When the Show Must Go On — Against All Odds

Art has always been a form of resistance.
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Why?
In 2017, I began composing Harlem Voices to honor the Black performers and visionaries of the Harlem Renaissance. That work evolved into a two-part musical journey exploring systemic racism, racial profiling, LGBTQ+ identity, and Black resilience. These works--Harlem Voices and Harlem Voices: Revisited—are not simply entertainment. They are acts of cultural preservation and liberation.

This year, thanks to a California Humanities “Humanities for All” grant (funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities), we launched the Harlem Voices Revue—a five-performance series staged in rural Lake County, California. We brought two successful preview shows to life with the fiscal sponsorship of the Middletown Art Center, demonstrating that powerful Black narratives can thrive even in communities far from urban cultural centers.

Then, with no warning, everything changed.

When the NEH Goes Silent
The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) funding—on which our California Humanities $25,000 matching grant depended—was indefinitely suspended by the Trump administration on April 2, 2025. The federal government is moving to defund the National Endowment for the Humanities entirely. Our grant, the backbone of this project, evaporated overnight. Though we’ve used part of it already, the remaining funds promised to us will likely never arrive.

And yet—we have three more shows to produce. Contracts have been signed. Musicians, soloists, technicians, and the Soper-Reese Theatre are all expecting us to deliver.

Do we cancel?

NO. WE DO NOT CANCEL!

Why This Matters
This project matters because it reflects the lived history of Black Americans and the continuous struggle to be heard, seen, and respected. It matters because it uplifts a rural county not often associated with dynamic, professional musical theater. It matters because we are showing what can happen when a community comes together for something larger than themselves.

Most of all, it matters because we cannot allow the erasure of Black voices and the arts to go unchallenged. So, we’re moving forward—without government support, but with the full force of our community and allies behind us.

Where We Are Now
We need to raise $18,000 to cover the costs of the final three performances on May 30, May 31, and June 1 at the Soper-Reese Theatre in Lakeport, CA. This includes payments to our artists, venue costs, lighting and sound, marketing, and essential production needs. The first two performances were an overwhelming success. Audiences wept, stood, cheered, and told us again and again how necessary these stories are. We cannot let this final act go untold.

How You Can Help
We’ve launched a crowdfunding strategy to meet this goal. We are also reaching out to donors, grant organizations, local businesses, and community leaders.
You can:

• Donate - even $5 helps.
• Share our campaign on social media.
  
• Become a sponsor or help us connect to potential funders.
• Attend a performance and bring others with you.

If you’ve ever believed in the power of music, the importance of truth-telling, or the necessity of keeping Black history alive—this is your chance to act.

The Bigger Picture
The NEH’s defunding is not just a blow to one project. It’s a direct attack on freedom of expression and cultural memory. It impacts thousands of artists, educators, historians, and communities who rely on the arts not just to survive, but to thrive.

In the face of censorship and suppression, we must raise our voices louder than ever.

This is not just about Harlem Voices. This is about all of us.

Please stand with us.