“State of the People” POWER Tour Comes to Newark: A Call to Action for Black Liberation, Community Healing, and Collective Power

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Media Contact: Desiree Peterkin Bell, 646-489-1620

comms@stateoftheppl.com

Newark convening to feature Angela Rye, Newark Mayor Ras J. Baraka, Newark Poet Laureate Mia X, Tamika D. Mallory, Mixed Media Artist Sharaya J and more special guests to be named.

Newark, NJ — May 7, 2025–On Tuesday, May 13, the city of Newark, a beacon of resilience, resistance, and renewal, will host the State of the People POWER Tour at the iconic Symphony Hall. This multi-city, national campaign—led by a diverse coalition of organizers, educators, activists, artists, and everyday people—is not just an event. It is a movement grounded in care, culture, and strategy. The State of the People Power Tour is uniting cities across the country with one shared purpose—to co-create a future rooted in self-determination, love, and liberation. 

Long a frontline city in the fight for justice, the day will feature immersive programming including panels, workshops, a town hall, service activations, and a dynamic community rally featuring speakers, music, and movement-building. Workshops will include: workforce development, arts as activism, protecting Social Security and Medicare, financial empowerment and more. At the heart of it all is a shared belief: our people already hold the solutions—we just need to come together. Citizens of Newark know they are not building something new from scratch but strengthening what they already have—each other.

The rich cultural legacy and deep roots in the city’s history of artistic expression and engagement make Newark Symphony Hall the perfect venue for this day. As New Jersey’s oldest and largest Black-led arts and entertainment venue, Symphony Hall has long served as a cornerstone for cultural innovation and community empowerment. Its grand stage has hosted generations of legendary performers, civil rights leaders, and local visionaries, making it an ideal setting to amplify the voices and stories of the people. Centrally located in the heart of Newark, the venue is more than a performance space—it is a symbol of resilience, pride, and the transformative power of the arts to inspire collective action and unity.

NOTE: Members of the public are encouraged to register online at stateoftheppl.com.

EVENT DETAILS:

WHAT: State of the People POWER Tour - Newark

WHEN: Tuesday, May 13, 2025, 9:00AM - 7:00PM EST 

WHERE: Newark Symphony Hall, 1020 Broad Street 

RSVP: Media are encouraged to RSVP: HERE 

SCHEDULE HIGHLIGHTS

9:00am - 10:00am Opening Plenary

10:15am - 1:15pm Workshops (topics include but are not limited to Workforce Development, Art as Activism, Social Security/Medicare, Coalition Building, Financial Empowerment and more)

1:15pm Box Lunch Pick-Up

1:30 pm - 2:30pm Town Hall, Setting a Path for the Future – A Way Forward 

2:30pm - 3:45pm Outdoor DJ with food trucks. Community service activation which includes food distribution and tree planting.

4:00pm - 7:00pm Community Rally with speakers, and entertainment

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About State of the People: The State of the People Tour is a nonpartisan, people-centered movement. It’s not about left or right—it’s about what’s right for our people. It’s about mobilizing communities, building bridges across issues, and fueling a future where everyone thrives. The State of the People POWER Tour is far more than an event — but an evolution. A national, multi-city campaign designed to connect our communities, co-create shared agendas, and strengthen long-term Black power. This is our answer to fragmentation and despair: a rising rooted in care, strategy, and self-determination. Together, we declare — we are the architects of our future.

To learn more, visit: www.stateoftheppl.com