Freedom Riders Curriculum Guide

Harlem Stage Presents

A Journey with No End in Sight

Curriculum Guide

OUR MISSION Harlem Stage sets untold stories free.

Whispered.

Silenced.

Erased.

Ignored…

But not lost.

Our stories endure — Waiting …waiting for the stage to set untold stories free.

A B O U T H A R L E M S TA G E

ABOUT HARLEM STAGE Founded in 1983, Harlem Stage is a dynamic hub of artistic experimentation, dedicated to empowering performing artists and arts leaders of the Global Majority at every stage of their journey. It serves as a beacon of artistic freedom for New York City, the cultural capital of the world. Guided by its North Star—Harlem is our home; the world is our stage—Harlem Stage is a sacred space where adventurous and daring creation knows no bounds: A STAGE… to create fearlessly with new commissioned works; to present boldly—theater, dance, music, spoken word, film, and literature; to educate endlessly, engaging learners of all ages; to inspire locally, standing shoulder to shoulder with the communities that shape New York City; to question relentlessly, the ideas that shape the human experience; to connect globally with artists, leaders, and institutions around the world; to engineer equity in an artistic landscape that has long underinvested in performing artists, artistic leaders, and communities of color; and, to protect the planet, because we see climate change as one of the most pressing issues of our time.

I wish I knew how it would feel to be free I wish I could break all the chains holding me This resounding anthem performed by the late, renowned pianist and Civil Rights activist Nina Simone speaks to a piercing sentiment keenly inhabited by stories that have yet to be told. The anthem addresses the inherent conundrum wherein the mere act of creative artistic expression—a cornerstone of democracy —does not spontaneously translate to a sense of freedom for artists, arts leaders, or institutions of the Global Majority in a world rife with longstanding and contemporary reverberations of slavery, colonization, and systematic and structural rules of order that oppress one group over another, limiting opportunities, resources, and the ability to tell the stories that shape and reflect our humanity. Harlem Stage is The Stage to set untold stories free.

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FREEDOM RIDERS: A JOURNEY WITH NO END IN SIGHT

FREEDOM RIDERS: A JOURNEY WITH NO END IN SIGHT Harlem Stage—The Stage to Set Untold Stories Free—presents Freedom Riders: A Journey with No End in Sight, a searing theatrical concert reading this fall 2025 that lays bare the enduring truths of racial injustice.

Globally recognized as a home for artists of the Global Majority who dare to speak what history tried to silence; Harlem Stage stands as a sanctuary for bold storytelling and unapologetic truth.

Inspired by the seminal work 12 Angry Men: True Stories of Being a Black Man in America Today, published by The New Press in 2012, and first brought to the stage by The Billie Holiday Theatre in 2015, Freedom Riders: A Journey With No End in Sight returns on its 10th anniversary—reimagined, expanded, and more urgent than ever. A crucible of survival, testimony, and resistance, this bold theatrical concert reading fuses electrifying first-person monologues with soul-stirring live music to confront the brutal truths of racial profiling, the systemic violence against Black Trans lives, unchecked police brutality, and the unrelenting history of racial injustice.

A Cast of Titans. A Score That Soars. Stories That Must Be Told. Storytellers That Can’t Be Ignored.

I am deeply honored to direct this work with a transcendent cast of beautiful artists from film, television, and Broadway: • Lisa Arrindell (Disappearing Acts, Saints & Sinners) • Russell Hornsby (Fences, The Hate U Give, Grimm) • Billy Eugene Jones (A Soldier’s Play, Purlie Victorious) • Angelica Ross (Pose, American Horror Story) • Stephen Tyrone Williams (A Master Builder, The Knick) A live musical score is seamlessly woven through these first-person stories of survival, loss, resistance, and love—collaboratively composed and performed by piano virtuoso Arden Altino, genre-defying violinist Daniel Bernard Roumain, and Grammy-nominated bassist and former Beyoncé musical director, Divinity Roxx. The result is a powerful fusion of word and sound, culminating in a stirring finale that reverberates with hope, courage, and the collective will to rise. This original sound score is made possible through Harlem Stage’s signature commissioning initiative WATERWORKS.

Dr. Indira Etwaroo | Artistic Director & CEO | Harlem Stage

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THE TOUR

Landmark Venues. Urgent Stories. Limited Engagement.

Beginning September 29, 2025, award-winning actors and musicians will take Harlem Stage’s Freedom Riders on the road to honor the route of the Great Migration—when six million Black Americans fled domestic terror in their own country between 1910 and 1970—and to pay tribute to the courage of the interstate Freedom Riders of the Civil Rights Movement, as well as the urgent response of the Black Lives Matter movement following the murder of George Floyd and so many others. This four-city journey—from the South to the North along the East Coast of the United States—reminds communities of the unfinished, multi-generational journey toward equity.

Performance sites include: • Montgomery, AL — The First Baptist ‘Brick-a-Day’ Church in Montgomery, AL is where the Freedom Riders sought sanctuary in 1961 as a 3,000-strong white mob laid siege to the church.

• Atlanta, GA — The Atlanta University Center has cultivated generations of Black changemakers whose influence spans the globe.

• Greensboro, NC — Greensboro, NC is the site of the historic Woolworth building where the 1960 lunch counter sit-ins helped ignite the Civil Rights Movement.

• Harlem, NY — Harlem, NY was the destination of many during the Great Migration.

Michelle Alexander, award-winning writer, described the original work as “Beautifully written, [and] painfully honest.”

Harlem, NY Greensboro, NC Atlanta, GA Montgomery, AL

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FREEDOM RIDERS: A JOURNEY WITH NO END IN SIGHT

COMPANY DR. INDIRA ETWAROO, Director Dr. Indira Etwaroo is an award-winning producer, scholar, educator, and non-profit arts leader whose career has spanned some of the nation’s most influential cultural institutions. She currently serves as CEO & Artistic Director of Harlem Stage, where she stewards its mission to set untold stories free.

A visionary arts executive, Dr. Etwaroo has held transformative leadership roles. As the Inaugural Director of Apple’s Steve Jobs Theater, she oversaw the venue’s multiplatform programming and produced global events. As Executive Artistic Director of RestorationART and The Billie Holiday Theatre, she helped guide a $4.1M renovation, build world-class dance studios, launched the Black Arts Institute in collaboration with luminaries such as Sonia Sanchez, Phylicia Rashad, Ruben Santiago-Hudson, Michele Shay, and Stephen McKinley Henderson, and more than doubled audiences during a period in which the theatre received top AUDELCO Awards and the Presidential Medal of the Arts.

