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A School Fights Hate Through Art

Staten Island Academy students perform in a production of The Laramie Project

October 28, 2003 - According to the Teaching Tolerance website www.teachingtolerance.org, every day in America at least eight blacks, three whites, three gays, three Jews and one Latino become hate crime victims because of their race, religion, disability, sexual orientation or other differences. In recent months, several well-publicized incidents of hate crimes took place on Staten Island.

Schools face a tremendous challenge in the fight against bias, discrimination, and violence. At one school-Staten Island Academy-students are learning about the impact of hate crimes through the performing arts.

On November 7 and 8, high school students at Staten Island Academy presented a production of The Laramie Project.

The Laramie Project is based on interviews with over 200 residents of Laramie, Wyoming in the aftermath of the murder of Matthew Shepherd, a college student who was beaten to death because of his sexual orientation. The play explores issues surrounding bigotry and tolerance, fear and courage, hate and hope.

The play chronicles Laramie’s response to the senseless murder of a gay man, but the play’s theme is not centered on victim’s sexual orientation. The play explores issues affecting our nation and especially our young people: the devastation of intolerance, the fight to end hatred, and the hope for an end to bigotry.

The play was written by Moises Kaufman and the members of the Tectonic Theater Project. Mark P. Weissman directed the Academy production, which stars student-actors Miriam C., Dominick F., Lindsey G., Aimee M., Christina M., Anatasia M., Andrew M., Joseph S., Elizabeth S., Edward R., Ahmed S., Jaime S. and Alyssa T.