“Without community there is no liberation”
Audre Lorde
Much of my work is with others who might not see themselves as ‘musicians’ to make things together. I. believe that we all need creativity to survive, and it can be the tool to our collective liberation.
How do I do this?
As a part of my composition practise, I often create participative processes to bring in other voices to co-create pieces with me. In creating the music for the play A Child of Science, a play about the origins of IVF - I put together a choir of singers who all had some relationship to IVF, to help create the score.
I currently run a non-auditioned queer friendly choir in Nunhead, south-east London called South East London Queer Choir. Our books are closed but you can follow us here. We do big-gigs, solidarity fundraisers, sing at protests and a big street-takeover for Christmas in Nunhead.
I work as a facilitator and organiser for grassroots groups who want a more just, peaceful world and a liveable planet. I use the principles of training for change which creates environments for learning and doing together that make us feel more able to use our power together to confront oppressive systems and build something better. This work began when I set up the early stages of the project which is now Beyond Equality, which works with boys and men in schools to tackle toxic masculinity.
I put on events like Shut Up and Play Festival and solidarity gigs to raise funds for grassroots activist groups.
I create resources, like this one for male allies, to help people do the hard work of changing themselves - in community - and so change the world.