Earlier, Dr. Etwaroo was tapped to create The Jerome L. Greene Performance Space at New York Public Radio, transforming a ground floor space into a groundbreaking live, digital, and broadcast venue. There, she conceptualized and produced landmark projects including the first-ever recordings of August Wilson’s American Century Cycle, the American Radio Broadcast Premiere of Their Eyes Were Watching God narrated by Phylicia Rashad, and the breakout Battle of the Boroughs showcase. She later joined NPR as Founding Executive Producer of NPR Presents, designing a national live events strategy and tours in collaboration with Tony Award-winner Kenny Leon.

Her directing and producing work spans institutions such as The Billie Holiday Theatre, Apple’s Steve Jobs Theater, NPR, WNYC, and the WACO Theater Center in Los Angeles. Among her most notable credits, she served as Associate Director with Kenny Leon on the historic all-Black Shakespeare in the Park production of Much Ado About Nothing at The Public Theater and on Broadway’s A Soldier’s Play, which won the Tony Award for Best Revival.

As a scholar and educator, Dr. Etwaroo has contributed to critical publications, including Dance Rooted in the Movements of Bedford-Stuyvesant (University of Illinois Press, 2019), and designed and created “Leading Performing Arts Institutions in the 21st Century” as an adjunct faculty at NYU’s School of Professional Studies.

Her leadership has been recognized with honors including the Larry Leon Hamlin Producer’s Award (National Black Theatre Festival), the Legacy Award (Black Theatre Network), the Inaugural Advocacy Award (Black Theatre United), and recognition as one of the nation’s “40 Under 40” leaders by The Network Journal. As a Fulbright Scholar, she conducted fieldwork in Ethiopia with Somali women displaced by conflict—research that continues to shape her vision of the intersections between art, culture, and social justice.

Through every role, Dr. Etwaroo has sought to lift up artists, strengthen communities, and build sustainable models for cultural institutions—redefining, with purpose, what it means to create and share stories in the 21st century.

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B I O S: C O MPAN Y

ZENZELE DANIELS, Writer, Assistant Director Zenzele Daniels is a recent graduate of the Theater Conservatory at Purchase College, where she earned her Bachelor of Arts in Theater and Directing in May 2024. For her Senior Thesis, she was honored as the inaugural recipient of the Imani Douglas Award for Student Scholar and Artist and received the National Student Scholar Award (2023) from the Black Theatre Network.

She currently works with the Programming and Production team at Harlem Stage in New York City. Previously, she served as Production Manager for a range of dynamic initiatives, including the Black Arts Institute where she collaborated with students nationwide training under theater luminaries such as Ruben Santiago-Hudson and Michele Shay; the American Mime Theater in New York City, and The Billie Holiday Theater in Brooklyn.

As a theater artist, Zenzele has performed as a featured character in the National Tour of NPR Presents Water+, directed by Kenny Leon. She also served as Director’s Observer to Leon for Hamlet at Shakespeare in the Park, staged at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park in the summer of 2023 and an Assistant Director to Tamara Tunie and Indira Etwaroo.

With a lifelong passion for art and storytelling, Zenzele is dedicated to creating and championing global narratives that uplift, center, and celebrate Black voices.

ARTHUR YORINKS, Arranger Arthur Yorinks has written and directed for opera, theater, dance, film, and radio and is the author of over forty acclaimed and award-winning books, including Hey, Al, a children’s book, which earned the Caldecott Medal in 1987. His work has been produced at The Kennedy Center, the Flea Theater, The Greene Space, Tribeca Performing Arts Center and many other theaters around the country.

Yorinks studied to be a classical pianist. At 17, he began his over five decades-long work in the literary and performing arts. His wide-ranging career is known for unique collaborations among a broad spectrum of celebrated artists—from Philip Glass and Jim Simpson to Bill Irwin, Maurice Sendak and Indira Etwaroo whose work together included the radio adaptation of Zora Neale Hurston’s Their Eyes Were Watching God and the audio recordings of August Wilson’s Century Cycle.

Among his many productions in the theater, Yorinks wrote the libretti for two Philip Glass operas, his audio play cycle American Song: 13 plays covering the landscape of America from the 1900’s to the present. He adapted James Joyce’s Dubliners for a 4-hour theatrical suite. He has directed such notable actors as Sigourney Weaver, Frances McDormand, F. Murray Abraham, and many others.

After experimenting for two years with a uniquely gifted group of physical actors, in 2024 Yorinks founded APT / American Physical Theater for which he writes plays and serves as Artistic Director.

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FREEDOM RIDERS: A JOURNEY WITH NO END IN SIGHT

ACTORS LISA ARRINDELL Lisa Arrindell was born in the Bronx, New York, and brought straight home to Brooklyn. A graduate of The High School of Performing Arts — now The Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts — she went on to earn a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Theatre from The Juilliard School.

Lisa’s extensive acting career spans film, television, and stage.

Her notable screen credits include A Lesson Before Dying, Disappearing Acts, Having Our Say: The Delany Sisters’ First Hundred Years, The Sin Seer, Livin’ Large, Law & Order, Law & Order: SVU, Random Acts of Flyness, Elementary, Madam Secretary, Saints & Sinners, The Quad, Notorious, Bull, and more. On stage, she has appeared in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (Broadway), Jubilee (Seattle Opera), Reparations (The Billie Holiday Theatre), Richard III (NY Shakespeare Festival), Heliotrope Bouquet (Playwrights Horizons), and Earth and Sky (Second Stage), among others.

Her most recent projects include Albany Road, starring Lynn Whitfield, now available on Amazon Prime, as well as Watson on CBS and Favorite Son Christmas on BET. She is best known for her role as Vanessa in Tyler Perry’s Madea’s Family Reunion and for her gripping performance in the Law & Order episode titled “Disabled.”

Lisa also serves as the resident acting coach for the hit Starz series P-Valley.

Beyond her acting career, Lisa is passionate about health and wholeness, inspiring and educating aspiring performing artists. She teaches theater students who are deeply curious about pursuing a career in the performing arts and is on staff at The Freeman Studio and The Billie Holiday Theatre’s Youth Arts Academy in New York City.

Most importantly, she is the joyful mother of two stunning, loving, highly creative, and intelligent human beings.

IG: @lisaarrindell RUSSELL HORNSBY Actor/ director Russell Hornsby has amassed a catalog of film, television, and stage credits that any actor would envy. From comedies to science fiction to dramas and stage plays, his craftsmanship has always rung sharp and true. Currently, Russell stars in the Starz’s drama Black Mafia Family from G-Unit Films And Television in conjunction with Lionsgate while also starring in Blumhouse feature film Woman In The Yard. He can also be seen as Don King in Hulu’s Mike Tyson mini-series Iron Mike and in Hulu / Searchlight Pictures’ The Supremes at Earl’s All You Can Eat opposite Aujanue Ellis, Uzo Aduba, and Sanaa Lathan.

