2024 | The Power of Me

Welcome to The Power of Me, our second annual Transgender Day of Remembrance concert. I’m Haven Wilvich, she/her, and I’d like to take a moment to thank each of you for being here today to observe this important holiday with us. This year it is more important than ever that we gather in community like this to not only honor our dead but to collectively vow to fight like hell for the living.

I would like to take a moment to welcome to the stage the Seattle Trans and Nonbinary Choral Ensemble singers, better known collectively as STANCE.

While STANCE was founded in 2022, the vision for this space began in 2016 out of a deep unmet need to have a local community space led by and for trans and nonbinary singers. I am very proud of the work that so many of our singers have put into building this community together. Thank you to all of our board members, volunteers, and loyal supporters here with us today. We couldn’t do this without you.

Now I’d like to introduce our Emcee for the evening, Fox Hampton, Co-Director of the Alphabet Alliance of Color.
Please find our Land & Labor Acknowledgement in the Acknowledgement & Thanks section of this program.
Please see the History of TDOR section. This program will contain the names of trans people who have died this year and descriptions of how they were killed. We ask that you care for yourself, particularly during the reading of the names and step outside if you need to.
The Power of Me | Each year, on November 20, we recognize the Transgender Day of Remembrance. Started in 1999 by transgender advocate Gwendolyn Ann Smith as a vigil to honor the memory of Rita Hester, the first event commemorated all the transgender people lost to violence since Rita Hester’s death in 1998. In preparing for this event, and specifically, in programing music to capture the significance of this day in the LGBTQIA+ community; I was overwhelmed by the countless victims of transgender hate crimes and violence. I felt myself quickly overcome with grief and a heavy since of loss. As I sat with the names of those that were killed, I recognized the extraordinary importance of their lives… the testimony of their existence… and their power. I recognized that the lives that were taken were done so in an effort to silence the voice of extraordinarily powerful people. People that lived so-called ordinary lives in extraordinary ways. Today’s concert, in honoring the tradition of the Transgender Day of Remembrance, mourns the loss of so many beautiful lives. And in our naming of the people who have passed, we also celebrate life. We uplift their names and images to amplify their existence. We challenge others to see the strength, courage, and power of themselves in legacies that have been left behind. I find myself, quite often, affirmed by the words of Alok Vaid Menon, who said: feeling is dangerous because it requires us to dwell in anguish, rather than anesthetize it (as if it never happened). so many fear joy because they fear losing it. they hate us because we live here — in this precarious joy — and we have found preciousness, still. it is far easier to desensitize ourselves to the world. but what about the romance of living? the tundra of grief, of striving, of becoming like every breath is an invitation to another way of being? what about the dignity of being? i won’t settle for anything less. i would rather weep than pretend. i would rather be hated than be digestible. i would rather be mirthful than meander around like happiness is some rare ray of light piercing through my window. it’s not that we are extra, it’s that we are feeling and you are not (or rather, you refuse). Today, I invite everyone to feel. To cry. To smile. To mourn. To enjoy. To listen and to sing. I invite you to be inspired and to inspire. Today we celebrate the power of those who have left, those that are here, and those that have yet to arrive.
Lyrics: Shantel Sellers
Lyrics | How’d you feel, how did you, did you feel? Childhood, when life begins And I felt safe inside my skin; That’s before they told me I was wrong. All was not as I knew it was; Survival meant I had to shove Myself aside and try to get along Like a broken wing In my family If I hide it, maybe we can fly Adolescence came to me, The nightmare of reality Bleeding out into those bitter days. All the wounds that I was binding Breaking loose to keep reminding Myself that I could not go on this way. I am on my own To walk these streets alone It’s a different kind of fear. Be yourself as you see yourself, As you know yourself to be. Free yourself, never leave yourself To buckle, break, and bleed. There is a calm inside the storm, Remembering that you were born To a truth that you have always known. You find yourself at last embracing All the fears that you were facing. The winds of acceptance start to blow. I am not broken, I speak the words unspoken. I find my freedom in the fight. We are not broken. We speak the words unspoken. We find our freedom in the fight. Together we can fly!
Program Notes | Part of the Trans Voices Series — This piece in a moderate but thoughtful tempo features lyrics about transgender people's feelings about their experiences with coming out. With repeated rhythmic phrases, this selection emphasizes the strong feelings of its lyricists. From the composer’s website: www.listenafresh.com
Soloist(s)

