“One of the characters in the story said ‘they give you that look’...I’m pretty sure I’ve experienced that look more than once.”
Sarah, a 7th grader at Skyline Middle School, is an immigrant whose family came to America from Iraq when she was 7. She’s the Assistant to the Director for Skyline’s most recent play, Faces of Freedom. She’s talking about the look on the face of a non-immigrant when they first come in contact with someone they perceive to be an immigrant - a look of judgment, of rejection, of fear of the unknown. This micro-aggression is something that Sarah said she experiences a lot, and something that she hopes will change as people learn more about the immigrant experience through seeing Faces of Freedom.
Faces of Freedom is a play comprised of live reenactments of the stories of immigrants and their struggle to come to America. The narratives feature immigrants from many periods in history, such as 1907 and the 1970s, as well as the stories of modern-day immigrants. Rebecca Rogers, the drama teacher responsible for choosing and directing the play, spoke about why they made the choice they did: “I like to do stuff that not many people know about. It’s important to have our own voice.” The performers also had input in the choice of the play.
According to Eve, an 8th grader and performer in the play, being in this performance taught her a lot about the experiences of other immigrants. Eve is an immigrant from England, and she had no idea of the privilege that immigrants from European countries have until she worked on Faces of Freedom.
“After doing the play, I realized that I had it really easy, because (England) is one of the most accepted countries to come from. I realized that others have had a lot of difficulty, and some of them didn’t make it despite trying for years and years.”
Both Sarah’s family and Eve’s are in the process of applying for citizenship. Sarah's family has experience discrimination. The play talks about the struggle to fit in as an immigrant family in a scene which stood out in Sarah’s mind:
“There’s one character whose mom tells her to fit in, but her mom can’t fit in herself. if people don’t see you as you, it’s gonna be different. You have to tell people that this is you, and if they don’t like you, it’s sad.”
So how do you fit in as a child who has migrated to America?
According to Faces of Freedom, one good way to find your place in the American school system is to try and find things in common with your native country. Rogers describes this happening in the play:
“It touched briefly upon what it’s like at school...Bella’s brother had a scene where he was playing a student that had immigrated and was trying to fit in at school and just couldn’t figure it out. At the very end they played soccer in gym and he finally connected. It was this really happy, sweet thing. It shows that all you have to do is find one thing.”
Finding one thing, Rogers says, that immigrant children have in common with native-born children, can be the difference for many children between finding a home and community in America and being ostracized.
I asked the kids what it’s like to live in Harrisonburg, a unique town containing immigrants from innumerable countries and cultures. For most, especially those who had grown up in Harrisonburg, diversity is a fact of life, and nothing to be afraid of. Kristine, an 8th grader and performer in the play, said that it “Seems weird, going to other places with not many immigrants, because you’re used to being here (in Harrisonburg).” But while children who have grown up around diversity find it absolutely natural to accept and value immigrants in their community, Rogers believes that acceptance is much more difficult for adults who have not had such a diverse upbringing. Rogers says that the kids,
“have grown up in this diverse school system, and they’ve been around it so long, so they have a unique perspective. But as an adult, this play made me a lot more thoughtful about the things we think without even knowing we’re thinking them, and how important it is to be more self-aware about the subconscious thoughts you have. Are we really paying attention when we say that we’re not judging? How real are we with ourselves? Adults who saw this definitely got that message.”
Every kid that I talked to said that growing up in Harrisonburg made them more accepting and respectful of the difficult situation that most immigrants face, and are incredibly supportive of immigrants in the community. For many of them, doing this play only enhanced their empathy. I asked if they had any messages that they’d like to convey to people who are attempting to migrate here, and their answers were so lovely. For Sarah, the most important thing for immigrants to remember is that they’re valuable and that they’re here for a reason.
“Everything happens for a reason. You’re here for a reason. It’s probably because your parents wanted to see you in the future as, like, a doctor, as whatever you want to be.... these people live with us, they’re around us, we’re friends with them, they’re our family members. I feel like I’ve learned that it’s gonna stay this way. We’re gonna have immigrants, and they’re great people. I’m one myself.”
Meeting these kids and seeing their empathy and welcoming spirit gave me incredible hope for a future filled with respect, humility, and love for all people regardless of where they’re from. As Eve described, the sign which started at Emmanuel Mennonite Church and is now seen in hundreds of yards around town feels for her like the most valuable message for immigrants. Talking to the kids at Skyline Middle School really made me believe that the sign, the mantra, was true; in Harrisonburg,
No matter where you are from, we’re glad that you’re our neighbor.
The proceeds from Faces of Freedom’s concession stand were donated to NewBridges, where we can use the money to help people like Eve and Sarah’s families obtain citizenship, as well as provide immigrants in the community with resources for financial aid, paperwork, translations, and much more.
Thank you, Skyline - you’ve encouraged us to continue to help our immigrant community feel more at home here.
About the author: Delaney Keefe is a Junior Political Science/Pre-Law major at JMU with a minor in Legal Spanish, and an intern with NewBridges for the spring and summer semesters. Most of her literary work consists of interviews conducted for her radio show, Dame Theory, which is broadcast WXJM 88.7 FM radio and focuses on the legal, political, and community experiences of marginalized people. She's also the president of college radio at JMU! In her free time, Delaney plays keyboard, bass guitar, and sings in 2 bands. She concentrates non-academically on music and visual arts, but academically concentrates her study on native and diasporic Spanish-speaking people. More articles from her will be coming soon!