Donald E. Lacy, Jr., a prominent Bay Area activist/comedian, illuminates and uplifts audiences with his solo show about color-consciousness and institutional racism.

Behind: Colin Kaepernick	Behind: Mohammad Ali

America is going through a historic change in its history. People from all over the world, from all different cultures, ages, and orientations are marching and standing together in the wake of the brutal killings of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, and Breonna Taylor. "ColorStruck" examines institutionalized racism using comedy, drama, spoken word, visuals, music and movement. For over 14 years "ColorStruck" has toured around the country with yearly updated versions reflecting the current events in our world.

Each performance is followed by discussions with audience members from all walks of life where we engage in real talk about how we can move forward as the human race.

"ColorStruck" is a bittersweet examination of how cultural assumptions drive American society. Since national politics provide a never-ending supply of new material, the piece is continually reshaped. 

Lacy's gift is in using humor as an icebreaker to bring all races to the racial colloquy. Paul Berss (NY Theatre Wire), reviewing the show's New York debut in 2019 that was presented by Theater for the New City, characterized it as "a seamless ride from hate and injustice to funny and heartwarming, all artfully blended and delivered by a master entertainer who is at once an actor, a comedian, a thinker and an activist."

The piece was born in California's Bay Area and has been presented on college campuses around the country and at the National Black Theatre Festival. It was performed twice for the U.S. Congressional Black Caucus. It begins as a comedic autobiography of a sensitive, light-skinned African American man growing up in Oakland during the height of the Black Pride movement. It recounts how, as a child, Lacy was shunned by some people in the black community for not being dark enough and ostracized by some members in the white community for being too dark. It develops into an examination of how cultural assumptions underlie institutionalized racism. Director is Sean San Jose; soundscape and music are by two-time Grammy nominee Tommy Soulati Shepherd.

Donald E. Lacy, Jr. on his high school grauation night.

Born light-skinned to a dark-skinned African-American family in 1960s Oakland, Donald E. Lacy, Jr. was taunted by other boys as a half breed and grew up with a heightened sensitivity to race and the feelings of alienation and ostracism. It was the time when the Black Pride was enveloping young African Americans and Oakland was one of its epicenters. Lacy's comedy is rooted in the conundrum of expressing Black pride and consciousness while not appearing obviously Black to the naked eye. In "ColorStruck," he reflects on the infernal constancy of racism in America while waxing fondly on emblems of the black experience, including hairstyles, pop culture memes and myths of family life.

The play uses humor, drama, improvisation, dance, tone poems, hip-hop and current events to deepen our understanding. The audience is encouraged to sing along and to engage each other.

The earliest version of "ColorStruck" first appeared in  2007 in Oakland and was staged that year at the National Black Theater Festival. It was performed at the 2007 Congressional Black Caucus at the invitation of Congresswoman Barbara Lee and returned for an encore in 2008.  A  later version of "ColorStruck," chronicling the Obama Presidency as part of the Conversations In Color Tour, premiered at the Conference of Race and Pedagogy in September 2014 at the University of Puget Sound. Since that time, the piece has been performed in over 20 college-based theaters and performing arts centers across the country. 

LoveLife Foundation

LoEshe' Adanma Lacy

Lacy's daughter was named LoEshe' Adanma,  In Ibo/Nigerian, LoEshe' means love life and Adanma means daughter of beauty. In 1997, LoEshe' and a girlfriend since childhood caught a ride after school in a van driven by a young man.  He was attacked by four  assailants who fired several shots into the vehicle, aiming at him. The intended target and LoEshe's girlfriend, while wounded, survived. LoEshe' did not. Now Lacy relates that the LoveLife Foundation was LoEshe's idea. Three months before her death, she had endured the death of a friend and asked her father to help her write a play about stopping the violence. "She is an amazing spirit," he says.

After her death, Lacy bonded with other parents who'd had similar experiences. One bereaved father warned Lacy that his anger would annihilate him unless he channeled it into something productive. Now, Lacy attends a steady stream of meetings with city leaders, community organizers and youth groups and appears on TV and radio to speak out on youth violence. He frequents City Council meetings and lectures high schoolers on staying safe and being alive. He has achieved local celebrity status. "LoveLife" was adopted in 2016 as the official motto of the city of Oakland and Lacy was a commencement speaker at Berkeley City College in 2017.

Oakland city sign with Love Life emblem

In 2018, Van Jones and a CNN film crew accompanied Lacy to capture his first meeting with the man convicted of murdering his 16 year old daughter. Lacy forgave him on camera to set an example to all people that forgiveness is possible. Lacy also attended his parole hearing several months later and spoke on his behalf.  Parole was granted and the shooter, now remorseful, was released later that year. Jones' CNN special, "The Redemption Project," aired May 12, 2109. To-date, it has been viewed by over 14 million people worldwide. (https://tinyurl.com/tzr6a9b)

Watch "The Redemption Project" on CNN

CNN illustration by Max Pepper

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