As the Supreme Court oral arguments commence in Washington D.C. that will determine the fate of 700,000 Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals recipients in the United States, San Jose State students are gearing up to tell the stories of just a few of those recipients on the local stage this weekend.
“[dreamer] project: an Undocuplay” is an original play led by students and directed by Kathleen Normington, a SJSU radio, TV and theatre professor.
The play highlights the individual stories of
17 undocumented Latinx students who go to SJSU, sharing their struggles, triumphs and journeys to becoming students.
“Whether you’re an ally, an immigrant or you’re even not so sure what to think about DACA, I think this is something they should come see,” public relations senior Kayla Renelle said. “It’s something that will change your mind or cement what you believe or just open your eyes to what’s going on in our community.”
Renelle is one of an entire team of students who have worked to promote and organize the production of the play.
The team aims not only to sell tickets to the play, but also to get the message out about this important issue that Renelle said affects students and peers.
“I was really honored to be apart of it because this is such an important piece that is bigger than anyone person,” Renelle said.
The idea of the play came from Normington, who said she began researching and planning the play after the 2016 election of President Donald Trump.
“On election day 2016, I went to one of my classes and I had a ‘just voted’ sticker on my lapel and one of my students came up and said, ‘I wish I could vote,’ ” Normington said. “I couldn’t quite understand where she was coming from and then she told me she was undocumented.”
Normington said this started the process of her discovering students’ stories.
The students helped Normington get in touch with other undocumented peers, and Normington began reaching out to students and organizations who support DACA recipients.
From January 2017 up until August 2019, Normington conducted interviews of 17 DACA students on campus where they began to share their stories after establishing trust with Normington.
“Some of them were even hesitant but their stories need to get out there so people can get a better understanding of the humanity of these people,” Renelle said.
Renelle said there is a student actor who is playing himself, crafting his story for the spotlight.
She said for this student alongside all of the students in the play, it takes a lot of courage to speak out and tell these personal stories.
Renelle, who shared that one of her best friends is undocumented, said she never expected to become so passionate about the project.
“I don’t think I expected to be this passionate about it but I learned so much and I’m more passionate about it than ever before,” she said.
Renelle said she’s looking forward to seeing the reactions to the play and hopes people will be moved.
“Hopefully they’re going to realize that these students are people in our community, they’re important and they’re contributing, they make up who we are,” Renelle said.
The cast members have expressed their admiration for the stories they get to present.
“I really admire the story of these individuals in the show and I really am lucky to be a part of something so important within our times, which is also why I wanted to get involved,” said Elijah Torres, a cast member and theatre senior.
He said he wants the community to know what undocumented people go through.
“They are one of the strongest individuals out there,” he said. “There’s a lot of misinformation out there regarding them and I hope this play educates people.”
Normington said the challenges of the play have been more personal than anything but it’s been eye opening to see the support garnered from around campus for vocalizing these students stories.
Normington said she aims to personalize the word “undocumented” and show the humanity behind the secrets of these immigration issues.
She said she unknowingly became an activist through the project and gained an appreciation for
these students.
“These are the people I want in my country and these are people that I want leading our country into the future,” Normington said. “I feel really disturbed that our government is using these students as pawns in a political game.”
She hopes the play can help everyone come together in a community of strangers who have shared experiences.
“I think that’s why I’m a professor. Why do I believe this whole paradigm?” Normington said. “It’s coming together and experiencing it together that will change people and hopefully help them understand this situation, not only on our campus, but in our country.”
“[dreamer] project: an Undocuplay” runs at Hammer Theatre starting Friday until Nov. 24.
