Dear Friends...
Out of an abundance of caution, the board of directors has decided to delay the kickoff of this fall semester. Rather than meeting on September 15th, we will instead have our first meeting on Wednesday, September 22nd. As Covid cases and concerns arise with the prevalence of the Delta variant, we feel the responsible thing to do is to hold off for a month. This will allow those who haven't gotten their vaccines to do so, and for science to guide us through this challenging and changing landscape. As science adapts, so must we, and the safety and comfort of our DV family is our #1 priority. Thank you for your patience during these many frightening and frustrating months. We'll be back soon, but in the meantime stay safe and stay tuned.
Cheers, Scottie
President, Desert Voices Board of Directors
Cheers, Scottie
President, Desert Voices Board of Directors
Thank you, Waigwa!
This summer, our Artistic Director Kim Waigwa left us to pursue their Master's degree, an opportunity impossible to pass. The news for all of us was bittersweet, but we couldn't be happier for someone so deserving. Congratulations, Waigwa! We'll miss you terribly, we thank you for your service to DV, and wish you every success on this next adventure.
Black. Lives. Matter
The history of the LGBT+ movement is written largely in the blood, sweat, tears, triumphs, and tragedies of queer and trans women of color. Marsha P. Johnson, Sylvia Rivera. Miss Major. Zaza Nova. Without the early trans activists and the Stonewall Riots, it would have taken far longer to achieve marriage equality, pride, and GALA Choruses.
As a part of a performing arts community that strives for diversity, inclusion, and education, it is important that we recognize our country was built on slavery, denies its history of black and systematic oppression, and has long been silent in the face of ongoing police brutality. The choral community, specifically, is hugely complicit in the exclusion, tokenism, elitism, and racism towards black, indigenous, and people of color which keeps choral arts organizations largely white.
From our earliest days, our photo history illustrates both our own ignorance and complicity, but we did and do not sit in the darkness. To deny our initial ignorance would be to deny the constancy of our dedication to learning about white supremacy, elitism, and racism within the LGBT+ community in the decades that followed. LGBT+ folks are required to traverse a complicated network of systematic oppression, racism, and injustice, but Desert Voices is a group of individuals whose mission is to use music to foster understanding, acceptance, and community through our voices, through our song.
We are proud to have grown and to be growing in our diversity - in age, in race, in perspective, and in programming. We are proud to have the only black, female, gay artistic director in the Gay And Lesbian Association of Choruses. We are proud to have started the Voices Like Our program where we travel to small towns in Arizona to perform, to give to their communities, to sit down together for dinner, and to ask each other to have an open mind in conversation. We ask from the heart, human to human, to see and hear each other for who we are.
We support black lives and the #Blacklivesmatter movement, and are proud to take a stand against police brutality, against the killing of black people, and against the systems that hold black lives down. We are proud to be taking this opportunity to promote change, further educate ourselves, and provide resources and opportunities for our community to do the same. When injustice continues to keep our black brothers, sisters, and siblings down, a change is necessary and imminent. We ask you to be the change, stand with us in solidarity, and use your voice.
Board of Directors
Linda Bacon | Bernie Gay
Gail Sattler | Sharon Smith | Angela Green
Carole Baumgarten, Secretary | Pat Merrell, Treasurer
Martie van der Voort, Vice President | C. Scott Zimmerman, President
As a part of a performing arts community that strives for diversity, inclusion, and education, it is important that we recognize our country was built on slavery, denies its history of black and systematic oppression, and has long been silent in the face of ongoing police brutality. The choral community, specifically, is hugely complicit in the exclusion, tokenism, elitism, and racism towards black, indigenous, and people of color which keeps choral arts organizations largely white.
From our earliest days, our photo history illustrates both our own ignorance and complicity, but we did and do not sit in the darkness. To deny our initial ignorance would be to deny the constancy of our dedication to learning about white supremacy, elitism, and racism within the LGBT+ community in the decades that followed. LGBT+ folks are required to traverse a complicated network of systematic oppression, racism, and injustice, but Desert Voices is a group of individuals whose mission is to use music to foster understanding, acceptance, and community through our voices, through our song.
