I think the Patti Pace festival was a really incredible way to showcase the use of performance as a way to protest and push for social justice. Upon centering around topics of racial discrimination, white supremacy, identity politics, and the historical social events that have gained immense traction since the summer of 2020, it was great that the festival showcased the perspectives and artistry of people who have true lived experience with the topics discussed.
I especially liked Javan Johnson's poetry from his publication 'Ain't Never Not Been Black,' and I actually went on to purchase this book because I wanted to read more from him. I was really moved by his poem called 'America,' in which Johnson writes about the history of Black people, but powerfully replaces the words 'Black people' with the word 'America' throughout the entire poem. He points out the destruction America has caused Black people, and how that destruction became and continues to dominate 'American' history and culture. And by doing so, he makes the point that the history of America is inextricably intertwined with the Black population and that 'America' could not exist without it. In the line 'And when Black people-/I mean, America has had enough/We will burn this motherfucker down,' Johnson is saying that Black people are America, that America was, and is still reliant upon the Black population.
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