Frances Tirado

2,270 Vacancies in Colossus

In the Spring of 2021, as the United States was entering a new presidential administration and the world was straining to return to normal after the pandemic, the number of unaccompanied migrant children that crossed the U.S. Mexico border was almost double the 2019 amount. During the pandemic, the U.S. had downsized its shelter capacity. Now, these children were entering the U.S. seeking asylum, and we had none to grant -- not even the temporary, emergency variety. Emergency shelters meant to house thousands of these children were erected and fully staffed within days in order to keep up.

This installation takes participants into the world of one of these emergency shelters through the stories and tales of the day-to-day experiences of the refugee children and their caretakers.

"Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!"

About the Artist: Frances Tirado is an actor, writer, dancer, and creative director. She has performed improvised dance and poetry at a summit on Climate Change and Green Energy Solutions in Banff, Canada. In Pittsburgh, PA, she performed durational and site-specific choreography with The Blanket, choreographed many strange stage productions, musicals, and short films, and got addicted to salsa dancing (!). About her performance as Maria Teresa (Máte) in the Pittsburgh debut of the play In the Time of The Butterflies directed by Ricardo Vila Roger, OnStage Pittsburgh said: “In her channeling of Mate, Frances Tirado possesses all the fierce spunk and earnest vulnerability that makes the character particularly endearing and devastating to watch." Fran(ces) has worked in disaster relief and humanitarian support in Puerto Rico and Texas, and currently writes and directs digital content for an anti-trafficking nonprofit. Frances is a frequent attendee of latin social dancing nights and is an advanced salsa dancer. In New York, she has performed with R.Evolución Latina in the new musical Barba at the Pregones/PRTT theater, directed a play in the Ernie DiMattia EYA Program, led workshops across the city with Gibney’s Hands are for Holding program, and danced, you guessed it, a lot of salsa.