Through fashion storytelling, Jeanette Mmunga reveals her journey of moving from a life in an African refugee camp with no choices and very little hope, to an unfolding of her gifts that were there all along: To empower and inspire others to know they are more than the worst thing that has ever happened to them.
This performance was part of I Am M.O.R.E.'s signature
"Resiliency in Rhythm" youth voice showcase event, held during the 2020 Fertile Ground festival. This expressionistic collection of heARTivism storytelling revealed authentic journeys of young people in the Portland metro area. Their creative language, which included music, video, dance, song, fashion, multimedia art and spoken word, was grounded in the real-life experiences of these racially diverse performers who have moved past the emotional grip of their suffering and shifted into the depth of their possibilities. They each have been empowered to look more critically at the experiences that have shaped them, so that they can begin to walk through the world, not as victims, but as heroes of their own re-imagined story.
For a review of the show, check out https://www.broadwayworld.com/portland/article/BWW-Review-Fertile-Ground-BEETHOVEN-CHOPIN-MEET-THE-BRIDE-OF-FRANKENSTEIN-TEAR-DOWN-THIS-WALL-PORTLANDS-MINI-MUSICAL-FEST-and-VORTEX-1-20200204