We—Enrico Riley, Jonathan Berger, Vievee Francis, and Niegel Smith—have found ourselves in an extraordinary moment where we have come together to create a work that none of us could make alone. Three of us are African-American; one of us is Jewish-American. We each fervently believe that as cultural practitioners our art must directly engage our current moment. Enrico explores in his paintings the idea of visibility—that line of demarcation that correlates to the uptick in the recording of acts of violence against people in the African-American community, which as a nation we are all witnessing. Vievee’s poignant and raw poetry highlights the interconnectedness of all violence and how it flows from people to places and vice versa. Niegel as a creator/director is consistently part of movements that involve direct action—how do you change hearts; how do you change minds? Jonathan’s music addresses the human condition and issues of social conscience, often through the perspective of an individual who is put in an impossible situation. 

Eric Garner’s story goes beyond an impossible situation. This is the story of a person martyred in a society that has gone deeply awry. Bringing our multiple perspectives together has allowed the story to become multilayered and complex, making the transition from an individual to a community, from a sacred space to an open, communal space, a reflective space—into which all are invited. How can we through the use of music, visuals, poetry, and mise-en-scène invite our audience to consider—to consider the state of affairs, to consider their breath, and by extension consider the breath of others. Together we hope this piece is a call to resist violence perpetuated by racist worldviews.