george emilio sanchez

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Courtesy of Moss Arts Center at Virginia Tech

Writer, performance artist, and social justice advocate george emilio sanchez confronts the ways the courts have historically diminished the tribal sovereignty of Native nations, juxtaposing this against his experiences navigating generational trauma and Indigenous identity in an Ecuadorian immigrant household.

Part history, part autobiography, In the Court of the Conqueror is a multidisciplinary experience reexamining place and its relationship to the past and present historical conflicts of Indigenous lands. This is the second installment of sanchez’ series, Performing the Constitution, reflecting on the ways institutional racism and gender bias are embedded in this nation’s foundational document.

As part of sanchez’s artistic research for this performance work, he enrolled in a masters of legal studies program in Indigenous Peoples Law during the early months of the Covid-19 pandemic. He completed his degree in August 2021 and received his diploma in May 2022 from the University of Oklahoma, College of Law. 

In the Court of the Conqueror was created in collaboration with visual artist Patty Ortiz. As an integral part of the creative process of making this piece, the two artists traveled across seven states and the ancestral homelands of Native nations, where the Supreme Court cases cited in the work took place. 

"In the Court of the Conqueror"

Thursday, April 24, 2025, 7:30 PM

Friday, April 25, 2025, 7:30 PM

Cube

Programmed by guest curator Andre Bouchard

Please note, these performances contain mature language.

These performances will last approximately 75 minutes with no intermission.

*Run times listed here are based on information provided at this time and are subject to change.