Upcoming: Chicago Sinfonietta's Soundscape Concert on May 3rd

Good Day Chicago Courtesy of www.fox32chicago.com

Sports Edition with Kenny McReynolds Courtesy of wciu.com

Recently, I had the opportunity to appear on Good Day Chicago and also speak with Kenny McReynolds from Sports Edition, about Chicago Sinfonietta's upcoming fundraiser, the Soundscape Gala. The Gala will be on May 3rd at the Epiphany Center for the Arts in Chicago, IL. Chicago Sinfonietta serves as a shining example of inclusion and diversity in classical music. It's dedicated to showcasing orchestral talents that are often underrepresented. Chicago Sinfonietta has featured more than 50% composers of color in their programs over the last decade, highlighting their goal to broaden representation in the genre.

The Soundscape Gala on May 3rd will showcase a variety of compositions blending genres and cultural sounds. Picture classical undertones intertwining with elements of world music.

Chicago Sinfonietta is dedicated to community engagement by fostering relationships with local organizations and schools to make classical music more accessible, collaborative, and innovative.

The evening of May 3rd will offer a remarkable experience you won't want to miss. The Soundscape Gala promises to engage audiences with captivating performances that reflect the spirit of Chicago's vibrant community.

Tickets are available through the Chicago Sinfonietta's official website , also your generous donations are greatly appreciated.

Check out my segment on Good Day Chicago here and my interview with Kenny McReynolds here.

AllySHIFT™ Call to Action, VOTE

AllySHIFT™ is an inclusive leadership framework for those who pursue, promote and provide for life, liberty and sustained equity for ALL.  We focus on eight characteristics that model the ally journey of shifting from moment to movement.  During this truly unprecedented time, now to Election Day, we will deep dive into the AllySHIFT™ framework and YOUR ultimate election decision, the vote for PROJECT 2025 to be or not to be.

Let’s start with, The Denier.  This behavior chooses to not believe the believable.  The thought might be, “that’s not real” …” that could not have happened, it won’t happen” … and “regardless, this is not my fight”.  Food for thought, two extraordinary examples of consequences of denial are COVID-19 and Climate Change.   As we are days away from the most consequential election of our lifetime, we have the opportunity and an obligation to know better and do better.  PROJECT 2025 is on the ballot not by name but is by promise, history and association.  Its relevance is monumental and considered a manifesto.  The document is not a quick read, so here is an easy listen, Trump Project 2025 Up Close and Personal:  The assault on Public Education, Episode 8, October 17, 2024. 

PLEASE, please make time for this podcast and listen, learn, share and VOTE!!! 

For such a time as this, be an ally to self, people and the planet. 

Sweet Home Chicago....

Chicago, our AllySHIFT™ home base, is loud and proud. It always has been and continues to be. A few examples that I consider near and dear to my heart:

Our documentary BEYOND THEIR YEARS: THE INCREDIBLE LEGACIES

OF HERB CARNEGIE AND BUCK O’NEIL was selected as a finalist for the

2024 ESSENCE FILM FESTIVAL, during the 30th ESSENCE Festival of

Culture in New Orleans. We Won the Social Impact Award!!! The

documentary shares the remarkable and iconic lives of two unforgettable

legendary sports figures who transformed their worlds by their actions and their allies. Buck O’Neil’s story is also a Chicago story. His baseball career in the Negro Leagues as well as Major League Baseball have deep Chicago roots with the Chicago White Sox that include the championship seasons of the East-West All-Star Games and Hall of Famer Minnie Miñoso. The Chicago Cubs have historic pipelines that include Ernie Banks and Buck O’Neil, both Hall of Famers from the Negro Leagues. Buck would also become MLB’s first Black Coach. Check out the trailer….

Next, I had the wonderful opportunity to see 44: THE OBAMA MUSICAL. Former President Barack Obama was a Chicago community organizer and eventually the U.S. Senator serving Illinois before he was POTUS. As we know now and forever, his election changed history!  44 - The unOFFICIAL, unSANCTIONED OBAMA MUSICAL is about his journey and ours. The story is extraordinary, phenomenally entertaining and very much, “Chicago”. When you can go see it!

And finally, the 2024 Democratic National Convention. The DNC has made Chicago the center of the universe. What will happen here in Chicago, will change us all. The opportunity to elect Vice President Kamala Harris for President and her running mate Governor Tim Walz for Vice President is perfectly timed, “for such a time as this”. There is nothing shy about Chi-Town, it is loud and more proud than ever. Here and now is a time for all of us, no matter where we are, to keep the faith, don’t loosen your faith and don’t lose your faith.

--WL