SOS, 2019

In 1986, my mother gathered my two older siblings in her arms, and hastily boarded a ship to escape the ravages of the Vietnam war. The boat they were on was left stranded at sea for weeks, until they were rescued by a Thai freighter. People on board had desperately tried to get the attention of passing planes and ships by waving flags made from the shirts off their backs, and some people had laid down on the floor to spell out SOS with their bodies.

The SOS performance is inspired by the experiences of my family and other refugees and immigrants during their escape from Vietnam. Their actions provided me the opportunity to live the life I am fortunate enough to live today. By sharing their stories, I see a chance to create an environment for others to also share their experiences of hardship, while simultaneously paying homage to my parents for their sacrifice.

This SOS performance took place on Friday, April 12, 2019 at 6 pm. The long-term goal of this performance is to strengthen and support the communities of refugees and immigrants from around the world, and unite us all with other socially and economically disadvantaged groups as we all seek to advance the conditions of our lives. One of the major obstacles in the way of this advance is visibility, so what I envision for this SOS performance is to bring light into the struggles we all face as we work through the circumstances of life. Many people in this country know nothing of the adversities and atrocities experienced by refugees and immigrants on their journey towards a better life. Similarly, many people don’t know anything of what it’s like to be othered or not fitting into the popular culture in society. I’m playing the role of the ship that rescued my mother, father and siblings after they cried out for help and visibility.

Time-Lapse SOS Video