Circles share opinions on State of the Union
If the movers and shakers in Washington, D.C., seem far removed from daily life in New Mexico, there’s a way to share your thoughts on the state of the country.
“People’s State of the Union: Share Your Story” will give members of the community, young and old, of any political persuasion, an opportunity to voice their thoughts on the current state of the nation in a collaborative setting.
The free event will be from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 28, in the ballroom at the National Hispanic Cultural Center. It is sponsored by local community-focused artists organizations Artful Life and TIASO Artist Cooperative and US Department of Arts and Culture, a nongovernmental grass-roots organization that promotes creativity, empathy and collaboration.
The group of community-minded artists and activists who started US DAC organized the first State of the Union events in 2015, to coincide with the president’s traditional “State of the Union” speech. The speech focuses on the condition of the country, its most serious problems and a proposed legislative program.
The sharing circles concept is a way to give people a way of advising the president on what is important to them.
“Democracy is a conversation, not a monologue. Understanding the state of our union takes We the People reflecting
in our own communities on our challenges and opportunities locally, nationally and globally,” the US DAC website says.
“You can talk about a time in which you felt a great sense of belonging to the U.S., or feeling the opposite,” said Valerie Martinez, founder of Artful Life. “You can share how you are feeling at this time of transition from one president to another. We want all perspectives included.”
Martinez estimated the Albuquerque venue will have space for up to 100 people. All ages are welcome.
Those who attend will participate in “story circles” of eight to 10 people. Artists from the sponsor organizations who have undergone training as facilitators will preside over the groups, posing questions to prompt individuals to share their thoughts. Each person in the circle will have three minute to respond, without interruptions.
“Any follow-up dialogue takes place after the event,” Martinez said.
She said event organizers will be able to record the stories in audio or handwritten form and participants will be invited to upload their stories to an online platform where they can be searched and shared.
Similar story circle events will be held at around 20 locations nationwide between Jan. 27 and Feb. 5, according to the US DAC website. It says a group of invited poets will craft a “Poet’s Address to the Nation” that will be performed and broadcast live in San Francisco on March 11.