Hear The Inspirational Protest Songs Of The Resistance Revival Chorus

*This session originally aired on November 19, 2020

People all over have shown incredible strength and resilience in the face of the global coronavirus pandemic. But one painful loss for artists and fans alike has been the absence of live music; after all, singing in an enclosed space is one of the riskiest things to do. Fortunately the Resistance Revival Chorus was able to record its debut album, This Joy, before the pandemic took hold. That means you can hear this collective of around 65 women and nonbinary singers performing their inspirational, empowering protest songs – both originals and covers – even if you can’t be in the room with them.

In this session, I’m joined by Resistance Revival Chorus musical director Abena Koomson-Davis and chorus member Alba Ponce de Leon. We talk about the chorus, how it came together, what their vision is and what it’s meant for its members and their communities over the last four years. But first, hear a performance inspired by the words of 1930s civil rights activist Ella Baker, whose words were turned into an a capella song by scholar and composer Dr. Bernice Johnson Reagon and later performed by her group, Sweet Honey in the Rock.