We the People is a 2021 American animated educational musical limited-run television series aiming to teach kids about civics. Each episode is a 4-5 minute animated music video by a popular performer. Created by Chris Nee, who executive produced it with Kenya Barris and Barack & Michelle Obama, the series premiered on July 4, 2021 on Netflix.
Episodes
Production
We the People was conceived by Chris Nee at a dinner party in Los Angeles, California in November 2018. Nee cites Schoolhouse Rock! as one of the most significant inspirations for the series. H.E.R. described working alongside the Obamas on the series as a "life-changing" experience.
Release We the People was released on Netflix on July 4, 2021.
Reception The series received a mixed reception. Caroline Framke of Variety described the series as "well-meaning", but "not especially illuminating in the way it would like to be". Ashley Moulton of Common Sense Media called the series "Modern Schoolhouse Rock" and argued it "makes great bops from U.S. civics." She also said that the videos are "generally non-partisan, but [that] some of the content leans slightly left" and called it a "superlative effort from a diverse group of talented creators."
The series was nominated for a GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Children's Programming.
Accolades Year Award Category Nominee(s) Result Hollywood Music in Media Awards Best Original Song in a TV Show/Limited Series "Change" – H.E.R., Ronald Colson, Jeff Gitelman, David Harris, and Maxx Moore Annie Awards Best Animated Television Production for Children We the People (Episode: "Active Citizenship") – Laughing Wild, Higher Ground Productions, and Netflix Outstanding Achievement for Character Animation in an Animated Television / Broadcast Production We the People (Episode: "Active Citizenship") – Stephen Loveluck Children's and Family Emmy Awards Outstanding Short Form Program Kenya Barris, Antonio Canobbio, Nick Carmen, Tonia Davis, Ben Kalina, Joe Nash, Chris Nee, Barack Obama, Michelle Obama, Chris Prynoski, Shannon Prynoski, Emily Ricard, Priya Swaminathan, Justin Harris, Billy Mack, Ada Chiaghana, Will Feng, Jess Pierik, Erynn Sampson, Peedee Shindell, Tim Rauch, Benjy Brook, Everett Downing, Trisha Gum, Daron Nefcy, Jorge R. Gutierrez, Peter Ramsey, Kendra Ryan, Victoria Vincent, Mabel Ye, Kristen Anderson-Lopez, Andra Day, H.E.R., Denzel Michael-Akil Baptiste, Brandi Carlile, Ronald Colson, Cordae Dunston, Oak Felder, Jeff Gitelman, Amanda Gorman, Kay Hanley, David Harris, Kyle Harvey, Nathaniel Irvin, III, Scott Krippayne, Michelle Lewis, Robert Lopez, David Charles Marshall Biral, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Maxx Moore, Janelle Monáe Robinson, Daniel Petty, Michael "Smidi" Smith, and Tim van Berkestijn GLAAD Media Awards Outstanding Children's Programming We The People Guild of Music Supervisors Awards Best Song Written and/or Recorded for Television "Change" (Episode: "Active Citizenship") – Ronald Colson, Jeff Gitelman, David Harris, Maxx Moore, Gabriella Wilson, and Jen Ross NAACP Image Awards Outstanding Animated Series We the People
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