Letter to the Editor is one of a series of dances that I have choreographed that are inspired by the Civil Rights Movement. More specifically this work is inspired by an editorial written by my father in the early 1970’s regarding one of many racially charged incidents that he experienced as the head of one of five African American families living in Manchester, Connecticut. My father and the other African American families in our community were committed to diversifying the public school system, police and fire departments. They worked tirelessly to find qualified (often over-qualified) candidates of color interested in obtaining jobs as teachers, fire fighters and police officers and faced a great deal of resistance from members of the community who were not interested in matters of diversity , equity and inclusion. This four-minute solo performed to my father’s recitation of his editorial, explores the emotional terrain that accompanied this experience. This piece premiered via Zoom in August 2020 and will be performed live on May 27, 2022 at the Carver Community Cultural Center in San Antonio, Texas. Additional 2020 performances of this piece are scheduled on June 4 at Dogtown Dance Theatre in Richmond, Virginia and July 2 at CPRD Theater in Denver, Colorado.

The title of my father’s editorial is Morally Right. In his letter he wrote the following:

To the Editor:
Recently my character, integrity and manhood were attacked in your newspaper. I am a Christian and believe strongly in Christian principles, particularly the teaching of Christ that emphasizes loving thy neighbor as thyself. Therefore, instead of responding publicly to my critics as desired, I have chosen to privately pray that my Christian faith will be strengthened so that I can continue to love them.
The black movement in Manchester is far greater than any one person. Even if one or two persons were successful in discrediting me or any other black in town, the struggle to make Manchester an equal opportunity employer and open to full participation by all of its residents will continue. The previous statement in confirmed by the fact that the black community is well organized, has strong leadership, and has already demonstrated that it is a viable force to be reckoned with when deciding pertinent issues in town.
During the last four days, I have received numerous telephone calls from black and white town residents, all of them expressing support and advising me not to respond publicly to the emotional and irrational behavior of a few individuals. I expected to receive the calls obtained from blacks. However, it was most gratifying to have so many white residents contact me expressing support and encouraging me to continue my effort in working with town officials to make Manchester the town that it is capable of being. These expressions of support have not only lifted my spirits but convinced me that we are morally right in what we are striving for. I truly believe that my God is able, and we shall overcome.

-Frank J Smith

My father was open about his struggle to reconcile his disappointment in the behavior of individuals who openly threatened him for his work related to issues of equity, inclusion and diversity in our community. It was and is the armor of God that protects him. It is his faith in God that gives him the strength to push through and do what he is called to do. His words and emotional terrain manifest themselves in my choreography as visceral movement that is reminiscent of what I perceived and experienced as a child who looked up to her father. I focus on both the everyday and extraordinary acts in an effort to exhibit the fullness of his humanity. Letter to the Editor emphasizes the importance of this genuine respect and love for humanity. It endeavors to combine the unique with the universal, inviting audiences to identify their own experiences as well as appreciate a story that may be different from their own. It is my hope that this piece challenges viewers to envision a world in which people more consistently understate the individual, the independent and the autonomous and choose to illuminate all the ways in which we can share, complement and cooperate with each other.

"Letter to the Editor" is dedicated to my father, Frank Smith, who has instilled in me the importance of a life rooted in faith. He has taught me through his actions and words that the fullness of one’s faith journey lies in the everyday engagement of Christ and care for community. I also have a tremendous amount of respect and appreciation for Christopher Page Sanders, the dancer who performed this work. I thoroughly enjoyed listening in on his conversations with my father and the way in which these interactions manifested themselves throughout my creative process.

For booking information please contact agent, Jane Rabinovitz at jane@jrartsmanagement.com.

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I have included the editorial text above.

Recently my character, integrity and manhood were attacked in your newspaper. I am a Christian and believe strongly in Christian principles, particularly the teaching of Christ that emphasizes loving thy neighbor as thyself. Therefore, instead of responding publicly to my critics as desired, I have chosen to privately pray that my Christian faith will be strengthened so that I can continue to love them.
The black movement in Manchester is far greater than any one person. Even if one or two persons were successful in discrediting me or any other black in town, the struggle to make Manchester an equal opportunity employer and open to full participation by all of its residents will continue. The previous statement in confirmed by the fact that the black community is well organized, has strong leadership, and has already demonstrated that it is a viable force to be reckoned with when deciding pertinent issues in town.
During the last four days, I have received numerous telephone calls from black and white town residents, all of them expressing support and advising me not to respond publicly to the emotional and irrational behavior of a few individuals. I expected to receive the calls obtained from blacks. However, it was most gratifying to have so many white residents contact me expressing support and encouraging me to continue my effort in working with town officials to make Manchester the town that it is capable of being. These expressions of support have not only lifted my spirits but convinced me that we are morally right in what we are striving for. I truly believe that my God is able, and we shall overcome.