It was a year ago in September 2021 that The Fulcrum introduced our Pop Culture section.
At that time we said:
In our increasingly complex world of trauma and travail, where we must care about the health of our democracy and strive relentlessly to strengthen our representative republic, we call upon the products and services of our artists and athletes to remind us of our heritages and traditions, our cooperative and competitive selves.
This past year we honored and celebrated culture as a bridge to the latest news and analysis of politics, policy, and the birth of a new civic and political voice to build greater social cohesion, civic engagement, and problem-solving.
We hope you have taken the journey with us as we shared stories, music, poetry and dance to inspire our better angels as part of our continuing coverage of the problems and solutions of our times.
We believe more than ever that art has the power to break down boundaries and overcome distances between people.
Today we present a powerful example in “WeThe People,” produced by Empty Hands Music. Their mission is to spread seeds of goodness in the world through selfless service, music and love.
Founded by Nimo Patel, who went from his Ivy League education to Wall Street to fame and fortune as a rap star on MTV. However, at some point along Patel’s journey he realized that he was walking a path of suffering and that the only path to light was through selfless service to others and his own internal purification. For the past 10 years Patel has been serving and working with the underprivileged communities in India.
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Enjoy the healing power of “We The People.”
Angela Ferrell-Zabala, the executive director of Moms Demand Action!, speaks at the Mother’s Day of Action Rally held in Atlanta on May 13, 2023. COURTESY ANGELA FERRELL-ZABALA
Destine Riggins says she was the only photographer at the various West Jefferson, NC racial justice protests she attended and documented, such as this 2020 march. (VICKI RANDOLPH)
Protest leaders give speeches during a 2020 Black Lives Matter protest in West Jefferson, NC where Queue Wellington also worked as a leader in the local racial justice movement. (DESTINE RIGGINS)