People of Color Action Theater, POCAT!
Who We Are:
In the beginning of 2009, several friends who participate in radical grassroots organizing, direct action, (and other such projects), came together to form a POC theatre collective in the SF/ Bay Area to perform when fliers, workshops or even events and marches alone are just not enough. We are also interested in creating a safe and inviting organizing space for people of color, (also pro – feminist, im/migrant, queer), so that we can focus on building community and solidarity between different cultures and ethnicities that face varying forms of discrimination and oppression.
Many of us have concerns about our capacity, so for now we have chosen to meet up as a Bay Area coalition once a month, (affinity groups whenever they choose), in order to talk about events and ideas for theatre or events/actions coming up that we would like to support, participate in, ect…
In terms of structure, this is a horizontal, non-authoritarian, (or partisan), collective that makes decisions on by using a Consensus model, (basically, everyone’s ideas are heard, respected, considered, negotiated and ultimately agreed on). Tasks are rotated, so we all learn and participate in everything. Also, no male dominance or negativity of any cultural kind is tolerated; we are all here to support and lift each other up. And currently, our group is composed of a majority Central and South American members, but we do strive to bring in members of other ethnic and cultural groups.
See pictures of our recent Re-enactment of massacre and cover up in Peru, at the consulate in SF, June 16th, 2009
Some ideas for “Know Your Rights” skits:
“ICE raids at Home and Work”
“What to do if stopped by the Police”
“Be a Witness to Police Brutality and Misconduct”
“Driver’s License Street Check Points”
Also:
-Deconstructing the Non-Profit Industrial Complex during the Pride marches and another for a queer/immigration forum happening in the near future.
-Skits about patriotism, check points and deadly borders for the Fourth of July
-Addressing harassment against women, in a high traffic area
-Challenging white behavior towards people of color
-Practicing responses and developing ideas for challenging oppressive situations.
-Experiences of undocumented im/migrants, how they are treated by authorities, identity transformed by hyper capitalist individualistic society, feelings of atrophy (stunting of growth), and use of words as props.
General Ideas for the collective:
-Doing Guerilla Theater in Public
-Invite groups of various cultures/ ethnicities that deal with oppression
-Creating Art projects together
-Getting everyone in the collective together once a month to share ideas and invite peeps to work on them.
-Maybe having a reading or film-watching circle to discuss ideas, inspirations, tactics…
-Focus on addressing negative situations in creative and visionary ways.
-Have “Know Your Rights” type of skits, and present at places where our peeps are at, (like Taco shops and the Alemany market! 
, and where we want to encourage folks to get involved in different ways.
-To be spontaneous and use humor! And share useful info and resources with larger audiences, especially im/migrants and people of color, queers, women and youth.
-To be a combination of action, education and meetings
-To be a group that can be contacted and invited to perform in immediate, spontaneous actions as a response to urgent shit going down.
-Flexibility with our interests, but to especially focus on youth issues and involvement
-To intervene against violence against POC, queers, women and female identified folks and everyone who deals with oppression.
-To have snacks and potlucks whenever we meet up. Also warm-up exercises
-Use different tools, like large puppets, masks, etc, and share skills to make them, and have prop kits in various places in the Bay, in case of emergency situations.
WARNING: this is an “Above Ground” collective, we are likely being monitored and encourage you to keep any and all ideas and comments that are considered illegal, within your very well trusted affinity group, thank you
Again, please invite other comrades of color and down queer folks; popular theater is such a good way to bring our people together, learn together, have fun together and build more power together! 
If you would like to be added to our email list, please send an email to:
pocactiontheater@gmail.com
And ask to be added to our google groups list serve, named POCAT. (Too bad it’s corporate, but we’re very concerned about it being reliable).
Our Next Bay Area Meeting will be on the 8th of July at 6pm. Please get in touch with us for more details.
