We Are Essential/Somos Esenciales
We Are Essential/Somos Esenciales is a community-led art and research project that explores the impact of COVID-19 on Latinx day laborer and domestic worker health outcomes in San Francisco’s Mission District. The project will feature a multimedia performance and video installation to address health disparities and high COVID infection rates in the Latinx day laborers and domestic worker community. Theater maker Paul S. Flores will collaborate with Mission District community organizations, Latinx day laborers, domestic workers, artists and families to lead story circles and collect firsthand testimonies from Latinx community members who have recovered from COVID. These testimonies will detail how community members contracted COVID, treatment by health officials, their experience of relocation, hotel isolation, hospitals, recovery and how their life has changed since. Systems leaders including the director of the Department of Health and the Mayor’s Office will be invited to a post-show conversation with project participants to discuss new health policy recommendations based on the project.
Paul S. Flores, 2020 NFA Catalyst for Change Grantee
Paul S. Flores, Catalyst for Change, NFA Grantee
Paul S. Flores, Catalyst for Change, NFA Grantee