My Journey Yours: Immigrant Stories
Katherine Chan, Conductor
Leona Cheung, Collaborative Pianist
Edith Mora Hernandez, Guest Conductor
In partnership with Multicultural Arts Center, Suitcase Stories, and Rian Immigrant Center
Program
My Journey Yours
Elise Witt
Text in various languages
Chrissy Morgan and Sus Hatch, soloists
Commissioned in 2002, My Journey Yours was written as a collaboration between Refugee Family Services (RFS) of Clarkston, GA, and a multi-disciplinary arts project bearing the same name. It consists of the phrase “my journey, yours” sung in several languages. In the first part, these languages overlap to create a vocal collage, representing the refugees’ flight from their homelands. Each translation is set to a musical phrase from a lullaby, children’s song, or musical game of the language’s home country. Two solos in Vietnamese and Somali serve as a bridge between the first and second parts and evoke the pain of leaving home. The second part of the piece, returning to the text, “my journey, yours” represents being resettled in America, as well as the unity of one new home now shared by many different people.
Suitcase Story
Words by Rinaz Mala
La Frontera (The Border)
Judith Shatin
Text by unidentified detained immigrant youth
Edith Mora Hernandez, conductor
La Frontera is a poem written by an unnamed immigrant youth, held in a maximum-security detention center for entering the United States from Mexico without legal documentation. Originally composed during a writing workshop for immigrant youths in detention, facilitated by poet Seth Michelson, the poem was then published in the volume Dreaming America: Voices of Undocumented Youth in Maximum Security Detention (2017). Composer Judith Shatin set the poem to music in 2021, to capture “the stark realities of the immigration process as well as the powerful desire to immigrate to America.”
N-400 Erasure Song
Melissa Dunphy
Text by Niina Pollari, Laurel Chen, and Melissa Dunphy
Erasure poetry is poetry created by blacking out parts of an existing text to find new meanings and create a new work. Each of the three poems in this cycle consists of text from the N-400, the application form that foreign-born individuals submit to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to become citizens of the United States. Commissioned by Cantus, composer Melissa Dunphy asked poets Laurel Chen and Niina Pollari to build the text of the first two movements using erasure poem techniques, herself writing the third movement.
Incertidumbre
Carlos Cordero
Text by Mirem De Ondiz
As composer Carlos Cordero remarks: “When we are far from home, we miss so many things, no matter how small.” This piece, mournful and intimate, conveys the thoughts of a person missing the most meaningful aspects of her home. With text in Spanish set to music by a Venezuelan composer now living in the United States, the piece could be viewed as reflecting the experience of many immigrants from Central and South America. However, neither the piece nor the composer’s notes reference a specific nationality. In this way, the sentiments could also be seen as intentionally broader and more universal in nature.
New Dreams
Melissa Dunphy
Text by Melissa Dunphy inspired by the work of Grace Lee Boggs
New Dreams is Melissa Dunphy’s tribute to the pioneering American philosopher and social activist Grace Lee Boggs. The piece’s text comes from the prompting questions Boggs asks in her autobiography, questions that Dunphy calls “critical to the survival of our country and…our entire species.” Listeners may hear allusions in the music to “Amazing Grace,” a connection that Dunphy was prompted to make after seeing a documentary on Boggs’ life, which includes a shot of Boggs in front of a graffiti-tagged wall that reads “Amazing Grace.”
Suitcase Story
Words by Chris Ko
Finding A Home
Sydney Guillaume
Text by Sydney Guillaume and Kevin Ramsden
Carson Grose, percussion
Finding a Home, sung in both English and Haitian Creole, traces a journey through disorientation and struggle to belonging and joy. Guillaume draws from his own experience of immigrating to the United States at a young age, including the resulting feelings of displacement and unease. Although the piece’s narrative begins with the anguish of feeling out of place—”Our drum has lost its beat”—it moves to a hopeful reimagining of home and a reflection on the role of heritage. The piece grows to a final jubilant statement of “Tanbou nou reprann kadans” (“Our drum has found its beat”) and celebrates finding home anew. Haitian rhythms and percussive vocal effects are heard throughout the piece.
Kalinda
Sydney Guillaume
Text by Gabriel Toussaint Guillaume
Kalinda, Sydney Guillaume’s earliest composition, is a song of praise. Although the text makes no direct reference to religion, Guillaume evokes this concept through his composer’s note in the score: “... All talents and all treasures are divine blessings that must be used to the benefit of all. Let's praise God and let's share generously.” The song’s text celebrates the beauty of the drums and encourages dancing, while the music reflects this with onomatopoetic percussion sounds and lively, syncopated rhythms.
