Queering Borders: Immigration & the Arts

Join NYTW Community Engagement Associate Gaven Trinidad, NYTW Tow Playwright-in-Residence Victor I. Cazares and Immigration Activist & Medical Professional Ilon Rincon Portas in conversation about the political intersections of art, activism, immigration, and queerness. This conversation is in collaboration with National Queer Theater and Immigration Equality.

About Victor I. Cazares
Victor I. Cazares was born twice on paper: in El Paso, Texas and San Lorenzo, Chihuahua, Mexico (shhh…don’t tell the government). Their plays have been read, developed, or produced at American Repertory Theatre, Amherst College, Brown University, New York Theatre Workshop, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Red Fern Theatre Company, Teatro Vivo and the Yale School of Drama. Cazares holds an M.F.A. from Brown University and a B.A. in History of Art from Yale University where they received a Josef Albers Fellowship, a couple Sudler Grants, and a restraining order against their ex-boyfriend that faked his way into Yale. Victor lives, forages, and produces their social media telenovela, El Amor en Tiempos de Trump in Portland, Oregon.

About Ilon Rincon Portas
Ilon grew up in Venezuela where they began their career as a medical doctor. In 2009, they came to the U.S. to continue their medical work and decided to apply for asylum due to the dangers they faced in Venezuela as a queer person. Ilon has made New York City their home but lives the complex existence of an immigrant, especially as conditions in Venezuela have deteriorated, forcing their family to flee to other countries for safety. They now work in medical education and practice photography. Ilon also serves as a volunteer health worker at a COVID-19 testing site for immigrant communities in Queens run by the organization SOMOS. Ilon became a U.S. citizen in April 2018. Immigration Equality (IE) is the nation’s largest LGBTQ immigrant rights organization. IE provide free legal services to and advocate for people from around the world fleeing violence, abuse, and persecution because of their sexual orientation, gender identity, or HIV status.

About National Queer Theater
National Queer Theater is a 501©(3) nonprofit organization based in New York City. Our mission is to foster and support LGBTQ communities through social justice in the performing arts. By producing socially-conscious plays about issues in the community, the theater raises awareness about LGBTQ rights in the general public. Through partnership-based education programs, National Queer Theater teaches acting and storytelling skills to underserved groups in the LGBTQ community to instill pride and promote creative leadership.