#GBHSayHerName
At Girl Be Heard, the mission is always to honor and amplify the voices of young women, who all too often are silenced. Through theatre-making—practices shaped by empathy, community-building, and critical thinking—our girls tackle their own personal struggles and social justice issues that affect girls and women all around the world.
Girl Be Heard thrives at the intersection of arts and advocacy. Most recently, Girl Be Heard embarked on a new project, #GBHSayHerName, in solidarity with the African-American Policy Forum’s #SayHerName campaign. Our youth debuted new work on the steps of New York City Hall on July 13, 2016 to commemorate the death of Sandra Bland and the four other black women who lost their lives in police custody in July of 2015. Girl Be Heard used spoken word, music, and live storytelling (as always) to honor and shine light on these women’s lives, bridging art and activism in an effort to make visible these civic injustices and open up community dialogue.
Research, original writing, theatrical devising and meeting with community advocates is what gives Girl Be Heard productions their depth and weight. #GBHSayHerName was a transformative experience for the eleven young women who devised the show, and their audiences, site of fusion for the girls as artists and advocates.
Throughout the day’s commemoration, the performance collective shared their stories, engaged with press, bystanders, and audience members, and even handed out dozens of bracelets that the girls had made by hand. After all, in the spirit of the Girl Be Heard philosophy—if a girl can change her own life, she can change the lives of girls everywhere—changing the mind of even one person, touching the heart of even one audience member, is worthwhile.
Girl Be Heard’s #SayHerName was featured on PIX11 and Women’s eNews, and it is the young women’s hope that they can continue to speak out against police brutality and violence against women, both locally and globally.
Certainly, Girl Be Heard’s work never stops; in addition to the possible continuation or development of #GBHSayHerName, the company is preparing for its 2017 mainstage production, Blurred Lines. This season, Girl Be Heard’s largest show of the year tackles issues of sexual assault, rape culture, and consent. Blurred Lines is a performance and conversation, one that draws attention to the profound impact of rape in our society and challenges audiences to reflect on the roles we all play in a culture that promotes silence and blurs the lines of consent. By taking the shame out of talking about sex and sexual assault, Blurred Lines inspires healing through storytelling and encourages audiences to join us in the movement to end the cycle of violence, from inside the home to college campuses and beyond.
Click here to join the movement.
