Ben Jealous published "Never Forget Our People Were Always Free: A Parable of American Healing" in 2023. Across the memoir's twenty plus chapters, Jealous shares his experiences on the interconnected nature of coalition building, systemic change, and our collective liberation from systems of oppression and discrimination.
“We can be that “perfect example of the unity and dignity of the human family” that Frederick Douglass envisioned a century and a half ago. We’ve already achieved it in music in so many ways. And not just in bluegrass but in rock ‘n’ roll, sou, R&B, country, and jazz. The music that defines our nation, all of it, is gospel, which is the harmony of all of us—of all of our traditions. A piano here, a banjo there, a West African rhythm here, a European melody there, all blended together. Hints of Asia and other places woven through. Native American drums. Jewish klezmer. It’s al right there. But first we have to start by listening to one another.” Inspired by visible mending traditions across cultures, this pack honors the idea that our greatest creations emerge not from separation, but from collaboration."
