LOS ANGELES: Get Ready for VOICES of a PEOPLE’S HISTORY!
Saturday, October 14th, 2017
FUNDRAISING EVENT FOR L.A. Black Lives Matter
Especially in turbulent and harrowing political times it’s important to remember that ordinary people, who seem to have no power, can and do make history. Though unsung in traditional history books, popular movements for social, racial and economic justice have been significant drivers of change in our nation’s history.
In his legendary, best-selling A People’s History of the United States, Howard Zinn lifts up these movements against capitalist exploitation and plunder, slavery, war, disenfranchisement and more, and the personalities who powered them. And in their primary source companion, Voices of A People’s History of the United States, editors Howard Zinn and Anthony Arnove offer us a treasure trove of little known writings that bring these voices to light — letters, diaries, speeches, articles, poems and songs by women, African Americans, Native Americans, other people of color, immigrants, and laborers — giving rebels, dissenters, and visionaries public expression.
Their intention was not just to educate but to inspire new generations of people working for social justice. In his introduction to Voices, Zinn says, “I want to point out that people who seem to have no power, whether working people, people of color, or women — once they organize and protest and create movements — have a voice no government can suppress.” Lest we forget that ordinary people taking action can move a nation.
In the upcoming Los Angeles performance of Voices of A Peoples’ History of the United States on October 14th, we will hear excerpts from historical figures such as Tecumseh, Chief Joseph, Maria Stewart, John Brown, Frederick Douglass, Susan B. Anthony, Stella Nowicki, Yuri Kochiyama, Malcolm X and more. Their words will be dramatized by local social justice activists including Patrisse Khan-Cullors (Co-founder, Black Lives Matter), Melina Abdullah (Black Lives Matter LA), Kenyatta Bakeer (Black Lives Matter LA) Traci Kato-kiriyama (VigilantLOVE) Sahar Pirzada (VigilantLOVE) and celebrity actors including Matt McGorry (ABC’s How to Get Away with Murder) Jon Huertas (NBC’s This Is Us), Sheri Foster Blake (Netfix’s Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt) and Bellamy Young (ABC’s Scandal).
The October 14th event is presented by White People 4 Black Lives (WP4BL), the Los Angeles affiliate of Showing Up for Racial Justice (SURJ) and hosted jointly with Black Lives Matter-L.A. and McCarty Memorial Church. All proceeds will be donated to Black Lives Matter — Los Angeles.
WP4BL has been working in solidarity with the Movement for Black Lives, Black Lives Matter-LA and other grass roots, people of color led organizations in Los Angeles for almost three years. WP4BL firmly believes ending racism requires the active involvement and support of white people in dismantling systemic racism and white supremacy, amplifying the voices and demands of Black people, and applying strategic pressure on institutions to challenge and change racist policies. Voices of the People of the United States is the latest in WP4BL’s Courage Against Racism community event series.
First performed in Los Angeles in 2005, again in 2009, and most recently in 2014 with such Hollywood hitters as Marisa Tomei, Viggo Mortenson, Sandra Oh, Kerry Washington, and Benjamin Bratt in the casts, Voices itself has become an iconoclastic performance piece. Since 2003 Voices has been produced more than 100 times in 40 cities across the U.S., large and small, as well as in London and Toronto.
In 2009 Matt Damon co-produced the documentary film The People Speak based upon Voices, narrated by Howard Zinn with readings and music by additional notables including Danny Glover, Sean Penn,Jasmine Guy, Brolin, Don Cheadle, Q’orianka Kilcher, Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Morgan Freeman, and Pink. Voices continues to be updated and includes Howard Zinn himself, Chelsea Manning, Glenn Greenwald, Naomi Klein, dream defenders and undocumented youth.
The October 14th production will be held at McCarty Memorial Church, 4103 West Adams Blvd., Los Angeles 90018 at 7:30 PM. General Admission tickets are $40; Full Admission tickets are $100 and include a 6:00 PM Pre-Show Reception with the cast. Tickets are available at www.peopleshistory.brownpapertickets.com. Sponsorship and donation opportunities are also available.
