Andover Choral Society is proud to sponsor a community-focused event that will be held at Greater Lawrence Technical School (“GLTS”) on June 17, 2023.
Diverse Voices will be the lead off event for the Juneteenth 2023 weekend in the Merrimack Valley. The event includes time for artistic offerings and for conversations in which we expect to see ourselves as more connected than divided in the Merrimack Valley. Diverse Voices was inspired, in part, by a short but powerful choral piece by Atlanta composer Joel Thompson, written to recognize the dignity of the lives of seven unarmed Black men killed by police officers and others. The piece is called Seven Last Words of The Unarmed. Its only words are those last spoken by Kenneth Chamberlain, Trayvon Martin, Amadou Diallo, Michael Brown, Oscar Grant, John Crawford and Eric Garner.
Diverse Voices will bring together people representing the diversity of ethnicities, languages, and cultures in Lawrence, Methuen, Haverhill, and the two Andovers. The program will offer multiple forms of artistic expression, including vocal and instrumental music, dance, painting, poetry and spoken word. In addition, there will be breakout sessions for dialogue on important issues to the Merrimack Valley. Topics being considered include community health and wellness, affordable housing, food insecurity and a youth conversation.