50 years of Latino influence highlighted in multi-media presentation Sept. 29

Will & Company will present “50 Years of Latinos Shaping a Nation” at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 29, on the Ripon College campus. The 65-minute, multi-media, three-actor presentation will be in Great Hall, Harwood Memorial Union, on the campus. It is free and open to the public.

The Los Angeles-based Will & Company addresses social challenges facing America today. Their series “Fifty Years On” is a compendium of seven plays that present a historical and contemporary perspective on the imperative issues facing America’s next generation.

“50 Years of Latinos Shaping a Nation” is part of that series. It explores America’s social justice issues that have been shaped by the Latino/Hispanic community, including the “browning” of America; Gustavo Garcia, the first Hispanic to argue before the Supreme Court winning for all Americans a “jury of our peers”; Andrea Perez, who took a stand for same-sex marriage in California more than 50 years ago; Latina activists fighting for social justice; the largest sterilization program the world has ever seen, driven by the U.S. government in Puerto Rico; and Latino transgender Sylvia Rivera who first started the “gay revolution” and fought for transgender rights.

A post-show question-and-answer session with the performers and playwright provide audience members the opportunity to give feedback while engaging with their own communities in an enlightening and lively discussion on the topics presented.

Will & Company has 20 years of experience creating and presenting diverse productions for college audiences. The ensemble’s work has been presented at more than 500 colleges and more than 30 national conferences, including; NCORE, NACA, APAP, WAA, NODA, the National Conference of Social Justice, the International Conference of Fulbright Scholars, the National Conference of Suicide Prevention, and many others.