“Can things move forward even between two people? If you have two people in the room, who claim they want to have the talk, they want to try and make things work, how do they do that? That’s a real question, not an intellectual exercise for me.”
- Claudia Rankine

Citizen Read was a series of dynamic events co-produced by ArtsEmerson and American Repertory Theater to activate a public dialogue on race and identity in America.

Citizen Read discussions kicked off in January and more than 1300 area residents from over 80 groups participated. Citizen Read included facilitated conversations of Rankine's 2014 New York Times bestselling book of poetry Citizen: An American Lyric in book clubs throughout Boston and Cambridge, a conversation featuring Claudia Rankine and book club participants, and an opportunity to attend the world premiere of Rankine’s new play, The White Card in March.

PROJECT TIMELINE