We are proud to have grown and to be growing in our diversity - in age, in race, in perspective, and in programming. We are proud to have the only black, female, gay artistic director in the Gay And Lesbian Association of Choruses. We are proud to have started the Voices Like Our program where we travel to small towns in Arizona to perform, to give to their communities, to sit down together for dinner, and to ask each other to have an open mind in conversation. We ask from the heart, human to human, to see and hear each other for who we are.
We support black lives and the #Blacklivesmatter movement, and are proud to take a stand against police brutality, against the killing of black people, and against the systems that hold black lives down. We are proud to be taking this opportunity to promote change, further educate ourselves, and provide resources and opportunities for our community to do the same. When injustice continues to keep our black brothers, sisters, and siblings down, a change is necessary and imminent. We ask you to be the change, stand with us in solidarity, and use your voice.
Board of Directors
Linda Bacon | Bernie Gay
Gail Sattler | Sharon Smith | Angela Green
Carole Baumgarten, Secretary | Pat Merrell, Treasurer
Martie van der Voort, Vice President | C. Scott Zimmerman, President
Above you will find a list of resources compiled by our artistic director. This list includes:
- Links directly to the Black Lives Matter movement with their incredible list of resources, including donation opportunities, petition links, the list of names of black lives taken, and more
- How to make donations to Black Lives Matter if you don’t have money
- Organizations to utilize or donate to for the mental health of black people
- Educational resources to learn about anti-racism, systemic racism, complicity, white privilege and fragility, and allyship, how to have better conversations about race, how to talk to your kids,
- Book links to black owned bookstores, lists of books on racism, anti-racism, systematic racism, and allyship, as well as links to children’s books written by black authors, about black experiences, and lists divided by age bracket/grade level
- Protest safety - how to prepare, what your rights are, and resources for if you do get arrested
- City and government resources (specific to Tucson and Phoenix, Arizona) - this includes representative and senator contact info, how to find your district or ward, a template for making calls or sending emails, American Civil Liberties Union links about your rights and protest regulations, and local black owned businesses to support
- Social media resources both of individuals and organizations including Instagram, Twitter, podcasts, and facebook groups. Each of these sources offers a variety of information, including understanding the black experience, contributing to Black Lives Matter, anti-racism, allyship, conversation guides, and how to educate yourself
Want to Help out?
Use AMAZONSMILE to support Desert Voices, Tucson Metropolitan Community Chorus
How do I add Amazon smile to the Amazon app?
Download or update to the latest version of the Amazon Shopping app on your phone. You can find it in the App Store for iOS or Google Play for Android. Open the app and find 'Settings' in the main menu (☰). Tap on 'AmazonSmile' and follow the on-screen instructions to turn on AmazonSmile on your phone.
How do I add Amazon smile to the Amazon app?
Download or update to the latest version of the Amazon Shopping app on your phone. You can find it in the App Store for iOS or Google Play for Android. Open the app and find 'Settings' in the main menu (☰). Tap on 'AmazonSmile' and follow the on-screen instructions to turn on AmazonSmile on your phone.
Sign up for Fry's Community Rewards Program and choose to support Desert Voices Chorus/Tucson Metro Community Chorus
OUR MISSION
"Fostering Community Through Song"
Desert Voices is Tucson's premier gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and ally chorus. We are a non-profit organization dedicated to bringing Arizona beautiful music and to forging a positive and resolute LGBTQA presence in the community. Our unique chorus welcomes all voices to attend our rehearsals and come to our performances, regardless of age, gender, race, creed, or sexuality. Our members are diverse in voice and in background, of gay and straight singers, of all ages and identities. We strive to bring quality, unique music performances and the harmony of community to Tucson. Our purpose is to give a voice to those whose songs go unheard.
OUR VISION
Desert Voices is an inclusive chorus organized to provide the opportunity for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and supportive others to sing together in order to:
- Build community within and outside the Chorus through our love of music.
- Produce shows that are entertaining and musically excellent.
- Perform music that reflects the lives of the LGBTQA community.
- Promote an ongoing, positive LGBTQA presence in our community.
- Advance positive social change in the larger society.
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A Proud Sponsor of Desert Voices |
Desert Voices has been awarded a Community Investment Grant this year by the Arizona Commission on the Arts! We're proud to be a part of the Arizona arts community, and will keep fostering that community through song!
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