In this play, Gordon Hirabayashi says:

I am somewhat aware of what was, and is.
I have a glimpse of what ought to be.
I seek to live as though the ought to be, is.

His story is of an individual who chooses to confront the gap between what he understands are the ideals of a fair and free society compared with the actual experiences in his community. Gordon’s personal response was to take steps to help make change: to help to close that gap.

Please tell a story about a moment or experience that you can vividly remember when you felt the gap between some ideal or aspiration (“what ought to be”) compared to actual lived experiences (“what was, and is”).

Your reflection might include:

• What was it that you saw, heard, or otherwise observed in that moment? Can you help us imagine from your point of view?
• How did that glimpse of “what is” affect you? Did it change you in any way?
• What did that experience make you – or someone else you witnessed – want to do about it? Did you or they act on that wish? Why do you think you were or weren’t able to act?
• What do you hope will happen next going forward?
• Do you think you will be a part of what comes next in this particular story? Why or why not?

We invite you to reflect personally: not only to report facts about an ideal that the world has not upheld, but how you, as an individual, have experienced or faced the gap between what is and what ought to be.
 

We welcome your written or video responses to these questions through our webform.

• Responses might take the form of an essay, a poem, a song, a dialogue. We welcome your words in any form.
• You can indicate whether your response is shared only with the People’s Light team working on Hold These Truths, or more widely, and whether or not you prefer to be anonymous.

Throughout this year, People’s Light will gather stories of local people and perspectives for an ongoing project, “What Grows Here?” Residents of our region are invited to participate with writing, with interviews, in group story-sharing circles, or in other events. Responses to Hold These Truths may form a part, though not all, of this larger project of collecting first-person impressions and stories. 

Want to know more about “What Grows Here?” Please email ArtsDiscovery@peopleslight.org.