By Laura Townsend
After another successful Mission Creek Festival last weekend, it has become evident that public figures are using their unique position to speak out against the Trump administration and the kind of dangerous rhetoric it has sparked throughout the country, particularly toward minorities, women, and other commonly stigmatized communities.
Some of the panels featured at the six-day music, art, and literature festival focused on themes of joining the resistance and being an artist in Trump’s America. These panels framed discussions on how the role of art and literature are changing in the Trump era because of the Trump administration’s disparaging of the arts.One such panel, Publishing and Writing in the Age of Trump, emphasized the responsibility of journalists to use writing to speak out against injustices stemming from the Trump agenda. The panel, which consisted of writers and editors Saeed Jones, Alice Sola Kim, and Isaac Fitzgerald, said journalists have the opportunity to stand up against these injustices in a way others do not. Writers have the power of language at their disposal, as well as a wide-reaching platform.
The three panel leaders said Trump’s perilous attitude toward journalists, especially those willing to stand up to the administration, threatens the First Amendment. Therefore, it is more vital than ever to use that right and spread awareness about every violation that comes from the White House.
Other panels and performers also took the opportunity of addressing a crowd to accentuate the role that individuals have to stand up against Trump. Rufus Wainwright, who performed at the Englert on April 8, reminded his audience to keep speaking up when they witness injustice and never ignore their moral instincts.
Wainwright shared a story of one concert in which a crowd member “booed” him for speaking up, insisting that it was not Wainwright’s job to bring political conversation into a concert. The crowd member argued that doing so does not make the concert a welcoming, inclusive environment. “Stick to the music” seemed to be the crowd member’s mantra. Wainwright retaliated that as a public figure, it was not only his job to raise awareness, it was his responsibility.
Public figures have the responsibility to speak out because they are able to bring wide attention to vital issues and can have major influence over their fans. Further, they can address large crowds at their lectures, concerts, or events in a space in which people must listen and cannot simply keep scrolling on their newsfeed or change the channel.
Mission Creek took on a new role this year as it attempted to blend art, literature, film, and music with spreading awareness about the Trump administration. The festival members bravely took on this role, and their words reached our community. We must keep speaking. We must keep standing up. If we are ever in a position where our words will reach a large audience, we must use that opportunity to spread the word.
