THIOSSANE: the means to an education

12 min digital film & soundscape

i. We are told Brown v. Board was a time so long ago when the elders of Topeka carry with them  today memories about their time in segregated and integrated schools in Kansas, and the joy and  hardships they experienced. I hold the things they shared with me in this film with reverence for  the many times they have had to fight to tell their stories over the years, and tenderness for the  brave children they once were. 

ii. History is to be studied of course, but one must maintain a certain distance to understand  which stories and emotions belong to you and those which belong to those before you. So  palpable is the pain and tumult Brown v. Board brought to Topeka, this performance is my offering  to the people of Topeka. A call to transmute energy and imagine a future where Brown v. Board is  not held so tightly with sadness, anger, and regret, but with appreciation, compassion, and love. 

iii. A nostalgic end, the boisterous sounds of the classroom and images of the Monroe School and  Topeka High School encourage the audience to remember and fondly embrace their inner child.  My gift to educators everywhere, each voice recounting the teachers that inspired them most. As  we move forward hold Brown v Board in our hearts, my prayer for students and teachers alike is  to bring endless light and justice into every classroom. 

commissioned by vanessagermanstudios llc for CRAVING LIGHT exhibition at the Rita Blitt Museum

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