During the process of writing "Stripped" (which is a fictional one woman show based on the real life experiences of Dr. Mehret Mandefro), I was able to translate the powerful relationship between a doctor and two of her patients in the spirit of sisterhood. Although the doctor herself was not infected with HIV, her unrelenting quest to heal her patients became a very conflicting mental struggle. As she was searching to understand the voice of her patients, she was haunted by their memory and cries that went unheard. The line "one voice, one choice, one body to reclaim" clearly expresses the idea of sisterhood. When one of us is suffering, we all are. If one of us is drying of a disease that can be prevented, we all need to evaluate how we can begin making a collective preventative effort to heal our wounds and consciously make healthier choices.
Doctor Mandefro's movent through TruthAids touches my heart to the core because she understands the issue of women's struggles and oppression as being a universal problem. However, there is hope!!! The hope begins in unleashing power of sisterhood. After my first conversation with Mehret, I was left with a feeling of power and hope. By simply sharing our experiences as women, we immediately developed a common bond and sisterly connection. Half of the comfort came from knowing that we weren't alone in our desire to heal ourselves and each other. Sisterhood is contagious! As women, we all share the same spirit of nurturing, love, and strength. By sharing our stories of pain and triumph, our tears turn into laughter and begin to water the garden of healing and restoration!! Sisterhood already exists we just have to reach out and grab it, hug it and listen to it with our hearts!
It is an honor to be apart of the TruthAids movement. I look foward to using the arts as a way to tell the truth about women's struggles and the power of truth, love and sisterhood!!! God Bless!!
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