Hornsby starred in the Oscar-nominated film Fences, opposite Denzel Washington and Viola Davis, with a powerhouse presentation of his character Lyons, whom Hornsby played in the Broadway

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revival of Fences in 2010, also with Washington and Davis. Hornsby also recently starred opposite Regina King in the critically acclaimed Netflix mini-series Seven Seconds, from Veena Sud (“The Killing”), appeared in an arc in Showtime’s The Affair and in the box office hit sequel Creed II opposite Michael B. Jordan. Additionally, Hornsby has received an outpouring of praise for his award buzzworthy role in the Fox 2000 film The Hate U Give. Russell also starred in the Fox series Proven Innocent from showrunner Danny Strong and in the titular role in NBC’s Lincoln Rhyme: Hunt for the Bone Collector.

Also known for fighting to keep humanity safe from things that go bump in the night in his role as hard-nosed Detective Hank Griffin on NBC’s smash hit supernatural police procedural Grimm. Hornsby is no stranger to American living rooms having starred in numerous television projects including the acclaimed ABC Family drama Lincoln Heights as police officer Eddie Sutton, as well as Luke in HBO’s In Treatment, opposite Gabriel Byrne.

Hornsby’s other film credits include roles in the Jim Sheridan directed Get Rich or Die Tryin’ and the Sundance Grand Jury Award nominated Luv from director Sheldon Candis.

Hornsby also has an extensive theatre background and became an aspiring thespian after auditioning and winning the role of the Scarecrow in his high school production of The Wiz. He has taken the more traditional — and currently less traveled — route to his success by cutting his teeth on stage. While the phrase “paying his dues” is about as cliché as it gets when referring to an actor’s journey, Hornsby is its embodiment as he progressed from backroom performances to the bright lights of New York City’s famed theatre district, Broadway, where he’s appeared in numerous productions including a stint in August Wilson’s Fences.

Born and raised in Oakland, California, Hornsby attended the theatre program at Boston University and spent a summer studying at the British Academy of Arts.

BILLY EUGENE JONES Broadway credits: Our Town, Purlie Victorious, Fat Ham, A Soldier’s Play, The Book of Mormon, A Raisin in the Sun, The Trip to Bountiful, The Big Knife, The Mountaintop, Passing Strange, Radio Golf and Gem of the Ocean.

Off-Broadway credits include Fat Ham (Public Theater/[Obie Award]) On Sugarland (NYTW/ [Obie Award, Audelco Award for best actor, Drama Desk Nomination for best actor]), Where the Mountain Meets the Sea (Manhattan Theater Club) Much Ado About Nothing (NYSF), Pitbulls (Rattlestick Playwrights Theatre), The Jammer (Atlantic Theatre Company), In the Footprint (The Civilians), Waiting for Godot and Three Sisters (Classical Theatre of Harlem).

Regional credits include Seven Guitars, Death of a Salesman, Good Faith, Richard II, Breath Boom (Yale Rep), Macbeth (Berkeley Repertory Theatre), The Good Negro (The Goodman), Stick Fly (Elliot Norton nomination for Best Supporting Actor/ Arena Stage and Huntington Theatre Company), Othello (CalShakes), Spunk (Actors Theatre of Louisville), The People Before the Park (Premiere Stages).

Other stage credits include productions at Two River Theatre, Alliance Theatre, Hartford Stage, and numerous productions at The Dallas Theater Center. Billy is a graduate of Yale School of Drama.

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FREEDOM RIDERS: A JOURNEY WITH NO END IN SIGHT

ANGELICA ROSS Actress, Singer-Songwriter, Founder of TransTech & Human Rights Advocate Angelica Ross is a pioneering leader in the fight for human rights, with a special focus on advancing transgender and racial equity.

While widely recognized for her breakthrough roles on FX’s Pose and American Horror Story, Angelica’s impact extends far beyond the screen. As the founder of TransTech Social Enterprises, she has empowered marginalized communities through digital education and economic advancement. From advocating on Capitol Hill to addressing global audiences, Angelica Ross is committed to building a just and inclusive future for all.

With a proven track record in fighting for equality, Angelica’s leadership blends her experience as an executive producer, writer, and activist with her deep commitment to creating change.

Her advocacy has been recognized across industries, whether through her groundbreaking media work or her efforts to uplift Black, queer, and trans communities. Now, as she embarks on her political journey, Angelica is dedicated to translating her activism into policy, ensuring that marginalized voices are heard and protected at every level of government.

STEPHEN TYRONE WILLIAMS Stephen Tyrone Williams is thrilled to return to Harlem Stage for 12 Angry Men…and Women. He is an actor, producer, and consultant for the page, stage, and screen. Select credits include: Broadway: Lucky Guy (Broadhurst), and Jitney (Manhattan Theatre Club); Off-Broadway: Harper Regan (Atlantic Theater Company), Burning (The New Group), Adam Rapp’s The Hallway Trilogy (Rattlestick Theater), Sundown Names… (Negro Ensemble Company Three Audelco Nominations), and My Children! My Africa! (Signature Theatre Company, Drama League Award & Clive Barnes Award Finalist). Regional: Seattle Rep, Actors Theatre of Louisville, Colorado Shakespeare Festival, New Jersey Shakespeare Festival, McCarter Theatre, Syracuse Stage (SALT Nomination), Two Rivers Theatre, Hartford Stage, and Geffen Playhouse. Film & TV: Stag & Doe (HBO Short Film of the Year), Elementary, Restless City (Sundance), Children of God (Best Actor Award, Festival Del Mar), The Knick, Greetings from Tim Buckley (Toronto), Tobacco Burn (Best Actor Nominee, Seattle Film Festival, Massachusett s Independent Film Festival and New Filmmakers Los Angeles) and Da Sweet Blood of Jesus, A Spike Lee Joint. He holds a B.A. from the University of Alabama in theatre (performance). He is a recognized actor/combatant with the Society of American Fight Directors and the British Academy of Stage and Screen Combat. youtube.com/@steevuhn18

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BIOS: MUSICIANS

MUSICIANS ARDEN ALTINO Born in Brooklyn, and raised in Jamaica Queens, New York, Arden Altino is a Grammy Award-winning Musician, Keyboardist, and Composer. Altino’s Haitian roots and close-knit family influenced his career path and was instrumental in developing him into the artist that he is today. Arden Altino has traveled worldwide touring with artists such as Grammy Winner Wyclef Jean, Melissa Etheridge, Akon, and many more A-list Celebrities. As a (Musician) Music Producer, Mr. Altino has also worked with the likes of Justin Bieber, Busta Rhymes; Multi Platinum Award Winning Artists Alicia Keys, Mary J Blige, Diddy and many more. Arden aka ArKeyz is the owner of “Altino Music Inc”. He is currently working with famous Music Producer Jerry Wonda & Platinum Sound Recordings Studio and also has the pleasure to currently work with The Great Director Indira Etwaroo with Harlem Stage Family.

DANIEL BERNARD ROUMAIN Daniel Bernard Roumain (DBR) is a Black, Haitian-American composer who sees composing as collaboration with artists, organizations and communities within the farming and framing of ideas. He is a prolific and endlessly collaborative composer, performer, educator, and social entrepreneur. “About as omnivorous as a contemporary artist gets” (New York Times), Roumain has worked with artists from J’Nai Bridges, Lady Gaga, and Philip Glass to Bill T. Jones, Marin Alsop, and Anna Deavere Smith.

Known for his signature violin sounds infused with myriad electronic and African-American music influences, Roumain takes his genre-bending music beyond the proscenium. He is a composer of solo, chamber, orchestral, and operatic works, and has composed an array of film, theater, and dance scores.

He has composed music for the acclaimed film Ailey (Sundance official selection); was the first Music Director and Principal Composer with the Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Company; released and appeared on 30 album recordings; and has published over 300 works. He has appeared on CBS, ESPN, FOX, NBC, NPR, and PBS; and has collaborated with the Brooklyn Academy of Music, Kennedy Center, Lyric Opera of Chicago, and Sydney Opera House. He was Artist-in-Residence and Creative Chair at the Flynn in Burlington, Vermont. Currently, he is the first Artistic Ambassador with Firstworks; the first Artist Activist-in-Residence at Longy School of Music; and the first Resident Artistic Catalyst with the New Jersey Symphony. Roumain is an Atlantic Center Master Artist, a Creative Capital Grantee, and a Hermitage 9

FREEDOM RIDERS: A JOURNEY WITH NO END IN SIGHT

Artist Retreat Fellow. He has won the American Academy in Rome Goddard Lieberson Fellowship; a Civitella Ranieri Music Fellowship Award; an Emmy Award for The New Look of Classical Music; National Sawdust Disruptor Award; and the Sphinx Organization Arthur L. Johnson Award. He has lectured at Yale and Princeton University and was a Roth Distinguished Visiting Scholar at Dartmouth College. He is currently a tenured Associate and Institute Professor at Arizona State University Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts.

DIVINITY ROXX Divinity Roxx stands out as a transformative figure in the music industry, known for her extraordinary bass playing and dynamic artistry. Her illustrious career includes touring with 5-time Grammy award-winning bassist Victor Wooten, and serving as the bassist and Musical Director for Beyoncé, where she not only captivated global audiences but also elevated the role of women in music.

Her solo work and family-centric albums have earned two Grammy nominations, highlighting her versatility and innovation, and weaving her unique musicality across diverse sounds and styles. Her compositions have been adapted into children’s books by Scholastic, and featured on television. Divinity produced, co-wrote, and performed the theme song for the Emmy-nominated PBS Kids’ show, Lyla in the Loop, showcasing her creative synergy across disciplines. She has performed at the Easter Egg Roll at the Whitehouse as a headliner and graced the stages of The Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall.

As a fervent advocate for musicians’ rights, Divinity pushes for inclusion and equality in the industry, mentoring emerging talents and fostering an environment where diverse voices thrive. Divinity’s genre-spanning sound combines elements of funk, hip-hop, and rock, breaking conventional barriers and inspiring musicians worldwide.

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THIS CURRICULUM GUIDE

LEARNING THROUGH STORIES, IMAGES, AND YOU This curriculum guide offers students more than context for the performance. It includes quotes, excerpts from the script, photographs, and stories spanning the century from 1925 to 2025. These materials serve as windows into the ongoing fight for racial justice and as mirrors reflecting students’ own place within democracy. By engaging with these layered resources, students encounter the lived experiences of those who fled racial terror during the Great Migration, risked their lives on buses during the Freedom Rides, stood on the frontlines of Civil Rights protests, and marched in the streets under the banner of Black Lives Matter.

Why This Matters Democracy is not a static idea but a living practice—one that depends on the participation, imagination, and responsibility of every generation. For students, understanding their place within a democracy means recognizing both the freedoms they inherit and the unfinished work they must carry forward. Freedom Riders reveals that democracy thrives only when its citizens confront hard truths, amplify silenced voices, and commit to justice.

By engaging with these stories of survival, resistance, and courage—through performance, text, image, and testimony—students learn that their voices matter, their choices shape communities, and their actions have the power to transform history. In studying this work, they are called to write themselves into existence—not only as learners, but as leaders of a more equitable future.

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FREEDOM RIDERS: A JOURNEY WITH NO END IN SIGHT

STORY ONE: A STORY OF GLOBAL HUMAN RIGHTS Opening of Freedom Riders: A Journey With No End in Sight “12 Angry Men and Women: The Weight of the Wait”

“What struck me most about those who rioted was how long they waited—the restraint they showed. Not the spontaneity, the restraint. They waited and waited for justice, and it didn’t come. No one talks about that.” —Toni Morrison Character Fictional Secretary-General of the UN Character may choose a dialect that reflects a non-“Western” country.

Setting United Nations General Assembly Time The Present 12

STORY ONE

Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, I am honored to welcome you to the United Nations for this General Debate.

I returned just last night from an emergency visit to the United States, where I listened to long and deeply moving testimonies—from civilians, scholars, family members, journalists, and through historical accounts.

Today, we are gathered to address the alarming continuation—and in many places, the escalation—of violence against Black Americans. In the course of my meetings, it became undeniably clear: a profound and dangerous disconnect exists between governing authorities and the communities—particularly Black Americans—who continue to bear the brunt of systemic violence.

Despite the urgency of this crisis, there is not only a troubling lack of consensus among national leadership, but also a deeper absence of urgency—and, in some cases, a shameful and willful ignorance—regarding the moral and political imperative to act.

This inertia threatens to erode public trust and deepen a cycle of harm. It violates the state’s obligations under international human rights law and sustains the structural conditions that perpetuate racialized violence and social fragmentation. Too often, we mistake economic performance or security capacity for national wellbeing—forgetting the third, essential pillar: the rule of law and the respect for human rights.

I speak to you today profoundly troubled by what I saw, and by what I heard.

People shared with me heartbreaking stories of violence inflicted upon themselves and their loved ones.

The tensions surrounding the profiling of Americans—disproportionately Black—are rooted in a racialized structure that continues to be exploited by extremists and hate groups, with longstanding and ongoing implications for both domestic and regional stability.

The level of incitement is utterly unacceptable. Yet provocative rhetoric and actions by the current administration are further inflaming passions in an already overheated environment—one shaped by a long and painful history of domestic terror against Black communities.

One life taken is never a solitary loss—it ripples outward, generating generations of grief. When one family buries a loved one, they plant not only sorrow, but anger. When a neighborhood is scarred by violence, an entire community begins to lose hope. One unnecessary death can ignite the rage of thousands—a fire that justice alone might have extinguished.

