entrance) Park Ave., NY
(take the 6 train to 68th St. Hunter College).

Tickets: $20, Free at Boricua College
(Group & student discounts available.
No one will be turned away)

NO LATE SEATING

Please e-mail ollinimagination@yahoo.com for more information on group rates, and on how to purchase tickets.

“Bruised MangOs: Rhythmic Ammunition por la Paz” is a performance piece conveying the effects of war on communities in the united states and abroad.

The show intends to nurture dialog and action by placing people closer to the reality of war. Advocating for liberation and creative solutions addressing the moral, physical, and spiritual destruction caused by war, Ollin Imagination hopes the show will inspire others to create their expressions of resistance.

Ollin Imagination envisions building a culture of peace, respect, and social justice through the arts and education. Being aware of the power of art to move and heal communities, Ollin uses art forms like theater, dance, spoken word, and music to educate, touch people's lives, and inspire them to engage in social action. Ollin Imagination is a collective of artists, activists, educators, students that shows the intersections of art and politics, nurturing the creativity inside all of us to help liberate our communities and ourselves.

Ollin Imagination formed after the US invasion of Iraq in 2002, with a family day picnic in Prospect Park. Young children and adults came and took a whack at piñatas of President Bush and Vice President Cheney. These piñatas were featured again at a protest in front of a military recruitment center in the Bronx. Ollin also created puppets and banners for the huge protest against the Republican Convention in August, 2004.

Ollin Imagination is currently a performing troop dedicated to raising awareness of the effects of war both at home and abroad through the performance piece: Bruised MangOs: Rhythmic Ammunition por la Paz.” The show is a poetic and musical performance that premiered in June of 2007 as Anti-War Expressions.

Bruised MangOs: Rhythmic Ammunition por la Paz will be premiering on Saturday November 15 at Hunter College. Check our blog for all show dates.

Ollin has also organized two annual Dance for Peace Festivals, which have attracted communities and performers of different backgrounds to take a stand against the current U.S. occupation of Iraq.

Please check out our blog page for more information on our projects and actions.

We are open to any and all people tapping into their own creativity and wanting to use it to promote social change. You do not have to be an "artist" to use art for social change or to be part of our circle. We believe that art does not have to be a privilege for elite groups, and that with a supportive and safe space we can all tap into our creative spirits.

For more information or to join our cultural circle, contact us at ollinimagination@yahoo.com.

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!

Enfocándose en los atropellos y discriminación recibidos por lo inmigrantes residiendo en Estados Unidos desde la iniciativa HR 4437, leyes que criminalizan a cualquier inmigrante indocumentado o a cualquiera ayudándole u otorgándole cualquier tipo de asistencia, un grupo de jóvenes denominados Ollin Imaginación llevó a cabo este 4 de junio del 2006 un Festival de Baile con el propósito de hacer un fuerte llamado al gobierno Estadounidense a poner un alto a esta injusticia. Este evento anual, conocido como el Festival de Baile por la Paz, ya es el segundo que presencia la ciudad de Nueva York, y tiene como principal objetivo protestar los efectos de la actual guerra en Irak en las comunidades pobres e inmigrantes de Estados Unidos.

Este año, uno de los grandes efectos de esta guerra ha sido el ataque a las comunidades inmigrantes, que con el perjurio a la libertad y seguridad de nuestros pueblos utiliza la idea de hacer prevalecer estas dos como excusa para irse en contra de personas inocentes, honestas, y trabajadoras. Ollin Imaginación también tomó esta oportunidad para protestar otro de los grandes efectos de esta guerra: el agresivo reclutamiento militar de los jóvenes Latinoamericanos y Afro-americanos, siendo estos dos los grupos raciales más reclutados en Estados Unidos para ir al frente de guerra. Hasta ahora, más de 526 Latinoamericanos y Afro-americanos han muerto desde el inicio de la guerra (www.icasualties.org/oif). Esto equivale a más del 21 por ciento de soldados perecidos, número alto considerando que estos dos grupos étnicos todavía son una minoría en la población de este país. A pesar de servir lealmente a este país, cientos de Latinos y Afro-americanos han perdido la vida desde el inicio de esta guerra, mas cientos de inmigrantes han sido victimas de deportaciones, arrestos, crímenes raciales, entre otras formas de discriminación.

Conocida como una de las áreas más multiculturales del mundo, el Parque de Flushing Meadows en Corona, Queens, fue testigo de este Festival de Baile el cual atrajo a más de 300 personas, en su mayoría inmigrantes de Latinoamérica. Frecuentado por muchos inmigrantes Latinos, el parque se caracteriza por tener un aire bien Latinoamericano. Las amplias canchas de fútbol llenas de compatriotas usando sus camisas deportivas respectivas a su país de origen, sus familias, cientos de jóvenes, y hasta las carretas de comida típica, toman posesión de este parque especialmente en los calurosos fines de semana que ya azotan la ciudad de Nueva York. El evento, queriendo atraer a inmigrantes del área de Queens, presentó a más de 10 grupos de bailes folklóricos de diferentes partes de Latinoamérica y del mundo, al igual que poetas, músicos e importantes líderes del movimiento anti-guerra y pro-derechos de los inmigrantes. Iván Medina, inmigrante Mexicano y soldado veterano de Irak, que también perdió a su hermano gemelo en esta guerra, hizo un llamado a los jóvenes inmigrantes a no dejarse engañar por los reclutadores militares. Comentó Medina que los reclutadores atraen a los jóvenes inmigrantes con falsas promesas, entre ellas la tan codiciada ciudadanía. La ciudadanía, la cual le fue prometida a Medina al unirse a las fuerzas armadas, todavía no la ha recibido.

