Having made waves at universities across the country and the prestigious Carnegie Hall, Songs of Hope: Unveiling Darkness made a stop at Belmont Friday, Jan. 26 to shine light on the social justice issues plaguing Nashville and the society at large through an interactive multi-media event.
Songs of Hope was co-founded by Belmont’s own Dr. Angela Yoon, assistant professor in the School of Music, who started the show because she wanted to use the arts to make the world a better place.
In 2017, Yoon heard a story of a victim of human trafficking and felt at a loss on how to help. “I don’t have a lot of money, I’m not a politician... But I realized there had to be something I could do, even if it was little,” she explained. “I thought about what gifts God had allowed me that I could use to educate for those who do not have a voice.”
Songs of Hope is centered around four social justice categories: marginalized youth, undocumented immigrants, refugees and human trafficked victims. It features live musical performances by several musicians, including Yoon, Carl DuPont, Artina McCain and Jason Terry, combined with stories, artwork and moments of speaking to give the audience more context about the issues at hand. Belmont Chorale concluded the event with a performance of “We Shall Overcome,” directed by Director of Choral Activities and Professor of Music Dr. Jeffery Ames.
Throughout the program, Belmont Innovation Labs Executive Director Dr. Josh Yates offered statistical insights to provide a deeper understanding of the challenges and realities faced by individuals who live out the stories being told through the event.
Statistics touched on issues of increasing rates of homelessness in Nashvillians under the age of 18, youth facing food insecurity, domestic violence and human trafficking.
Yates emphasized that there are two ways to hope: “the cheap way and the expensive way.” He noted that this performance took the expensive way, meaning that the hard things cannot be ignored but must be addressed with the hope of things getting better.
Yates also moderated a panel discussion featuring the guest artists, aiming to foster awareness, understanding and collaborative efforts to address these pressing social issues.
Because of how closely this goal aligns with Belmont’s mission, holding the concert on campus made perfect sense. Yoon explained, “Especially noteworthy is Belmont’s desire to foster a transformational mindset in order to make the world a better place, and this is exactly at the core of Songs of Hope.”
Assistant Professor in the College of Education Dr. Mona Ivey-Soto spoke about her involvement in the community during a chapel service ahead of the Songs of Hope concert. "It’s very clear in scripture that if we are a believer, we are called to the work of justice,” she said. “Mother Teresa was once asked, ‘How did you receive your call to serve the poor?’ She answered, ‘My call is not to serve the poor; my call is to follow Jesus, and I follow Him to the poor.’ You can swap out the word ‘poor’ for any of the words that we are passionate about. It’s because of my faith that this is something I feel privileged to do.”
The chapel event’s panel members also reflected upon the fact that we approach these issues from a place of privilege and that we must avoid the instinct of being prescriptive in the help we provide.
The central theme from the panel: People who want to help must focus on listening, understanding what others actually need, understanding how they hurt and place priority on making change within the systems of injustice that exist in our societies.
There is a song in the marginalized youth category of the Songs of Hope concert called “Invisible” that reflects upon this idea. “Yes, money is a necessity, but that’s not what I want from you,” Yoon recited. “I want people to see me.”
It is evident through this event and others that making change requires coming alongside organizations in the city that are working to make change within these systems. Songs of Hope partnered with several Nashville nonprofits, including the Center of Hope, JoyCorps, The Branch, Catholic Charities, Martha O’Bryan Center and others, who are dedicated to addressing highlighted issues. These organizations offered information at the event on how to become more involved in their efforts.
“Unlike most musical performances where the audience feels finished at the end of the program, this event serves as the beginning for many to open their minds and transform our own community with each individual’s passions and gifts,” Yoon said. “This event is a testament to Belmont University's commitment to using its platform to drive positive change in the community.”