March 15, 2017
Page 9
Mississippi
Alberta
North Portland
Vancouver
East County
Beaverton
Tempers fly as issues of race and class erupt in ‘12 Angry Jurors’ an award-winning play presented by the social justice theater group “Voice for Voiceless Theater” on
Friday through Sunday, March 17-19, at 7:30 p.m., at the First Congregational United Church of Christ, 1126 S.W. Park Ave.
12
Angry
Jurors
Justice theater group
shines light on bias
F eliciA s lider
t he p ortlAnd o bserver
Injustice or just us? It’s time to tell the truth. More
men are in prison today than the number of slaves in
the 1800s. For men of color, it’s a population that has
historically and currently receives far longer sentenc-
es than other groups.
Bias and fairness in the criminal justice system is
front and center when “Voice for Voiceless Theater,”
a diverse justice theater group, presents “12 Angry Ju-
rors” a play that exposes the truth about the effects
of racism and classism on criminal justice, on Friday,
March 17 through Sunday March 19 at the First Con-
by
gregational United Church of Christ, 1126 S.W. Park
Ave. Each performance will begin at 7:30 p.m.
Proceeds from the play will help benefit Partner-
ship for Safety and Justice, a non-profit group which
advances policy solutions to crime that ensures jus-
tice, equity, accountability, and healing to achieve
safe, strong communities in Oregon.
“12 Angry Jurors” is an Emmy award-winning clas-
sic about a murder trial that gives witness to the raw
racism, bold biases and stirring stereotypes that arise
during a jury’s deliberations. The intense and electri-
fying scenes will have you thinking critically about
your own views, misconceptions and moral compass.
The Voice for Voiceless theater group uses a di-
verse cast to show how biases are confronted and what
happens when each juror adamantly defends precon-
c ontinued on p Age 14