Meaningful music and political activism have always gone hand in hand. Since music quite literally crosses borders and boundaries, it is a fertile art form for growing understanding and blossoming awareness.
Toledo musician Ben Cohen and Michigan poet and activist Akili Jackson have just returned from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to learn from and support women, as a part of a monumental project, Run Across Congo. Supported by On the Ground, a Michigan-based nonprofit, they have trailed a team of women who ran a marathon a day for seven days to raise funds and awareness for female coffee farmers and victims of violence in Eastern DRC, an area torn by decades of civil war.
“The tragedy in this region of the World is beyond comprehension and continues to this day,” said Cohen. “But we were not there to focus on that. We were there to help tell another story. These young artists are using music to join together and create a new voice for their community. We were there to help amplify that voice.
In conjunction with On the Ground, the art ambassadors from Ohio and Michigan spent time with these women and are now in the process of creating a soundtrack album for the runners and their journey. The invited artists are a part of the group they developed with Toledo visual artist Yusuf Abdul Lateef, Radiant City Arts, “an arts education provider specializing in music, poetry, and visual arts workshops with a focus on developing leadership skills and self empowerment.” (https://www.radiantcityarts.org/)
“Music is a language that transcends tragedy, language and socio-economic status. With it, I was able to speak to children, collaborate with local artists and create lasting relationships that I am excited to grow,” said Cohen.
Help make it happen
Cohen and Jackson worked on the soundtrack during their journey with these women, assisted by members of Northern Michigan’s Earthwork Music Collective, a grassroots music society that has partnered with On the Ground for similar projects in the past. During the trip, they spent time working with local musicians, doing field recordings, and becoming integrated with the environment.
Now that the duo has just returned home, they are able to focus on synthesizing the music and creating an album to share the experience. Help make this step happen by donating and learning more.
To get updates, watch an informative video on the project, and pledge support, please visit Radiant City’s Kickstarter campaign (https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1335019382/help-create-the-run-across-congo-soundtrack-by-rad)
Stay tuned for an exclusive interview with the artists after the album is finished.
