My friend KD enacted her self portrait performance yesterday at school, a dress rehearsal for a performance she will unveil at Kuli Mela. Her audience will be 1000 of her brothers and sisters. KD was raised within the Hari Krishna movement. She lived a good part of her life in segregated ashrams, away from her parents. Her community brothers and sisters were and are her family. Her self portrait performance is moving, raw, and blatantly truthful. Her intention is to stand in front of her community, and speak about her truth. A truth shared by many, one they have collectively and non- verbally agreed to not speak about; the opposite of clear, open and honest communication.
In her performance she removes her clothes, she exposes the use of drugs in her culture, the covert nature of forbidden sexuality; and will do so within a 15 minute spot on stage in L.A. next week; her entire community as her witness. Brave doesn’t even begin to describe my friend KD.
I am moved to think of myself, of my return home, of standing naked in my truth, in front of my community. It is time.
“How well does your community know you?” is the question in 12 days journal #97
My very closest community (my dad, my brother, my closest friends) know me very well. Most everyone else, not well at all.
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