LADY LIBERTY PROJECT
- Ariel Rathbun
Liberty and Justice for ALL!
July 4th, 2025, we launched the “Lady Liberty Project,” an on-going street theater presence as an affirmation of our American icon, the Statue of Liberty and Mother of Exiles.
This a welcoming and a plea to uphold our best core values, to illuminate what she represents: liberation from monarchy and welcoming immigrants.
Let’s raise energy and awareness of the symbols of our Lady Liberty with music, dance, poetry, stories, songs and, yes, at times, roller skating!
LLP is now a collaborative effort among friends. Creatively we plan to:
-Bring a positive presence in public gathering places
- Confirm the symbol of liberty given to us by France, honoring abolitionism.
- Sustain the view of Miss Liberty as a world beacon of welcoming.
- Bring out the words of The New Colossus, Emma Lazarus’ famed sonnet.
- Honor immigrants’ and refugees’ stories.
- Provide history of her creation and installation.
-Add more satellites of Lady Liberty around the Puget Sound and beyond.
My inspiration to germinate this project was my undocumented immigrant grandfather, who at 19 sailed from Germany as World War I broke out. He entered through Ellis Island and slipped into the throng of laborers, changed his name and language to survive. He kept his stories hidden until the centennial of the statue in 1986, when he began to talk of “we” rather than “they". Being an immigrant was an open secret in my family until “Frank” was 90 and finally shared his back pages with me in a bond of trust.
We all have stories. There are many aspects to learn and consider.
Points of interest:
The New Colossus | The Poetry Foundation:
Ten less known facts about the Statue of Liberty:
