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Using their voice: 'Time for Affirmative Consent!' remembers Dominican Republic sisters from the 1960s
From left, Patria, Minerva and Maria Teresa were the Mirabal sisters who opposed the dictatorship of Rafael Trujillo in the Dominican Republic. Code-named the Butterflies, the three sisters were assassinated in 1960.
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ASanta Fe fundraising event will commemorate the United Nations International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women with music, dance and a staged reading on weekends from Nov. 18-26.
Located at St. John’s Methodist Church, “Time for Affirmative Consent!” combines the story of the Mirabal Sisters, in whose name the day honors, with performance and a silent auction.
The Mirabal sisters were three siblings who lived in the Dominican Republic in the 1960s. Code named the Butterflies, they were assassinated in 1960.
“They were fighting the authoritarian dictator Rafael Trujillo, who was quite brutal,” said Valarie Morris, producer and composer.
Trujillo ruled the Dominican Republic from August 1930 until his assassination in May 1961.
“After (The Mirabal’s) murder, the people rose up and overthrew him,” Morris said. “They couldn’t take it anymore.”
The show will feature a staged reading of an excerpt from “In the Time of the Butterflies,” a play about the Mirabal sisters by Caridad Svich, based on the novel by Julia Alvarez. Teatro Paraguas staged the full play in 2013.
Before the reading, audiences will see a video of members of the nonprofit Girls Inc. talking about affirmative consent from different perspectives. “Affirmative consent” means both parties must give explicit, informed and voluntary agreement to participate in sex.
“It’s ‘no’ means ‘no’ and ‘yes’ means ‘yes,’ ” Morris said.
“Affirmative consent is a bill they’ve been trying to pass for years in New Mexico,” Morris added. “New Mexico is one of the top 10 states for sexual assault.”
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Last year’s version of the bill called for the definition of affirmed consent to be added to health care studies in grades 8 through college, Morris said. Action on the bill was postponed indefinitely.
“We’re trying to get it on for this session,” Morris said.
The entertainment will feature 20 artists from theater, video, music, dance, poetry and art. The performers will include conductor Jan Gaynor, KHFM’s Alexis Corbin, political activist and actor Lila Quezada, poets Mary McGinnis and Argos MacCallum and composer Morris.
Sponsored by Sandscape Publications and Teatro Paraguas, proceeds will go to Girls Inc., the Esperanza Shelter Domestic Abuse Services, Solace Sexual Assault Services, Resolve and the Coalition to Stop Violence Against Native Women.
