Funny, angry and profound, RACE IS THE PLACE is a visual and verbal riff on race in America from a wide variety of artists, poets, rappers, performance artists and stand-up comics. Featuring established artists as well as up-and-comers, RACE IS THE PLACE is a one-hour jam that combines racially charged clips from old movies with interviews and performances. These pieces dare to examine one of the most emotionally explosive issues in American life, busting stereotypes by using humor and poetry to say things traditionally left unsaid.

From a hilarious bit by comic Ahmed Ahmed on the joys of flying as an Arab American, to Danny Hoch's biting monologue about a harassed Bronx street vendor, to Hawaiian poet Haunani-Kay Trask's angry meditation on American imperialism, to Kate Rigg's “Rice Rice Baby,” a funny and explosive rap about the stereotyping of Asian women, RACE IS THE PLACE yanks off the muzzle of political correctness to speak the often-ugly truths that lie beneath the rosy talk of "multiculturalism" and "diversity."

RACE IS THE PLACE also features the work of visual artists, including Michael Ray Charles, Ben Sakoguchi, Enrique Chagoya, Betye Saar, Faith Ringgold and Paula de Joie. The original soundtrack was composed by Jon Jang and Wayne Wallace and performed by them and a group of multicultural musicians. Produced by Raymond Telles and Rick Tejada-Flores (The Fight in the Fields), RACE IS THE PLACE casts a light on what it means to be a minority American in a time of many different Americas.

Race is the Place, which aired originally on Independent Lens, is a production of Paradigm Productions and KERA Dallas, in association with the Independent Television Service. Funding was provided by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, Latino Public Broadcasting, National Asian American Television Service, National Black Programming Consortium, Pacific Islanders in Communication and Native American Public Television.