Forget Me Not, America

written by Josie Seid

Forget Me Not, America is a FREE video. 

“We continue to rise to the occasion; despite the oppression, we continue to fight for this nation. And yet we remain. Standing in the place of faith and reflecting once again on those contributions of the past as we add more names to the narrative. Lead the way to our brighter future, hope and grace.” – by Josie Seid

Forget Me Not America is an audio recording of a living poem that goes on an emotional ride through American history and centers on Black Americans. From Seid, “It is a journey that travels through pain and strength, frustration and hope, as it crafts a map of the African American experience in this country.”

“Forget Me Not America was born of a request by a friend to create something for her Black history program at work when I was 19. Consider that. I was 19 years old when it occurred to me that people of African descent were being left out of the narrative of those who had built this country and changed it for the better. I sought to tell those stories in short form. Snippets of history, highlighting figures that were familiar, and purposefully unnamed. It was my goal to remind and encourage the listener to not only reflect on the contributions of those memorialized in the rhymes but to also imagine their own contributions adding to the fabric of this nation in years to come. Over the years, I added stanzas for moments and memories for those who inspired me.”