Emma Thorn King

Mitchie Vega

Riley Murphy

Story | I grew up listening to my birth mother tell me about her second cousin who died by suicide at 17. She talked about how bad this kid messed up and the impact on the kid’s dad, but not once did I ever hear her talk about what it must have taken for the kid to reach that point at 17. I can’t help but wonder what her story was before she died by suicide. It sticks with me because that could have been me. Hell, I almost joined *this* year’s list of names several times. It didn’t click in my mind, though, until someone in STANCE said, “none of us ever want to have to read your name at the TDOR concert. We need you alive.” That hit hard. And now that we’re here, and I’m still here - and planning to be here for decades to come, I might add, thanks to the love in this incredible community - I have to wonder. If I had joined this year’s list of names, what would birth mother have said about me? Would she ever have told anybody about the abuse I faced from her, my birth father, and the society I grew up in? Would she have talked about the pain she and birth father put me through that led to my suicide? Or would she simply have told people how badly I messed up? How many names on the list have their entire stories erased by their cause of death? To me, TDOR is about honoring lives lost to suicide not just by naming their cause of death, but by mourning the pain and trauma it took to reach that point. It’s about honoring lives lost to murder not just by naming that they were murdered, but by mourning the aspects of society that lead people to murder each other for their identities. It’s about ensuring people’s stories live on despite bigoted attempts to erase them, despite society breaking them down to the point of erasing themselves. It’s about solidarity in being intimately, painfully familiar with the dehumanization behind each murder, the hopelessness behind each suicide. It’s about holding each other as we personally feel each story lost in every name read, and reminding each other to try to keep living for ourselves, for each other, and for those who no longer get the chance.
Lyrics | Bend, don't break my child when the winds blow wild. Lean in, then rest a while. Bend, don't break be brave, my child when the gale and wave rush by. But you will never bend alone. No one should ever bend alone. I'm here with you, I'm bending, too. And when the wind subsides you shall rise. But for now bend low, my child; bend low.
Program Notes | Bend was selected as a finalist in the 2019 Ithaca College Choral Festival, and was performed at the ACDA North/North Central regional conference in 2020. The text of the piece is addressed to anyone facing struggles--and it presents an honest affirmation that those struggles are real. Rather than deny the existence of problems or pain, the listener is encouraged to "lean into" the hardship, to name it--and to thereby reduce its power. Textually and musically, the listener is invited to consider the metaphor of a tree--being whipped by the wind--but built to bend in that wind and ultimately withstand the pressure-filled gales. The power of community is also affirmed--as the listener is encouraged to walk alongside--to bend along with--their neighbor in need. From the composer’s website: www.kylepderson.com
Miserere
Lotus the Vibe
Words | If I had the courage to tell A friend. I would say “Not my body” “Not My Choice” I am sure this flesh Shows me no signs of ownership I have become foreign, I have become an apology What ever pieces you want to carve out You can have, and you can lie to me. Say that you care for me, So this, this must be what caring for me looks like being embarrassed with your tail between your legs while you spread mine and spread mine and spread mine and spread mine So far that I have become this reaper, Harboring connections to souls that never seem to cross over. I just talk to them in my head, And they tell me their names I tell them one of these days, I swear it will be safe, I WILL REMEMBER The days, the scars, the scores, My body is keeping… I keep overstretching, Bending and breaking, Fitting into molds that Have my entire spirit breaking A poor excuse for a founding mother. A title I never wanted to claim, I no longer know who I am, I was Tzazi, I was Parent I am so far from Lotus, Now, they all call me Mom, Some days I don’t think I’ll ever be the same Whomever this character is now I do not have a name, my ears ring when I’m hit with a her and she My womb space didn’t ask for this but still, Femme is all they seem to see I remember the greatest part of being two spirit, it’s the ability to breathe. All of this projections are temporary installations, And I remember, they are Nothing to do with Me.
Lyrics: Lloyd Reshard Jr.
Lyrics | This, too, shall pass. Time will go on. As time goes on Life will prevail. When the halls are empty and the canvas is bare; When the clay is unformed and no one is there; This, too, shall pass. Time will go on. We will strive When plague is upon us and death is in the air. We will strive When joy is more difficult than sadness and despair. When winter rages and spring overflows; Life will prevail. When summer is aflame and fall, the color goes; Life will prevail. Time will go on. Time still goes When true love is found and the race is won. Time still goes When new life is born and we see the sun. Time will go on. As time goes on We can remember how to love. This moment on We can remember to be kind. Time will go on Embrace each moment. Time will go on Welcome each moment. This, too, shall pass.
Program Notes | “This, Too, Shall Pass” serves as a gentle reminder to make the most of the present moment while time courses through the joys and pains of life. From the composer’s website: www.sydneyguillaume.com
This program will contain the names of trans people who have died this year and descriptions of how they were killed. We ask that you care for yourself, particularly during the reading of the names and step outside if you need to.
Please light your candles. You are welcome to read the names aloud from the list below with us.
Names of those we remember this year

