Event

Laura Mann Hill Race/Identity

Mixed Reality: Reclaiming My Narrative by Laura Mann Hill

The project was developed by Julia Mann at Luther College in Decorah, Iowa in 2008. It was intended to focus on exploring the notion of roots as experienced and lived by a multi-racial student.

Though almost sounding like clichés, questions such as: Who am I?, What am I?, What do I believe?, Why do I believe?, and What will I become? remain part of everyones journey.

In some ways this research project is best summarized in a statement made to Lauras mother about a month after her birth. Her mother was asked Where did you get her? Her mother patiently explained that her daughter was hers, but the person asked again, No, where did you get her?

A decade late, Julias sister Laura Mann Hill inserts her voice into the narrative created by her sister, adding her own journey to the story. Laura, who has children and a family of her own infuses the story with a perspective as both a daughter, mother, and wife navigating race politics in 2018.
The proposed outcome is a one-woman performance Mixed Reality, that Laura has adapted to include enhance her voice and narrative, is suitable for a variety of audiences.

The performance has a two-fold focus: to engage and to promote audience/performer dialogue.