 SHAWNEE NEIGHBORHOOD MEETING @ 6:30pm 3rd Tuesday of the Month, Port Shaw Bldg. 3713 West Market St.
____________________________________________________
PORTLAND NOW MEETING 2023 @ 6;30p 1ST Tuesday of the Month. 6P SOCIAL TIME, MEETING WILL START AT 6:30P, 1801 PORTLAND AVE. CHURCH OF THE PROMISE ENTRANCE ON THE SIDE OF THE BUILDING.
____________________________________________________
If your community is having any neighborhood meetings, please email the office and we will add you to the distribution list. Contact: alfred.johnson@louisvilleky.gov
CHICKASAW NEIGHBORHOOD FEDERATION 6pm to 8pm, at LFPL Shawnee Branch
Join Councilwoman Dr. McCraney for Kentucky Opera’s “Amplify Songs of Justice” concert
This free event is scheduled for Monday, June 17, 2024, at 7 PM
Louisville (June 6, 2024) – The Juneteenth Jubilee Celebration is set to begin on June 8, 2024, with a series of five community events leading up to Juneteenth on June 19, 2024. As part of this year’s celebration, the Kentucky Opera will host “Amplify Songs of Justice” for the second consecutive year.
“Amplify Songs of Justice” is a free concert featuring original commissioned songs about the Civil Rights movements. The evening will showcase five compositions by American operatic baritone Jorell Williams, with lyrics by Louisville Metro Councilwoman Dr. Paula McCraney (D-7).
“This is the second year these songs will be featured during the Juneteenth celebration, and I am deeply honored to be a part of such a significant celebration in Louisville. I hope you hear and understand the meanings behind the music, which reflect the hardships and struggles our community have faced,” said Councilwoman Dr. McCraney.
Councilwoman Dr. McCraney, who thoughtfully selected the song titles, explains their significance:
“I composed these songs with the intent to be sung along with piano or with many voices. The U.S. Civil Rights Era of the 1960s produced a canon of songs that are still largely part of our culture today. This inspired me to craft this musical score to uplift the voices of Kentuckians through the lens of three topics: faith, justice, and conviction. My hope is that many of these songs become our inspiration in revisiting this historic time that still remains potent and meaningful today, with the hope that social change, respect, and diversification will eventually be at the forefront of America.
The titles of the five commissioned songs are “Whispers in My Ear”, “On This Porch”, “Louder Than Words”, “Judge Not”, and “Faith”. Each song title tells the story of the inspiration behind the lyrics. As I began to think about the messages I wanted to convey through song, I kept thinking about the 2020 protests and some of the calls and emails I received during that time from people who look like the majority of members of the Kentucky Opera. I used creative privilege to consider what White people may feel about today’s civil unrest and the attacks on diversity, equity, and inclusion, attempts to ban books, and frequent cries for justice.
For example, “Whispers in My Ear” is about a person conflicted about civil unrest and who is hearing whispers in their ear about standing up and getting involved. “On the Porch” is about a person sitting on their porch watching protestors walk by, thinking out loud and speaking to God, wondering why they continue to sit on the porch, knowing that they have no hate in them, yet they have no courage to get off the porch and are afraid that their voice may be too little or too late. “Louder Than Words” is similar to the previous songs because it suggests that with cries for justice and equality, our actions, or lack thereof, speak louder than our words. “Judge Not” and “Faith” are convicting to those who understand that, as the popular Sam Cooke song says, “A change is gonna come.”
A part of me wanted to write these songs so that White people could see themselves within today’s civil rights movement and hopefully feel comfortable knowing that they don’t have to feel guilty, beat themselves up, or look the other way. Instead, they can reflect on what is happening all around them and get involved in some shape, form, or fashion. The overarching message in the five songs is that we are all in this together.”
Voices from across Louisville, including churches and college choirs, will join members of the Kentucky Opera Juneteenth Jubilee Choir for a concert celebrating African American culture and music.
The event will begin at 7:00 p.m. at the Kentucky Opera Center for Cultural Health, located at 708 Magazine Street. This is a free event, but tickets are required. You may sign up for free tickets online at: https://secure.kyopera.org/amplify-songs-of-justice-2024.
For a full schedule of events, please visit https://louisvilleky.gov/government/juneteenth. |