Lola Laperla Ebony McDaniels, NJ

Shandon Floyd, 20, SC

Amiri Jean Reid, 21, Ohio, shot

Kejuan Richardson, 21, Ohio, shot

Savannah Ryan Williams, 38, MN, shot

Madison Montana, 26, CA, suicide

Care Hansen, 21, UT, suicide

Tripp Schultz, 31, UT, suicide

Amber Minor, 40, MO, shot

Meghan Riley Lewis, 53, MD, shot

Lexus Walker, 43, VA, run over

Kitty Monroe, 43, AZ, beaten and run over

Blaire Crits-Christoph, TX, suicide

Giselle Stone, 20, NY, suicide

Guelila “Gigi” Elizabeth Iyob, 25, MD, long COVID

Quin Joy, IA, suicide

James Moen, 23, CO, suicide

Sasha Williams, NV, stabbed

Kathryn Maria “Kathy Otter” Ottersten, AK, suicide

África “Emma” Parrilla García, 25, PR, shot

Cecilia Gentili, 52, NY, overdose

Nex Benedict, 16, OK, beaten and overdose

Noah Jackson Chase, NC, suicide

Ashton Myles Clatterbuck, PA, suicide

Righteous Torrence “TK” Hill (Chevy), 35, GA, murdered

Diamond Brigman, 36, TX, shot

Alex Taylor Franco, 21, UT, shot

Meraxes Medina, 24, CA, shot

Adrian “Adri” Fox Bollinger, 20, NY, overdose

Yella Clark 45, LA, killed in custody

Tee “Lagend Billions” Arnold (Ace), 36, FL, shot

River “Phoenixx” Neveah Goddard, 17, MA, stabbed

Basil Brown, 21, LA, suicide

Starr Brown, 28, TN, shot

Andrea Doria Dos Passos, 37, FL, beaten

Allister Matthews, 17, IL, suicide

Darri Moore, 23, MO

Kita Bee, 36, MO, hit and run

Jazlynn Johnson, 18, NV, shot

Tayy Dior Thomas, 17, AL, shot

Michelle Henry, 25, CA, stabbed and strangled

Joshua Kimo Rainforest “Rain” Laranang-Mellor Jr, 31, CO, suicide

Liara Kaylee Tsai, 35, MN, stabbed

M. Tapia, 52, CO, shot

Pauly Likens, 14, PA, stabbed and dismembered

Kenji Zemonta Spurgeon, 23, WA, shot

Shannon Boswell, 30, GA, shot and run over

Ev Smith, 16, OK, suicide

Monique Brooks (Jade-Monique Thomas), 49, FL, shot

Dylan Gurley, 20, TX, beaten, stabbed, and strangled

Vanity Williams, 34, TX, shot

Tai'Vion Lathan, 24, MD, shot

Indiana Grayson, 27, suicide

Kassim Omar, 29, OH, shot

Barbie Iceland (“Redd China”), IL, shot

Cass Trystero, WA, suicide

Honee Walker, 37, NY, run over

Jill Heathers Bouvier, 54, NE, suicide

Phoenix Cassetta, VT, suicide

San Coleman, 48, GA, murdered

Avelynne, 24, suicide

Jay Floris, 23, CA, run over

Serenity Birdsong, 21, TN, suicide

Moment of silence
Please turn off your candles and join us in a moment of silence as we reflect on the names of those we have lost and the many more we do not know about.
In the last year alone, we have lost at least 63 people due to transphobic violence and suicide in the US. Globally many more lives have been lost and we know that the numbers are vastly underreported or misidentified. We encourage you to think about ways that you can show up to support your trans friends and neighbors to show them that they are loved and valued for who they are.

