Little Amal, the internationally celebrated 12-foot-tall puppet of a 10-year-old Syrian refugee girl who visited New York City last fall, will stop by Ann Arbor this September as part of an epic 6,000-mile journey across the United States. An international symbol of human rights, especially those of refugees, Amal is walking across the United States to learn firsthand about a country that has long been a refuge for those seeking safety and opportunity – but is simultaneously struggling with how to manage long-standing issues related to immigration. Amal’s engagement with hundreds of communities across the country will help spark meaningful conversations to help us better understand who we are and where we come from.

Along her epic cross-country 6,000-mile journey, she will meet with a wide range of displaced and disenfranchised people, including North American Indigenous people, communities of color whose contributions to the story of America have historically been overlooked, recent migrants, and the ancestors of earlier immigrants, to learn more about the stories of the American people who established roots in these communities over the last hundred-plus years.

Locations/Times:
The afternoon gathering begins on the south side of N. University at Thayer Street at 3 PM, and the walk commences at 3:30 PM.

The evening gathering begins at 6:30 PM at the Ann Arbor Farmers Market in Kerrytown, and the walk commences at 7 PM.

*Amal Walks Across America in Ann Arbor is produced by A2SF in partnership with the U-M Arts Initiative, UMMA, School of Music, Theater & Dance, and the Ann Arbor District Library.

The national tour of Amal Walks Across America is produced by The Walk Productions in association with the Handspring Puppet Company. U.S. Producing Partner THE OFFICE performing arts+film. Impact + Outreach The Soze Agency. Marketing Cause Lab. PR + Communications DKC.a*