On October 16, the Denver Women Chorus presents March. Sing. Vote!, an online choral event celebrating the 100th Anniversary of the 19th Amendment and the struggle to win voting rights for all women. The program features the online premiere of Lifting as We Climb, an original commission by renowned composer Joan Szymko.
Lifting as We Climb was featured in DWC’s last in-person concert, Make Them Hear You earlier this year. Chorus member Terwanda McMoore reflects on the experience and the importance of voting.
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Lifting As We Climb was an epic moment for me. Honestly, it opened up my eyes to history that had been kept away, growing up as a child, as a teenager, and even as an adult. Sadly, I did not know who most of the women mentioned in this piece were. It exposed the hard reality that a lot of this was never taught in history classes.
Every song in Lifting As We Climb spoke to me. The songs we sang showed the togetherness all of us had even though we all came from different walks of life. Being a speaker really liberated a part of me that I kept hidden for years. The hidden fact that I really want to change and help heal the world.
I truly believe that we are all bound together. I truly believe if we really want to make a huge change in this world, we all have to come together and recognize our differences. We must work together to end the injustice that all parties deal with. Whether you are a woman, black, brown, Asian, Native American, or LGBTQ, we all need to come together.
Lifting As We Climb motivated me to make sure that I vote and to make sure that I get others to vote, especially women. Now more than ever each one of our votes is important. We have to come together. We have to make sure we vote. We have to make sure that the public knows what’s on the ballot. We have to make sure that each and every individual vote is counted. We need to bring an end to the injustice that has been put upon numerous people in our society. The people in our past sacrificed the majority of their lives for our future, our rights, our freedom, and our birthright to equality. Now is the time to make sure their sacrifices were not in vain.
On October 16, you can join the Denver Women’s Chorus online for March. Sing. Vote! and experience Joan Szymko’s Lifting As We Climb for yourself. But before you do, please register to vote and make a plan to make yours count.
Terwanda S. McMoore