For the 7th year, Station Hope was scheduled to take place in and around the historic St. John’s Episcopal Church in Ohio City to honor the legacy of the Underground Railroad (St. John’s was a way station for those heading north to escape slavery.) The event draws on artists and creators of all types — dancers, musicians storytellers, actors, visual artists, filmmakers and more — to tells stories of social justice, freedom and equality.
Originally scheduled to take place the first Saturday in May as usual — May 2 — organizing group Cleveland Public Theatre has announced that it is being tentatively postponed until Saturday June 27.
Saying that they are “hoping for hope,” they add, “We recognize fully that Station Hope may not happen on June 27, and we will of course follow the orders and guidance of our state and city. We want to assure you we understand how serious this public health concern is — and are obviously not asking artists to rehearse in conditions that are unsafe (for example). If we do this event, we will do it responsibly. We are leading with hope, and acting with safety, care, purpose, and integrity.
“We started this festival because we felt a need for our communities to come together to address our current moment, because the Underground Railroad is not just about past, it is about present. This pandemic is underlining the systemic failures we live within, and we hold strong to hope that person to person, moment to moment, we can continue to fight for and believe in change.”
cptonlinehoping-for-hope/
Cleveland, OH 44113