If you or someone you love are hurting and need help, please reach out to friends or contact the Trans Lifeline at (877) 565-8860.
Arrangement: Mark Brymer
Lyrics | There's only us, there's only this Forget regret, or life is yours to miss No other path, no other way No day but today There's only us, only tonight We must let go to know what's right No other road, No other way No day but today I can't control my destiny I trust my soul, my only goal Is just to be There's only now, there's only here Give in to love or live in fear No other path, No other way No day but today There's only us, There's only this Forget regret, or life is yours to miss No other road, no other way No day but today
Program Notes | Rent is an iconic musical that spoke to a generation struggling to be who they were and embark on a life where the odds were often stacked against them. Jonathan Larson is the man behind the phenomenon. Larson was a prolific writing on the verge of stardom before he passed away the morning before previews were to begin of an aortic dissection. Through this tragedy sprung a new hope and appreciation for life, and showed the world there truly is “no day but today”… The show went on to win the Pulitzer Prize for Drama; the Tony Awards for Best Musical, Best Book of a Musical, and Best Original Score; and many more. Rent played for 11 years on Broadway, making it the 11th longest running Broadway show of all time. In addition, the musical was adapted into a major motion picture in 2005 featuring many original cast members. His memory lives on through the Johnathon Larson Performing Arts Foundation that his family founded that provides artists just like Larson, with grants to help foster their creativity. 20 years later, Rent continues to be a story that inspires people to live everyday like it’s their last, and to never take life for granted. Generations to come will still be saying “Thank you Jonathan Larson”. Taken from the article “Jonathan Larson– No Day But Today” by Trinda Noren
Sunlight
Lotus the Vibe
Words | Sunlight, something we go outside just to swallow Skip their pills today, It’s okay, they made it! Outside. They swallowed. Suicide hotline has become their father Thought to protect Threatens to call CPS Has become lover, Caresses them the same way Laughs in their face Choke the unborn, They become patient Watched through a window Check on them in ten minutes Trauma is ammunition Their openness turned to punishment, Something to be shot and harassed with How could they not love this family unit The colorism, clear disdain, Bring them in for questioning We’ll just ignore all the traits Blood puddles at their feet Blood looks like distance, Will we call it abandonment These bullet shots wound, And seem to multiply Victim looks like cheater Cheater looks like Skipping town, Expecting not to be caught. Is always. Caught. It looks like forgiveness, Forgiveness forgiveness Forgiveness every time Not understanding Engagement It looks like false hope, It looks like trust, no matter what Unshakeable Growing through the weeds Cutting back the vines Planting new trees Instead of planting Rotten roots Next to the plot, Their spine Laying out the tools Has hotline gone simply mad? Pushing things forward When they’re already bad The only options are roulette, Gun. Rope. Fire. Swallow. Swallow the sunlight. They laid down and slowly sunk Into the mud, six feet! Sun between their teeth They warned! Plead for help! And they were taught that love steps on chest The rocks remind them. And the skeletons are to pull them By the ankle, Yes, The full six feet And so it goes, They will too soon Shock and awe At the Candle lit vigil They warned. They slowly sank, Swallowed the sun. Went outside
Lyrics: Original lyrics by the composers; modified for STANCE by Haven Wilvich and Christopher Hanson
Arrangement: Mac Huff
Lyrics | We'll pick our battles 'cause we know we're gonna win the fight We're not rattled 'cause we know we’re gonna be alright Steadier than steel 'cause we're ready with our battle gear Back on the saddle 'cause we've gathered all our strength no fear And we won't bow, we won't break No, we're not afraid to do whatever it takes We'll never bow, we'll never break 'Cause we are warriors, we'll fight for our lives Like champ-ions all through the night And we won't give up, we will survive, we are warriors And we're stronger, that's why we fight We will overcome, time after time We'll never falter, we will survive, we are warriors Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. We are warriors With strength we'll be fighting through the day and night We'll be marching through the darkness 'til the morning lights Even when it's harder, like the armor, you will see us shine No, we won't stop and we won't drop until the victory's ours No, we won't bow, we won't break No, we're not afraid to do whatever it takes We'll never bow, we'll never break 'Cause we are warriors, we'll fight for our lives Like champ-ions all through the night And we won't give up, we will survive, we are warriors And we're stronger, that's why we fight We will overcome, time after time We'll never falter, we will survive, we are warriors Oh, you can't shoot us down You can't stop us now We got a whole big choir Oh, you can't break us down You can't take us out This'll be behind us We are warriors, we'll fight for our lives Like champ-ions all through the night And we won't give up, we will survive, we are warriors And we're stronger, that's why we flight We will overcome, time after time We'll never falter, we will survive We are warriors
Program Notes | "We Are Warriors" is a song by Canadian singer Avril Lavigne released on April 24, 2020, for digital download by the BMG Rights Management. A re-recording of the final track—originally titled "Warrior"—from her sixth studio album Head Above Water (2019), Lavigne released the song as a charity single to support Project HOPE during the COVID-19 pandemic. The original song, titled "Warrior", was released as the closing track of Head Above Water, and was described by Lavigne as "one of the first songs I wrote for the album after 'Head Above Water.' They are both about the health battle I continue to fight every day," adding, "I hope my songs can help you find strength if you need it..." From Wikipedia
Soloist(s)

