THE JUST AND THE BLIND
THE JUST AND THE BLIND
Explores themes of freedom and parenting in the age of mass incarceration, produced by SOZO
Poignant and pressing, The Just and the Blind illuminates the unseen and under-heard experiences of incarcerated youth and the realities their families face. Centered on the humanity of the historically marginalized, The Just and the Blind provides a framework for the unique voices of the community, striving to humanize the Black and Brown children that are enmeshed in it.
The Just and the Blind is a short film series and an evening length multimedia performance, tracing the diasporic journey through poetry, music, movement and visuals, which form the basis of for a curriculum designed for fathers and sons separated by prison bars.
Conceived and written by Marc Bamuthi Joseph
Original musical score by Daniel Bernard Roumain
Directed by Michael John Garcés
Produced by SOZO
Poignant and pressing, The Just and The Blind illuminates the unseen and under-heard experiences of incarcerated youth and the realities their families face. Spoken word artist Marc Bamuthi Joseph (BAMUTHI) joins forces with long-time collaborator composer/violinist Daniel Bernard Roumain (DBR) to explore themes of racial profiling, sentencing and the prison-industrial complex from the perspective of fathers of Black and Brown children.
Centered on the humanity of the historically marginalized, The Just and The Blind provides a framework for the unique voices of the community, striving to humanize the Black and Brown children who are enmeshed in it.
The Just and The Blind was commissioned by Carnegie Hall and presented as part of the 2019 Create Justice Forum. The Just and The Blind was produced by SOZO with support from Ford Foundation. Special thanks to Miami Light Project.
Photos from Carnegie Hall premiere by Fadi Kheir
“But it was the raw, cry from the soul new work, ‘The Just and The Blind,’ that has stayed with me from my marathon... The work is driven by Mr. Joseph’s stinging, brilliant words and is structured as a series of vignettes. Mr. Joseph voices the thoughts of a Black father who admits to being afraid when, at night, he walks past young Black men who look the same age as his son. Every day, he tells his son, the boy’s main mission in life is ‘to come home to me.’ … Is this classical music? Perhaps not by traditional definitions. But it speaks to where Carnegie has come that it fit in at the hall just as well as the Vienna Philharmonic.”
