The “License to Live” spoken word piece is driven by two fundamental themes: one is that of movement as life the other is nested in indigenous practices. These ideas become undercurrents that challenge the oppressive nature of Western Civilization, settler colonialism, and capitalism. Human beings are alive and dynamic beings, always in search of home place and community. In the Americas this has been true since before Columbus’ arrival and has been marked by a general curiosity of other tribes, necessity due to climate calamity, or by the desire for exchange through markets. Never did folks need authorization to move across the topography or boundaries.
License to Live by Raúl Echevarria
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Raúl Echevarria
Raúl Echevarria is a community development practitioner with more than 20 years of experience, primarily in Humboldt Park, a historical Puerto Rican community in Chicago, IL and in the Latino/Hispanic community of Southwest Detroit . Raúl is currently employed as Program Manager at Michigan Community Resources, a Detroit-based non-profit intermediary servicing the entire State of Michigan.