Mu artistic director speaks to Congress

Mu artistic director Fran de Leon spoke about the effects of Operation Metro Surge to the Minnesota House Legacy Finance Committee on Mar 11. Her testimony spoke to the balm theater provided during the Day of Truth and Freedom on Jan 23, the heartbreak and fear that our artists had after ICE agents killed Alex Pretti, and the financial impact of ICE’s presence as its leaders sought to keep its artists and audiences safe.

Fran also spoke about the concrete actions that Mu was taking to care for its community in the aftermath of Operation Metro Surge. As she said near the end of her testimony, “As theater makers and people of color, we have always wored with the pressure of a proverbial thumb pushing us down. And yet we continue to exist. We thrive by knowing how to achieve multiple goals at once. … Despite these atrocities, what I have witnessed are Minnesotans’ solidarity, strength, and care for neighbors unlike anything I have ever seen.”

00:00 Greetings
01:12 ICE impact on youth participants, NEW EYES FESTIVAL during general strike
02:15 Art heals
03:14 Fallout for artists, audiences after ICE agents killed Alex Pretti
05:15 Financial impact of ICE presence
06:48 Community support for Mu
08:13 Mu's action steps to support the community
09:55 Closing remarks