In honor of Immigrant Heritage Month, Motus Theater presents a special performance featuring powerful autobiographical monologues from DACAmented leaders, with special musical responses from the internationally-acclaimed and regionally-loved duo, The ReMINDers.
Big Samir and Aja Black, the heart and soul of The ReMINDers, will be showcasing their unique blend of hip-hop, soul, and roots music to create a distinct and memorable musical experience. Through their positive and socially conscious lyrics, The ReMINDers have captured the hearts of fans all over the world. Their energetic live performances are known for their infectious spirit that leaves audiences captivated.
This event will feature the stories of Motus Theater UndocuAmerica monologists Alejandro Fuentes Mena, Armando Peniche, and Victor Galvan. The monologues were crafted through a 17-week transformative storytelling workshop with Motus Theater's artistic director, Kirsten Wilson.
The UndocuAmerica Project aims to bring awareness to the challenges facing the undocumented community, while highlighting the valuable assets that immigrants bring to our country. Regardless of our beliefs about immigration policy, this project allows each of us to know more about the impact of current immigration policies on the lives of families with undocumented or DACAmented family members.
Spanish Interpretation Available | Interpretación disponible en español
This performance is sponsored by the Gateway Fund II, a donor-advised fund of the Denver Foundation, and by the City of Boulder Human Relations Commission and the Boulder Arts Commission.
Musicians’ Bio
The ReMINDers are a rare and remarkable musical duo with undeniable magical chemistry, The ReMINDers transcend the bounds of expectation to uplift and entertain. They seamlessly blend razor-sharp rhythms and raw, soulful vocals with reggae-tinged hip-hop beats to highlight their relevant and inspiring messages. The couple shares a partnership in both music and life as Samir and Aja have been married for over a decade. The ReMINDers have been recognized and applauded for their work internationally through concerts, tours, music awards, and TV and radio appearances. They have shared the stage with artists such as Nas, Big Boi, and Ms. Lauryn Hill.
Monologists’ Bio
Alejandro Fuentes-Mena was born in Valparaiso, Chile, and grew up in San Diego, California after the age of four. He received a B.A. in Psychology from Whitman College in Walla Walla, Washington. Through Teach for America, Alejandro was one of the first two DACAmented teachers in the nation and is now in his sixth year of teaching in Colorado. He is the founder and Chief Programs Director of Radical Arts Academy of Denver (RAAD), a K-8 charter school with an arts-based/community-responsive model opening in 2023.
Armando Peniche was born in Puebla, Mexico, and raised in Denver, Colorado. When he is not working as the Partnerships & Project Manager for Motus Theater, he is developing children's books featuring diverse characters with fun, empowering storylines; working on his first graphic novel exploring global warming; and running an initiative of his own called "Leámos Juntos" which provides local businesses with books for children to read while at their establishments to nurture a reading habit for families. His proudest achievement happened 12 years ago when he became a young father.
Victor Galvan was born in Chihuahua, Mexico, and raised in Denver, Colorado. For the past 15 years, Victor has helped shape immigration policy in Colorado. Notable policies include ASSET, which provides in-state tuition for undocumented students; the expansion of the Colorado Road and Safety Act which gives more undocumented people access to licenses in Colorado; and Virginia’s law which made it illegal for police to utilize ICE warrants to hold immigrants in custody based on Immigration status. He was recently hired as the Strategic Partnership Manager at Protegete and will be building strong networks and coalitions that foster the development of Latinxs voices in order to bring diverse solutions to the environmental justice and conservation movement.
Artistic Director Bio
Kirsten Wilson is the Artistic Director, founder and visionary of Motus Theater. She is a narrative artist, editor and master teacher in the field of autobiographical monologue work. She has created several award-winning multi-media performances exploring history through the lens of race and class. She excels in supporting individuals in writing compelling narratives aimed at opening hearts and minds. Her work has been featured in media as diverse as Theater Magazine, Washington Post, NPR, FAST Company Magazine, Ms. Magazine, Latino USA and USA Today.