On the day of “World Music Day” (June 21st), the musicians in residence at the Fondation des États-Unis in Paris will present a virtual concert in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement in the United States and across the globe. Our hope is to offer a healing space for music and reflection, while connecting a musical response to direct action.
The participating musicians have included links to donate to relevant foundations and initiatives dedicated to fighting racism and injustice (see below). In addition, we would like to showcase the work of three African-American musicians: Duke Ellington, Robert Nathaniel Dett, and Betty Jackson King.
The Program
Betty Jackson King (1928-1994) “In The Springtime”
Solange Adamson, soprano and Daniel Schreiner, piano
Duke Ellington (1889-1974) “In a Sentimental Mood” Elias Rodriguez, clarinet and Daniel Schreiner, piano
Robert Nathaniel Dett (1882-1943) “Adagio Cantabile” from Cinnamon Grove
Daniel Schreiner, piano
Selected Organizations to Donate To
National Bail Fund Network COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund: secure.actblue.com/donate/bailfundscovid
Starting May 30th, the Emergency Response Fund is prioritizing supporting bail for protest support across the National Bail Fund Network. Every day, community bail & bond funds raise money to free our friends and neighbors from local and county jails as well as immigration jails. This is always urgent work as jails, prisons, and immigration jails have always been sites of violence and death. The COVID-19 pandemic has only exacerbated this public health crisis.
The National Police Accountability Project: nlg-npap.org/donate/
This organization seeks to educate and inform the public about issues relating to police misconduct, provide information resources for non-profit and community groups who work with victims of police abuse, support legislative reform efforts aimed at raising the level of police accountability, and create a forum for legal professionals and community organizations to come together and creatively work to end police misconduct.
The Sylvia Rivera Law Project: srlp.org/donate/
All Lives don’t Matter until Black Lives Matter. Black Lives don’t Matter until Black LGBTQ+ Lives Matter. The Sylvia Rivera Law Project (SRLP) works to guarantee that all people are free to self-determine their gender identity and expression, regardless of income or race, and without facing harassment, discrimination, or violence. SRLP is a collective organization founded on the understanding that gender self-determination is inextricably intertwined with racial, social and economic justice. Therefore, we seek to increase the political voice and visibility of low-income people and people of color who are transgender, intersex, or gender non-conforming. SRLP works to improve access to respectful and affirming social, health, and legal services for our communities. We believe that in order to create meaningful political participation and leadership, we must have access to basic means of survival and safety from violence.