I’m sitting in a hotel room in Denver as the sun is coming up on Independence Day and I’m thinking about the power of music. I’m thinking about the other 6,000 LGBTQ singers who are here for the GALA Chorus Festival, the largest LGBTQ performing arts event in the world. I’m thinking about the mothers and grandmothers in the PFLAG Juneau Pride Chorus. I’m thinking about the men and women of the Beijing Queer Chorus, who often have to wear masks to hide their identities when they perform in their home country. I’m thinking about the shaking emotion in the voice of the soloist from the Boise Men’s Chorus when he sang about the weight of growing up gay and Mormon. I’m thinking about the standing ovation the Orlando Gay Chorus received as they walked to their seats at the opening concert and the entire performance hall chanting “We are Orlando.” I’m thinking about this astounding convergence of love and the shared earnest belief that music can and does change the world. I’m thinking about my own chorus and the 55 singing sisters here with me and how this experience will transform each of us individually and our community as a whole and I’m thinking about how we can share this magic with the community at large back home in San Diego.
I’m sitting in a hotel room in Denver as the sun is coming up on Independence Day and I’m thinking about liberty and justice for all. I’m thinking about last summer when love won and equality was made the law of the land and we were basking in the glow of hope and victory. I’m thinking about this summer, when we are stinging from bathroom battles and bitter election campaigns. I’m thinking about this summer, as we grieve the 49 souls lost on a bloodied dance club floor and I’m thinking about resilience and love is love is love is love is love is love.
I’m sitting in a hotel room in Denver as the sun is coming up on Independence Day and I’m thinking about safe spaces. I’m thinking about our chorus and our motto: come for the music, stay for the heart. I’m thinking about our chorus family, our chosen sisterhood, our circle of women who gather together to encourage creativity, celebrate diversity and inspire social action. I’m thinking about the importance of preserving our safe space as a lesbian-identified, feminist organization, where each of us can be open and vulnerable to be our fully authentic and free selves. I’m thinking about our safe space where we work together to make beauty and to be beautiful.
I’m sitting in a hotel room in Denver as the sun is coming up on Independence Day and I’m thinking about intersectionality and interconnectedness. I’m thinking about the freedom and responsibility of acknowledging privilege and of the courage to coexist while learning how to bump into each other gently, so that we leave each other with broader understanding rather than bruises. I’m thinking about the San Diego Women’s Chorus as a living, breathing intersectionality of overlapping and interdependent experiences of sexuality, gender, race and class. I’m thinking about SDWC’s multi-generational membership, of our nearly 30-year legacy and of the wisdom of the women who came before us. My 14-year-old daughter, our youngest singing member, is sleeping next to me as the day gets brighter outside, and I’m thinking about the progressive evolution of our society the promise of our youth.
I’m sitting in a hotel room in Denver as the sun is coming up on Independence Day and I’m thinking about what it means to be a straight ally and the incredible honor and privilege it is for me to serve as the president of SDWC. I’m thinking about all that I’ve learned from my bold and brilliant LGBTQ sisters about compassion, acceptance, perseverance and vigilance. I’m thinking of one of my chorus sisters telling me that, as a lesbian, one of the most powerful things she’s received from being in the chorus is the unconditional explicit and vocal support from the straight members. I’m thinking about the value of mutual trust and respect. I’m thinking about friendship.
I’m sitting in a hotel room in Denver as the sun is coming up on Independence Day and I’m thinking about singing for our lives. I’m thinking about all the voices that have been discovered and nurtured and emboldened throughout the history of this chorus. I’m thinking about lyrics and harmonies that take my breath away. I’m thinking about the sublime moments when our many different voices blend seamlessly into one.
SDWC will be presenting its Pride Week kick-off concert, “Guided by the Heart” on Thursday July 14th, 7:30 p.m. at the University Christian Church. The concert will include the songs it performed at the GALA Chorus Festival in Denver on the Fourth of July. Tickets start at just $10 and can be found at sdwc.org.
The chorus welcomes members from the vastly diverse LGBTQ and straight ally communities. If you are interested in singing with SDWC, please contact membership@sdwc.org for information about the upcoming New Member Orientation Sunday, Aug. 7.
