A Dad Keeps Slain Son’s Flame Alive
Parkland father Manuel Oliver, fi ghting guns in Guac’s memory, at 92nd Street Y
A “guerilla mural” Manuel Oliver created outside the NRA’s headquarters in Virginia.
Anti-gun activists join in the “Back to School” fashion demonstration in New York held during last year’s
Fashion Week.
BY DONNA ACETO
Untrammeled access to
guns was at it again,
tragically, in Santa Clarita,
California, on November
14.
But Parkland Dad and artist
Manuel Oliver is also at it again.
Oliver and his wife, Patricia Paduay
Oliver, lost their son, Joaquin
“Guac” Oliver on February 14, 2018
— Valentine’s Day — in the shooting
at Marjory Stoneman Douglas
High School in Parkland, Florida.
They have been on an artistic mission
ever since, fi ghting for sensible
gun laws — and part of that mission
is a performance piece coming
to the 92nd Street Y this month,
for one night only.
Through my gun violence work
with Gays Against Guns , I have
ARTWORK BY MANUEL OLIVER/ PHOTO BY DONNA ACETO
DONNA ACETO
been so fortunate to get to know
the couple. I have seen Oliver create
a mural of his son outside
of the National Rifl e Association
headquarters in Fairfax, Virginia,
done “guerilla postering” with both
parents in Greenwich Village, and
joined their Change the Ref group’s
“Back to School” school fashion
bus tour of New York during last
year’s Fashion Week.
You might have seen news of Oliver
testifying to Congress, talking
about gun violence elsewhere on
TV, or introducing his board game
“Impossible Operation” to get his
message across.
I was invited to see a preview
Manuel’s multi-media stage show,
“Guac, My Son, My Hero,” while it
was still in the development process.
In a little over an hour, Oliver
takes us through the life of his son
PERFORMANCE
“Guerrilla postering” with Manuel Oliver and Patricia Paduay-Oliver in Greenwich Village.
DONNA ACETO
Dad Manuel Oliver in his multi-media performance
piece “Guac: My Son, My Hero,” which
will be presented at the 92nd Street Y.
and the entire family. Through it,
we experience the joy of their lives,
their deep and loving connection,
and the actual events of their tragic
day. We see how Guac’s parents
have grown since their loss and
also discover something new about
their son — he was an anti-gun activist.
Not even his parents knew.
Gays Against Guns and its sister
chorale group Sing Out, Louise will
be part of the 92nd Street Y performance
at the 92nd Street Y.
Oliver had good reason dating
back to his youth to fear and
loathe guns. Gun violence brought
him to the US from Venezuela. The
story shows us a like-minded duo.
Father and son had their differences,
but those could have been the
teasing squabbles of best friends.
Who was the greatest — Hendrix
or Slash? Joaquin was a talented
ARTWORK BY MANUEL OLIVER/ PHOTO BY DONNA ACETO
ARTWORK BY MANUEL OLIVER/ PHOTO BY DONNA ACETO
A mural in Chelsea commemorating the one-year
anniversary of the Valentine’s Day 2018 shooting
death of Joaquin “Guac” Oliver at his Parkland,
Florida, high school.
basketball player, Manuel not so,
yet he still stepped up to coach.
The Oliver family dynamic comes
across in word, art, and music, and
the show has surprises that can’t
be revealed. It is artful, dramatic,
terrifying, sweet, and, yes, funny.
We meet a family Mom, Dad, sister,
and dog — who still hold Guac
tightly. The teen remains an inspiration,
an activist even now. Lost
but present. As Manuel says, “I am
still his Dad.”
GUAC: MY SON, MY HERO | 92nd
Street Y, Kaufmann Concert Hall,
1395 Lexington Ave. | $35 at 92y.
org
November 21 - November 27, 2 26 019 | GayCityNews.com
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