The Awakening
EDIT x GFX

About This Project

The Wide Awakes presents INTER DEPENDENCE DAY a collaborative artwork by Tariq Trotter (Black Thought) and José Parlá with animation by Maryam Parwana and music by Black Thought & Diamond Mine.

INTER DEPENDENCE DAY is a contemporary remix of Frederick Douglass’ historic speech “What to the slave is ‪the 4th of July‬?” which Douglass gave on July 5 1852 at the Ladies Anti-Slavery Society of Rochester, N.Y. Douglass’ words are as true today as they were then: “I answer; a day that reveals to him, more than all other days in the year, the gross injustice and cruelty to which he is the constant victim”.

Tariq’s poetic remix brings Douglass’ words to life for the times we are in today. “The sad truth is, even hundreds of years later, the scales are still so unbalanced and his words are still so relevant that it didn’t require much interpretation” said Tariq.

Set to José’s art the collaborative artwork asks “Why should I commemorate the independence of a country, the freedom of a country, within which I am not free?…I wasn’t free in 1620, 17 or 18 or 1920 and I’m not free today.”

It is a call for us to Wake Up and recognize that “instead of celebrating your independence day those of us who are Wide Awake will continue to celebrate our INTER dependence upon one another”

Credits:
Words: Black Thought
Art: José Parlá
Design/Animation/Editor: Maryam Parwana
Music: Black Thought & The Diamond Mine
Producers: Wildcat Ebony Brown, Chrysi Philalithes