April 1, 2022 | 7 – 9 PM | Free | First Congregational UCC, 1126 Southwest Park Avenue, Portland
As part of Genocide Awareness Month, The Immigrant Story presents the second edition of I Am My Story: Voices of Hope. The evening’s program honors the voices and music of survivors of genocides and atrocities of war with storytellers from Bosnia, Rwanda, and Syria will presenting first-person tales of courage, fortitude, and resilience in the face of unimaginable challenges. The program is in conjunction with the current exhibition at Oregon Jewish Museum and Center for Holocaust Education, To Bear Witness: Stories of Extraordinary Lives.
I Am My Story begins with performances from two world-class musicians. Ahmad Fanoos is one of Afghanistan’s most famous Ghazal singers. The music of Fanoos was shut down during the Taliban takeover in 1994. Finally, after the most recent Taliban takeover, Fanoos managed to escape to the United States in October 2021 with the help of a group of journalists. He will be joined on the stage by his son Elham Fanoos, an accomplished classical pianist. Following the musical presentation, the three storytellers will share the stories of the arduous journeys that brought them to the United States.
Please note the following restrictions. Because we want to ensure safety of our patrons and our performers, there will be no exceptions:
- Proof of Vaccination is required to enter the auditorium.
- While in the auditorium, the audience must wear masks.
- Audience will leave alternate seats vacant. This will restrict the total number of audience present to 250 at any time. Note that to simplify our procedures, even people who arrive together will be asked to leave alternate seats vacant.
- This event deals with stories of trauma. The stories are lived experiences of survivors of war and genocide that may not be suitable for all audiences.
- The content is not suitable for children under 12.
This free event is made possible by a generous contribution from the Zidell Family Foundation. This project is supported in part by a grant from the Oregon Heritage Commission, Oregon Parks and Recreation Department. Additional funding was provided by a grant from Oregon Humanities (OH), a statewide nonprofit organization and an independent affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities, which funds OH’s grant program.
Information about registering/admission to come.
We are grateful for your participation and encourage you to consider supporting our virtual programs.