CultureStrike Coalition Kicks Off National Campaign

Nationally Acclaimed Writers and Artists to Launch Challenge to Arizona’s Anti-Immigrant Measures and Federal Immigration Policies. Will Meet in Tucson and Phoenix, September 10-16

 

NEW YORK — A delegation of more than 50 acclaimed writers, visual artists, and filmmakers will gather in Tucson and Phoenix, Arizona September 10-16 to kick off a major national arts-based campaign challenging punitive, anti-immigrant laws and longstanding federal immigration policies.

A coalition of artists, CultureStrike will come together in Arizona–epicenter of the immigration crisis–to launch a national initiative to produce visual, written, video and other works designed to educate the public about the devastating effects of our nation’s current policies toward immigrants, while mobilizing communities to fight against punitive and discriminatory immigration laws nationwide.

The CultureStrike delegation is the first national effort to feature artists and writers on immigration in the post-SB 1070 era. Members of CultureStrike plan to spend a week meeting with local artists and grassroots activists to collaborate on new national efforts.

For more information or media requests, contact: wordstrikemedia [at] gmail.com, Andy Hsiao: 917-365-4064 or James E. Garcia: 623-252-2772

Read the full press release

 

CultureStrike Arts Festival

 

 Join us for the CultureStrike festival: a series of free public arts workshops followed by a free outdoor festival featuring writers and artists from the CultureStrike delegation. Hailing from California, New York, D.C. and, of course, Arizona, the CultureStrike delegation includes two National Book Award finalists, two MacArthur “Genius” Fellows, two American Book Award winners, and one of The New Yorker’s top 20 writers under 40!

Hosted by writer Roberto Bedoya and Asian American Writers’ Workshop Executive Director Ken Chen, winner of the Yale Series of Younger Poets.

Contact: wordstrikemedia [at] gmail.com, Andy Hsiao: 917-365-4064 and James E. Garcia: 623-252-2772

CultureStrike Arts Workshops
Free to the public!
Wednesday, September 14, 4-6PM

 

Scheduled events (check this site for updates):

Artists, Social Media, and Social Justice
The Drawing Studio
33 South 6th Avenue
Tucson, AZ 85701
Award-winning visual artist and Presente.org co-founder Favianna Rodriguez presents a workshop on how artists can use technology and social media for social change.

 

Finding Our Voices
Sowing The Seeds/HerStory To Health
Map: 811 S. 6th Avenue
Tucson, AZ 85701-1805
National Book Award finalist Jessica Hagedorn and the Sowing The Seeds collective present a special workshop for women using dramatic monologue and playwriting.

 

Rebelate! Radical Poster Making For Our Liberation
The Toole Shed
Map: 197 East Toole Street
Tucson , Arizona 85701
Jesus Barraza of Dignidad Rebelde leads a workshop on poster-making, giving participants a brief history of the role of political posters in liberation struggles, and doing a screen-printing demonstration. Participants with have an opportunity for participants to print posters of pre-made designs provided by Dignidad Rebelde. All materials provided.

 

Stencils To Take Back The Streets!
The Toole Shed
Map: 197 East Toole Street
Tucson , Arizona 85701
Acclaimed artist Cesar Maxit leads a workshop on stencil-making, one of the most popular and accessible methods available to make a print. Participants will learn the political context of stencils as agitprop, along with practice in the techniques needed to learn the fundamentals of stencil art and how to cut 1 and 2 layer stencils. All materials provided. Limit: 12 participants.

 

Story-Telling And Everyday Activism (En Español)
The Drawing Studio
33 South 6th Avenue
Tucson, AZ 85701-1805
The New Yorker’s “20 Under 40” writer Daniel Alarcón and Derechos Humanos present a special storytelling workshop in Spanish for community activists.

 

“Under Arpaio”: A Special Screening of Jason Aragón’s new documentary + assorted shorts
The Screening Room
127 East Congress Street
Tucson, AZ 85701
Director Jason Aragón will be on hand to introduce his provocative new movie and discuss his film and activist work with audience members.

 

Youth Poetry Slam Workshop with Logan Phillips and James Kass
Sam Lena-South Tucson Library Community Room
Map: 1607 South 6th Avenue
Tucson, AZ 85713
Tucson Youth Poetry Slam and Youth Speaks present a special teen-oriented workshop for the brave new voices of Arizona.

 

CultureStrike Presents
The Culture Shift: Words and Art for Migrant Justice and Immigrant Rights
Free to the public!
Wednesday, September 14, 7:30pm

Mercado San Augustin
100 S. Avenida Del Convento, Tucson, Arizona

Readers will include novelist Daniel Alarcón, Tucson spoken word poet Logan Phillips, poet Sherwin Bitsui, playwright James Garcia, novelist Jessica Hagedorn, San Francisco Poetry Slam Champion James Kass, nonfiction writer Rinku Sen, and other members of the delegation.

Treat yourself to a fabulous evening of arts and culture at the Mercado San Augustin, a beautiful green-friendly outdoor plaza.

It’s all part of CultureStrike, an innovative art intervention that’s convening more than writers and artists to learn firsthand what’s happening in the state that’s attracted so much national attention on issues of immigration and citizenship. We want to change the national dialogue on immigration by drawing on the voices of writers and artists. We believe that immigration is one of the most pressing national issues and that Arizona is the ground zero of a major civil rights battle of our time.

Learn More About the Artists