It’s almost time for Amend: The Fight for America to debut on Netflix and theGrio has a sneak peek of what’s in store on the docuseries from Will Smith and Larry Wilmore.
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Here’s the official synopsis:
Amend: The Fight for America is a six-part docuseries that explores the Fourteenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution – which, in 1868, promised liberty and equal protection for all persons – as America’s most enduring hallmark of democracy. Amend deploys a groundbreaking narrative format featuring a number of luminaries (Mahershala Ali, Diane Lane, Samuel L. Jackson, Pedro Pascal, Yara Shahidi, and more) breathing life into speeches and writings by the Fourteenth Amendment’s most ardent advocates and foes (including Frederick Douglass, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and Andrew Johnson) with insights from an inclusive array of contemporary thought leaders and experts.
“I am honored to present Amend: The Fight for America. We are living in unprecedented days as a society, as a country, and as a human family,” Will Smith said in a statement. “I believe that the cultivation of personal and historical understanding is the imperative spark igniting the flames of desperately needed compassion and healing. As Americans, we endeavor to form a more perfect union that truly establishes justice and equality for all. I believe a deeper understanding of the 14th Amendment is a critical jumping off point.”
“Our hope with this series is to illuminate the beauty that is the promise of America and to share a message of connection and shared humanity so that we will be able to better understand and celebrate our different experiences as Americans and promote progress toward the true equality promised to all persons under the 14th Amendment. I’m grateful to Netflix and the phenomenal group of people who came together both in front of and behind the camera to help us tell this story.”
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The show will also showcase some of our most inspiring thought leaders, including Sherrilyn Ifill, Bryan Stevenson, David Blight, Vanita Gupta, Kimberlé Crenshaw, Dr. Khalil Muhammad, and Garrett Epps.
Check out this exclusive clip of the powerful series, featuring Brittany Packnett Cunningham discussing forms of protest:
Amend: The Fight for America premieres February 17 on Netflix.
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