I began writing in 2020. That summer, protests around the world accelerated with the Movement for Black Lives and response to George Floyd’s murder. For many, the uprising in the streets was the first time we gathered since the beginning of the pandemic, coming together to demand that “injustice can be defeated in the land.”
The text of Laudato Si' speaks out against systems of oppression and reminds us that all are siblings. It challenged me to write music that could invite conversations addressing injustice and rebuilding our common home. Retreating from my crowded house (with the piano next to the kitchen table), I spent winter on the New England coast reflecting on environmental justice, the plight of climate refugees, and questions of responsibility. Tuning in to the Earth that sustains us and listening to  the waves and wind, I reflected on the text: "May our struggles and concern for our planet never take away the joy of our hope. Let us sing as we go."