In collaboration with composer Marcus Shelby, Joanna Haigood created a new work inspired by the Equal Justice Society's campaign to restore 14th Amendment protections for victims of discrimination including those on death row.

"The piece Dying While Black & Brown impacted me in a very profound way, because it took me back to a place emotionally that allowed me to reconnect with the tragedy of the past 18 years of my life, and then it also reminded me of the triumph of winning back my freedom."
--Anthony Graves, Texas Defender, Former Death Row Inmate

“This was one of the greatest events the institute has ever sponsored and the entire audience, which included many long-time advocates for justice, was deeply moved. The dance itself (Dying While Black and Brown) was certainly powerful beyond words, but hearing the troupe discuss its meaning for themselves and their understanding of justice was perhaps as important. We all left the room feeling a little more human and a lot more determined to fight on.”
David Harris, Managing Director of the Charles Hamilton Houston Institute for Race and Justice at Harvard Law School