Freedom & Adventure Freedom & Adventure
Little Amal is a 12-foot tall puppet She is 10 years old and represents all children who have been forced to leave their homes and are often separated from their friends and families She walks to find her mother. She walks to get back to School. She walks to start a new life. She walked from Syria all by herself and is now going on a new adventure across the United States She carries an urgent message on behalf of all displaced people, especially children: “Don’t forget about us.”
Little Amal & August Wilson
August Wilson is an award-winning black playwright who was born in Pittsburgh’s historic Hill District, and whose works have attracted a global audience In his life, Wilson wrote 10 plays, one for every decade of the 20th century (the 1900s), known as the American Century Cycle Because they’re set in different decades, they can be viewed as adventurous journeys through time, shedding light on the challenges and triumphs faced by black communities In many of his plays, August Wilson’s characters are on a quest for freedom, whether it’s from social constraints, personal struggles, or systemic oppression. That quest for freedom is an adventure not unlike Amal’s, fraught with obstacles, discoveries, and joy August Wilson believed that freedom is what you make it, and you must fight to make it mean something Wilson, like Amal, has fought for the freedom to carry a message of hope for people everywhere, and both of their messages continue to be shared with the world Amal likes to write, too! Here is her poem about adventure:
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Activity: Let’s create our own adventure story!
Sit in a circle.
Choose someone to go first. This person can begin the story in any way they like. If you’re stuck for ideas on where to start, you can just say:
When I was three, I hid under my mother’s bed and heard everyone shout my name
When I was five, I climbed a tree and couldn’t come down
When I was seven, I told Omar that when we grow, I’ll marry him
Now I am nine and walking
Now nothing can stop me
Then the next person in the circle can continue the story! it’s that simple! The only rules are:
You can only say one sentence each. You have to respect the decisions other storytellers make. The story finishes when it feels right, not just when everyone has spoken.
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1. 2 3
“It was a dark and stormy night.”
Fear & Courage Fear & Courage
Have you every felt really afraid? Maybe you’ve been afraid of dogs, or afraid of the dark, or you’re scared of getting lost or having to leave home We all experience fear sometimes It can be different for everyone Little Amal will have to face her fears and overcome frightening situations on her journey, just like everyone does as they go through life. She knows that fear is just another feeling she can overcome - like feeling tired or sad, or being too hot or cold With the right preparation and by being brave and resilient, you can overcome your fears just like Little Amal.
Amal’s Guide to Tackling Fear
Courage is a capacity that we can all develop and strengthen in ourselves. Courage gives us the ability to face challenging and frightening situations, despite the fear or anxiety we may be feeling. Whenever we take a risk, when we stand up for ourselves or others, or confront a scary situation, we can build our inner courage.
Little Amal finds courage by talking her fear with this easy to remember method :
Little
F E A R
Face the fear head on: recognize that it is there Take a moment, just stop, don’t stare
Engage with this feeling: why has it appeared? What is it really that you’ve always feared?
Approach it with humor: a laugh and a giggle That’s all there is to this little riddle Resolve to overcome it: every time you see this fear you’ll dress it up in a big silly hat every time it comes near
Amal & Billy Strayhorn
Like Amal, Billy Strayhorn was very courageous. He was alive in a time when being black and being openly gay meant that his musical talent and skills could have been ignored, or worse It was very possible that by being visibly himself, Billy could have been met with violence and cruelty. Instead of hiding, Billy acted with courage He refused to make himself small in the ways people expected him to: he found a community of artists that stood up for one another and that helped to keep him safe and prosperous. While on the path to becoming one of the greatest composers of all time, Billy never stopped advocating for fair treatment of other people like him, and played piano at fundraising parties for Martin Luther King Jr during the Civil Rights Movement Like Billy, Amal carries a message with her on her journey: “Don’t forget about us” Amal’s and Billy's courage reminds us that it's important to be true to ourselves, to believe in our abilities, and to find community, no matter what challenges we face
Writing Activity: Finding Your Courage
Think of a time when you acted with courage Write a letter to your younger self, reminding yourself how you overcame your fear at that moment.
Start with Dear (Your Name):
Describe a time when you felt frightened or anxious What was happening? How did it make you feel?
Remind yourself how you responded to this feeling What did you do that was courageous?
How did you find the courage in yourself?
What did this situation teach you about yourself? Did it help you to find courage in other situations?
If you could give your younger self a piece of advice, what would it be?
