A look back at the 2021 People’s State of the Union

in Partnership with The Theater Offensive and masscreative

FEATURING PERFORMANCES BY RAHEEM DEVAUGHN, HAROLD STEWARD, BOSTON CHILDREN’S CHORUS, LAS CAFETERAS, STORYWORKS ALASKA, DANZA ORGANICA, AND SACRAMENTO KNOXX

April 22, 4pm PT / 7pm ET

NOTE: Due to COVID-19, this will be a virtual event.

Democracy is not a monologue, it’s a conversation. We invite you this year to take back democracy by participating in the 7th Annual People’s State of the Union!

The USDAC is proud to collaborate with our friends The Theater Offensive (TTO) and MASSCreative to present the seventh annual Poetic Address to the Nation on April 22nd, 7pm ET.

Every year, the USDAC sponsors the People’s State of the Union, inviting community members across the country to host story circles in their own homes, schools, houses of worship, and community organizations, engaging in conversations that reveal the state of our union. The Poetic Address to the Nation invites writers, performers, and activists to present work inspired by the stories. TTO will produce the virtual 2021 Poetic Address to the Nation, featuring exemplary Boston-based and national performers, in partnership with the USDAC and MASSCreative.Founded in 1989, TTO is a social change organization that presents liberating art by, for, and about queer and trans people of color. MASSCreative advocates for a well-resourced and equitable creative sector that is essential to the economic and civic vibrancy of Massachusetts.

This year, community members across the nation were invited to reflect on the interlocking crises of systemic racism, eviction, poverty, access to healthcare, and more laid bare by COVID-19.

The Poetic Address to the Nation is historically an in-person event; moving it virtually this year allows partners and participants to expand the event’s accessibility beyond any single space, bridging communities across geographic boundaries. Those connections are the foundation of what Story Circles can weave in communities across the country.

About the People’s State of the Union:

Since 2015, the USDAC has hosted the People’s State of the Union as an annual civic ritual to build bonds of empathy and connection by coming together to share our own take on the state of our union. This year, for our seventh annual PSOTU, we're thrilled to partner with MASSCreative and The Theater Offensive. This year, we're offering prompts for you to reflect on the interlocking crises of systemic racism, eviction, poverty, access to healthcare, and more laid bare by COVID-19. While our communities have suffered this past year, we also believe that our communities hold the keys to our survival. 

The People’s State of the Union has two main parts: Story Circles across the country, and a collaboratively composed Poetic Address to the Nation.

This year, the stories that come out of Story Circles will be interpreted by an array of artists, poets, and musicians, and make their way into a live streamed Poetic Address hosted by USDAC, MASSCreative, and The Theater Offensive.

#PSOTU2021 Story circle prompts:

For #PSOTU2021, Story Circle participants shared their take on the state of our union by reflecting on the following prompts, designed to affirm the essential nature of art and culture as part of a thriving and just society:

• Share a story about when the arts played an essential role in your life. 

• Share a story about a time when you creatively connected with someone while remaining socially distanced.

• Share a story about how you and your community have been affected by the government response to COVID-19.

• Share a story about the future you envision for all of us this year. What do our communities look like? What has changed?

*Story Circles are often understood as deriving from indigenous traditions. There are many variations. We give special thanks and credit to John O’Neal of Junebug Productions (and formerly Free Southern Theater) and to Roadside Theater who have been central in developing the practice for use in creating original performance and in community telling and listening projects.

#PSOTU2021 Stories

Read the thoughtful stories that were submitted from #PSOTU2021 Story Circles. Follow the conversation with the hashtags #PSOTU2021, #PeoplesStateOfTheUnion2021, and #ArtKeepsUsSafe.

PAST PSOTU ARCHIVES & VIDEOS

#PSOTU2015

The Inaugural People's State of the Union took place from January 23-30, 2015. The Poetic Address to the Nation was performed and broadcast from the Bowery Poetry Club in New York City. Watch the video for excerpts from Story Circles and the Poetic Address.

DOWNLOADABLE ART & POSTERS

What do We The People want, need, or demand? As part of #PSOTU2021, we partnered with artists to create downloadable signs that you can print, customize, and post in your Story Circle or anywhere in your community. Try printing out copies of the posters, asking people to fill in the blanks, and taking photos holding them to post on social media. You can access high-resolution copies of these images here.

The People’s State of the Union is just one of many USDAC National Actions intended to spark community dialogue and creativity in the service of justice and democracy. To learn about future actions, please enlist as a Citizen Artist.