Affecting Social Change:

Educate on Issues Lighten the Tone on Difficult Subjects Build Strength in Minority Community

The Image

El Teatro Capesino is a forward-facing group that is focused on the Chicano community. Their plays portray issues, struggles, and other components of Mexican-American lives.

Their success can be attributed their style which is direct and politically pointed. It is ran by average people for average people. Their goal is to show real-life through the eyes of the Chicanos.

The Image

The San Francisco Mime Troupe is a very politically-motivated group of artists that participate in several performances including plays, song, and dance.

The intent of the SFMT is to bring an alternate voice to the San Francisco community and society as a whole to present a voice that is not commonly heard.

Their methods include dramas and comedies and have proven to be not only entertaining but educational to current political issues or events.

SFMT:-- Issues the SFMT has helped educate the community on --

• Racism• (“A Ministrel Show” 1965)

• Israel / Palestine Conflict• (“Seeing Double” 1973)

• Vietnam• (“L’amant Militaire” 1967)

• Feminism• (“The Independent Female” 1970)

El Teatro Campesano:-- Issues El Teatro has helped educate the community on –

• Immigration• Ethical Treatment of Laborers• Vietnam• Racism

SFMT:-- Methods Used --

• Satire• Parity• Laughter• Song & Dance• Comfortable Settings

El Teatro Campesano:-- Methods Used --• Travel to Immigrant Working Areas• Presents in Spanish• Satire and Parity

SFMT:-- How ?--

• Racism• By covering social issues such as racism, the SFMT has been able to voice a minority community’s voice

to different races and backgrounds. This helps promote tolerance and educates people on other groups’ backgrounds.

• Feminism• Just like racism, feminism has been brought to the forefront on the community’s doorstep. Men and women

have been given the truth to the feminism movement and united women to fight for the cause without fear.

El Teatro Campesano:-- How? --

• Immigration• The topic of immigration has been covered by ETC for decades and has helped migrant workers unite on

this issue and fight for social fairness.

• Ethical Treatment of Laborers & Racism• Just like above, poor treatment in society and members of the community of migrant workers has been a big

issue in America over the past few decades. Promoting and educating the community on the fair treatment of these workers has been a major focus of ETC.

Educate It has been proven that both the SFMT and El Teatro Campesino have been effective in

educating the local community especially the Chicano community. Often times, groups don’t have resources to get alternate views and opinions from the traditional

media. Plays like the ones performed by SFMT and El Teatro Campesino do just that.

Difficult Topics / Easier to Talk About Most of the topics that these two groups present are edgy, present conflict, or are emotional.

When presented in an alternate venue such drama, the viewers can more comfortably observe the details of the issue.

The San Francisco Mime Troupe and El Teatro Campesino should both be commended for their efforts in helping the community communicate the issues.

Strength in Minority Community Without unity, a community is without a passion and soul. Having social activists such as these,

allow members in the community to build relationships and amplify their voice—for there is a strength in numbers and affecting social change as a group can be much more affective.