Chris Ho

Kyra Sutherland

Miranda Deacon

Story | I'm sharing my perspective on I'm Not Lost as a transmasc person who is transitioning later in life. I have decades of history living as a person presumed to be—and treated as—a woman. There were parts of that experience that weren't great (because walking in the world as a woman can be…fraught) but I wasn't upset about being a woman. There were a lot of parts about it that I valued, and still value, and may wind up missing as I continue on my gender journey. "Womanhood" has been a big part of the understanding of who I am, and I don't divorce that history I carry. It's a part of me, and will always be a part of me no matter how my gender unfolds. I am singing I'm Not Lost because I want to honor the lives of Native women, who have experienced violence and/or death at disproportionately alarming rates. I’m singing because I want to celebrate my transfemme friends who are singing words that feel affirming to their gender. I’m singing because I want to stand in solidarity with my transmasc and nonbinary friends who may be singing words that feel challenging to their identities. I’m singing because I am grateful that STANCE is modifying a song created just for Sopranos and Altos into one that makes room for the voices represented by our unique choir. I’m singing because there may be someone in our audience with a person in their life who has always been their sister, their daughter, or their mother, but who may have more complicated gender things going on. I’m singing because while I now identify with masculine labels, I still carry with me a history of identifying with feminine ones, and I don’t think that should cause any dissonance. I am singing to represent the both/and.
Lyrics: Shantel Sellers
Lyrics | Baashk’amaaza, Baashk’amaaza, Baashk’amaaza! I’m not lost; Someone find me. I’m your mother, I’m your daughter I am sister to you all. Nigawis, Ngashi, Ina, Shima Mother, Mother Come Home to me. I’m not lost; Someone find me. Ndaanis, Ndaans, Michunwintku Daughter, Daughter Come home to me. I’m not lost; Someone find me. Mit’han, Shiandi, Nmisenh, Nitsakasoak, Niizh Manidoowag Sister, Sister Come home to me Linto, Hashtaal, Wi-ilowan, Ic-ilowan Sing, Sing Sing a dirge for her, She walks Among the stars Baashk’amaaza, Baashk’amaaza, Baashk’amaaza! Sing out for her! Let the world hear Let the world know Her voice! I’m not lost; Someone find me. Come home to me.
Program Notes | Native American women are more likely to be abducted, assaulted, and murdered than any other population group, and the perpetrators are rarely charged or convicted. Through the Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG) movement, a light has been cast upon this form of genocide. “I’m Not Lost” includes Native words and phrases from across North America: Abenaki, Odawa/Ojibwe, Lakota, and Navajo/Diné. Each verse cries out for missing mothers, daughters, and sisters, and Two Spirit (transgender) loved ones. The performance of “I’m Not Lost” is more than the singing of a song; it is an expression of longing and grief for those whose voices have been silenced. Chantal Sellers is a Native American (Anishinaabe-kwe) poet, novelist, and historian. She penned this poem to bring attention to the plight of murdered and missing Indigenous women. “As I was writing, there were times when the memories of my friends and relatives left me frozen. Still there was a healing process. It is my hope that others – my sisters of all Nations – will find courage, healing, and hope in it as well.” From the composer’s website: www.listenafresh.com
Trio

