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We Are America is a track by Esperanza Spalding made available as a video stream on her Vimeo account. The video was posted on 13 November 2013 as the first video on the account, but the account and the video were not mentioned publicly until 18 November 2013. According to a blog posted by co-writer Chris Turner, Prince co-wrote the track and also co-produced it.
The song and video call for the closing of the controversial Guantanamo Bay detention camp, and the video contains several written quotes from government and military leaders supporting its closure.
Though not appearing on the song, Stevie Wonder, Janelle Monáe, Savion Glover and Harry Belafonte all appear in the video holding handwritten signs supporting the camp’s closure. Prince does not appear in the video, however.
The video’s announcement came the day before a Senate vote on loosening restrictions to transfer prisoners (which could ultimately lead to the camp’s closure), and urged viewers to call legislators and get informed through Amnesty International and Human Rights First. The vote passed to loosen restrictions, with more votes to follow in later months.
It is assumed that the track was recorded in Autumn 2013, although this has not been confirmed. It is not known if the track is intended for inclusion on a future project, but given the topical activist nature of the track, it is likely that other releases are not intended.
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