Force must never be the first language of power. It must be the final resort of a system that has exhausted every path to protect human dignity.

It is irrefutably evident—based on the 2022 resolution of the United Nations General Assembly’s Sixth Committee—that the provisions of the draft treaty on crimes against humanity have not only been neglected, but violated. These crimes—murder, rape, torture, apartheid, deportation, persecution, and others—are committed as part of widespread or systematic attacks against civilian populations. They are not confined

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FREEDOM RIDERS: A JOURNEY WITH NO END IN SIGHT

to times of war; they are happening in peacetime, in one of the most powerful nations on Earth.

I urge this body to hear the twelve testimonies that will be presented before you today. Let them be measured not only by the weight of international law and our shared global obligations, but also by one of humanity’s oldest and most unflinching instruments of truth: the telling of stories. Let them be measured by the conscience of all who still believe that justice must rise when truth is spoken aloud.

While legislative and institutional reform are critical, they are not sufficient. Only by marrying the rule of law with moral courage can the United States—and we, the international community—move beyond despair and toward a just and sustainable peace.

A quarter of the way into the 21st century, I believe the mission of the United Nations will be defined by a new, deeper awareness of the sanctity and dignity of every human life—regardless of race.

Questions for Consideration On Toni Morrison’s Words • What do you think Toni Morrison meant by “the restraint they showed”? Why might restraint be as important to notice as the eruption of protest itself?

• W hat does it mean to “wait for justice”? Who gets asked to wait, and who benefits from that waiting?

• How does Morrison’s reflection challenge dominant narratives about riots and protests?

On Justice and Democracy • How do stories of delayed or denied justice impact people’s faith in democracy?

• What responsibilities do citizens have when they witness injustice? What responsibilities do governments have?

• In what ways can silence or inaction become a form of violence in itself?

On Global Human Rights • Why might the United Nations—or the global community—care about violence against Black Americans inside the United States?

• How does framing racial injustice in the U.S. as a human rights issue (not just a national issue) change how we think about responsibility?

• What role can storytelling—whether through theater, testimony, or literature—play in pushing institutions toward justice?

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STORY ONE

On Personal Responsibility • Have you ever felt like you had to “wait and wait” for fairness in your own life?

• How does that shape your understanding of Morrison’s quote?

• What small or large actions can young people take to ensure that democracy is not just something inherited, but something actively built?

• How can we transform waiting into action without losing hope?

Projects: Your Voice, Your Power 1. Speak to the United Nations Imagine you are standing before the United Nations General Assembly. Write your own short speech.

• Tell a story about injustice—whether from your family, your community, or history—and connect it to what democracy and human rights mean to you.

• End by calling for one specific action the world should take.

2. Build a Timeline of Justice Create a timeline that stretches from 1925 to 2025, showing key moments like the Great Migration, the Civil Rights Movement, the Freedom Riders, and Black Lives Matter.

• Add photos, quotes, and facts.

• Write short reflections: If I had lived during this moment, what might I have done?

3. Reflect on Toni Morrison’s Words Toni Morrison said: “They waited and waited for justice, and it didn’t come.” Write a short essay or creative response.

• What does this quote mean to you?

• Where do you see this “waiting” in history? In today’s world? In your own life?

4. Perform a Story Choose an excerpt from Freedom Riders or another testimony. Perform it out loud, using your voice to bring the story to life. Afterward, write a short reflection.

• How did it feel to speak those words?

• Why does performance make history hit differently than just reading it on the page?

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5. Tell Stories with Images Gather photographs—historic or contemporary—that capture protest, waiting, resilience, or freedom.

• Write captions that connect each image to Morrison’s quote or the idea of democracy.

• Create a gallery of your work to share and discuss as a class.

6. Keep a Journal: “Waiting for Justice” For one week, keep a daily journal.

• Notice when you—or people around you—had to “wait” for fairness. It can be small (waiting to be heard) or large (injustice in society).

• At the end of the week, write a reflection that connects your experiences with Morrison’s words and the history of racial justice.

• What noticings or testimonies would you share if you were a character in the United Nations General Assembly?

7. Research and Compare Choose one event—the Great Migration, the Freedom Riders, or Black Lives Matter. Research it.

• Write about how the idea of “waiting for justice” shows up in that time period.

• Compare it to today. What lessons can we carry forward?

8. Debate Democracy Take a side: Is America living up to its promise of democracy? Or is it failing to deliver justice?

• Use Morrison’s quote and the voices from Freedom Riders as part of your argument.

• Debate your classmates—and listen closely to the other side.

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STORY ONE

STORY TWO: THE STORY OF HENRY “BOX” BROWN “They did what human beings looking for freedom, throughout history, have often done. They left.”

—Isabelle Wilkerson, The Warmth of Other Suns Henry Brown was born enslaved in Virginia in 1815. For years, he worked on a tobacco farm and lived with the constant fear that his family could be taken from him. In 1849, that fear became reality: his wife and three children were sold to North Carolina. Heartbroken and desperate, Henry decided he would risk everything for freedom.

With the help of friends, he came up with a daring idea—he would mail himself to freedom. Henry climbed into a wooden box that was only three feet long, just big enough for him to crouch inside. The box was marked “This Side Up With Care” and carried by wagon, railroad, and steamboat on its way from Richmond, Virginia, to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Inside, Henry had only a little water, a few biscuits, and a small tool to poke air holes.

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FREEDOM RIDERS: A JOURNEY WITH NO END IN SIGHT

The trip took twenty-seven hours. Sometimes the box was thrown or turned upside down, and Henry nearly passed out. But he stayed silent and endured. Finally, on March 24, 1849, the box was delivered to the Philadelphia Anti-Slavery Society. When it was opened, Henry stepped out and said, “How do you do, gentlemen?” Then he sang a hymn of thanks for his freedom. From that day, he was known as Henry “Box” Brown.

After his escape, Brown became famous. He wrote his life story, traveled the country giving speeches against slavery, and even performed as a magician to share his message. His escape remains one of the most extraordinary acts of self-emancipation in history.

Henry “Box” Brown’s story shows the courage, imagination, and determination of people who refused to accept injustice. He turned a symbol of confinement—a box—into a doorway to freedom.

Questions for Consideration • What risks did Henry take by mailing himself to freedom?

• How does his story change the way you think about the word “freedom”?

• Why is imagination as important as courage in moments of struggle?

Projects: Your Voice, Your Power 1. Design a “Freedom Vessel” Henry turned a wooden box—a symbol of confinement—into his doorway to freedom.

• Create your own “freedom vessel”: this can be a drawing, poem, short story, or even a small model.

• Think about: If you had to break through barriers of injustice, what vessel (real or symbolic) would carry you toward freedom?

