We, the People, Must Tell Our Stories

Once a year, the U.S. president delivers the State of the Union address to highlight important  national issues from the past year and suggest priorities for the year to come. It’s a broadcast from one to many. But what if, once a year, we could all speak and listen to each other?

 

From January 23-30, 2015, people across the U.S. will form “story circles” to reflect on and take part in shaping the current state of the union. In affiliation with The U.S. Department of Arts and Culture,* Metta Center encourages you to play a role in creating The People’s State of the Union by hosting a story circle in your local community.

All participating stories will be shared back online, inspiring commentary from the USDAC National Cabinet, and the creation of the 2015 People’s State of the Union Address by a diverse group of poets. This address will be delivered as a poem, livestreamed and shared online via text and video.

*The U.S. Department of Arts and Culture is not an official government agency, but a people-powered movement dedicated to cultivating empathy, equity and social imagination.

 

How to Participate

Sign-up to host a story circle in your community! A free online training and a step-by-step toolkit make it easy to participate. Find out more about The People’s State of the Union, and register to host your circle by December 20, 2014.

Plan to host a story circle that touches upon nonviolence? Metta Center would love to feature and spread the news about your community stories in any way possible. Keep us posted!