Yoshi Das

Robin Wilvich

Jin Zeng

Forward
Lotus the Vibe
Words | I forgive myself for self sabotage. I forgive myself for procrastinating. I forgive myself for the risks and chances I didn’t take. I am worthy I am wise I am growing I am open I am giving myself grace I welcome energies that help me to release these habits. I welcome the opportunity to move differently, in my highest favor. I welcome the challenge to my comfort zone. I release the fear of success and abundance and all other energies tied up blocking my abundance. I cut all energy ties and habits that do not serve me any longer. I welcome hard goodbyes I own this next part of my journey. I have support. It is mine. Aséooo so shall it be
Lyrics | I’m the whisper of hope in a wounded world. I’m the change whose time has come. I’m the rumble of thunder before the rain. I’m the beat of a distant drum. And I am peace, I am purpose, I am power. I’m the drop of rain holding a might wave. I’m the turning of the tide. I’m the glimmer of truth lighting up the night. I’m the seed with a tree inside. And I am peace, I am purpose, I am power Knocked down seven times, get up eight. Nothing’s gonna keep me down. I’m the word, I’m the song, I’m the righting of the wrong. I’m the heart where love is found. I’m the open hand ready to help and heal. I’m the feet that will never tire. I’m the daring dream that can never die. I’m the spark of an inner fire. And I am peace, I am purpose, I am power.
Program Notes | From the composer… “To all of the young people – I believe with all my heart that you are our next generation. You have seen experienced, and overcome so much. You are compassionate. You are resilient. You are more powerful than you may know. A few years ago my teenage daughters took me to my first protest march. It was a march in response to yet another tragic school shooting. The young people in the march were at the front, leading the way. The rest of us – parents, friends, teachers, advocates – followed. There were loud songs and chants, but every once in a while those would give way to the sound of marching itself – thousands of feet hitting the pavement over and over and over. It was so persistent, so purposeful. It was the sound of people on a mission to demand meaningful change. Never in a million years will I ever have the musical ability to create a sound as powerful as that. Friends, I am in awe of your humanity, and I’m grateful to you for leading the way.” This statement is printed in the Octavo
Soloist(s)

Yoshi Das

Story | Friends, Allies…Accomplices… In a few minutes, we are going to shift the perspective in this room and you will become part of Stance as you join us in performing the final piece of the night. But before that happens, you should know a bit about what you are singing, and why. "Another World is Possible” was written by FLOBOTS and distributed as part of the Justice Choir Songbook. “Justice Choir is a template to encourage more community singing for social and environmental justice.” Their songbook is filled with 43 songs that embody those principles. To my ears, the song we will perform together tonight reminds us all that we don’t need to accept how things are today, and that together we have the power to bring another world, a better world, into existence. The idea that today doesn’t have to be like yesterday, or like yesterday’s yesterday, strikes a chord with me. Two and a half years ago, if you had asked me, a cis-het guy with ADHD, anxiety, and depression, whether there were any major revelations about myself remaining, I would have confidently told you that I had, finally, figured myself out. There were no stones left unturned in my brain. I had the roadmap to myself. Six months later, I would realize I am a trans woman. And autistic. And a lesbian, to boot. I would find myself very glad I hadn’t actually announced that bold claim to self-knowledge yet. And then a little over a year and a half ago, a coworker would tell me about this choir she was in called "Stance" and invite me to their audition slash clothing swap coming up soon. Coming to that walk-in audition was one of the best decisions I would make that year. At my first social, I would find a new best friend. At the first rehearsal, I would find a community. And in singing together, I would find my voice again. Tonight's concert is titled "The Power of Me", but I have rarely felt truly powerful on my own, as a "Me". I find my power in my relationships with others, with my wife, with my family, with my friends … with my community. I am my most powerful “me” when that “me” is intertwined with an "us". The members of this community have been my friends, confidants, and allies these last "almost two years". I feel safe and accepted among them in a way I have rarely found elsewhere. We show up for each other. And when someone else needs bolstering, I get to be one supportive voice in a chorus of acceptance, validation, and reassurance. My “Power of me” is “us”. I didn't know a community like this was possible, but I have found home in one. So while the world around us grows darker, this chorus gives me hope. If we find our communities that lift us up, the "us" inside each "me" that inspires us to sing out and be heard, then maybe it doesn’t have to be like this. Maybe, another world is possible.
Lyrics | It doesn’t have to be like this. It doesn’t have to be like this. Today! Another world is possible.
Program Notes | Jamie Laurie (also known as Jonny 5, founder of FLOBOTS) writes: "Drawing from the popular slogan from the global justice movement, 'Another World is Possible,' this song calls us to breathe life into visions of the world as it could be." Taken from the Justice Choir Song Book
Thank you to our sponsors
Thank you to our True Colors concert sponsors for your support this concert cycle! By supporting trans joy, you've helped STANCE have a successful season.
Land & Labor Acknowledgement
We would like to acknowledge that we rehearse and perform on the land of the first peoples of Seattle, the Duwamish, Muckleshoot, Stillaguamish, Cayuse, Umatilla, and Walla Walla tribes, past and present and commit to honor with gratitude the land itself and the stewardship of these indigenous tribes. We encourage you to join us in this commitment by contributing to the local Heron's Nest Outdoor Education and Restorative Justice program and Real Rent Duwamish.

