About Us
Theatre Diaspora began as a response to the lack of AAPI visibility on Portland stages and audiences as well as a lack of awareness and education regarding the importance of casting Asian American actors in Asian American roles and plays.
Theatre Diaspora creates a yearly season of staged readings focusing on Asian American identity and cultural issues with talkbacks and invited panel discussions after every performance. Theatre Diaspora has generated awareness of the Asian experience to all communities and helps establish Asian American theatre artists and playwrights dedicated to giving Asian American theatre more visibility, and to engage the public in insightful talkback discussions on cultural diversity.
Theatre Diaspora is Oregon’s only professional Asian American/Pacific Islander (AAPI) theatre company, committed to portraying authentic AAPI cultural, historical, and social perspectives to reach broad audiences. By strongly advocating through compelling performances and post-show discussions, we are bridging communities to foster inclusion, social-awareness, and open conversations on race and cultural diversity – celebrating the AAPI experience.
Board of Directors
Catherine Ming T’ien Duffly (Board President) is a professor in the Theater department at Reed College and community-engaged theatre artist with a Ph.D. in Performance Studies from the University of California, Berkeley. Her teaching and research interests include socially engaged and community-based theatre, 20th and 21st century American theatre, race theory and performance, acting, directing, and devising. She has collaborated on projects with Cornerstone Theater, Touchable Stories, Lunatique Fantastique, and Wise Fool Community Arts. She is also on the board of CoHo Productions in Portland.
Alex Haslett (Vice President) is a Philanthropy Coordinator at Oregon Public Broadcasting. As a board member with expertise in fundraising, Alex contributes to the organization’s financial sustainability and operational efficiency. Alex is also a board member of Third Rail Repertory Theatre.
Justine Nakase (Secretary/Treasurer) is a theatre scholar and maker based in Portland, OR. She received her PhD in Drama, Theatre, and Performance from the University of Galway in Ireland and has taught at the University of Galway, Trinity College Dublin, Mary Immaculate College (Limerick), Portland State University, Linfield University, and Willamette University’s Pacific Northwest College of Art (PNCA). She has also directed productions at Reed College, Linfield University, and the University of Galway. She is the co-editor of the two-volume collection The Golden Thread: Irish Women Playwrights, 1716-2016 (University of Liverpool Press) and has published extensively on race and contemporary Irish performance. She is also a freelance consultant on diversity, equity, and inclusion in teaching practices.
Samson Syharath (Managing Artistic Director) is a multidisciplinary artist and educator, Samson’s focus on visibility for Asian-American artists and underserved communities drives the organization’s mission. He’s a Theatre Communications Group Rising Leader and a Leslie O. Fulton Fellowship recipient.
Theatre Diaspora’s staged reading series was a project of MediaRites, an award-winning nonprofit production organization based in Portland, Oregon, dedicated to telling the stories of diverse cultures and giving voice to the unheard through the arts, education and media projects. Since 1984, MediaRites has produced award-winning radio and film documentaries, interactive websites, theatre, and outreach projects.
Land Acknowledgement
We would like to acknowledge that Theatre Diaspora resides on the traditional lands of the Multnomah, Wasco, Cowlitz, Kathlamet, Clackamas, Bands of Chinook, Tualatin, Kalapuya, Molalla, and many other tribes who made their homes along the Columbia River. We recognize the enduring presence of these Native peoples and honor their deep connections to this land.
As an organization dedicated to amplifying the voices of marginalized communities, we also acknowledge the profound impact of displacement on refugees. Theatre Diaspora stands in solidarity with all individuals who have been uprooted from their homelands due to conflict, persecution, or other circumstances beyond their control.
We recognize that the colonization and settlement of this land by European immigrants and their descendants has resulted in the dispossession of Indigenous peoples and the forced displacement of countless communities. This history of colonization and its ongoing effects must not be forgotten.
We acknowledge the resilience and strength of the diverse refugee communities who have sought refuge and built new lives in this region. Their contributions to the cultural, social, and economic fabric of Portland have enriched our community immeasurably.
In recognizing these truths, we commit to amplifying the voices of Indigenous peoples and refugees, and to uplifting their stories and experiences. We strive to create a space that acknowledges the ongoing effects of colonization, fosters understanding and healing, and works towards justice, equity, and inclusion.
May we all continue to learn from the wisdom of Indigenous peoples, honor their stewardship of the land, and work towards a future where all individuals, including refugees, can thrive, be valued, and feel a sense of belonging.
Let us stand together in unity, acknowledging the past, present, and future, as we move forward with empathy, respect, and shared responsibility for the land we occupy.
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