Active Listening

We're launching a new series of Active Listening!

I began this series with the conviction that music can act as a foundation for compassion and as a vehicle for social change. Each commissioned work addresses a specific social justice issue and provides actionable steps toward social justice initiatives in an accompanying published article. Audio tracks are made available for download on Bandcamp, and 100% of the proceeds are donated directly to charitable organizations chosen by the composers.

The first release of Active Listening was a resounding success that continues to raise awareness and funding for ten social justice concerns and 25 organizations. In 2019, Active Listening articles generated over 33,500 page views on the digital magazine I CARE IF YOU LISTEN, including the website’s most-read article of the year. On YouTube, the series playlist has amassed over 30,000 views and counting,

Now, we are seeking your help to fund a second season. Our newest lineup of composers includes Allison Loggins-Hull, Nina Shekhar, Viet Cuong, Ted Hearne, Gemma Peacocke, David T. Little, and Niloufar Nourbakhsh. This is a truly incredible group of artists (seriously, go check them out), and we can't wait to hear what they have to say.

All donations will go toward commissioning the artists and curating high-quality video and audio recordings of the works. Active Listening is a passion project that challenges myself and others to see how far art can be pushed to truly become activism. As such, I do not take commission or payment for any work that I contribute to this project, including performances and recording, article writing and editing, or administration and social media management.

It is my sincerest wish that listeners will be inspired, educated, and engaged with the information and resources needed to approach society's biggest problems. Any size donation or even simply sharing this fundraiser means the world to me and the future of this project.