• Share your vessel with the class and explain what it represents.

2. Timeline of Escape & Resistance Map Henry’s 27-hour journey alongside other freedom journeys (like the Underground Railroad, the Great Migration, or the Freedom Rides).

• Create a visual timeline with pictures, quotes, or keywords.

• Reflect on the question: What do these journeys have in common?

3. First-Person Monologue Step into Henry’s shoes.

• Write a short monologue (one page) imagining Henry’s thoughts while inside the box.

• Perform it aloud, focusing on tone and emotion.

• Reflect afterward: How did it feel to embody his story?

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STORY T WO

4. Freedom Box Gallery Walk In groups, design “freedom boxes” on large sheets of paper or cardboard.

• On the outside, write or draw the barriers people face (racism, injustice, silence, fear).

• On the inside, write or draw the values that bring freedom (justice, courage, imagination, solidarity).

• Display the boxes around the classroom for a gallery walk and group discussion.

5. Compare & Connect Research another story of resistance (for example: Harriet Tubman, the Freedom Riders, or the Black Lives Matter movement).

• Write a short response comparing Henry’s “box to freedom” with another form of protest or escape.

• Question to guide you: How do different generations find creative ways to resist injustice?

6. “What Does Freedom Mean to Me?” Journal Spend 10 minutes writing about what freedom means in your own life today.

• How do you define it?

• Where do you see freedom thriving?

• Where do you see freedom being denied?

• End by connecting your reflection back to Henry’s story: What can I learn from his courage about my own freedom?

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FREEDOM RIDERS: A JOURNEY WITH NO END IN SIGHT

Photo Credit: U.S. National Park Service. Freedom Riders Attacked in Alabama, Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Historical Park, 1961.

May 14, 1961. Asset ID f35c833e96e7439e9aa2c71e6a8ecfee. NPGallery, National Park Service. Public domain. https://npgallery.nps.gov/AssetDetail/ f35c833e96e7439e9aa2c71e6a8ecfee.

STORY THREE: THE FREEDOM RIDERS May 21, 1961. It was Sunday night on the new frontier and freedom was on the line and in Montgomery, Alabama earlier in the evening more than a thousand Black Americans, including the Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. and several other nationally prominent civil rights leaders, had gathered at the first Baptist Church (Colored) to show their support for a visiting band of activists known as Freedom Riders. Located just a few blocks from the state capital where President Jefferson Davis had sworn allegiance to the confederate cause in 1861, First Baptist had been the setting for a number of dramatic events over the years, but the historic church had never witnessed anything quite like the situation unfolding both inside and outside its red brick walls.

For several hours the Freedom Riders and the congregation sang hymns and freedom songs, and listened to testimonials about courage and commitment, but as a spirit of hope, and justice rose inside the crowded sanctuary, a wholly different mood of defiance and outrage developed outside.

By nightfall the church was surrounded and besieged by a swelling mob of white protesters, determined to defend a time-honored system of racial segregation, screaming racial epithets and hurling rocks and Molotov cocktails. The protesters threatened to overwhelm a legal group of federal marshals, who feared that some members of the mob were intent on burning the church to the ground. When it became obvious that the marshals were overmatched, the governor of Alabama deployed a battalion of national guardsmen to disperse the crowd and tragedy was averted, but it would be early morning before the surrounding streets were secure enough for the Freedom Riders and their supporters to leave the church. Loaded into a convoy of military trucks and looking much like wartime refugees, the troublesome visitors and their host were escorted back to a Black community that must’ve wondered what other indignities and challenges lay ahead. The battle of May 21 was over, but the centuries-old struggle for racial justice would continue.

Freedom Riders: 1961 and the Struggle for Racial Justice by Raymond Arsenault, Oxford University Press, 2006.

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STORY THREE

Who Were the Freedom Riders?

The Freedom Riders were groups of courageous civil rights activists—Black and white, young and older— who in 1961 rode interstate buses into the segregated South to challenge the illegal practice of segregated bus terminals.

Although the Supreme Court had already ruled (in Boynton v. Virginia, 1960) that segregation in interstate travel was unconstitutional, many Southern states refused to enforce the law. Waiting rooms, lunch counters, and bathrooms in bus stations remained “white only” or “colored only.” The Freedom Riders set out to test these laws—and to show the world the brutality of Jim Crow.

The First Rides The first ride was organized by the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE). In May 1961, 13 riders—seven Black and six white—left Washington, D.C., on Greyhound and Trailways buses bound for New Orleans. Their plan was simple: sit wherever they chose on the bus and use “whites-only” and “Blacks-only” facilities interchangeably at stops along the way.

What happened next was harrowing.

• I n Anniston, Alabama, one bus was attacked and set on fire by a white mob. The riders barely escaped with their lives.

• In Birmingham, riders were savagely beaten with pipes and clubs while police looked the other way.

• I n Montgomery, another mob descended, brutally attacking riders, journalists, and even a federal official.

Youth and Courage Despite the violence, the rides did not stop. Student activists, many from the newly formed Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), joined in. They were mostly college students—some as young as 18 and 19 years old.

They trained in nonviolent resistance: • H ow to remain calm when attacked.

• H ow to protect one another.

• H ow to endure jail without breaking.

Their bravery electrified the movement and shocked the nation.

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FREEDOM RIDERS: A JOURNEY WITH NO END IN SIGHT

National Impact The Freedom Rides captured worldwide attention. Images of bloodied young people being dragged from buses appeared in newspapers and on television. The violence forced the federal government to act.

By the end of the summer of 1961, more than 400 riders—men and women, Black and white, from across the country—had joined the Freedom Rides. Hundreds were arrested and jailed, some spending weeks at Mississippi’s notorious Parchman Prison.

Finally, in September 1961, the Interstate Commerce Commission, under pressure from the Kennedy administration, issued regulations to enforce the Supreme Court’s rulings. Segregation in bus and train stations was officially banned.

Legacy The Freedom Riders showed the power of ordinary citizens willing to risk everything for justice. They proved that nonviolent direct action could expose injustice and force change at the highest levels of government.

Their courage became a model for later movements, including the marches in Selma, the push for the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and today’s activism for racial justice.

The Freedom Riders remind us that democracy depends not just on laws, but on people who are willing to stand up, speak out, and ride together toward freedom.

Questions for Consideration On History: 1925–2025 • What risks did the Freedom Riders take, and what do their actions teach us about courage in the face of systemic injustice?

• How does the Great Migration show both movement toward opportunity and the persistence of racial violence?

• How does the Black Lives Matter movement connect to earlier struggles for freedom? What feels new, and what feels like history repeating itself?

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STORY THREE

Projects: Your Voice, Your Power 1. Ride the Bus: A Role-Play Simulation Recreate a Freedom Ride in your classroom.

