Directed by: Reagan Gorton

Salem Witch Trials

About:

I am ecstatic to have you all on this committee and see what it turns into, as this is my first time directing. My name is Reagan Gorton, and I am a junior at the University of Florida studying criminology with minors in history and disabilities in society. A considerable part of what has shaped my education is my point of view, and this committee is examining how history has treated its subjects and finding value from all perspectives that the past has to offer. Apart from my studies, I am an active UF MUN and Survivor Florida member. I have been a part of MUN for about five years, having founded my high school Model United Nations club and having competed in the college circuit since joining my first year. Survivor Florida is an organization that simulates the conditions and strategy of the reality competition show Survivor. I have been watching since I was a child with my family, and that, with MUN, keeps my mind active in creative ways. I consider both organizations to escape from the stress of school and work as they fuel my passions. Additionally, I do work study at the university bursar for the VA or Veteran Affairs office. My parents and many of my role models in my family have served in the military and have instilled in me a deep appreciation for the sacrifices made by veterans in their pursuit of serving their country. I plan to synthesize these interests by conducting public policy research in the future about the public resources offered to veterans and the overall public opinion around them. Other than those somewhat dense interests of mine, I absolutely adore my friends, family, and dogs (whom I try to visit as often as possible). I enjoy exploring nature, traveling, and reading literary fiction in my downtime.

As you can probably guess from my major and minors, I am pre-law and very interested in how the intersectionality of identities can impact power and political action. This committee idea spawned from applying that question on a past trip my family and I took to Boston in 2018. I will not compliment myself by pretending 15-year-old me was thinking this deeply about the Salem witch trials, but it did capture my attention. Growing up, I have always had a soft spot for fantasy and magic, being an avid fan of shows like Doctor Who. Salem and its rich history perfectly synthesized this otherworldly imagination I indulged in and my blossoming passion for history. From this memory and my general topics of interest, this committee was born, and I have been fortunate enough to make this vision a reality.

Salem Witch Trials:

Welcome to the town of Salem! The year is 1692, and the small community of Salem has been turned upside down. Crops have been failing, people have gone missing, and mysterious sounds are coming from the woods at night. With every and anyone imaginable at risk of being accused of witchcraft, paranoia has run rampant, and it is only a matter of time before the town self-destructs. Delegates will participate in a town meeting in roles ranging from town leaders to farmers to the "accused" witches. What is done with inevitable truth will determine the course of history. Can this town come back together? Could witchcraft be real? What do you do with the power of witchcraft? Does it even have a place in society? Only Salem will know…