Netflix has partnered up with former President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama’s Higher Ground Productions to create the new animated series “We the People.”
“This series of ten animated music videos brings musicians and directors together to remix civics for a new generation,” a description for the show’s trailer reads.
The 10-episode series will feature original songs performed by some of music’s biggest stars, including H.E.R., Janelle Monae, Brandi Carlile, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Adam Lambert, Cordae, Bebe Rexha, KYLE, Andra Day and poet Amanda Gorman.
Each three-minute installment will aim to put a spin on teaching civics to today’s younger generation by combining unique, catchy music and exuberant, colorful animation in a way not unlike the older animated series Schoolhouse Rock!, which taught children about their basic American rights and civil processes through educational songs like “I’m Just A Bill,” “The Great American Melting Pot,” and “Tyrannosaurus Debt” and aired for nearly 30 years from 1973-2002.
“We The People” was created by Chris Nee of the popular Disney children’s show Doc McStuffins and executive produced by Tonia Davis, Priya Swaminthan and Kenya Barris along with the Obamas through their company Higher Ground Productions.
Previously, Higher Ground Productions has worked on the documentaries American Factory, Crip Camp, and Becoming, along with the 2020 children’s series Waffles + Mochi.
Other producers include Ada Chiaghana, Erynn Sampson, and PeeDee Shindell. Each episode in the series has a different director. Peter Ramsey, Trisha Gum, Victoria Vincent, Benjy Brooke, Mabel Ye, Tim Rauch, Jorge R. Gutierrez, Daron Nefcy, Everett Downing, and Kendra Ryan served as directors on the series.
“We The People” will premiere at a free screening in the DOCS Talks section of the AFI DOCS film festival on June 24, before premiering on Netflix July 4. The official trailer for the series was released on June 2, watch it above.
