Marcela's Musing

Last night came back early from trip to Boston to see Sarah Jones in “A Right to Care”. Amazing and so worth it. A one-woman show where she plays ten different characters from Dominican American college student to elderly Korean-American pharmacist to Long Island nurse to African-American “folicular aesthetic counsellor” to 13 yr old Somali girl scout to elderly retiree from Queens to reservation Native American to to Salvador veteran to Indian physician to homeless person who introduced them all. Many zingers on administration and problems of health care access. Dominican student talking way too fast, in special program for young women with kids--provided with day care and scholarships, asked why everyone couldn’t get one but always cautious to express her gratefulness. Korean “invisible minority” speaking on behalf of poorer even more invisible people within community. Barber doing rap, talking about how barber shop provides health information, and on drug problems in community--if white person was caught on drugs, would get slap on wrist and could become president. Girl Scout went to Maine where everything was white and there was also a lot of snow, GS program “More Than Boys”. Nurse not P.C. saying people should stop complaining. Native worker--res joke “Hospital so far you should start driving when you’re ok to get there by the time you’re sick”. Salvadorean veteran lost arm, delay in prosthetic, doctor reluctant to diagnose PTSD since "Hispanics get so emotional". Jones presented a lot of information to make us aware of social issues and had the accents and mannerisms down with only a change of jacket to indicate a change of persona. After being around so many anthropologists, it’s clear she did research and is using her knowledge to make a definite impact and actually becoming a “mover and shaker” herself. It was an impassioned plea to take action though the Chapel Hill crowd was probably preaching to the choir--wonder how it would play to a more conservative audience. She will definitely go far in changing the world.