The American Voices Documentary: Crisis, Inequality, and Empathy in the U.S.

Documenting a Nation in Crisis

The video American Voices: A Nation in Turmoil was developed when the U.S. grappled with the COVID-19 pandemic and a highly charged presidential contest. The health crisis was quickly spreading across the country amid elevated political tension and division never experienced before between the Democrats and the Republicans (Shum, 2020). The video was created across twelve states in the U. S., involving several cinematographers drawn from across the country. The documentary aimed to capture Americans’ wide views and sentiments as the world encountered a sudden and dramatic change. The film covered the post-election period by detailing Americans’ fears and hopes.

Healthcare Inequality and the Impact of COVID-19

The documentary revealed different social policy concerns in the county. In particular, it highlighted the U.S. healthcare challenges even as the citizens struggled through the COVID-19 pandemic. For a long time, the U.S. has struggled to provide all Americans access to quality and affordable healthcare services. The U.S. is considered to have a high cost of medical care, which creates a barrier for many people to access critical services, leading to poor health outcomes.

The problem could not be any worse during the coronavirus pandemic, and the video sought to document the American experience. The country was not just battling healthcare issues, but it also faced deepening social divisions due to racial inequality and discrimination. There were sharp divisions following the summer killing of George Floyd by the police. His death underscored the major struggles that people of color had to put up with due to systemic racial discrimination.

Political Turmoil and the Call for Empathy

Another key feature of the video involves the American political institution. The 2020 presidential elections drew worldwide attention due to the policies adopted under the Trump administration’s first term. The campaigns were characterized by fierce competition between Donald Trump and Joe Biden, a former Vice President under the Obama administration.

The country was expecting fresh leadership, as many people had expressed concern regarding the country’s future. The video teaches the value of reflection and promotes empathy and understanding among people from different backgrounds and experiences. It may also inspire viewers to take action to address social policy concerns and help guide future generations.

References

Shum, M. (2020). American voices: A nation in turmoil [Film]. Mike Shum Productions LLC.

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StudyCorgi. (2025) 'The American Voices Documentary: Crisis, Inequality, and Empathy in the U.S'. 1 August.

1. StudyCorgi. "The American Voices Documentary: Crisis, Inequality, and Empathy in the U.S." August 1, 2025. https://studycorgi.com/the-american-voices-documentary-crisis-inequality-and-empathy-in-the-u-s/.


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StudyCorgi. "The American Voices Documentary: Crisis, Inequality, and Empathy in the U.S." August 1, 2025. https://studycorgi.com/the-american-voices-documentary-crisis-inequality-and-empathy-in-the-u-s/.

References

StudyCorgi. 2025. "The American Voices Documentary: Crisis, Inequality, and Empathy in the U.S." August 1, 2025. https://studycorgi.com/the-american-voices-documentary-crisis-inequality-and-empathy-in-the-u-s/.

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