Motus Theater to usher in powerful day of reflection with stories, songs honoring MLK Day

Jan. 11—In 1956, addressing a crowd at a victory rally in Buffalo, New York, Martin Luther King Jr. introduced a concept that would come to define his lifetime of activism — the "beloved community."

When Dr. King spoke of the "beloved community," he imagined a society where love, rather than violence or conflict, was the guiding principle — a society where all individuals are nurtured and cared for, free from poverty, hunger and hatred.

In honor of the late Civil Rights leader and his dream for an equal America, Motus Theater is returning to the Dairy Art Center's stage on Monday, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, to present its second-annual event, "Dr. King Jr. & the Radical Roots at the Heart of Justice."

"Dr. King Jr. & the Radical Roots at the Heart of Justice" features an outstanding lineup of acclaimed activists, leaders, academics, musicians and luminaries who will celebrate the life and legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. with words, wisdom, music and storytelling — all while holding up a magnifying glass to the state of civil rights in the U.S. in 2024.

The evening will include a performance from the nationally and regionally loved soul and roots husband-and-wife duo The Reminders, featuring Big Samir and Aja Black. Dr. Reiland Rabaka, director of the University of Colorado Boulder Center for African and African American Studies, will present words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., along with reflections on the "beloved community" and civil rights in the 21st century. Candice Bailey, a lauded criminal legal reform leader, will be the featured monologist, along with Jahmil Roberts, operations and care manager at Trans Lifeline, a peer support and crisis resource.

Under the direction of artistic director Kirsten Wilson, Motus is known for bringing profound, candid performances that uplift marginalized voices and reframe U.S. history through the medium of storytelling.

"Stories can both unite us, or they can tear us apart," said Alexis Miles, a founding board member for Motus Theater. "But stories that are honest, and stories that go inside and examine the truth of our experience on this earth bring us together.

"If you look at any system of oppression — like racism, sexism, or classism — there's a story underneath all of those structures. The story is typically what I would call a bad narrative — 'African Americans are lazy' or 'women cannot think as clearly as men and therefore they should not be able to own property' — untrue narratives that reinforce these structures. But what Motus attempts to do is to bring more true stories to the table."

For activist, advocate and all-around badass Candice Bailey, delivering a monologue is her way of paying homage to and following in the footsteps of the fearless leaders who came before her.

"Something that I've been hearing a lot lately is 'I am not my ancestors,' by the latest generation," Bailey said. "And that's very difficult for me to hear because I absolutely am my ancestors. I want people to recognize that the work of the Civil Rights Era didn't just end when Martin Luther King Jr. or Malcolm X were assassinated. These are the batons that were handed to us, and that through action, we can all be the change that we hope to see."

Bailey's monologue will take audiences through an intimate and harrowing recollection of her 13 years of entanglement in the American judiciary and carceral systems.

After being convicted of an assault charge as a young woman, Bailey was initially put on five years of probation, which turned into two years in the Colorado Department of Corrections, which ultimately turned into a three-year sentence. While serving in the Denver Woman's Correctional Facility, Bailey was raped by a correctional officer.

Nearing the end of her sentence, Bailey said she found support and kindness from an unlikely friend named Mr. Godspeed ("Yes, that was actually his name," Bailey said, laughing) who helped her and supported her during her transition out of the carceral system.

"My monologue really centers around this human story that talks about how we can support people in our communities that have these experiences, in spite of whatever systemic inequities are happening," Bailey said.

Bailey has dedicated her life to fighting systemic oppression and to improving laws surrounding law enforcement and community engagement. She is the founder of the Colorado Police Oversight Commission, CEO of a human rights nonprofit and was a leading advocate for Elijah McClain — the 23-year-old massage therapist and Black man from Aurora who died Aug. 30, 2019, after being forcibly detained by police officers while walking home from a convenience store.

But even in the wake of her success, Bailey recognizes that the stigma of incarceration or convictions can follow people well after their court-mandated sentences have been served. In delivering her monologue, she hopes to prompt audiences to reexamine their bias and set aside prejudice against formerly — or currently — incarcerated people.

"Often, we're really shamed about the worst day of our life," Bailey said. "But the worst decision that you make does not define the rest of your life. I think that is something important that we need to consider as we hear about restorative justice practices — where are you using those practices in your day-to-day life? Or are you just canceling humans for simply being human?"

Miles said that she hopes audiences can walk out of the Dairy Arts Center on Monday feeling not only a sense of community but feeling moved to take action and incite change.

"Our hope is that when people walk out of the door, they ask themselves, 'What can I do to make this a fair and equitable world for everybody?'" Miles said.

"Dr. King Jr. & the Radical Roots at the Heart of Justice" will take place from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. on Monday at the Dairy Arts Center, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder. The performance is free of charge, and is suitable for children over the age of 10 years old. Guests are highly encouraged to reserve a seat at motustheater.org.