Posted on Mar 30, 2023
Tacoma Refugee Choir helps members find hope and home through song
598
19
3
7
7
0
Over the past 10 years, more than 30,000 refugees, from more than 70 countries have resettled in Washington state through the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program.
It’s one thing to welcome refugees; it’s another to make them feel at home. The Tacoma Refugee Choir has helped give that feeling to refugees, as well as immigrants and native U.S. citizens. The members find belonging through song and so much more.
In 2016, Tacoma resident and classically trained singer and voice coach, Erin Guinup, was at a church conference learning about the Syrian refugee crisis. She was moved by the stories and felt compelled to get involved.
“And then the thought was so clear, in my mind, use the gift you have. And so I thought, 'Well, singing has always been a safe place for me. Perhaps it would be a safe place for other people,'” she said.
It’s one thing to welcome refugees; it’s another to make them feel at home. The Tacoma Refugee Choir has helped give that feeling to refugees, as well as immigrants and native U.S. citizens. The members find belonging through song and so much more.
In 2016, Tacoma resident and classically trained singer and voice coach, Erin Guinup, was at a church conference learning about the Syrian refugee crisis. She was moved by the stories and felt compelled to get involved.
“And then the thought was so clear, in my mind, use the gift you have. And so I thought, 'Well, singing has always been a safe place for me. Perhaps it would be a safe place for other people,'” she said.
Tacoma Refugee Choir helps members find hope and home through song
Posted from kuow.org
Music
Singing
Tacoma
Immigration
Refugees
Posted 1 y ago
Responses: 3
5
5
0
3
3
0
PO1 William "Chip" Nagel
..."Henry is Washington’s delegate to the Refugee Congress, which advocates for refugees’ rights.
“My main job is just advocacy to meet with representatives, and community leaders organization to talk with them, because most of our leaders, sometimes they really don't know about what refugees and immigrants are facing," he explained. "So I tried to talk with them. I know, I'm not powerful enough to change, but at least powerful enough to influence.”
Henry said the choir has helped him in that role, too. In January, he and the rest of the choir were invited to sing the national anthem before Washington’s State of the State address. It was a dream come true for him. He met the governor and got to speak to the House speaker. He said it was especially important that they hear directly from refugees.
“Most of the time, they hear only one side of that story. They don't hear the other story, our own stories, refugees," Henry said. "And the real story of refugees is resiliency, positivity, as well as looking for freedom and peace. That's the real story of refugees.”
Guinup said this mindset is represented best in the choir's theme song, “Everyone Can Love Someone.” They sing it every rehearsal and every performance. It was born from discussions about the depth and weight of some of the stories the songs are about.
“One of the members said, ‘We need happier songs, we are joyful, and this is what we need,’” Guinup explained. “And I feel like that joy, that interaction, really guided the direction of the choir saying we don't want to just sing our sad stories. Sometimes it's important and necessary to acknowledge the past, more often than not, we need to experience joy, we need to see the promise in the future and the possibilities. That is what's powerful. That's what powers us forward.”
..."Henry is Washington’s delegate to the Refugee Congress, which advocates for refugees’ rights.
“My main job is just advocacy to meet with representatives, and community leaders organization to talk with them, because most of our leaders, sometimes they really don't know about what refugees and immigrants are facing," he explained. "So I tried to talk with them. I know, I'm not powerful enough to change, but at least powerful enough to influence.”
Henry said the choir has helped him in that role, too. In January, he and the rest of the choir were invited to sing the national anthem before Washington’s State of the State address. It was a dream come true for him. He met the governor and got to speak to the House speaker. He said it was especially important that they hear directly from refugees.
“Most of the time, they hear only one side of that story. They don't hear the other story, our own stories, refugees," Henry said. "And the real story of refugees is resiliency, positivity, as well as looking for freedom and peace. That's the real story of refugees.”
Guinup said this mindset is represented best in the choir's theme song, “Everyone Can Love Someone.” They sing it every rehearsal and every performance. It was born from discussions about the depth and weight of some of the stories the songs are about.
“One of the members said, ‘We need happier songs, we are joyful, and this is what we need,’” Guinup explained. “And I feel like that joy, that interaction, really guided the direction of the choir saying we don't want to just sing our sad stories. Sometimes it's important and necessary to acknowledge the past, more often than not, we need to experience joy, we need to see the promise in the future and the possibilities. That is what's powerful. That's what powers us forward.”
(3)
(0)
2
2
0
Read This Next
Continue with Facebook 
Continue with Google