Michigan State University’s Latinx Film Festival returns this week. This year the festival is taking a deeper dive into the stories and experiences of people whose lives have been marked by gun violence including a special performance by Manny Oliver. Oliver is performing a piece inspired by his son’s killing in a mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas Highs School in Parkland, Florida.
WKAR’s Michelle Jokisch Polo spoke with Oliver about his one man show titled "On Guac: The One Man Show".
Manny Oliver performs “Guac: The One Man Show” live this Saturday night at the Stage One at Sycamore Creek Eastwood.
Interview Highlights
On who Joaquin was
Joaquin was an amazing kid. I know he would have become a leader and anything that he would plan to achieve. He was very secure, very poetic, and an amazing fan of sports players. He loved to compete, an amazing writer, reader, good looking guy. I lost my son and my best friend that day.
On Guac: The One Man Show
The way that I was working with my director make this story was not to be a shocking story. I can tell you people that watch this show, they leave the room with hope. They don't leave sad. They do probably feel impacted in some moments of the play. But most of the time they're just enjoying Joaquin and his story… things that he did with me or his mom. . We were able to put it together this way: it makes sure that that we balance your emotions.
On how Joaquin's story has shaped around gun violence
I didn't want this. I didn't start this fight and I'm entering into the fight. And that constancy, believe it or not, is being seen. Today I see that. I have more conversations , I see more people with less fear, to talk about these things, to address these things in different ways. The activism has been evolving into ways that you wouldn't see before.. ten years ago.
Interview Transcript
Michelle Jokisch Polo: Thanks for being here today.
Manny Oliver: It’s my pleasure. Thank you.
Jokisch Polo: Can you tell us a little bit about your son Joaquin?
Oliver: Joaquin was an amazing kid. I know he would have become a leader and anything that he would plan to achieve. He was very secure, very poetic, and an amazing fan of sports players. He loved to compete, an amazing writer, reader, good looking guy. Perfect, perfect human being. I think a lot of people miss that. I lost my son and my best friend that day.
Jokisch Polo: Your son Joaquin’s life was abruptly cut short on Valentines Day of 2018. What was did you try to make sense of that?
Oliver: I was in my office that morning, I left Joaquin in school, and he was supposed to call me to tell me how Valentine’s Day was going. He had these beautiful flowers for his girlfriend that we bought together the night before and I was expecting that call. And that call never happened and I miss that call very much. I got a call, but the call was from my wife, letting me know that there was something going on inside the school, there was an active shooter situation. So, I drove from my office to the school and it took like 11 to 12 hours, I am talking about 1:00 A.M., to confirm that Juaquin was one of the 17 victims.
Jokisch Polo: In “Guac: The One Man Show” you recreate in a live performance the life and death of your son Joaquin. Where does the title for the show come from?
Oliver: When we moved to the United States, for anyone here its kind of hard to pronounce Joaquin, so his friends decided to make it simple and started calling him “Guac”.
Jokisch Polo: Part of your show involves telling your family’s immigration story. How do you juxtapose your family’s search for the American Dream with the abrupt end of your son’s life?
Oliver: The whole point was to have a better place to raise a family. We were living in Venezuela and Venezuela was not okay twenty yeas ago. In our case, first generation immigrants, me and Patricia, we took the risk because it's about the kids not about us. We moved here hoping that that American Dream would be waiting for us and look at us now living the American nightmare. Everything that I wanted for my son just vanished. It's not only about my son anymore. It's about how many other kids’ future has also vanished during those six years. When Joaquin was shot that was 270,000 victims ago. We have a system that hasn't learned anything after all those shootings.
Jokisch Polo: Since your son’s death in 2018 you’ve spent countless hours advocating for stricter gun control laws. How do you think your story has impacted policy proposals across the country?
Oliver: Our politicians, they go and come, you can vote them out, you will never vote me out of this thing. I'm involved in this. I didn't want this. I didn't start this fight and I'm entering into the fight. And that constancy, believe it or not, is being seen. Today I see that. I have more conversations , I see more people with less fear, to talk about these things, to address these things in different ways. The activism has been evolving into ways that you wouldn't see before.. ten years ago.
Jokisch Polo: In your performance, you take your audience to Valentines Day of 2018. The day your son was shot four different times before he died. How do you mark this moment for your audience in your performance?
Oliver: The way that I was working with my director make this story was not to be a shocking story. I can tell you people that watch this show, they leave the room with hope. They don't leave sad. They do probably feel impacted in some moments of the play. But most of the time they're just enjoying Joaquin and his story… things that he did with me or his mom. . We were able to put it together this way: it makes sure that that we balance your emotions.
Jokisch Polo: Manny Oliver performs “Guac: The One Man Show” live this Saturday night at the Stage One at Sycamore Creek Eastwood. Tickets are $10 in advance or $15 at the door.
This interview has been edited for clarity and conciseness.
