WEBVTT

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[Carrie Mae Weems: "Grace Notes: Reflections for Now"]

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[WEEMS] You write something

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not because you have the answer.

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You write something because you know that

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you need to work through it.

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[MAN] Commemorating every black man

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who lives to see twenty-one.

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Commemorating...

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[WOMAN] Trevon Martin.

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[MAN] Michael Brown.

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[WOMAN] Eric Garner.

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[WEEMS] Well, what is this piece?

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And then I thought, oh well, really

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this piece is very much like Antigone, isn't it?

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There are only, like, ten stories in the world

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that we keep coming back to.

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And I thought, this is really

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the story of a woman--of a community--

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that is trying to figure out how to

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bury her brothers.

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And they're denying her the right to do that.

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Because they're denying that it has even happened.

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Or that it warrants our attention.

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And she’s saying, "I'm going to bury him,"

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"I'm going to bury him right."

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[WOMAN] The woman tells the people

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that the bright light of history

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is now shining down on them--

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on you, on me,

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exposed now.

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All things are unavoidable.

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In shame, some will turn away.

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But the crime remains.

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The age of innocence has passed

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and we are now responsible

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for our own future.

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[WEEMS] The thing to me

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that is remarkable about our history--

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about who we are,

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about how we have conducted ourselves

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in the onslaught of history--

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has been to maintain the core of our dignity.

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Our ability to still sort of evoke and offer

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and to give that generosity--

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to share it with others--

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is one of our greatest strengths.

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And to me, that is really the ultimate call
of grace.

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[WOMAN, SINGING "AMAZING GRACE"]

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♪ 'Twas grace that taught my soul to feel ♪

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♪ and grace ♪

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♪ my fears relieved. ♪

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[WOMAN] But I think we don't often try to

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make sure we are saving grace for ourselves.

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We just give it all away.

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Just forgive.

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Why we always got to goddamn forgive so quick?

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[WEEMS] Yes!

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[WOMAN] I'm not saying we shouldn't forgive.

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But why does it always got to be,

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like, the mandate?

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[WEEMS] That's right.

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What about this self protection thing?

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[WOMAN, SINGING "AMAZING GRACE"]

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♪ ...did that grace appears... ♪

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[WEEMS] It's like the contradiction of it all,

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you know?

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That yes, you give--

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you're responsible--

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but you must take care of yourself, you know?

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But you can't only be selfish.

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So you're constantly trying to figure out

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where the balances are in your life

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and in your work and in your love

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so then you can move forward.

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[WOMAN] I saw him running.

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I saw him stop.

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I saw him turn with raised hands.

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I heard a shot.

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I saw him fall.

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[WOMEN, TOGETHER] For reasons unknown.

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[WOMAN] Rejecting my own knowledge,

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I deceived myself,

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refusing to believe that this was possible.

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How do you measure a life?

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[CAST, TOGETHER] How do you measure a life?

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An ode to life.

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Every man, every woman

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deserves to live the full length

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of their natural lives.

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--[WEEMS] You each have very unique voices

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and very unique ways of articulating.

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And I think that there's something about that,

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that I don’t want to lose.

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[WOMAN] I love, personally, that you want to know

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who I am in it.

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I just look forward to improvising,
the three of us.

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[WOMEN, SINGING]

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♪ Trust. ♪

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[WEEMS] I am deeply aware of the stress--

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you know, the stress that's put
on our community,

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the stress that's put on black women,

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the stress that's put on black men.

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I mean it's not...
it's not a play.

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It's really, you know,

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this battle.

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[MAN, SHOUTING]
1-9-0-6!

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[SOUND OF FEET STOMPING AND HAND CLAPPING]

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[MAN, SHOUTING]
A-PHI-A-STEP!

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[SOUND OF FEET STOMPING AND HAND CLAPPING]

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[WEEMS] As long as it's authentic.

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If it comes from an authentic place

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[CAST] Always stopped.

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--[WEEMS] and concern,

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[CAST] Always charged.

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--[WEEMS] then you can't do any better than that.

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You know, like
I'm not making something because it's fun.

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I'm not trying to figure out how to be entertaining.

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[WOMEN TOGETHER] Some said,
[WOMAN] "He can’t be helped."

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[WOMEN TOGETHER] Some said,
[WOMAN] "Try."

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--[WEEMS] And so that gets you some place else,

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you know, just sort of gets you to another

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place and space of consideration and possibility.

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[WOMAN #1] The numbers tell the story.

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[WOMAN #2] She was 25.

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[WOMAN #1] He was a father.

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[WOMAN #3] He was 22.

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[WOMAN #1] A brother.

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[WOMAN #2] She was 31.

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[ALL SPEAKING TOGETHER]

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[WEEMS] If our audience

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can leave with the sense of question--

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that they have really engaged with something

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deep for themselves;

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and that they know that it's serious,

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but there is still some glimmer;

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and that they can wake up the next day
and think about that--

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then I'm alright.