My name is Ella-Marie Robles, and this summer I am launching the first semester of the South Loop String Collective – a student-led string ensemble dedicated to uplifting the voices of musicians from marginalized communities. This isn’t an established organization with years of concerts behind it, it’s something that I have decided to build from the ground up because I believe it needs to exist

The world right now feels heavy. There is so much uncertainty, division, and fear that it can be hard to imagine what change even looks like. But when we make music together, when we sit in the same room and intentionally listen, something shifts. Music is meant to remind us that we belong to something larger and it can be a source of hope when it feels like there is none.

This collective is completely student-led. Students are arranging the music, conducting, running our social media, designing our logo, and most importantly, shaping the artistic direction of this ensemble. But it isn’t just limited to students, SLSC is open to any string musician who needs that community and wants to be part of something intentional and rooted in representation.

I am raising funds because I want this ensemble to be completely free for the musicians involved. Financial barriers are often what keep talented players from marginalized communities from accessing opportunities like this — from rehearsal spaces, performance experiences, and collaborative artistic environments. If there are going to be walls, I don’t want cost to be one of them. Your support will help cover rehearsal space, music printing, and the basic production expenses that come with starting something new. More than that, it helps ensure that no one is excluded because of money.

Our first summer program is called Nueva Tierra (New Earth). This season is about starting something new and building a space for music that connects us to our families and the traditions that shaped us. We’re honoring songs that have been part of our lives for generations, from the timeless sounds of Luis Miguel and Oscar D’León to the fresh voices of Natalia Lafourcade and Bad Bunny. At the same time, we’re bringing this music to strings in new ways, giving it life on a stage it hasn’t been on before. Nueva Tierra is about community, culture, and connection, and sharing that through music with anyone who wants to listen.

This is the very beginning of the South Loop String Collective. And by supporting it now, you’re not just funding a concert, you’re helping build a space where access, representation, and community come first.