International Human Rights Art Festival: Celebration of Human Rights

Saturday, December 14th @ 3pm

Featuring:

Under My Canopy presented by Rachael Sage

Rachael Sage - vocals, keyboard, guitar & Trina Hamlin - harmonica

With "Under My Canopy", Rachael Sage brings a sneak-preview of selections from her forthcoming 2025 album "Canopy" – an album devoted to the theme of inclusivity – to the IHRAF, on the heels of a whirlwind international tour. Sage has been at the forefront of the NYC indie music scene for over 25 years, having founded MPress Records to release her and many other artists’ work. Sage’s empowering lyrics and genre-crossing musical compositions have been described as “wildly expressive” by Paste Magazine and garnered listeners everywhere from Ireland to Japan. Informed by her own experiences as am survivor of domestic abuse, sexual assault, and cancer while also harnessing a seemingly unlimited amount of idealism and hope for a better future, Sage’s music takes the listener on a journey exploring our common humanity while challenging us with difficult questions and a world reimagined, where compassion reigns supreme. www.rachaelsage.com

Another Cousin’s Wedding presented by Alex Manaa and Vaheed Talebian

Alex Manaa - Librettist, Graphic Designer
Vaheed Talebian - Composer, playing Sami
Thalia Ranjbar - Director
Michael Oosterhout - Music Director
Jonja Merck - Drums
Ryan O’Dea - Tech Designer
M.L. Redstone - Stage Manager
George Abud - playing Arman
Nour Habbash - playing Marwa

As per Arab tradition, 20-year-old Sami is visiting his hundredth family wedding – or at least that’s what it feels like. While his aunt and uncle, Marwa and Arman, attempt to help set him up with a love of his own, Sami frets over his secret coming out. Meanwhile, Marwa and Arman are worried about protecting secrets of their own.

MOTHER EARTH, LET ME BLOOM by The Invitation Arts Collective

Claire "Clay" WIld Munley (Director/Cast/ID)

Nola Powell (Choreographer/Cast)

Eli Coe (Producer)

MOTHER EARTH, LET ME BLOOM! is a multi-layered, explosive, and metamorphic dance theater experience that centers on the euphoria, dysmorphia, and oppression of the trans and genderqueer community. This piece highlights our connections to embracing ourselves wholeheartedly with intimacy, softness and being grounded through the Earth. Through touch, visual imagery, and fluid forms of communication, we invite audiences to embrace themselves as the piece explores intimacy, space, and grace within our bodies and how to offer that love to our chosen families around us.

Wave: A Hydrofeminist Performance by WaveLab

Producer: Xiaoxing Gou, Vivian Yining Cao
Composer: Jianing Song
Concept/Texts: Yejia Sun
Production Designer & Creative Technologist: Junru Chen
Choreographer/Performer: Ring Yuqi Yang
Art Director: Xiaoxing Gou
Produced by WaveLab Collective

WAVE is a multidisciplinary performance project that explores the life and history of the sea and the lives within, through the lens of hydrofeminism. By collaborating across the disciplines of theater, music, dance, and visual arts, we aim to create a narrative that travels from the present to the past, from the land to the sea.

Pas de Deux presented by Joshua Piper

Directed by Micaela O’rourke

Mackenzie Walsh - Adaline

Adaline and Landon discuss the sea and how it speaks, the trees and the tales they tale, and the dances we do to shape our future.

We Rise presented by Inara Arts

Rebecca Brodowski, Debaroti Chakraborti and Darci Erickson

We Rise is a powerful and inspiring song that addresses the critical issue of domestic violence, aiming to uplift and empower women worldwide. The song's unique blend of Bengali and Sanskrit lyrics reflects the rich cultural heritage of India while delivering a universal message of resilience, strength, and hope. The production has been co-choreographed by Rebecca Brodowski and Somdatta and draws inspiration from experiences of a domestic violence survivor. "We Rise" transcends language and movement barriers with its poignant lyrics and soulful melody and its combination of classical dance form like Bharatanatyam and modern dance. Sung in both Bengali and Sanskrit, the song symbolizes the fusion of tradition and contemporary issues. The music and melody has been composed by Prattyush Banerjee. The lyrics, written by Sugata Guha (Bengali) and Neha Krishana Kumar (Sanskrit), narrate a journey from darkness to light, encapsulating the struggles and triumphs of women facing domestic violence.