Broad Perspectives

In a life-saving attempt to flee El Salvador’s civil war in 1980, Dora Rodriguez was one of thirteen survivors found near death while crossing the border through the Sonoran Desert. By bravely publicizing her story of migration and through her unwavering support for migrants rights, Dora’s image has been propelled to the forefront of the sanctuary movement in Tucson, AZ. Through her public speaking and advocacy work, Dora’s focus is to educate communities about the harsh realities migrants face in the desert, and to inspire transformative changes to the immigration injustices plaguing our border towns. She lives in Tucson, Arizona, with her husband and is a proud mother of five and grandmother. Dora serves as Founder and Director of Salvavision, a nonprofit offering aid and support to migrants and deportees.

Margo Newhouse has lived through 48 hot Southern Arizona summers. She is a retired special education teacher and elementary school librarian. When she isn’t busy with The Raging Grannies she keeps active with the International League for Peace and Freedom, political activism, her church social justice council and many hours in her church kitchen. For the past ten years she’s spent time planning, preparing and presenting heat preparedness workshops with a group from Physicians for Social Responsibility. Margo and her husband of 66 years have three grown children and five grandchildren. Lee Stanfield as a child lived in several US states as well as Yokohama Japan because her father was in the military. As an adult she lived in Arizona, Texas and Oregon. She retired in 2005. Her career ranged from being a photographer, to a mental health counselor, to a case manager for ALTCS (Arizona Long Term Care System) coordinating in-home services for disabled and elderly Medicaid patients. She is a long time activist, has worked with the Tucson Sierra Club, she founded Single-Payer NOW, and she’s a member of Move To Amend to get money out of politics. Lee has two grown kids, two grandkids and one great grand baby. She joined Raging Grannies around 2012. Music played on our break. 1000 Grandmothers by Holly Near

Hannah Clyde Taylor is the Director and Choreographer of the play Six – Teen Edition that played at The Rialto Theatre this week – on June 17 & 18. Hannah is a local director, choreographer and actor here in Tucson and has worked on several productions. Grace Christian (Anne of Cleves) is 14 years old and an incoming freshman at Ironwood Ridge High School. SIX marks her sixth production and her first year involved in theatre. She loves acting, dancing, and spending time with friends. Natalia Hightower (Anne of Cleves) is 17 – sewing is one of her biggest passions and she’s currently in the process of creating her own clothing collection and plans on pursuing fashion design. Sadie Maddox (Anne Boleyn) is 16 years old. She is a dancer, singer, and actress and will be a senior at Salpointe Catholic High School. Eleanor Gann (Catherin Parr) is an incoming sophomore at Ironwood Ridge High School and has been performing since she was 7 years old. You may have seen her in shows such as Alice By Heart, and Anything Goes.

Lauren has a B.S. in Watershed Hydrology and Management from the University of Arizona. As a Tucson native, Lauren has a passion for the environment and the community in this area and wants to continue spreading this excitement for nature, water and people through her work with the River Run Network. Billie Eilish – all the good girls go to hell….was played on our music break.

Syndenn Sweet is a hearing impaired creator living in Tucson, AZ. She owns Hanner House Records located in the heart of Tucson. She is a singer/songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, producer, Foley artist, luthier, published author, visual-artist and poet. As a musician she has appeared with: Mr. Natures Music Garden, ESP, and The Sapiens Music Collaborative, Sunny and the whisky machine, Random animal, Mama’s Boy and other various Tucson acts. Syndenn currently performs with: Cat Mountain, the Desert Museum Family Band, sweet west, Broke down palace, THE SHRIEKING VIOLETS and Feral Claw. For more information about Syndenn, you can visit her website at syndennsweet.com. Because there is lots more that she does with her recording label, Hanner House Records. Debbie Stewart (Starchild) is currently touring with the band Chris Baron and Two Secrets playing cello. She has been playing the cello “forever” and calls it her soul instrument. She began touring 2 years ago and considers it a new beginning. After suffering years of chronic pain, in which she was unable to play music, she realized how important it was to her survival. It was a dark time, to be a musician who’s hands didn’t work. When relief came, there was nothing else to do but play. And she does! A songwriter in her own right, Debbie has been writing songs since she was 18. While her songwriting has become second to cello these days, the band is working her songs into the set. Every show she revels in the fact that she can play again, and she knows she’s doing exactly what she was meant to do.

International touring artists Diane Van Deurzen & Lisa Otey are a dynamic duo, a perfect blend of hot jazz, sultry blues and boogie-woogie. They take their act to festivals, clubs and theatres around the world and are known for creating an atmosphere of intimacy with their humor and joyful interactions with the audience. Diane and Lisa have both been inducted into the Arizona Blues Hall of Fame. Lisa has also been inducted into the Tucson Music Hall of Fame and appeared on the Grammy-nominated CD, “Ladies Man” with Pinetop Perkins. Diane and Lisa have co-produced several CDs on their label, Owl’s Nest Productions, including Diane’s “I Never Knew”, Lisa’s “Trio”, “Bring Your Own Boa” for Lisa Otey and the Desert Divas, and 3 of Diane & Lisa’s duo CDs.

Eliza Hitch, originally from Atlanta, Georgia, is playing the role of Meg March. During her time at U of A, Eliza has appeared in Bright Star, Sweeney Todd, Jesus Christ Superstar, and Legally Blonde. Eliza is a College of Fine Arts student ambassador, Medici Art Scholar, and a member of the W.A. Franke Honors College. On graduation this May, she plans to move to New York to pursue her dream of working in theatre, film and television. Meghan Gray is from Marietta, Georgia. She will playing Marmee. Prior to Little Women, Meghan has appeared in numerous stage productions including Bright Star, Much Ado About Nothing, and Jesus Christ Superstar. She stars in the upcoming short film Blush’n, due to premiere at I Dream in Widescreen, TFTV’s showcase of senior thesis films at the Fox Tucson Theatre on May 10. After graduating in May, she will direct Shrek the Musical JR for the Due West Center for the Arts in Georgia. On this show they will be talking about the production of Little Women from U of A’s School of Theatre, Film and Television, or TFTV, and why it’s still relevant today. It will be showing from April 20, 2025 to May 4, 2025 at the Marroney Theatre on campus. https://tftv.arizona.edu/events/little-women/ Here Alone was played on our music break.

Libby Tobey, a native of Tucson, has a deep-rooted affection for the desert flora and fauna that define her hometown and the tight-knit community that inhabits it. Her academic journey led her to study psychology and sociology at the University of Arizona. Libby’s career path has been as diverse and vibrant as the landscapes she cherishes. These experiences formed roots for her passion for the arts. This led her to some short film projects, working with prop and set design, scouting locations, and honing her skills in creating visual stories. Her love for nature and plants drew her to work at a desert nursery, where she focused on plant care and played a significant role in organizing an annual art market. Her artistic journey eventually led her to PopCycle, where she played a pivotal role in the creation of the ‘Made in Tucson’ market, a testament to her commitment to fostering local art and community engagement. Libby Tobey’s multifaceted career and dedication to the arts reflect her vibrant personality and her profound connection to Tucson’s cultural and natural heritage, and the community she calls home. The song A Change Is Gonna Come was played for our music break.