Sonja Tengblad- soprano
Today, is what many call Thanksgiving, a time to celebrate gratitude. For others, today is considered National Day of Mourning, a day to demonstrate against America’s history of genocide, colonization, and displacement. This day symbolizes our collective need to unlearn and relearn our country's history—to actively seek out the full truth that isn't taught or included in our ordinary discourse—and the demonization and polarization that stems from our unknowing.
Like many, the 2016 election inspired me to become an activist, something the 2020 election has refueled. I've done things I'd never dreamed of doing, such as organizing meetings with elected officials and testifying at the State House. Yet, the pandemic has taught me one great lesson: ART is one of the most effective tools to create change. There are many reasons for this, one of the most basic being that music provides a space for people to simply gather together and share an experience. Shared experience is powerful beyond belief, especially in this era of isolation. And when that experience can be centered around something like Julia Wolfe's Her Story, a work that communicates our fuller history—well that's even better.
On this National Day of Mourning, let us carve our time to learn from our indigenous brothers and sisters as the early suffragists did, looking to Iroquois women and culture as emblems of power balance and harmony. I will also spend this day in gratitude. Despite all that has happened this year, musicians like me have much to be thankful for, namely the support of so many people who ensure our industry's survival. For those of you who are looking for ways to create systemic change, consider supporting artistic endeavors, like those of Lorelei that create experiences—to help us unlearn and relearn, to create spaces for shared experiences that can change us all.
When we are able to perform Her Story, I feel confident that the experience of gathering with musicians, reflecting on the suffragists' story and how they fought to bring about change, will inspire both audiences and artists alike to continue to fight for a better America.