My professional callings have focused on four primary themes: music, community, education and connection. I have worked as a public school music teacher, served as a music minister at various churches, founded and served as artistic director of two large non-auditioned, multicultural, interfaith community choruses and led worship for thousands. I have run music programs for special needs children and adults, and I have had the privilege of singing at both births and deaths. All of this work has brought awareness of the lenses we see through and the assumptions we make about ourselves and one another. All this work – in one way or another – has led to creating stronger and more vulnerable connections among individuals and communities through music.

I met my co-founder Charles while serving as Director of Music Ministries at a large church just outside of Washington, D.C. At the time, Charles’s relationship with the church was as a guest musician. From the moment we met we had an immediate and special relationship, and knew that we wanted to create opportunities for deeper and more intentional work together. We each had an understanding of the bridge that music and singing can serve when working with diverse communities, and through our work together created multiple, highly successful collaborations. We knew we were on a lifelong journey to spread what the two of us saw and knew so clearly.

When Charles passed away suddenly in December 2021, I was heartbroken and left with a difficult decision: should I abandon our goal to connect the world using music or do I grieve and persevere with the lofty mission Charles and I set out to achieve? I decided that continuing along our charted path was the only proper way I knew how to honor Charles’ legacy.

Some of you are trained singers, and some of you are strictly car or shower soloists. Some of you were tapped on the shoulder by your third grade teacher and told to ”just mouth the words, dear” and haven’t sung since. Regardless of our experience, each of us has our own unique voice, and I believe our voices serve as the sound of our souls. When we sing together – regardless of our experience, we learn to listen to and honor ourselves and others in new ways. Through these transformational moments, we create opportunities for more equitable, inclusive, diverse and dynamic relationship and communities.

When we sing, we change who we are, and when we change who we are, we change the world. We need EVERY voice as a thread in this sound tapestry, and we need EACH voice in the room. When we learn to create space for this to happen, we are creating harmony from dissonance. One community at a time. One relationship at a time. One voice at a time.