• Students are assigned roles: riders, bus driver, hostile crowd, journalists, police, federal officials.

• Re-enact what happened in Anniston, Birmingham, or Montgomery.

• After the role-play, debrief together: What did it feel like to sit in those roles? How did the choices of a few young riders change the course of history?

2. Freedom Riders Timeline Build a timeline of the 1961 rides.

• I nclude key events: departure from Washington, the Anniston bus burning, the Birmingham beatings, the Montgomery mob attack, arrests at Jackson, and the ICC ruling.

• Add images, quotes, and maps.

• Reflect: How did each step build pressure on the federal government?

3. Letters from the Road Write a letter as if you were a Freedom Rider.

• Imagine you are on a bus in 1961. Write to your family, a friend, or even the President.

• Describe your hopes, your fears, and why you chose to risk the ride.

• Share aloud in small groups to hear different voices and perspectives.

4. Media Matters: News Analysis Look at historic news photos or articles about the Freedom Riders.

• How were the riders portrayed in national vs. Southern newspapers?

• Why did television coverage matter so much?

• Reflect: How does media coverage shape public opinion about justice today?

5. Jail, No Bail Many Freedom Riders chose “ jail, no bail” to keep the spotlight on injustice.

• Research what this meant in practice.

• Discuss in groups: Would you be willing to go to jail for a cause? Why or why not?

• Write a short response: What does “ jail, no bail” teach us about sacrifice and strategy?

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FREEDOM RIDERS: A JOURNEY WITH NO END IN SIGHT

6. Connection to Today Create a chart linking the Freedom Riders to modern movements.

• C ompare their goals, risks, and strategies with Black Lives Matter or other youth-led movements.

• A nswer: What is the “bus ride” of our time? What risks do activists take today?

7. The Bus as a Symbol Draw or design a bus as a symbol of the Freedom Rides.

• O n the outside, illustrate the dangers: mobs, fire, jail, hate.

• O n the inside, illustrate the values: courage, solidarity, hope, democracy.

• S hare in a gallery walk with the class.

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STORY THREE

Photo by FloNight. Memorial for Breonna Taylor in Jefferson Square in Louisville, Kentucky. The large portrait featured is by local artist and community advocate Aron Conaway.

STORY FOUR: THE STORY OF BREONNA TAYLOR Excerpt from Freedom Riders: A Journey With No End in Sight “12 Angry Men and Women: The Weight of the Wait” Breonna Taylor’s Mother The first day, we are just all together crying and just trying to figure it out. I am just trying to replay this thing in my head.

I am having these thoughts—‘Maybe it’s not Breonna’ because I never see her, mind you. The police never let me see her. But I know it’s her house, you know what I’m saying? ‘Who would want to do that? What is happening?’ My head is all over the place.

And the police aren’t talking to me or telling me anything. My daughter’s dead and they’re not telling me anything. And I keep wondering, ‘Why would somebody do this?’ Until I learn on the news that the police did this. They didn’t find any drugs in that house.

The funeral home calls me when they get her body. Everybody is with me. My whole family. When we see her body, it’s just tears and screams . . .

One particular morning, maybe two months later, my sister writes this thing. It reads something like, ‘My name is Breonna Taylor. LMPD broke in my house and murdered me, and no one’s been arrested or charged.’

Breonna was an emergency room technician, her job was to help save lives, but hers was lost . . . over 32 gunshots, by the police, into her home in the middle of the night; six bullets that ultimately killed her. It took 20 minutes after she was shot for emergency medical assistance.

Louisville, Kentucky. March 13, 2020.

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FREEDOM RIDERS: A JOURNEY WITH NO END IN SIGHT

Questions for Consideration On Breonna Taylor’s Mother (2020) • What emotions do you hear in her words? How does her testimony as a mother shape your understanding of Breonna’s death?

• Why do you think the police refused to let her see her daughter? What does that suggest about power and control?

• How does finding out the truth from the news — not the police — affect trust in authority?

• What does Breonna’s profession as an emergency room technician symbolize in contrast to the way she died?

• W hat does the phrase “My name is Breonna Taylor…” mean as both a memorial and a demand for justice?

Student Reflections • Write a journal entry beginning with: “When I hear these stories, I feel…”

• Imagine yourself as Breonna’s mother. What would you want the world to know?

• Reflect on this question: What role does remembering play in justice?

Assignments: Your Voice, Your Power 1. Media & Law Analysis Research how Breonna Taylor’s case was reported in 2020 compared with how Stephen Pembroke’s case was reported in the 1854 New York Tribune. Write about how the media shaped public understanding in each case.

2. Memorial Wall: “Say Their Names” Design a classroom or school display honoring Breonna Taylor, and others who experienced injustice. Each student contributes a short written or visual piece beginning with “My name is…” to symbolize remembrance and solidarity.

3. Letters Across Time Write a letter from Breonna Taylor’s mother to a historical figure like Fannie Lou Hamer, Ida B. Wells, or Martin Luther King Jr. • What might she share about her pain and demands for justice?

• How might these leaders respond?

4. Role of Social Media Analyze how hashtags like #SayHerName or #JusticeForBreonnaTaylor amplified her story.

• Write a short reflection: How do social media campaigns function as both memory and movement?

• Create your own hashtag or social media campaign that speaks to an example of injustice today.

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STORY FOUR

STORY FIVE: THE STORY OF STEPHEN PEMBROKE Excerpt from Freedom Riders: A Journey With No End in Sight “12 Angry Men and Women: The Weight of the Wait”

Stephen Pembroke I set out with my two sons. We walked all night and got as far as New York City, where we were violently arrested and secured. We were taken back and treated in a bad manner. I had not counsel.

I did not know what the law was. I remained fifteen days, locked up, until my arms swelled and my appetite gone . . . did not know the law, nor what I should say, so I thought it better to let the law have its course.

New York Tribune, July 18, 1854

Questions for Consideration On Stephen Pembroke (1854) • What do we learn about the justice system in his testimony?

• How does his statement “I did not know the law, nor what I should say” connect to the experience of many oppressed people both then and now?

• What emotions do you imagine he and his sons felt during their arrest and imprisonment?

• How does his testimony remind us of the vulnerability of Black bodies under systems of law and power?

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FREEDOM RIDERS: A JOURNEY WITH NO END IN SIGHT

Student Reflections • Connecting Both Voices (1854–2020): What do the two testimonies from Breonna Taylor and Stephen Pembroke — separated by more than 150 years — reveal about the persistence of racial injustice in America?

• How does hearing personal stories (rather than statistics or news reports) change the way you understand history?

• If democracy promises justice and equality, what do these stories tell us about the gap between promise and reality?

Projects: Your Voice, Your Power 1. Legal System Analysis Research what rights (if any) enslaved or formerly enslaved people had under the law in 1854. Compare this with the rights Stephen was denied in his imprisonment.

