Want to change the world? Make music.
"Powerful songs have always been the engine behind the greatest social movements — it is the marching soundtrack that unites the people and gives them focus and resolve. In 1970s Nigeria, Fela Kuti invented Afro Beat music as a way to protest the oil company regime of Nigeria. His song “Zombie” became a global hit that railed against Nigeria’s military dictators. In South Africa, the indigenous Mbatanga music helped bring about the end of apartheid and it spread a message of peace and reconciliation in that nation. In Chile, Victor Jara wrote songs about his country’s struggles, sparking the Nueva Cancion (New Songs) movement that caused South Americans to rise up against their military dictatorships and replace them with democracies...
The reason this works is because music gets people thinking, talking, and doing."
Barrett Martin
"Music is able to transcend the arbitrary boundaries that humans devise to separate themselves from others. Collaborative musical projects can bridge political, ethnic, and religious divides."
Music as a Cultural Bridge
"It’s no time for musicians and artists to be shy about speaking up through music and song. And yes, one person or one band can make a difference. It’s time to tune up your guitars, plug in your amps, revamp your set lists to include the likes of Sam Cooke, Marvin Gaye or Public Enemy or compose some songs of your own that speak truth to power.
The power of music to help create meaningful change is in your hands."
Dr. John Gerdy