resources
Many of the resources below were compiled in 2020, as we lived into the critical movements of the time, which still continue in importance today. We are keeping these resources available as a reflection that this work continues within our organization.
A letter to the common pulse community…
Dear common pulse family,
2020 has not been the year we expected, to say the least. Our individual and collective lives have been disrupted by a deadly pandemic that has taken jobs and loved ones. The pandemics of police brutality and systemic racism continue to endanger Black lives and perpetuate violence against Black livelihoods. Some of us have had the privilege to experience these multiple pandemics as shocking. For many, the inequities they reveal are a matter of daily life.
This past winter, when common pulse started programming our summer 2020 season, entitled the WALLS between us, we couldn’t have imagined the piercing significance that theme would take on. The concept of walls has come into focus in specific ways this year. Our lives suddenly became small, quarantined behind the walls of our own homes. Broken systems in this country raised barriers to healthcare that have cost us tens of thousands of lost lives. Historical partitions caused in part by redlining and housing discrimination have meant that the virus is disproportionately affecting specific Chicago neighborhoods and populations. The barriers to justice created by systemic racism in policing mean that, nationally, Black people are three times more likely to be killed by police than white people. We know that Black transgender people face even greater risks of violence and even more roadblocks to accessing justice. The list could go on...
These times ask us to examine our own roles in acknowledging and dismantling the walls that uphold injustice. We at common pulse are doing just that, alongside this community. As many of you know, common pulse is a program of the new nonprofit organization Chicago Artists for Action. Collectively, our mission is centered around a commitment to building collaborative partnerships to inspire action toward justice and nurture a more connected Chicago. If we are to be honest to this mission, we know that we have work to do:
Recognizing that wellbeing is a central value of our community, the board, staff, and artists of Chicago Artists for Action have decided to postpone the 2020 common pulse rehearsal and concert season to summer 2021. It is clear that in-person group singing will not be safe until an effective vaccine and treatment for COVID-19 are in place. While we mourn the loss of in-person gatherings this summer, our musicians and leaders feel energized to use this space as an opportunity to step up in alignment with our mission in other critical ways. We will not miss this chance.
As an institution with roots in the choral singing world, we acknowledge that common pulse is an inheritor of white Anglo/European choral traditions that often fail to be safe and inclusionary spaces for people of color. We will continue to commit to going beyond inclusion, to being actively antiracist, and to becoming a better artistic home for BIPOC artists, leaders, and audience members. We apologize for where the organization has fallen short of this commitment.
Along with the board, we have made a commitment to prioritize the action toward justice part of our organization’s mission. We have incredible expertise within our community that will mobilize our resources in support of justice for Chicagoans. Right now, that means fighting for systems in our city that reflect the truth that Black Lives Matter. We invite you to stay connected and get involved with the organization in new ways. Please visit this new page on our website to stay updated on the specific actions our organization is taking, to follow along as this work unfolds, and to let us know if you are interested in being involved in specific ways. You’ll find the first steps in this process shared below.
We cannot do this without our existing community, or without forging new collaborations (artistic and beyond) with the Chicago organizations and activists who are doing the work and leading the movement. We are grateful for the abundance of wisdom and leadership for justice that already exist among us.
Although our community is bursting with energy and ideas, we don’t have all the answers. Do you have ideas about how we can take action together? Do you have connections to activists or organizations that we can support? Do you have dreams for what common pulse and Chicago Artists for Action can accomplish? Let us know by replying to this email or sending us a note. We’d love to hear from you.
Stay tuned for new ways to be involved in the common pulse family. 2020 wasn’t what we expected, but let’s not let it pass without transforming Chicago into a more just place.
With gratitude,
Kaleb & Lydia
Director of Operations & Artistic Director
common pulse task forces
As we mobilize our organization in support of the movement for Black lives, we are organizing ourselves into volunteer task forces, each with a specific focus within the complex and collective work of dismantling systemic racism. While these task forces will be led by common pulse artists, we welcome participation from the wider community! Inform us of your interest by sending us a note. Task forces will meet virtually.
MOVE: Protests, marches, and actions (in-person and virtual)
LEARN: Resource collection and dissemination / books / articles / films / shows / TED talks / albums / songs / etc.
CALL: Education and conversation around public policy issues
SING: Musical approach / beyond inclusion / create implement and operate a radical antiracist choral field
sharing resources
As our community engages in learning and conversation about antiracism and intersectional justice movements, we’re compiling resources that are helping us on the journey and sharing some below. This list will grow and change, so check back!
Black Voices Matter Pledge: A pledge to address antiracism in choral practice
Decolonizing the Music Room: A nonprofit organization using research, training, and discourse to help music educators develop critical practices and center BBIA (Black, Brown, Indigenous, and Asian) voices, knowledge, and experiences in order to challenge the historical dominance of white Western European and American music, narratives, and practices
Justice Choir Songbook: A powerful new collection of songs for the issues of our time, compiled by Justice Choir (check out our sister program, Justice Choir Chicago, to get involved locally!)
We Rise: A Movement Songbook: Published by the Poor People’s Campaign, this songbook draws on a rich history of social movement music, both old and new
check back soon for more action steps…
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