Tiana Sorenson- Soprano

Got my master’s in voice and opera last June,
hopeful for what is to come.

I have(had) a regular church job
I do(did) other freelance music work,
and I drive(d) for Lyft
to make ends meet.

I have future gig offers (that came and went)
that I plan(ned)
to pay off some debts
that I (still) have.

Once the word and serious precautions came with the coronavirus,
things changed.

Tuesday morning, March 17
I tried driving for Lyft,
only to get three (short) rides in three (long) hours
in Chicago.

Soon after came the emails:
church gatherings discontinued,
cancelled or (hopefully) postponed opportunities.

No income in sight.

Then came
having to apply and file for
• taxes (what’s new)
• food stamps (third month in)
• Medicaid (just got the plan packet)
• artist relief funds (thankfully/luckily got two, just applied for a third)
• unemployment (finally getting deposits, though still not fully clear)

I am very fortunate and incredibly grateful for the aid I’ve gotten from various places,
but having to
juggle
all of this
on top of music projects
and my mere existence as a
biracial black woman
who by simply breathing
faces the constant pressure,
the unrelenting obligation
to educate
and
justify my
and other folks’
existence,
and rights
to live and
thrive.

with the media getting flooded with
murder
after
murder
of
people
that look like
and are darker than
me,

we
are
trying
to be
sane
and

safe.

my mind, body, spirit
have been on a hell of a ride.
While yes, I am making music,
right now it is out of obligation.

the simple joy and pleasure of it
have been put on pause,
as in this
moment,
I’m merely just
trying to
survive.