Marking two months since George Floyd’s death during police arrest in Minneapolis USA, and in response to the outrage expressed across the globe, theatre producer Danielle Tarento has brought together more than 150 Black and Black mixed race actors from the UK and the US, along with a 38-piece orchestra, to record ‘Make Them Hear You,’ from the Broadway musical ‘Ragtime’, to raise money for StopWatch (Stop-Watch.org).
Singers featured include; Cavin Cornwall, Tommie Earl Jenkins, Emmanuel Kojo, James T Lane, Ako Mitchell, Cedric Neal, Trevor Dion Nicholas, Clarke Peters, Mykal Rand, Joe Aaron Reid, Clive Rowe, Ray Shell, Tosh Wanogho-Maud, Layton Williams and Gary Wilmot.
In ‘Ragtime’, set in New York at the turn of the 20th century, African-American Coalhouse Walker Jr. suffers great injustice because of his colour. Fighting back, he sings an inspirational message of hope before surrendering himself to the police, who ultimately shoot and kill him.
Go out and tell our story, Let it echo far and wide, Make them hear you, Make them hear you.
How Justice was our battle, And how Justice was denied, Make them hear you, Make then hear you.
And say to those who blame us For the way we chose to fight, That sometimes there are battles That are more than black or white”
After Floyd’s death, protests were held globally against the use of excessive force by police officers against black suspects and lack of police accountability. Protests began in Minneapolis the day after his death and developed in over 400 cities throughout all 50 US states and internationally, including cities all across the UK.
The StopWatch campaign has been fighting the racist and disproportionate use of stop and search since 2010. Run by lawyers, activists and academics, the group works to promote effective, accountable and fair policing, inform the public about stop and search, develop and share research, organise awareness-raising events and forums and provide legal support challenging stop and search.
Donations can be made via the StopWatch website, so 100% will go to the charity. https://gf.me/u/x57g52
