Yadira De La Riva to use storytelling to change views on the border, immigration

Bilingual artist and educator Yadira De La Riva grew up with a foot on both sides of the U.S. and Mexico border, and she wants to change the narrative on immigration.

She thinks that can happen through the power of art and storytelling.

“Border issues are often intertwined and complicated,” said De La Riva, a visiting artist from New York who will travel through Arizona and northern Mexico, working with Arizona State University students and border communities to teach theater as a tool for social engagement.

“Trying to build a wall is not only contradictory, but is divisive. As two separate countries, we sometimes need to be reminded how interconnected we are through our families, lifestyle and economies. We must remind U.S. and Mexico of this reality.”

The two-week residency — part of the ASU ongoing “Performance in the Borderlands” series — will run Oct. 16–29. It will feature a series of workshops, lectures, performances and public engagements that bridge the Sonoran Desert.

An initiative of the Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts’ School of Film, Dance and Theatre, “Borderlands” is an annual art series of plays, installations and educational workshops that brings together a collection of local and national artists to focus their talents on borderland issues.

This year’s theme, “Voices of Power,” examines the role of women of color in the arts and social justice. The series kicked off Sept. 13 with a panel of prominent artists discussing their work’s potential to drive social and political change. ASU Now will follow the initiative to document the ways it engages people and the region.