About
We Sing for Justice
Justice Choir is a template to encourage more community singing for social and environmental justice. Designed around our Justice Choir Songbook, our goal is a grassroots movement to engage in the empathetic, collaborative, and collective power of singing together to create change.
The Justice Choir Songbook is a powerful new collection of songs for the issues of our time, and includes 43 new and re-purposed songs selected from a national Call for Scores. Made possible by Westminster Presbyterian Church of Minneapolis and many generous songwriters, the Songbook was co-edited by Abbie Betinis, Ahmed Anzaldúa, and Tesfa Wondemagegnehu. We hope you use the Justice Choir Songbook to help you and your community raise your voices together for change, equity, love, and peace.
Social Justice
Environmental Justice
Amplify your voice and build community by holding a Justice Choir event! Host a rehearsal of Justice Choir songs, lead group singing in a march or rally, or invite your community to a public forum of singing and conversation about your local issues. Communities who plan to hold events often may want to form a Justice Choir Chapter. Chapters use singing as a springboard to ongoing conversation, community action, and transformation.
The Justice Choir Songbook is a digital, downloadable resource of new and re-purposed protest songs for the issues of our time. Selected from a national Call for Songs and made possible by Westminster Presbyterian Church of Minneapolis, this new repertoire is accessible freely to people everywhere, including families, congregations, classrooms, and other organizations working for change.
Team
Who We Are
Abbie is a composer and publisher based in St Paul, Minnesota. A two-time McKnight Artist Fellow, she also has been listed by NPR Music in their 100 Composers Under 40, featured in the Public Television documentary “Never Stop Singing,” and her music has been broadcast on National Public Radio and Public Radio International. She has held residencies with The Singers-Minnesota Choral Artists, The Rose Ensemble, and the New York State School Music Association, and for 12 seasons was Composer-in-Residence for The Schubert Club. She is currently Adjunct Professor of Composition at Concordia University.
Executive Director & Songbook Co-Editor
Tesfa is the Director of Choral Ministries at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Minneapolis, previously served as the conductor of The Radio Choir from American Public Media and manager of APM’s Choral Works Initiative, in St. Paul, MN. As a high school teacher, he was named Orange County Public School’s Teacher of the Year and received the Macy’s National Magic of Teaching Award. He led his choirs in performances at state conventions of the American Choral Directors Association and the Florida Music Educators’ Association, and most recently presented a clinic at the 2015 American Choral Directors Association National Conference.
Justice Choir-Twin Cities founder & Songbook Co-Editor
Ahmed is a Mexican-Egyptian conductor and pianist who enjoys championing the works of living composers and exploring his unique combined musical heritage. He is Director of Music Ministries at Unity Church Unitarian in St. Paul, Minnesota. Ahmed is also founder and artistic director of Border CrosSing, a professional choral ensemble based in the Twin Cities.
Justice Choir Songbook Co-Editor
— Join Us —
Chapters
Justice Choir chapters lead community events in their local area, and teach others how to sing and lead a variety of songs. More like a civic organization than a typical musical ensemble, a Justice Choir chapter’s programming and messaging revolve primarily around local issues and the urgency of current events. Chapters might use the Songbook as a springboard for empathetic community conversation, partner with other local organizations to bring singing into the movement, or mobilize “pop-up” style to lead group singing at marches, rallies, state buildings, vigils, or anywhere a marginalized sector might need a bigger voice.
Find a Chapter Near You
Visit our Community Chapters: San Diego, California | Cedar Valley, Iowa | Indianapolis, Indiana | Detroit, Michigan | Grand Rapids, Michigan | Raleigh, North Carolina | Omaha, Nebraska | Monadnock Area, New Hampshire | Ithaca, New York | Rochester, New York | Memphis, Tennessee | Port Townsend, Washington | Tri-Cities, Washington | Twin Cities, Minnesota | Washington, D.C.
Visit our Student chapters: Ithaca College Justice Choir | Saint Olaf College
Start a Chapter
Download our guide, send us your application, and we’ll get you the tools to get your chapter started.
Plan
Start planning your Chapter launch event and set up your social media profiles to recruit singers.
Launch
Invite friends, family, and community to connect with the choir at your first event!
Sing
Utilize the songbook and the connections you’ve created to promote social change through song.
Contact
We Want to Hear from You