In partnership with South Seattle Emerald, Town Hall presents our podcast residency, Life on the Margins. Using our Artist/Scholar in Residence platform, we’re lifting up three local voices—co-hosts Marcus Harrison Green, Enrique Cerna, and Jini Palmer share stories not just about marginalized communities, but from within, and alongside them.

As we mark July 4 and celebrate our nation’s independence, the state of our union is in flux. Communities of color have been hit hard by the deadly Covid-19 pandemic, a public health and economic crisis. There is a generational shift in the fight against racism and in support of police accountability. It is an election year with the presidency and the direction of the country on the line. And yet, there is hope that our democracy will still prevail as we long for better days.

On this special “live” edition of Life on the Margins from Town Hall Seattle, we are joined by special guests Ijeoma Oluo and Dr. Julian Perez to discuss the challenges and opportunities for “We the People” in this turbulent time. We examine the public health racial disparities revealed by the coronavirus crisis as well as a confounding political debate over wearing a mask to curb the spread of the virus. We also look at race and the Black Lives Matter movement as we come to grips with a pandemic of racism, America’s original sin. We are also joined by two spoken word artists, Jessica Rycheal and Naa Akua.

Presented by Town Hall Seattle and The South Seattle Emerald