Durham, NC - Middle and high school students from Levante Leadership Institute performed their short play "Temor/Fear" in the Mary Lou Williams Center for Black Culture Wednesday afternoon.  Performed entirely in Spanish, the play follows the challenges faced by a young boy named Francisco in school because of his parents' immigration status.

Before an audience of faculty, staff and students, the young actors showed the importance of teachers being culturally aware of their students' circumstances. Translation headsets were provided for non-Spanish speakers, and the performance was followed by lunch and a discussion.

Levante Leadership Institute is a youth program that uses theater and the arts to help migrant youth build self-esteem and develop leadership skills. It is part of the nonprofit Student Action with Farmworkers. The event was co-sponsored by Duke's Spanish service-learning program, Mi Gente, and Program in Latino/a Studies in the Global South at Duke.  

Below: The Levante students pose following the performance.  Photo by Archana Gowda.