Singing, Climate Action & Social Justice

Ah, the crisp fall air has arrived and so has the promise of new beginnings for many children and families. This is a time that invites new routines, and with that comes the opportunity to explore new ideas, too. In the spirit of the season, I want to share with you some ideas I am brewing on as I consider the importance of bringing singing into my days ahead.  I hope this post may inspire you to also bring more singing into your new routines and adventures!

The first idea I am thinking about is one that was shared with me years ago when I had the opportunity to hear a lecture by Venezuelan educator, musician, and activist José Antonio Abreu, founder of El Sistema.  He shared his idea that when we sing together, we actively participate in creating something beautiful together.  It is a simple idea, and yet a powerful and important one to consider.

His idea connects with a couple of the main ideas I took from recently reading Not Too Late: Changing the Climate Story from Despair to Possibility, edited by Rebecca Solnit & Thelma Young-Lutunatabua.  From this anthology, which is a collection of articles written by climate action and social justice leaders from all over the world, my key takeaways were:

• The work we need to do is rooted in community and in collaborating.
• We create the future every day with the decisions we make, and it is ours to envision, collaborate and create.

We are in a time on our planet where we need to come together to envision and create new ways to take care of the Earth and of each other. Putting together the idea of José Antonio Abreu and the ideas from the anthology, it seems evident to me that singing together offers a practical experience of our capacity to build community, collaborate and create.  It also shines light on our potential to bring community, collaboration and creation to other facets of our lives, including climate action and social justice. 

Singing together can support us in coming together and creating a future where we take better care of our Earth and each other. For me, this is a key aspect of what inspires and motivates me to sing with children and families.

Are you feeling inspired and motivated, too?!  If so, I have some resources to share with you to support you in bringing more singing into your days, and to further explore the benefits of signing with children:

• Consider joining my newly established Patreon account.  Here I will be sharing resources throughout the year, and will also be creating space for community to gather and to continue to explore and learn together about the benefits of singing towards climate action and social change.
• Check out the “Songs” tab on my website, and go through the songs posted.  Each song I have posted has an accompanying blog post that is filled with ideas to use the songs with children!

I’m keen to continue to explore these ideas and build knowledge with you.  Let me know your thoughts, and please share related resources you are aware of in the comments below or by dropping me a note!  I look forward to hearing from you!

Warmly,

Tiiu