Fa Shu Ha
Yu-Shan Tsai
Text by Siou-Ru Gu
Chih-Chao Yang, soloist
Fa Shu Ha (under the flower tree) is the old name of a Hakka village in Meinong, Taiwan. Lyricist Gu Hsiu Ru remembers Fa Shu Ha as her own childhood home and a symbol of the region’s prosperity. Her text recollects some of the memorable details of her hometown, details that have since been erased by excessive development and the region’s changing demographics. In today's Taiwan, all non-Mandarin languages are in danger of becoming extinct, which is particularly true for many Indigenous languages like Hakka.
Saleso
Oscar Galián
The melodies and rhythms of Salseo are inspired by Venezuelan instrumental street music, which often shares musical styles with its Carribean neighbors. Salseo incorporates aspects of the Cuban musical genre son cubano, a style that merges Spanish and African musical influences, such as call-and-response structures and improvisation. In the beginning of the piece, the singers mimic the sounds of percussion instruments, including the claves, bongo, conga, cabasa, and agogo bells. The syncopated bassline, a typical feature of Cuban sones and salsas, is a constant throughout the piece.
Balleilakka
A.R. Rahman, arranged by Ethan Sperry
Carson Grose, percussion
Balleilakka was originally written for the musical Sivaji: The Boss (2007). The movie is part of a genre of Indian cinema known as Kollywood, which consists of films produced in the Tamil language. When this song appears in the movie, Sivaji has just returned home to the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu after a long period working in America. In the song he exuberantly praises many things he missed about his homeland while he was abroad: the beautiful landscapes, the bustling cities, the national delicacies, the people, and the popular handball-like sport locally known as Sadugudu.
Texts and Translations
My Journey Yours by Elise Witt Text in various languages
My journey, Your journey,
My journey, yours.
[In Kurdish]
Gashtimin, Gashtakat
[In Mano (Liberia)]
Lupia, Tapia
[In Arabic]
Rechlati hiya, Rechlatak
[In Amharic (Ethiopia)]
Yene gozo, Nayanka
[In Bosnian]
Moje puto vanje, Tvoje
[In Vietnamese]
Hvang djing gua toi, Hang djing gua angh
[In Somali]
Sodal keyga, Lo kaga
La Frontera (The Border) by Judith Shatin Text by unidentified detained immigrant youth
un lugar a que todo el mundo vamos
al tener un sueño
y ver a mi familia feliz
pero no nos dejan llegar a la frontera
por ser de otro país
y me pregunto por qué
si todos somos seres humanos
somos los mismos
no tenemos papeles
porque estamos en el mismo mundo
tenemos sentimientos iguales
el color de piel es diferente
pero eso no quiere decir que no somos iguales
es que en este país en mi país
hay mucha gente racista
el ser blanco, el ser negro
no quiere decir
que somos iguales somos todos iguales
tenemos la misma mente
la misma meta
el caminar dias por el desierto
al inmigrar nos agarra
a place the whole world goes
when we dream
and want to see our families happy
but they don’t let us reach the border
because we’re from other countries
and I ask myself why
if we’re all human beings
if we’re all the same
don’t we have papers too
because we’re all in the same world
have the same feelings
though our skin colors may differ
but that doesn’t mean we’re not the same
it means that in this country in my country
there are lots of racists
to be white, to be black
doesn’t mean we are unequal
we’re equal
we have the same thoughts
the same goal
to walk for days across the desert
called to immigrate
N-400 Erasure Song by Melissa Dunphy
1. Form N-400 Erasures
Text by Niina Pollari
Do you
Have
awful
association s
Have you been in
total
terror
Yes/No
If you
EVER claim in writing or any other way
to
have no
country
are you
confined
2. N-400 (an erasure)
Text by Laurel Chen
i.
notice: any immigration
notice: hearing
notice: see
notice: you
ii.
to the immigrant:
homeland is
a process
delayed.
iii.
fingerprints disposable
a number unpermitted
immigrants: are
all of the above
iv.
about the United States:
do not
support
the criminal history
v.
you are what you have
abandoned
vi.
identify: alien
copy: self
vii.
separate your
open wounds in the
process
viii.
verify:
all has
been destroyed
ix.
naturalization can not capture
your free
can not level
your personal
for political
x.
