Get Involved with Harmonize America
In America, we have a strong tradition of communal singing and singing about democratic ideals and love of country, specifically. Harmonize America seeks to amp up the tradition and bring folks together, during a time in our Nation’s development, when it can be a powerful force for unity, joy and inspiration for democratic participation.
OUR MODEL OF ORGANIZATION
Harmonize America will be a lean national team relying upon broad-scale grassroots participation. It will utilize many effective features of Bill McKibben’s climate change initiative 350.org and Bernie Sanders’ campaign. For Harmonize America, the vision and mission are simple: promoting massive national participation in group singing of songs of democratic ideals. We will provide inspiration, musical resources, an online resources to enable Americans to find local and regional events. We will also create an online display at which participating communities can upload photos and videos of actual events.
As we are in the early stages of organization. We anticipate using the phrase “Harmonize America” followed by the location of your local chapter when participating groups upload photos and videos to our online Concert Hall. For example, signs can read “Harmonize LA”, “Harmonize VT”, or whatever the appropriate locale. We hope to feature large scale events on July 4th and MLK Day in this first year of operation. We would like scores or more of groups to post their events with the Harmonize logo. Events on other days would also be encouraged, but the bi-annual events provide opportunities for larger scale exposure.
Hosting information to include a group locator and events page is central to our campaign success. We hope to raise sufficient funds to offer this organizational resource.
WHAT CAN YOU DO AT THE INDIVIDUAL LEVEL?
Are you a singer, song-writer, song-leader, community alliance builder, event coordinator, social media strategist, or fund-raiser? Then we need your support!
Singers. Choirs and choruses abound in America. Let’s tap the ones who love to sing about America and democratic ideals. Some choruses have traditions of collaborating with other choirs. Let’s build on that and encourage building even more alliances. Many folks sing informally in bars, Grange Halls, women’s circles, and neighborhoods. Some may be inspired to commit to Harmonizing America and to building even bigger song-singing parties. Others, may be inspired to start new “Harmonize Our Town” groups. Are you wanting to find out about local chapters in your area? Contact Us for more information
Song writers. We are committed to using existing repertoire about America and democratic ideals. And, we know that from time to time we needs its our own songs, relevant to current life, politics, and events in America, so we will catalyze and encourage song-writing from contemporary song-writers of all ages. Do you have a song to share? Contact Us.
Song-leaders. We hope that many professional choral directors, music educators and music departments will get involved. We honor the tradition of informal and lay-led singing. We hope to offer instructional videos on the web-site, and perhaps song-leading trainings. Other initiatives who build large-scale singing events, like BigBig Sing in the UK, do a great job of providing support and training. Are you wanting to be a Song-leader on the behalf of Harmonize America in your local area? Contact Us to let us know about the amazing work you’re doing!
Community Alliance Builders. These folks are vital; we need those inspired to find existing groups to bring together in clusters, to sing 5-10 agreed upon songs. At present, we are experimenting with potential events in Southern California at multiple locations and hope that those inspired to be part of the Harmonize network building phase will do so in 6-10 states. We welcome volunteers to serve as both state-wide, regional, and local Community Alliance Builders. Do you want to put your special skill of Community Alliance Building to use for Harmonize America? Contact Us to find out how to best serve the chapter in your area!
Events Coordinators. We know that folks at the local level have the most experience coordinating events in their areas; they know the venues, local officials, and large scale events coordinators. We need you, too. Contact Us if you want to offer event coordinating for Harmonize America chapters in your area.
Social Media Strategists. We need social media folks who can get the word out about: the Initiative, participating groups and, the events which unfold. We need high energy creative people. Contact Us if you have a knack for social media and want to help us spread the word!
Fund-raisers. The initiative requires a big online machine (ie. expensive), some staff to to oversee the initial publicity, as well as our communication with the volunteer networks of Community Alliance Builder, and the essential people named above. In addition, song-sheets, copyright, instructional videos, and some outreach will require funding. For information about budgeting, donations, and organizing fundraising please Contact Us.
ADDITIONAL WAYS TO SUPPORT HARMONIZE AMERICA
You may already have a chorus or singing group. If so, could you inspire members to sing songs about American ideals monthly, or on July 4th or MLK Day for a massive sing-along? And, could you get 1 to 5 other choruses to join you to sing 4 or 5 songs in a big public place? A high school sports field? A park or common area?
If you’re not already a part of a singing-group, could you find a local Harmonize America chapter to join?
Or, if you aren’t singing right now, could you create a group from your school or other community organization to sing monthly? It could be at someone’s house, a community center, on the beach. Is there anyone who could be the song leader, or could you agree to pick songs from the Song List, or on your own?
Are you part of an organization that has chapters or similar groups in other states, such as, alumni from schools, churches, social justice groups, fraternities, sports teams, book groups. Could you use newsletters to get people from your organization excited about groups singing for America?
Are you a music teacher in a school or a choral director who could build community alliances of multiple choruses?
Are you an American patriot, non-singer, who loves this idea and would like to help build the community alliances of choruses?