Con el slogan: “Construyendo una cultura de paz, respeto y justicia social por medio del arte y la educación”, Ollin Imaginación busca una alternativa a la destrucción moral y física que ha ocasionado el gobierno Estadounidense a los grupos que ha utilizado para construir su poderosa economía, siendo éstos esclavos e inmigrantes. El colectivo, liderado por madres, padres, educadores, artistas, e inmigrantes, presenta primero que nada una alternativa de curación por medio del arte a la gente que ha sido ultrajada y violentada por los monstruos sociales del racismo, machismo, homofobia, pobreza, entre otras formas de discriminación y explotación. El arte, en cualquier representación, es medicina para la mente, cuerpo y alma, y también un arma para crear belleza en vez de destrucción. Por medio de la expresión artística y creativa, estos grupos pueden desahogarse, pueden adquirir una voz en contra de las injusticias sufridas y especialmente, reconocimiento en esta sociedad que los ha marginado por generaciones. Ollin, palabra en Náhuatl que significa movimiento, hace un llamado a construir un movimiento de justicia social en donde sea nuestra imaginación la que de nacimiento ha soluciones nuevas basadas en las necesidades y realidades de la gente oprimida de este país. En esta ocasión, el baile y la danza folklórica fue el fúsil artístico para expresarse en estos tiempos de revolución cultural. Entre bailes, poesía, música protesta, y mensajes de paz demandando justicia y dignidad humana, la multitud se educó, divirtió y protestó las injusticias cometidas por el gobierno de Estados Unidos.

On June 19, 2006 a community of artists, activists, family and friends got together at Teatro LaTea to celebrate the birth of "The Bruised Mango," a collection of poetry written by one of Ollin Imagination's members, Rafael Landrón. In the midst of this cultural celebration were readings and performances by the author, who also sent words of encouragement for all people to tap into their creative spirits and use this power of expression to inspire others to change the world. Joining us in this celebration were the Bomberos de Brooklyn, percussionist Angel Burgos, poet and filmmaker Lenina Nadal, and Wollin (the womyn performers of Ollin Imagination). In the middle of songs, dances, poetry, taquitos and sweet mangoes to snack on, the "Bruised Mango" was blessed and finally joined the currents of revolutionary literature. Rafael's poetry, rich in history, culture, and personal stories, speaks about Nuyorico, war and plátanos. You'll sure be taken to many places reading his words, amongst them to places of injustice, sadness, and desperation, but most importantly, to places of hope, love, and much, much laughter. You can obtain a copy of his book by e-mailing ollinimagination@yahoo.com, or calling the author at 718.782.2200.

Here we leave you with something fresh off the tree:

LOOSEN YOUR TONGUE
Loosen your tongue
Loosen your tongue young one
Bound attached to the bottom of your palate
The tissue that connects the bottom of your mouth
Must be snipped
LOOSEN YOUR TONGUE
Loosen your tongue
For every thought not spoken
Goes to the well of despair
Do not trap your rage
Do not trap your freedom

Loosen your tongue
I know how heavy it feels at times
Pressed down, as if Columbus himself was standing on it
it sometimes feels easier to
Take it and not say a word

Loosen your tongue young one
Mamas boy talk!
Speak only when spoken to
So Polite respectful of elders
loosen your tongue
I want to hear you child
I want to see your words

Be brave I understand your fears
The 400 years of doubt
Pressing down on your tongue
But lift it wag it
Let it be known what you think
Speak child
Speak your inner most thoughts
Because they are counting on the fact that you
Press down, stay quiet, and obey
Loosen your tongue

Picture taken by photographer Cristian Peña

On April 5th, 2006 in Shea Stadium, a group of Mets fans went to show their support for Carlos Delgado but not just to root or cheer while he was at bat. In fact, what they were there to root for had nothing to do with this baseball star's hitting prowess or fielding skills at all. What they were showing their support for was his political prowess, and they were going to do so by defiantly sitting down during the 7th inning singing of God Bless America while holding a banner.

Asked why they felt the need to support Mr. Delgado (a humble yet simultaneously outspoken critic of the War in Iraq) in such a way, and they will all tell you the same thing: Freedom of speech and expression are more American than apple pie, God Bless America, and yes even Baseball. By flying F15s over World Series games and routinely dropping paratroopers onto fields during ceremonies, Baseball and the MLB have failed to present games as apolitical arenas, a place in theory where hitting and pitching stats are the things that matter.

If pressed they will tell you that baseball fans whether they like it or not, are subjected to frequent displays of pro-war militarism, yet at the same time Carlos Delgado is not allowed to express his anti-war sentiment because it "politicizes the game." This seeming contradiction is their point, and it is a point worth listening to. Unfortunately and fortunately, the song was never played that day. But, the next time you’re at a game and they play God Bless America look for their banner during the 7th inning stretch and you just might see them.