2. First-Person Monologue Perform either testimony (or a section of it) as a monologue.

• Focus on voice, pacing, and emotion.

• After performing, write a reflection: How did embodying these words change how you felt about the story?

3. Timeline of Injustice (1854–2020) Create a visual timeline that connects key events in racial injustice.

• Add events using knowledge from Pembroke’s testimony (1854) and Breonna Taylor’s death (2020).

• Add quotes, images, and reflections to illustrate both continuity and change.

4. Oral History Project Interview family or community members about times when they felt justice was denied or delayed. Collect these stories and present them as a class anthology: “Voices of Waiting and Witness.”

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T H E AT E R E T I Q U E T T E

THEATER ETIQUETTE As guests of Harlem Stage, we all play a part in creating a respectful and enjoyable experience for everyone.

Keeping these practices in mind will help you and your peers get the most out of your visit:

Arrive on Time Arriving on time helps you settle in, get comfortable, and be fully present when the performance begins.

Silence Your Devices Turn off or silence all electronic devices, including phones, so you can stay focused on the show and experience it without distractions.

No Talking During the Performance Avoid talking or whispering during the show to stay immersed in the story and help others do the same.

Stay Seated Remain seated throughout the performance so you don’t miss anything and so everyone can stay fully engaged without disruption.

Respect the Performers and Crew Show respect to the performers and crew by giving them your full attention and applauding at the right moments. This helps you connect with the performance and show appreciation for their hard work.

No Flash Photography or Recording Live theater is meant to be experienced in the moment. Avoid taking photos or recording so you can fully enjoy the performance and its impact.

Be Mindful of Others Be considerate of others in the audience. When everyone focuses and behaves respectfully, the performance becomes more meaningful and enjoyable for all.

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FREEDOM RIDERS: A JOURNEY WITH NO END IN SIGHT

Harlem Stage Supporters Thanks to the dedication and generosity of our Harlem Stage supporters, we are able to set untold stories free from across the globe and tell these stories to communities around the corner and around the world.

We especially want to thank: The Supporters of Harlem Stage’s 2025-2026 Season, including: The Diana King Memorial Fund Presented by the Charles and Lucille King Family, Lambent Foundation/ Tides Foundation, Ford Foundation, Howard Gilman Foundation, The Pierre and Tana Matisse Foundation, The Thompson Family Foundation, Bloomberg Philanthropies, Altman Foundation, Rockefeller Brothers Fund, Ruth Foundation for the Arts, The Leonard & Robert Weintraub Family Foundation, The Jerome Foundation, Hearst Foundations, The Scherman Foundation, The Fan Fox & Leslie R. Samuels Foundation, SHS Foundation, The Shubert Foundation, MacMillan Family Foundation, Mertz Gilmore Foundation, Miranda Family Fund, Francena T. Harrison Foundation Trust, The Hyde and Watson Foundation, Joseph and Joan Cullman Foundation for the Arts, Lucille Lortel Foundation, Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, Columbia Community Service, TDF Tap Plus, Harkness Foundation for Dance, and the Metzger-Price Fund, Inc. Additional support is provided, in part, by public funds from the Office of the Manhattan Borough President, Mark Levine; New York City Department of Cultural Affairs and Commissioner Laurie Cumbo; and New York City Council Member Yusef Salaam (District 9); and New York State Council on the Arts and Executive Director Erika Mallin with the support of the New York State Governor, Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature.

Harlem Stage established the endowment in 1999 with a leadership gift from the visionary family foundation, The Leonard and Sophie Davis Fund and its MLDauray Arts Initiative. The endowment continues to serve as a critical support for Harlem Stage, providing the financial support to sustain and grow the Frances Davis Arts Education Program, Educating Endlessly, which has reached thousands of students and life-long learners over Harlem Stage’s 42-year history.

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TEAM

HARLEM STAGE BOARD OF DIRECTORS Courtney Lee Mitchell — President

JoAnn K. Chase

Mark Thomas — Vice President

Claire Danes & Hugh Dancy

Larry McRae — Treasurer and Chair, Finance

Dr. Indira Etwaroo

and Audit Committee

Channing Martin

Michael A. Young — Secretary

Rebecca Robertson

Angela Glover Blackwell — Chair, Development Committee

Tamara Tunie

Blair Washington — Chair, Nominating &

Heather Wagoner

Governance Committee

Alicia Johnson Wilder & Todd Wilder

Ronald Alexander Jamila Ponton Bragg

HARLEM STAGE TEAM Dr. Indira Etwaroo, CEO & Artistic Director CENTERS OF EXCELLENCE COMMUNICATIONS TEAM Deirdre May, Chief Marketing Officer Theodora Kuslan, Senior Director of Marketing Lamont Askins, Senior Manager of Internal Communications & Customer Relations Katie Burk, Graphic Designer Hollis King, Photography Nina Flowers, Public Relations

DEVELOPMENT TEAM Karlvy Smith, Institutional Strategist & Development Lead Julianna Friedman, Associate Director of Development Ebony Devereaux, Development Administrator Margaret Hunt, Development Consultant Dwight Johnson Design, Gala Consultant OPERATIONS & FINANCE TEAM Jelani Buckner, Director of The Gatehouse

Squire Media & Management, Public Relations

Facilities and Operations Martha Samuel, Director of Finance

Walker International Communications Group

Acey Anderson, Manager of

PROGRAMMING & PRODUCTION TEAM Miriam Sierra, Director of Programming and Production Breashel Mondesir, Technical Director

The Gatehouse Facility Denzel Fields, Manager of Administration & Partnerships Jordan Morales, Facilities &

Bethany Cintron, Manager of Education

Maintenance Associate

& Community Outreach

Aon/Albert G. Ruben Company (NY)/Claudia

Zenzele Daniels, Programming & Production Manager

Kaufman, Insurance

Devin Cameron, Light & Projections Designer

Das, IT Consultant

Jorge Rosario, Costume & Wardrobe Designer

Dwight Johnson Design, Gala

and Supervisor

G&A Partners, Human Resources Lutz & Carr/Chris Bellando, Accountants

PEOPLE & PUBLIC AFFAIRS Shawna Bean, Director

Madison Consulting Group, Matt Lawrence 31

FREEDOM RIDERS: A JOURNEY WITH NO END IN SIGHT

Your Reflections ...

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Printed in 2025.

All photographs and visual materials included in this guide are used for non-commercial, educational purposes only. Image sources include publicly accessible archives and digital collections, including the Library of Congress, WikiMedia Commons, and the Smithsonian Institution. Where applicable, copyright and licensing information is credited to the appropriate rights holders. This guide is intended for classroom and curriculum-based instruction and not for resale or commercial distribution.)