2003 Campus-Community Partnerships

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The "What IF?" Project

Abstract:

The "What If?" project in partnership with Minority AIDS Project (MAP), is a performance-based HIV intervention program developed by and for African American women "at sexual risk" in the Crenshaw Baldwin Village or "The Jungle." The project will recruit approximately 20 women from MAP's on going harm reduction programs to participate in a series of on-going weekly performance workshops that will culminate in two evening-length audience participatory performances. The workshops will consist of reflective writing, movement and choreography, and song writing. Monroe will direct the project and train agency staff and participants on how to create performance based interventions.

The proposed performance model is loosely based on Rhodessa Jones' "Medea Project" in San Francisco. Jones is an African American performance artist who works with imprisoned women in San Francisco creating performances based on their personal narratives, Greek mythology and fairy tales. The "What If?" project then, is similar to the "Medea Project" but its primary objective is to reduce harm for HIV infection in the participants, while increasing HIV awareness in audience members.