We are one day away from the inauguration of our first Black woman and South Asian Vice President of the United States. To celebrate the moment Kamala Harris will get sworn into office, artists Arti María Magdalena Campos-Pons, Okwui Okpokwasili, and LaTasha N. Nevada Diggs have put together a three-minute film directed by Codie Elaine Oliver (Black Love, OWN Network) reflecting on this significant time in history.
Award-winning actress Alfre Woodard will narrate the short film which features choreographed performances by seven female artists showcasing the remarkable women who paved the way for the success of Vice President-Elect Harris.
“When We Gather offers an empowering moment to heal and unite the country through creative energy,” says Campos-Pons, who envisioned the project and brought the artists together. “The circle shows us how we can remain connected even while we are separated due to this pandemic or due to the state of the nation. All of these factors have informed the collaborative choreography and spoken word of this global collective experience.”
Prior to the launch of the film on January 27, starting tomorrow evening, visitors can check out the interactive platform,When We Gather:Together, which tells the behind-the-scenes stories of Black heroines from the past, present, and future. Campos-Pons, Okpokwasili, and Diggs will take part in the interpretive performances along with Dell Marie Hamilton, Jana Harper, Lisa E. Harris, and Samita Sinha.
“In accepting the nomination for Vice President, Kamala Harris evoked the memory of her mother, Shyamala Gopalan Harris, who ‘believed so deeply in an America where a moment like this is possible,’” adds the participating artists. “Harris claimed this moment for ‘the generations of women—Black women, Asian, White, Latina, and Native American women throughout our nation’s history who have paved the way for this moment.’ She called on us all: mothers, grandmothers, sisters, aunts, girls; cis and trans, to celebrate with her. When We Gather is our collective answer to her invitation.”
You can participate in this online experience at www.whenwegather.art tomorrow at 7p.m. It will be available to stream free until February 15, 2021.