Wise Fool New Mexico combines giant puppetry, physical theater, and circus arts to ignite imaginations and promote social justice in Santa Fe and beyond. At the Folklife Festival, they led daily puppet making workshops and processions down the National Mall, carrying hand-painted signs stating “No One Is Illegal” and “There Is Enough” with two olive branch-bearing doves.

In this interview, artistic director Amy Christian explains the group’s origins and philosophy, their community building work at home and in Chiapas, Mexico, and the overall social impact of circus.