Secret Lives of Americans

Thousands of people hold onto life-altering secrets every day " many of which shed light on greater issues plaguing this country. Gut wrenching and all consuming, these secrets have drastic, permanent repercussions if revealed. But at a certain point, they become too big to hold onto. The reveals are illuminating. There's no going back. And for the first time, these intimate moments are captured in the most intimate way. Secret Lives of Americans is a groundbreaking format that takes an unflinching look at people's lives as they expose their powerful secrets to friends, family, significant others, co-workers, teachers, and mentors " the most influential people in their lives. This is their confession, their story to tell, so using cameras, cell phones, and laptops; they'll document the reveals and fallout themselves. With access that a camera crew would find impossible, we'll immerse ourselves in their lives as they hit the record button or pass the camera to their most trusted friend to capture the action. And as their journey unfolds, viewers come to understand their story within the context of a greater social issue. A Muslim woman, who has been hiding her religion and culture from the world since 9/11, reflects upon current affairs in our nation. A mother who secretly never learned how to read reminds audiences that illiteracy is still an issue to be remedied even in present day. Each story is illuminated with archival, documentary, and news footage that illustrates the bigger picture in present America. Through these personal stories, we will shed light on the pressing issue of the day. Viewers come away from each episode moved and informed, seeing a significant issue played out at a micro level. From the most spine-tingling to the most heart-warming moments you could imagine, each episode's subject captures their own story as they come clean and move forward.