Brian Laird on WNYC. So here's one impact of the Trump administration's version of

nationalism and its marginalization of the Smithsonian Institution that hasn't been reported on very much.

The New York Times had this headline back in February,

Smithsonian Folklife Festival gives way to Trump's Patriotic Fair.

It said the summer festival held annually since 1967,

will not take place as usual on the National Mall, which will instead host

the president's Great American State Fair, as it's called. So the Smithsonian announced that this

summer, for the 200th anniversary of American Independence, it will take its festival on the road to

communities across the country and in three

U.S. territories, that according to the New York Times. Well, here in New York, that on the road edition

of the Smithsonian Folklife Festival will be something called the People's Poetry Project.

It'll take place in a variety of venues around the city and also include what the curators call a Poemobile that will travel around the five boroughs.

Joining me now, two of the lead curators for the People's Poetry Festival, Bob Holman and Steve Zaitland.

We will also talk in this segment and invite your contributions to another project of theirs, their forthcoming book,

called Across the Great Divides, a search for poetry, soul, and understanding in a divided

nation. Joining me now on both of these projects are Steve Zitland, founding director of the New York

Cultural Group City Law and Bob Holman, poet, filmmaker, and

proprietor of the Bowery Poetry Club. Stephen, Bob, always great to have you on the show. Welcome

back to WNYC. Thanks for having us. It's wonderful to be here. You're a great, Brian. I want to talk

about your book project first to invite the listeners to participate,

then we'll get to the People's Poetry Project First.

Congratulations on getting an actual publisher since you were last here,

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