this application simplified
is persecution of
your own safety
to ensure social security
xi.
reschedule
reschedule
reschedule
reschedule
a time
time
time
again time
time
date and
time
xii.
resubmit
resubmit
resubmit
xiii.
please
xiv.
you will
never
belong
3. change [y]our Country
Text by Melissa Dunphy
you Are Home
this IS where you live now
Home
your space
Your Time
Your History
How many have been
persecuted
occupied
arrested
detained changed
Have Been
Failed
lied to
removed, excluded
deported
but you did not
f al t e r
you
are willing
true
release
re form
prepare
S t a n d Firm
you are the best of u s
you will b re a the
free
Incertidumbre by Carlos Cordero Text by Mirem De Ondiz
Estoy presa con tanta libertad
Aunque es el sueño de muchos yo,
No quiero estar aqui.
Sí, ya sé cómo todo está allá
-Quizás Dios le dio pan al que no tiene dientes-
Pero quiero estar con mi esposito,
Con mi hijo, con mis gatos,
con mi música, con mis amigos,
con mi canto, con mis fotos
Y trato de no llorar
No me da miedo trabajar
Lo hago de lunes a domingo.
Lloro por tanta incertidumbre.
I’m stuck with so much freedom;
although it is the dream of many,
I do not want to be here.
Yes, I know how everything is there
-maybe God gave bread to the one who has no teeth-
but I want to be with my husband,
with my son, with my cats,
with my music, with my friends,
with my singing, with my photos.
And I try not to cry...
I’m not afraid to work,
I do it from Monday to Sunday.
I cry because of such uncertainty.
New Dreams by Melissa Dunphy Text by Melissa Dunphy inspired by the work of Grace Lee Boggs
New dreams are born in questions.
How do we transform ourselves?
How do we transform our world?
What do we need?
What do we want?
What is the difference?
How do we reconnect with the rhythms of nature?
Should we do something just because we can?
What is the purpose of education?
What does it mean to care?
How do we create community?
Why is community a revolutionary idea?
How can we re-civilize society?
How do we grow our souls?
How do we take heart of grace?
Finding A Home by Sydney Guillaume Text by Sydney Guilaume and Kevin Ramsden
Our drum has lost its beat, Tanbou nou pèdi kadans,
There’s displacement under our feet. Nou santi nou depeyize.
As we walk along these foreign lands,
We will find a home again.
A home isn’t confined to a place.
It’s a community, a warm embrace.
Our memories will never die, Pa gen souvni k’ap janm pèdi,
If we seek the rhythms of our past. Si nou chèche tanbou zansèt nou yo.
It’s in our journey we find a home, Se nan chimen lavi nou jwenn lakay.
Embracing change and sharing lives.
Let the tears of anguish run dry,
Our life is here, our home is here.
Listen to the rhythms of our feet,
Our drum has found its beat. Tanbou nou reprann kadans.
Da-da-dumm, Ta-ka-doum,
We found a home again. We found a home.
Kalinda by Sydney Guillaume Text by Gabriel Toussaint Guillaume
Sak pasé?
Nap Boulé.
Koté mizik-la?
Koté tanbou-a?
Mezanmi tande, wi se poun tande:
Kalinda, jan ou ka kalinda,
Se gran mesi kout tanbou.
Kalinda, jan ou ka kalinda,
Ou te mèt byen banda...
Se gran mesi kout tanbou,
San li pata gin Kalinda.
Oh, Ala bèl, wi sa ta bèl,
Oh bèl, oh bèl,
Si tout moun teka jwen tanbou.
Ayibobo!
Kalinda, jan ou ka kalinda,
Se gran mesi kout tanbou,
Joumou pa donnin kalbas, Zannanna pa donnin pengwen;
Tout bon bagay, se prodwi bon bagay.
Tout sa ki byen, soti nan sa ki byen.
Mèsi kout tanbou, gran mèsi kout tanbou.
Ayibobo!
What’s up? / How’s it going?
Chillin’ / Hanging there.
Where’s the music?
Where’s the drum?
Listen friends, yes you have to listen:
Dance, the best way you can,
It’s thanks to the sounds of the drum.
Dance, the best way you know how,
You can dance as much as you can…
It’s thanks to the sounds of the drum,
Without which, there would not be any dancing.
Oh, how beautiful
Oh how beautiful it would be,
If everyone could find a drum.
Ayibobo! (Victory cry)
Dance, the best way you know how,
It’s thanks to the sounds of the drum.
