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Interview with Sekou Sundiata

Sekou Sundiata (1948–2007), an internationally renowned spoken word artist, activist, and teacher, came of age during the Black Arts movement of the 1960s and 1970s. His final performance project, 51st (Dream) State, responded to the September 11 attacks in New York through a multi-media presentation exploring the relationship between individual and national identity. Sundiata performed the piece in tandem with the American Project, which generated critical conversations in public gatherings that contemplated America's guiding mythologies in a quest to envision what it would mean to be a world citizen. Sundiata gave a keynote address at the 2007 Pedagogy and Theatre of the Oppressed conference, focused on what it means to a citizen. Minneapolis-based community radio KFAI featured an interview with Sundiata by station director Janis Lane-Ewart on the day of his keynote. Sundiata passed away soon after his visit to Minneapolis and this transcript documents the final public presentation of his ideas regarding citizenship and performance.