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An intellectually and artistically engaging evening designed to bring people together to reflect on…
What Does DEMOCRACY Look Like?

Michael Franti & Spearhead
Internationally acclaimed hip-hop/funk/soul band sharing their socially and politically conscious lyrics designed to remind us to "Stay Human," the title of their current tour.
www.spearheadvibrations.com

Judith F. Baca
Internationally acclaimed visual artist known for her public murals and social and community activism – fall 2002 Montgomery Endowment Fellow.
www.sparcmurals.org

Every single soul is a poem written on the back of God's hand.
Michael Franti

In short, we seek to produce public art that includes the multiple perspectives of the people who inhabit public space by creating sites of public memory.
Judy F. Baca

Judy Baca took to the podium and in a fantastic multi-media presentation shared her art and her role as an important visual
artist, historian and social and community activist. As she spoke to the audience, who were sitting collectively on the floor, images of her murals were projected onto two large screens. She gave an emotionally and intellectually stimulating talk; some audience members were moved to tears and all to inspiration and recognition of our interconnected histories and stories. Judy said: "Murals are pulpits: What you say in the pulpit is different from what you say to an intimate. Next, you must consider their scale. Scale is about amplifying the voice, about making it the voice of people who were excluded from history."

Judy Baca’s bio reads: "As a visual artist, Judith Baca is best known for her large scale public murals. This art involves extensive community organizing and participation and addresses multi-cultural audiences. In the internationally known "Great Wall of Los Angeles" mural in the Tujunga Wash Flood Control Channel, Baca designed a work which incorporated 40 ethnic scholars, 450 multi-cultural neighborhood youth, 40 assisting artists and over 100 support staff to paint a half mile long mural on the ethnic history of California." This Dartmouth audience was privileged to witness an important example of community activism and art.

With lead singer Michael Franti, Spearhead proceeded to throw out a two-hour set that had the entire crowd on their feet dancing and singing. Some students and even Judy Baca joined Michael Franti on stage during the show! They played a variety of songs, many of which came off their new album "Stay Human." The renditions of "Sometimes" and the title track "Stay Human" (all the freaky people make the beauty of the world) were especially rousing. Michael Franti’s lyrics ranged from hip to social to political to inspiring.

"Do Ya Love" (a sampling of lyrics by M. Franti)
So many times, people turn they backs to you
'cause they don’t wanna see, what’s inside you
'cause lookin’ inside of you
they might realize there’s something inside of them
they might not wanna find

But it ain’t about who ya love (who ya love)
See it’s all about do ya love (do ya love)…

During the show a series of activist displays were set up in the Top of the Hop by the various organizations. The Greens, Amnesty International and the Office of Asian and Asian American Student Advising all had booths set up, portraying both the tenets of their organizations and the diversity, peace, social activism, and human rights campaigns they were running.
After the show, there was a small gathering at the Tucker Foundation, where 30 students had a face-to-face talk with Michael Franti about himself and about the challenges and successes he’s found as an artist addressing issues such as homophobia, the death penalty, and violence. His inspiring words closed the night with a warm sense of intellectualism and community.

Funding and creative support was provided by the Rockefeller Center, the Tucker Foundation, the Dean of the College, the Office of Institutional Diversity and Equity, the Montgomery Endowment, Bildner Endowment, Advisors and Directors in the Office of the Associate Dean of Student Life for Leadership and Pluralism, the Dartmouth Greens, the Programming Board, and Amnesty International at Dartmouth.