The apple does not fall far from the tree;
All good things derive from good things
Thank you, drumbeats.
It is thanks to the sounds of the drum.
Ayibobo! (Victory cry)
Fa Shu Ha by Yu-Shan Tsai Text by Siou-Ru Gu
Fa Shu Ha ngi sɘ tang go mo?
Fa Shu Ha koi do nem nem ge fa
Ngin he hang go hi
gai fong fong pak pak ge fa
Chiu diet lok ngi mien chien
diet lok ngi gien boi
diet lok ngi gien boi
Fa Shu Ha iu it gien lam sam diam e
Fa Shu Ha iu it ge lo sɘ fu o
Dgyo go e lam sam
Dgyo go e se moi e
Chiu chiong gai mun chien fa loi loi hi hi
m di gi do sa?
Fa Shu Ha
Di Fa Shu Ha
Fa Shu Ha you have ever heard of not?
Fa Shu Ha blossomed full of flowers
People if strolled passing by
the red white flowers
would float down you in front
float down you shoulders
float down you feet under
Fa Shu Ha has a blue-dye garment shop
Fa Shu Ha has an elderly master who
has crafted blue-dye garments
has dressed charming girls
Are like the door in front flowers to and fro
Don’t know how many?
Fa Shu Ha
Stand flower tree under
Balleilakka by A.R. Rahman, arranged by Ethan Sperry
Sooriyano chandirano? Yaarivano?
Sattunnu sollu!
Chera paandiya sooranum ivano?
Sollu sollu sattunnu sollu
Paaradi paaradi yaaradi ivano?
Paaigira siruthayin kaaladi ivano?
Kooradi kooradi yaaradi ivano?
Kettathai pattena suttidum sivano?
Aye Balleilakka, Balleilakka,
Selathukka, Maduraikka,
Madrasukka, Thiruchikka, Thiruthanikka.
Aye balleilakka balleilakka
Ottu motha makkalukka
Annan vantha Tamil Nadum America!
Kaaveri aarum kai kuthal arisiyum karanthu poguma?
Oh thavani pengalum thoothu vidum kangalum tholainthu poguma?
Namma kalathu medu,
Kamma karai karisa kaadu,
Semmann alli thelikkum roadu…
Sadugudu sadugudu aadiya marathadi
Padu padu paduvena porthiya pulveli
Thoda thoda thoda thoda udaikira pani thuli
Suda suda suda suda kidaikkira idli
Thada thada thada thadavena athirgira rayiladi
Kada kada kadavena kadakkira kaaviri
Viru viru viruvena madikkira vetrilai
Muru muru murnuvena murukkiya meesaigal
Manathil irukkuthu mei, mei, mei…
Is he the sun or moon?
Who is he? Tell me now!
Is he the valorous Cheran or Pandiyan king?
Tell me, tell me, tell me right now!
Look at him, look at him, who is he?
Is he the legs of the pouncing leopard?
Tell me, tell me, who is he?
Is he the Sivan who scorches the wrong in an instant?
Hey Balleilakka, Balleilakka,
For Salem or for Madurai,
For Madras or for Trichy or for Thiruthtani.
Hey Balleilakka, Balleilakka,
For all the people, from all the places,
If the respectful Annan comes, Tamil Nadu will become America itself!
Can we ever forget the river Cauvery and the hand-pounded rice?
Will the girls in the traditional dhaavani and the eyes that transmit hundreds of messages ever be lost?
Our plowing fields and the woods on the side of the creek, and the rustic roads that shower red mud…
The tree trunk around which we played sadugudu,
The lush green of the grasslands that look as if the earth has been blanketed,
The dew drop that breaks as you slightly touch it
The idli which is served hot, really hot
The railroads that shudder with the passing train,
The river Cauvery which flows quickly, very quickly,
The real fresh crisp betal leaves that are folded with vigor, The mustache that is curled with vivacity,
These are all in my heart truly, truly, truly…
Performers
Katherine Chan | Artistic Director
Australian conductor, Katherine Chan, is known for her energy and enthusiasm on the podium. As Director of Choral Activities and Associate Teaching Professor of Music at Northeastern University, Chan conducts the Northeastern University Choral Society Chorus, Chamber Singers, and Mosaic Advance Treble Ensemble. A sought-after choral clinician, Chan also serves as the ACDA East Region Collegiate Repertoire and Resource (R&R) Chair.
