Circus Amok, Climate Change and Random Acts of Kindness

I've never really loved the circus. I think too hard about abused animals and exploited people. But yesterday I went to Circus Amok in Sunset Park and saw amazing feats of acrobatics, strength, and good old slapstick that redeemed this particular art of performance in my ever-critical eyes.

Yes, that is a ladder on her chin.

Jennifer Miller, a professor of Performance Studies at Pratt Institute, founded a sociopolitically-conscious, ingenious, aesthetically exhilarating circus in 1989. It is open to the public and operates on donations from the crowd. In this show it is the bearded lady who leads a troupe of nimble misfits to the beat of a live band that roams around the park collecting children before the show.

In honor of the People's Climate March the spectacle was themed around a plot to save the world from corporate corruption. A rich, evil, executive wants to cut off the tops of mountains for his financial benefit. He attempts to bribe a tax official with money, rent security and a garden but then the goddesses get involved.

And they save the day, with the help of some bees.

 

All the people danced.

That was yesterday. Today I was unable to go to the Climate Change march in order to do some school work which will surely influence my choices in regards to Raw Fiction's curriculum. Jackie Wang anyone? If you have not read this scholar you must. Prisons and institutionalized racism ingrained in society going right back to the roots of European entitlement to safe spaces and the justified annihilation of First Nations. Woven into a tapestry that analyzes scenes from Occupy Baltimore to the neglect of "non"-innocent people of color in the industrial prison complex to the benefit of the Middle Class of all races.

Even though I didn't make it to the march, I patched in via live stream thanks to Amy Goodman. Angelique Kidjo singing a cappella was certainly the highlight but the role of Peru and the voices of the indigenous was most compelling. Lima in December people.

I also met up with an old friend this weekend. A reunion from my MSF days. Ebola is the topic. Since March. How is it that only one organization (never mind governments) is credited for responding well (or at all) to this increasingly devastating international health crisis? We also did the old "girlfriend" (sometimes I speak hetero) catchup and wonderfully ignored the drunk skeevy dudes (I promise you women, if you ignore them for long enough, don't engage for a second, don't shake hands, they'll go away… eventually. And then you can get back to your convo) and then a random act of kindness happened. A woman came up to me just before we left, "Is your name Zahra?" She asked. I kind of looked around expecting a joke from a friend. I said, "Yes." She produced my wallet. Lost in the ladies' room. She had looked at the photo on my license and even though I've chopped off all my hair she was still able to find me. How thoughtful. POC bar allies.

I dedicate this post to the freaks: Thoughtfulness, Compassion, Intellect, Kindness.