SPEAKS
SPEAK
by Elizabeth King
“HUMANS LOVE to put things in boxes. We like neat and tidy ideas. We want right and wrong, good and bad,” says Hannah Kauffman explaining the theme, “justice” for SPEAK 2024, an event hosted by Advocates of Routt County (an organization that supports and empowers all people impacted by sexual violence and abusive relationships; while disrupting all systems that tolerate and perpetuate such violence). But, she goes on to say “justice is more complicated than we imagine.” This April, the local community will gather to share performance art such as stories, songs, dance and comedy routines surrounding the theme. “Justice is a major topic that we talk about daily both with clients and community partners,” says Hannah, one of the event’s organizers. Justice is more complex than law and order, she says. Justice isn’t always what’s fair or ethical. “It looks different to different people based on a whole host of factors.” And, while we often like to believe that justice is blind, it is a complex and controversial concept where sometimes harm for one occurs in order to respond justly for another. While the idea of community-created justice has been a strong influence since the days of the old West, this year’s event brings justice meted out not through duels or cattle rings, but through words and collective understanding. A justice that is about looking
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Winter 2023
Andi Worthen performs an original poem at the 2022 SPEAK event.
Art with Altitude