Chan’s unique blend of talent and energy has also been on display at the numerous prestigious international festivals in which she’s been privileged to participate. In 2010, Chan was a presenter at the Australia National Choral Association’s Choralfest and in the same year, was awarded the Sydney Symposium Choral Foundation’s Fifth Choral Conducting Scholarship. Chan has been a conducting scholar with Maestro Helmuth Rilling at the Oregon Bach Festival (2011), Taipei Bach Festival (2012), Hong Kong SingFest (2012). In 2015, she was invited to conduct at the national conductor master class with John Nelson at American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) National Convention, and with an invitation to conduct at the 2016 National Conductors’ Symposium, Canada. In 2017, she placed among the top four finalists at the ACDA National Graduate Conducting Competition, international top-12 finalists in the World Choral Conducting Competition 2019, and top 6-finalists at the Romano Gandolfi International Competition for Choral Conductors in Italy in 2023.
Chan received her Bachelor of Music Performance and Pedagogy in piano from the Queensland Conservatorium of Music, Griffith University, and won numerous awards including the Brisbane Women’s Club and Yvonne Hayson Bursary, the Ruby C. Cooling Piano Bursary, and M. K. Lassell Piano Scholarship. She received her Master of Music degree in choral conducting from the University of Washington, and Doctor of Musical Arts in Conducting from the University of Minnesota (UMN) under the mentorship of Kathy Saltzman Romey and Matthew Mehaffey.
Leona Cheung | Collaborative Pianist
Leona Cheung is a Boston-based collaborative pianist. She is especially known for her musical leadership and responsiveness while collaborating with singers and conductors. She collaborated with Maestro Helmuth Rilling in a number of large scale choral-orchestral works from 2012 to 2015. Now based in Boston, Cheung accompanies ensembles such as the GRAMMY® nominated Seraphic Fire, Handel and Haydn Society, and Tanglewood Festival Chorus.
Born and raised in Hong Kong, Cheung earned a Master of Music and a Graduate Diploma in Collaborative Piano from New England Conservatory. (www.leonacheung.com)
Edith Mora Hernandez | Guest Conductor
Edith Mora Hernandez is currently an M.M. ’25 choral conducting candidate at the Boston Conservatory at Berklee as a student of Dr. Stephen Spinelli. In Mexico, Mora Hernandez was the artistic director of the choir Opera Guanajuato; under her direction the group served as principal chorus for the Orquesta Sinfonica de la Universidad de Guanajuato. She was also a collaborative pianist in the Music Department of the Universidad de Guanajuato. In 2022 she presented a talk on Renaissance and Baroque Mexican Choral Music at the MASSACDA Summer Conference in Worcester Massachusetts. She holds a Consejo Nacional de Humanidades, Ciencias y Tecnologias scholarship, awarded for the pursuit of graduate studies in the arts and culture outside of Mexico. In Boston Mora Hernandez has collaborated with the ESOL choir and Back Bay Chorale, and the Villanova University treble choir. In February of 2024 she made her debut as an orchestral conductor with the Orchestra Sinfonica de Boca del Rio in Veracruz, Mexico.
Suitcase Stories® | Partner
A program of the International Institute of New England (IINE) and Stellar Story Company, Suitcase Stories® explores global migration through storytelling while fostering more welcoming and inclusive communities. Through dynamic storytelling events and workshops in neighborhoods, schools, and workplaces, adults and youth develop and share personal stories on migration, identity, and belonging. Unpack additional stories next Saturday, March 23, at the Somerville Theatre.
For more information, visit stellarstory.com
Stellar Story Company | Partner
Stellar Story Company helps people and institutions deliver extraordinary stories and unforgettable events that lead to meaningful change. With sites in Greater Boston and Lowell, MA, and Manchester, NH, the International Institute of New Englandopportunities for refugees and immigrants to succeed through resettlement, education, career advancement, and pathways to citizenship.
Rinaz Mala | Suitcase Stories Speaker
Rinaz Mala moved to the United States in 2013. Born in Syria, she studied English literature in college and eventually worked as a music teacher. Today, Rinaz and her two children live in Needham, where she first performed in a local Suitcase Stories showcase in 2019. Rinaz actively volunteers in her community, including at Plugged In, a nonprofit that serves musicians of all skills and abilities.
Chris Ko | Suitcase Stories Speaker
Chris Ko is the Research, Monitoring, & Evaluation Specialist at the International Institute of New England (IINE), a nonprofit that serves New Americans in Greater Boston, Lowell, and Southern New Hampshire. He has previously held research positions at Boston College and Harvard University. Chris discovered storytelling through Suitcase Stories and now serves as a story coach with Stellar Story Company.
