Tacoma Refugee Choir Presents

LET’S PLEDGE TO MAKE TACOMA

A WELCOMING PLACE FOR ALL!
 

JOIN US

 by sharing your answer to this question: 

 

What is one one thing I can do to welcome or support immigrants and refugees in my community?

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Program Notes &
Artist Biographies
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"Passarinho Canto"

by Ivan Lins
from the medley: "Quadras de Rodas"
soloist: Lucia Guererro

 

"Common Ground"

by Ivan Lins, Ronaldo Monteiro de Souza

English lyrics by Paul Winter, John Guth, Michael Homes

soloist: Perry Spring

 

“During the summer of 1977, Paul Winter invited an eclectic group of musicians to come to his farm and spend several weeks making an album together, while living in a tent village by the river. ‘Common Ground’ is a Brazilian song that immediately gained the group’s affection and inspired them to write English lyrics which would sum up their experience of ‘the village.’” — From the liner notes of the Paul Winter album “Common Ground” (1978)

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"Reflection: Refugee Status" by Tshishiku Henry
 

Tshishiku Henry is the Refugee Congress Delegate for Washington State. He was born in the Democratic Republic of Congo and arrived in the United States in 2018 after fleeing conflicts in his home country.

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Tshishiku is passionate about helping and working with immigrants and refugees. He works as an Employment Case Manager at Jewish Family Service, a nonprofit organization based in Seattle. Jewish Family Service delivers support to refugees and asylees, from resettlement through naturalization and works closely with newly arrived refugees by providing intensive case management services centered around civic, social and economic integration.

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While in Africa, Tshishiku worked with UNHCR and Plan International Malawi, providing services to refugees with a focus on the areas of human rights, child protection and gender-based violence. He founded a program to empower children by teaching them poetry and drama and encouraging children to raise their voices and speak on issues affecting them through performing arts. He also created a project that supports and transforms women to be self-reliant through manual work such as tailoring, knitting and small business, a position that allowed him to work with people from different backgrounds including Rwanda, Burundi, Congo, Ethiopia and Malawi.

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Tshishiku also worked as a journalist at a community radio in a refugee camp. He has a diploma in biochemistry from his home country and a certificate in business and entrepreneurship from Jesuit Common High Education at the Margins.

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"Help Me Find A Home"

words by Aboubakr Hassan 
music by Erin Guinup

guest conductor:

Sheri-Ann Nishiyama 
Artistic Director of South Sound Classical Choir
and Choral Director at Mount Tahoma High School

 

This song features vivid poetry by past choir member Abou who reminds us of the longing many have for home. He concludes this deeply personal text with, “Help me find a home where we can come together and sing to heal those of us who’ve lost our families and homes,” reflecting his recognition that the choir and Tacoma became his home.

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Friendship Bench Zimbabwe

www.friendshipbenchzimbabwe.org

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"City of Destiny"

by Orlando G. Morales

conductor: Michael Green

soloist: Kemarjae Thomas Davis,
freshman at Mount Tahoma High School

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"The Scent of Memories"

by Erin Guinup and Tina Huynh 

based on the memories of 
Mr. Tuc Dao and Mr. Hao Nguyen

soloist: Kaelin Lor

conductor: Natalie Ghayoumi

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This song is based on the Việt Hương garden and a conversation with Vietnamese elders Tuc Dao and Hao Nguyen.  These two men shared their experiences beginning as farmers in Vietnam, the devastating effects of the war, the feelings of abandonment after America’s withdrawal from Vietnam, their years in reeducation camps (prison), and the relief of safety after finding refuge in the United States at age 65 and 62.  Though they lost their home, families, village, ancestor’s tombs, and their country, the garden on S. 14th & G St in Tacoma has become their surrogate home.  

The garden is beautifully ordered with 83 plots cared for by 20+ families.  Full of vegetables native to their homeland including spiky chayote, bitter melon, cilantro, and hairy gourd, as well as more familiar lettuces, sweet potato leaves, beets, herbs, and flowers.  This is a cherished place that provides food and a sense of place and belonging.  They struggle at times to pay the water bill and long for a covered shelter for the garden but they are immensely grateful for this place that feels like home.  The men shared the pain of all they have lost but that the garden eases some of that pain.  “The sun shines so long as there will be rain coming” and “Though we left our homeland, our homeland will never leave us.”

Special thanks to Xuan Man for her assistance in translating the interviews and providing other assistance.

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"I Don't Feel Noways Tired"

by Curtis Burrell (1938 – 2020) 

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"Life"

by Artsiom Lukyanenka
as performed by Naviband

soloists: Katia Marynevich, Sander Lazar
conductor: Katia Marynevich
introduction by Yulia Boukchtanovitch

 

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"Everyone Can Love Someone"

by Trésor John, Nathalie Bajinya & Erin Guinup

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Special Community Partner​
 

Multiculturally Minded

Executive Director: Usha Sahadeva-Brooks

Founder: Lea Green

 

Multiculturally Minded was founded in 2016, inspired by the birth of my multicultural son. I found myself asking, "Where is my local community that values culture and equity?" And that is how the organization was born when I created a Facebook page—Multiculturally Minded LC (Lewis County)—as a space for people in our area to share discussions and events centered around these important themes.
 

In 2020, during the surge of Black Lives Matter protests, the page became an active hub for discussions and a platform to promote local events. Over the years, MMLC has played a role in several impactful initiatives, including: Protests for Black Lives Matter, Stop Asian Hate, and justice for Josh Flores, Annual Juneteenth celebrations, Police accountability efforts, CIRCLE America book and film clubs, Celebrations of Our George Washington, the Black Pioneer, and MMLC monthly meetups. Our latest initiative, proudly supported by Inatai, focuses on encouraging greater civic engagement across Lewis County.
 

I am now based in Tacoma, I've recently launched a new Facebook page—Multiculturally Minded PC (Pierce County)—to serve this community with the same mission of fostering connection, cultural celebration, and equity-focused action.

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• Multiculturally Minded Linktree

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Musicians

Joey Phillips (Drum Set)

Charles Brown (Bass)

Orlando G. Morales (Piano)

Sander Lazar (violin, djembe)

Vadym Provozyuk (guitar)
 

Crew

Annika Evens (Stage Manager)

Diane Tilstra (Volunteer Coordinator)

John Huddlestun (Projections)

Video and Tech Support: Dmitriy Yemelyenov and PROFIGROUP LLC

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Rally Planning Committee

Ran Owyang, Iuliia Didkivska, Natalie Ghayoumi, Julie Staples, Kath Ross, Marsha Mutisi, Kate Modic, Diane Tilstra, Lucia Guerrero Flores, Gidget Griffin, Caroline Brandau, Jamie Kelly, Maurice Lekea

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Special Thanks

Tina Huynh
Tacoma Public Schools

Tacoma City Theaters