A Word from Allan: America, You’re Beautiful

In June of 2020, during the weeks of national outcry and mourning following the death of George Floyd, Bridge reconnected with The Poet Life to brainstorm a project that would respectfully respond to this tragedy. You may recall that Bridge and The Poet Life collaborated in our sanctuary to present The Little Match Girl Passion last January, before the pandemic. Photos of that event remain on the bulletin board by the church office, and with every week that passes, I’m reminded of how much time has passed since our last gathering.

Over the course of eight months, the creative team set out to meaningfully contribute to the movement to protect black lives, and amplify the voice of a black artist. We commissioned Nina Brewton to write a poem, which expresses the complicated relationship she and many Black citizens have with America. West coast composer Scot Hanna-Weir wrote a wordless soundtrack designed solely to support Brewton’s poetry, which Bridge recorded remotely from home studios. The poem and underlying musical score both draw inspiration from “America, the Beautiful”. The end result is a 7-minute short film—a love letter to America that contemplates its dark past and suggests a way forward through light, love, and empathy. 

Visit aybfilm.com to find the full text of the poem, and resources for taking action.

The artists take you behind the scenes and discuss how the project came to be.