In July 2020, we collaborated with award-winning Black trans poet and LGBTQ activist Lee Mokobe on Surviving Blackness – a spoken word poem and video calling for support of Black Lives Matter.
In a continuous commitment to amplify Black artists’ voices, for the video Fine Acts used fonts by Vocal Type — a protest type foundry uplifting creatives of colour.
@LeeMokobe – an award-winning #blacktrans slam poet and #LGBTQ activist - teamed up with @fine_acts'
— ColumbiaSchoolofArts (@ColumbiaSOA) July 16, 2020
Pavel Kounchev, a former Columbia @ObamaFoundation Scholar, to create "Surviving Blackness" a dynamic video with a powerful message. https://t.co/v8QCQcqeBm
Surviving Blackness – stirring spoken-word poem by slam poet, trans man of color, and #TEDFellow @LeeMokobe, commissioned by @Fine_Acts, a mighty force of art-driven justice in this world https://t.co/BXQsQ9dyCq
— Maria Popova (@brainpicker) July 29, 2020
The project was launched in mid-July, and already has over 50 000 views across platforms. It was widely shared by Black and Trans activists alike.
Injustice is not to be navigated, but to be fought. I encourage you to not just listen, but HEAR 'Surviving Blackness', a spoken word poem by Lee Mokobe (@LeeMokobe) for Fine Acts (@fine_acts). https://t.co/kNAZMx4yaM
— Peppermint (@Peppermint247) July 27, 2020
We’ve got a lot of love for this poem by Lee Mokobe:
— Trans Actual (@TransActualUK) July 24, 2020
Surviving Blackness:https://t.co/pN2eCA0MPA@fine_acts#BlackTransLivesMatter