Rian Immigrant Center | Partner
Rian is dedicated to empowering immigrants, refugees, and international exchange visitors by offering legal services, support services, adult education, behavioral health, and an international exchange visitor visa program. As New England’s Welcome Center for immigrant and refugee families, Rian aims to be proactive, responsive, and innovative in meeting their needs, envisioning a society where everyone is welcomed, valued, and enjoys equitable opportunities and protections. Rian is committed to anti-racism and cultivating a culture where all individuals feel a sense of belonging, safety, and value. Learn more at www.riancenter.org
Multicultural Arts Center | Partner
The Multicultural Arts Center is a non-profit corporation founded in 1978 as an arts center focused on helping diverse populations better understand one another. In 1985 they moved into 41 Second Street in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Their mission is to present multicultural visual and performing arts programs to educate the community about diversity, and make their facility available to artists or groups that might not otherwise have access to a professionally equipped facility or the cultural mainstream. Learn more at www.multiculturalartscenter.org.
Sopranos
Sara DiFiore
Julia Hanna
Shannon Hedrick
Gabrielle Jaques
Ruthlyn Kohn
Kate Melchior
Chrissy Morgan
Lydia Narum
Christa Seid-Graham
Liz Wiley
Altos
Rachael Haar
Joanna Hamilton
Sus Hatch
Julianna Horiuchi
Joo Hyun Im
Sian Kleindienst
Vanessa Liang
Jillian McGuire
Alexandria Miller
Cyndi Sacco
Vardit Samuels
Tenors
Brian Burke
Danny Green
Ben Horkley
Chris Haimendorf
Dan Shaw
Xiao Shi
Rene Sorina
Chih-Chao Yang
Basses
Dylan Griffin
Jeremy Koo
Kevin Madoian
Samuel Maurer
Toru Momii
Arjun Mudan
Chris Peters
Nick Petersen
Dayna Reichert
Richard Samuels
Sam Wiseman
Support BCE
Boston Choral Ensemble is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization funded by you, our supporters, and in part by grants from the Massachusetts Cultural Council, and from the Boston Cultural Council, administered by the Mayor’s Office of Arts and Culture.
We are so grateful to those people who have supported us financially. Please consider donating to BCE as part of your end-of-year giving, so we can continue presenting high-quality, accessible choral performances for Boston audiences.
Visit our donate page for more information.
This Year’s Sponsors and Donors
Katharine Abraham
Matt Baggetta
Jon Barry
Liz Bologna
Scott Bowman
Dinah Buechner-Vischer
Christine Caranfa
Choral Arts New England
Henry Clapp
Eve Costarelli
Oona Coy
Lori Day
Deloitte Boston
Ellen DeGennaro
Adam and Michelle Eisenberg
John and Olivia Farr
Tamara Friedler
David P Frommer
Jeffrey Glick
Emily Grondlund
Gray Karpel
Chris Haimendorf
Nancy and Raziel Haimi-Cohen
Joanna Hamilton
Julia Hanna
Elizabeth Hatch
George Hatch
Henry Hatch
Susanna Hatch
Susan Hotchkiss
Richard Howell
Joo Hyun Im
Eric Juhola
Sian Kleindienst
Jeremy Koo
Trevor Berg and
Mitra Lohrasbpour
Tim Luo
Sam Maurer
Guy McPherson
Alan Melchior
Kate Melchior
Christine Morgan
Arjun Mudan
Ngoc Diep Nguyen
Ted Nichols and Jenny Wolahan
Stacy Randel
Douglas & Mercer Riis
Lauren Roller
Cyndi Sacco
Nancy Salamone
Marcia and Edward Samuels
Richard and Vardit Samuels
Robert Schulman
Alex Speir
Gloria Sutton
Mitchell Terpstra
Jenna Tonn
Heather Walsh
Sam Wiseman
Our performance today takes place in the territory of the Massachusett, Pawtucket, Wampanoag, and Nipmuc Peoples, who have stewarded this land for hundreds of generations. We extend our respect to the Indigenous people of this land, past and present, and honor the land itself which remains sacred to them. We are grateful to have the opportunity to live and work here. We also affirm that this acknowledgement is insufficient. It does not undo the harm that has been done and continues to be perpetrated now against Indigenous people, their land and water.