When Edwidge Danticat spoke at CA....

Here are some notes I took and want to share with you....

• art has power (power to subvert governmental or political oppression)
• her family thought writing was dangerous
• she was aware of political oppression as a young child, but became aware of racial oppression when she moved to New York in 1981 at age of 12 -- called "AIDS" and "Boat People" because she was Haitian, and the bus driver could radio police and arrange beatings for anyone who was "misbehaving"
• she was used to state violence because of the Duvalier dictatorships but surprised by racial profiling and police brutality
• immigrants wanted to do what was right -- naively thought "if we are good immigrants, nothing bad will happen to us"
• inspired by MLK's speech in many ways, especially in the idea of "the urgency of now" -- the need to bring about change when it is needed and not wait
• art is not just beauty; it is a kind of "creative suffering" -- this term comes from MLK's speech too
• Danticat tries to explore the intersection of art and protest in her work
• quote from Salman Rushdie: "art isn't entertainment; art is a revolution"
• quote from Ai Weiwei: "the purpose of art is freedom"
• we should try to do what we can do to advance social justice, to live life fully, etc
• silence = betrayal
• dream big = ask not just why but also why not?
• seek inspiration wherever you can find it (Ghandi)
• stay focused no matter what
• don't let criticism stop you
• love trumps hate; love transforms opponents into friends
• create a "beloved community" based on justice, equality, love
• READ! -- stories can expand someone's humanity
• a story changes the perception of the teller/community
• start with conversation -- talking AND listening
• small acts count a lot
• we can bare witness to other people's experiences
• she comes from a history of people who have used art for social justice
• literature has the power to speak to people across cultures, makes us feel less alone
• something about stories touches you because we are all human -- as long as you are open, you can be moved -- allow yourself to acknowledge our common humanity
• art allows us to be touched by other people
• every immigrant family has their own version of the American Dream (escape dictatorship, economic opportunity, etc.) but parents' success is based on how well their kids do
• flip side of American Dream = a lot of sacrifice (leaving/loss)