Statement on anti-racism
from our choristers:
Dear friends of The Choir School of Hartford:
The murder of George Floyd was not an isolated event. Mr. Floyd was another unarmed black person whose life was taken by the police. Black people in America live in constant fear for their lives; this must end. The value of a black person’s life must be brought to the value of a white person’s life. Four hundred years of slavery, Jim Crow laws, segregation, and mass incarceration all abide in the systemic racism that plagues our country today. While we represent a full range of races and ethnic backgrounds, most of our choristers are black. For our safety, this is not an issue that can be neglected or forgotten. We must all come together to fight against white supremacy and to end racism. This will not happen overnight; however, the conversation must start now and never cease.
We leave you with a few words from the black national anthem, Lift Every Voice And Sing.
Until all of God’s people can live everyday by its message, our fight is not over.
Lift ev’ry voice and sing,
‘Til earth and heaven ring,
Ring with the harmonies of Liberty;
Let our rejoicing rise
High as the list’ning skies,
Let it resound loud as the rolling sea.
Sing a song full of the faith that the dark past has taught us,
Sing a song full of the hope that the present has brought us;
Facing the rising sun of our new day begun,
Let us march on ’til victory is won.
Amen.
- Dinaka, Head Chorister (2018–2020)
- Adrian, Head Boy
- Margaret, Prefect
- Kodi Jane, Head Chorister (2020–2021) Prefect and Organ Scholar
- Celine, Prefect (2020–2021)
- Jackson Merrill, Music Director (2017–2019)