Constable: 'I AM … FEST' forges unity, hope through Sandra Bland
On July 13, 2015, three days after she was stopped by a police officer who said she changed lanes without signaling, former Naperville resident Sandra Bland was found dead in a Texas jail cell. The death of the 28-year-old black woman, and the video and audio recording of her interaction with that white cop, led to protests around the globe.
“It resonated strongly with me,” remembers Simeilia Hodge-Dallaway, who will direct the United States premiere of “The Interrogation of Sandra Bland” on Monday at Chicago's Goodman Theatre. That production by playwright Mojisola Adebayo has 100 women of color performing the transcript of Bland's arrest, and concludes the three-day “I AM … FEST” showcase, featuring the talents of women of color through films, plays, readings and workshops.
Living in her hometown of London when the Bland protests began, Hodge-Dallaway says the tragedy immediately reminded her of the British case of Stephen Lawrence, an 18-year-old black student who was stabbed to death in an unprovoked, racially motivated attack on April 22, 1993. Five white assailants were acquitted, and a study released six years after the killing found “institutional racism” in the police department. In 2012, after renewed interest in the crime and a change in the law, two of the men were convicted and sentenced to life in prison.
In Bland's case, the video and audio of her arrest were shared online around the world in the days after police say she used a plastic garbage bag to hang herself in her cell. The arresting officer was fired, but criminal charges were dropped. Bland's family settled a wrongful-death lawsuit for $1.9 million.
Bland was an activist, posting video commentaries on cases of police violence against black people that contributed to the #BlackLivesMatter movement. Some of her videos were used in the 2018 HBO documentary, “Say Her Name: The Life and Death of Sandra Bland.”
Inspired by #BlackLivesMatter, Hodge-Dallaway and Chicago playwright Reginald Edmund founded the Black Lives, Black Words International Project, which gathers visual artists, spoken-word poets and playwrights to explore the theme “Do Black Lives Matter?”
The “I AM … FEST,” which starts Saturday, is a first-of-its-kind international festival focusing on female voices from around the world. Admission for many of the events is free, but reservations are required. Tickets for Monday's 10-minute play showcase, which includes “The Interrogation of Sandra Bland,” start at $10. For tickets and information, visit GoodmanTheatre.org/IAMFEST.
“Doing this in Chicago is very important,” says Hodge-Dallaway, who has been in contact with members of Bland's family. “It's essential to have the backing of the family. As you can imagine, it's very painful. We want to make sure they are supported.”
Seven women of color portray Bland, and a chorus of women repeat many of her phrases. One woman and one man play the roles of the white police officers.
“It's our way to celebrate, to pay homage to women who have dedicated their lives to trying to make the world better,” Hodge-Dallaway says. “One hundred women take to the stage in a show of solidarity and hope. How amazing is that, that as a community, we can all stand on the Goodman stage? That's powerful. That's a beautiful thing. That's why we do what we do.”
“The Interrogation of Sandra Bland”
Part of the three-day “I AM … FEST” showcase
<b>When:</b> 7 p.m. Monday, April 29
<b>Where:</b> Goodman Theatre, 170 N. Dearborn St., Chicago, (312) 443-3800 or goodmantheatre.org/
<b>Tickets:</b> $10-$25