INDIVISIBLE 2020
Opening A Discourse About Our Values As People
With the Covid-19 pandemic and social unrest becoming more prevalent, Americans have become even more divided than ever. The recent explosion of civil rights movements is a long overdue opportunity to create transformative change and to open a discourse about our values as a people. What are American Values? What does Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness mean? Is there anything that We The People can agree upon anymore?
According to American political scientist Larry Diamond, democracy consists of four key elements: a political system for choosing and replacing the government through free and fair elections; the active participation of the people, as citizens, in politics and civic life; protection of the human rights of all citizens; a rule of law, in which the laws and procedures apply equally to all citizens.
Democracy requires the active participation of its citizens, and voter suppression has become one of the most important issues of our time. Whether for President, Governor, Attorney General, County Recorder or a local judge, every single vote matters. We are not just voting for a person but a set of ideals: Freedom of Speech, the Right to Assemble, Human Rights, Free and Fair Elections and Equal Justice for All.
Art can inspire and be a catalyst for change. Artists from diverse backgrounds, disciplines and experiences are invited to submit work on the themes of equality, justice, human rights and freedom of expression. In diversity there is beauty and there is strength. We can create a more perfect union by bringing our voices together in unity, celebrating our differences, and focusing on what we share in common, rather than what divides us.