Sometimes an event happens on a local, national, or international scale that inspires us to get up and scream about it, cry about it, speak our personal truth about it. On August 5, First Person Arts launched a brand new program to harness that energy- Philly reACTS. This new public performance program creates an artistic forum for responding to major current events. Our inaugural event, The Heart Beneath the Hood, brought close to 300 people together at Philadelphia's City Hall in an artistic response to the death of Trayvon Martin and the trial of his killer. The event featured an address by Mayor Michael Nutter, live performances, and the creation of an American flag made entirely out of donated hoodies. We asked the attendees why they attended The Heart Beneath the Hood. This piece features some of what they had to say.

Philly reACTS: The Heart Beneath the Hood was held in partnership with the Office of Mayor Michael A. Nutter, Red Tettemer O’Connell + Partners, and is made possible with funding from the Heritage Program of Philadelphia, part of the Pew Center for Arts and Heritage, and the City of Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority.

This piece was produced by Nick Gilewicz. For more on Philly reACTS and the other First Person Arts’ programs, visit our website at www.firstpersonarts.org.