Seldom do we see inner city youth raising their voice in racial and political solidarity, or at least if we do, they are few and far between. What we do see is a willingness to submit wholeheartedly to the trends of pop culture; we see more than enough sideshows, plenty of partygoers but certainly not enough activism. There was a time, however, when the youth were courageously involved in revolutionary change and representing for a cause other than consumer culture.   This force is coming back, through the arts.

We've felt the reemergence of “organic” Hip Hop, we've heard the ferocious tone of spoken word and finally, now we are witnessing young people participating in the performing arts. By performing arts, I don't mean a production reminiscent of Shakespeare or Broadway musicals; I mean conscious, well-written productions with a prolific statement for today's ongoing global conflicts. And in terms of content, works that are spearheaded by the sort of playwright who is less influenced by conventional themes but more persuaded by contemporary demand.

One such playwright is Aaminah Muhammad of Masjid al Islam Community Education Center in Oakland, California. While thematically confronting social issues in her productions, she is also encouraging her students to express themselves creatively and proactively. Located snugly in the heart of East Oakland, this small grassroots school is exposed to two very different worlds, the first being Islamic and secondly, the urban inner city. These students possess a unique experience in comparison to the average inner city youth, which compels them to be even more assertive and remarkable in their expressive performances. One student, Tahirah, expressed what she thinks the aim of these productions is, “It's a message to people, to let them know what's going on in the world.”

Aaminah Muhammad's first play, A Child Martyr Speaks , opened at La Pena cultural center over four years ago. This particular production was written and based on the innocent children caught in the deadly crossfire of Palestinian and Israeli “conflict.” Many of the students attending the school are Palestinian and belong to a small community of refugees in East Oakland, adding a deeply intimate feel to the performance. Obaida, a seventh grade student commented on what it's like to be Palestinian in the ghettoes of America, “ It's kind of like back home, which could be worse but there are killings every day here too.”

The most recent of Aaminah's plays was written with regards to the war against Iraq and America's military occupation there. Just Another Night in Baghdad is inspired by actual events in the lives of Iraqi civilians exposed to brutal US militarism but formerly conditioned to Saddam Hussein's dictatorship. Aaminah found herself drawn to a blogspot on the Internet, which described the daily encounters in Iraqi civilian survival. Not only did she dedicate this play to the commemoration of human life over corporate militaristic interests, but also she concluded that most of the proceeds of this performance would go toward Iraqi relief. This production is more than just as school play it is a fundraising effort in the way of human suffering.

“The most important thing is a Muslim voice because our perspective is not heard and what is heard is tainted by a fearful perspective of Islam. I think there should be respect given to those who sacrifice their lives,” Aaminah said. I then inquired about how Iraqi sacrifice is different from that of American soldiers, “Most Americans join for either patriotic or economic reasons. Whereas, the Iraqis are not involved in organized military action, therefore, they are sacrificing their lives for their belief system. One goal of the play is to expound upon the belief systems of Americans juxtaposedwith Muslims.”

Another unique element in this performing arts troop is its racial makeup. Being that the school is located in east Oakland, most of the student body is African American. In addition, there are various Arab ethnicities and a few Sudanese pupils here and there.

Overall, the ambitious cast consists of fifth through eighth grade students colored by a wide spectrum of cultures and nationalities. Political consciousness is yet another goal in this educational institution.

The experience of the African American cast members has been especially unique given that the issues addressed thematically in the play aren't specifically pertinent to that group. However, that doesn't seem to bother them, much less hinder their participation. In fact, these youngsters have gained an entirely new perspective on international relations, conflicts and struggles. They have found that despite suffering and oppression taking place overseas, these conditions aren't drastically different from that of urban America. There are far too many striking semblances for these young, impressive individuals to mindlessly overlook, “There are a lot of homeless people, no food, no clean water and no jobs. And there's a lot of killing here in Oakland too,” Nafiysah, daughter of two dedicated community activists. “ It's a learning experience for me to see how American people treat Iraqis in the war.”

By simply performing together in cultural solidarity these students haven't just developed as actors but they have made a social statement in their community. “Violence is violence, whether it's here or in Iraq,” another eighth grader, Amir remarked. We can only hope that this message spreads beyond the city limits, state borders, and confines of our nation. We can only pray that this message of solidarity touches all of humanity.

For more information on the upcoming performance, scheduled for May 8 th at the Black Repertory Theatre in Berkeley, please visit the following blogspot: http://www.soaringwingsagainstwar.blogspot.com