This parade is being held in celebration of the International Day of Peace on Sept. 21, 2010 and we’re offering it as a way to renew our community pledge to a non-violent environment for the youth of New Orleans. For this reason, we will join our national social activists in using the age old tradition of theatrical puppet pageantry for community empowerment. Please join us in our commitment to nurture creativity in our youth as a vehicle for social change.
Theme: We believe that arts and social justice work hand in hand. So in celebration of the
International Day of Peace on Sept. 21, 2010, we’re offering a Peace is Power Giant Puppet
Parade to renew our community pledge to a non-violent environment for the youth of New
Orleans. We will join our national social activists in using the age old tradition of theatrical
puppet pageantry for community empowerment. Please join us in our commitment to nurture
creativity in our youth as a vehicle for social change. Preliminary details are below.
PARADE ROUTE- Start at Hunters Field on St. Bernard Ave, take left on N. Claiborne, right
on Elysian Fields, right on St. Claude and a right on St. Bernard. Route can be walked in 1.5
hrs
MESSAGE- Each group participating in the parade will make puppets based on our
theme “Peace is Power.” Their puppets should reflect how peace is power in the community.
Participating groups can also choose to make a puppet addressing the theme, “Put Down
Your Gun, Pick up your Peace.”
ARTISTS- We are looking for about 10-12 local artists to facilitate puppet workshops and
movement classes for the entire month of August and 2 weeks in September on a volunteer
basis. The puppet workshops will teach the youth how to build giant puppets and allow them
to create their on puppet based on their interpretation of our “Peace is Power” theme. The
movement classes with teach our youth how to use these giant puppets to tell their peace
story. They will learn how to carry the puppets, how to move with the puppets, and how to
use their movements to tell their story with the puppets.
OTHER PARTNERS- Calliope Puppets (confirmed), The Green Project(confirmed),
RUBARB Bike Shop(confirmed).Please let us know if you would like to become a community
partner.
WORKSHOP SITES- We will host sites to build puppets weekly starting at the beginning of
August and 2 weeks in September. We will store the puppets in a big space(we still need
places to store puppets and be host sites for workshops.) Two of the sites will be the Green
Project and the Leona Tate Foundation.
MATERIALS- We are basing our budget on purchasing enough materials to build 50 giant
puppets and 50 small puppets. We need to start collecting card board, willow, fabric and
bike wheels rubber inner-tubes. (please let me know any contacts you have for this or if
you’re willing to be the house a donation box)
COMMUNITY OUTREACH- We will reach out to schools, churches, community centers and
families in our target communities (7th and 9th Ward). This parade is focused on our youth of
all ages.
KICKOFF LOCATIONS- We are building our first puppet on July 20th at the Green Project
from 2-5pm (volunteers are needed). We will kick-off the parade awareness campaign by
walking through the 7th Ward and 9th Ward neighborhoods. We will present the parade idea
and showcase1 giant puppet at each kickoff neighborhood walk. Each kickoff will be held in
July.
PEACE STORIES- We will teach historical peace stories to the youth during workshops.
PARADE END EVENT- There will be an event at the end of the parade at Hunters Field to
debrief and bring the theme together for all participants. There will be music, food, tabling
and performances. (Please contact us if you would like to have a information table, would
like to donate food, or have a performance group)
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