We respectfully acknowledge the enslaved people, primarily of African descent, on whose exploited labor this country is built, with little to no recognition. Today, we are indebted to their labor and the labor of the many Black and brown people that continue to work in the shadows for our collective benefit. We also support the #BlackVoicesMatter movement and pledge to work towards anti-racism in all aspects of our music.
Thank You
Thank you to TRACTION for sponsoring our Livestream. Thank you to University Congregational UCC Church's support of our venue costs. And thank you to ArtsWA and the National Endowment for the Arts for their support of our season.
Emcee
Fox Hampton (he/they)
Fox is a Black, queer, trans masc born and raised on occupied Duwamish land. He is currently a Co-Director at Alphabet Alliance of Color (AAoC), a small nonprofit that serves QTBIPOC in the Puget Sound region. When he's not at work, Fox is parenting his chunky tuxedo cat, daydreaming new worlds, and performing drag as a member of The Dab Boiz.
Poet(s)
Lotus the Vibe (they/them)
Lotus TheVibe is the STANCE Board of Directors Racial Equity Chair and an Afro-indigenous two-spirit multidisciplinary artist from Eastern Washington. They love intertwining their art with abolition and self actualization. Outside of Lotus’ art practice, they are a Landback activist, full spectrum birth & death doula, as well as a teacher of voice, art and environmental activism. Lotus is the parent to a lovely 2 year old sun that is the light of their world. Lotus is highly motivated by him, & strives to create a safe loving future for the youth in all they do.
Other Acknowledgements & Thanks

Thank you to Grayson Freddes for being our fabulous stage manager. Thank you to Jeff Coleman for his AV wisdom. And thank you to all the volunteers who have put in their time to make this production possible.
Sopranos

Cerridwyn Clover, Francis Mana-ay, Liv MaKennan-Bray, Liztopher Kumaki, Maddie Smith, Robin Wilvich, Star Dorminey, Tess Griswold, Yoshi Das

Altos

Adaleigh Martin*, Aviva Madrona, Chris Ho, Emma Thorn King*, Galaxy Salo, Laura Belmont, Logan O’Laughlin, Morgan Fiskevold, Taylor Hays, Toria Baldwin

Tenors

Adrian Kerr, Basil Freeling, fluffy*, Hannah Schuh, Jade Dikelsky, Jin Zeng, Kyra Sutherland, Lee Bressel, Miranda Deacon, Mitchie Vega, Riley Murphy, Rosemary De Luca, Serenity Yingling, siri Ingersoll, Sonya Vasquez, Takeshi Takahashi

Basses

Ada Han, Andy Chapel*, Evin Luehrs, Gracie Bucklew, Hannah Oshlag, Haven Wilvich, Jake Sapp, James August Rose, Jaycie Mitchell, Fern Slater, Morgana Andersen, Myra DeMeré, Tesseract King

Bold = Section Leaders

* = Board Member
The Seattle Trans and Nonbinary Choral Ensemble, better known as STANCE, was founded in 2022 as the first chorus that is led by and for gender diverse singers in Washington. Our mission is to provide a vocal community free of gendered expectations to explore and express ourselves through music. We have rapidly grown from a grassroots movement to our current size. And with your support, we hope to eventually expand to include a trans youth chorus. Read more about STANCE on our About page on our website.
STANCE Leadership
Board of Directors

Adaleigh Martin*, Board Chair (she/her)

Emma Thorn King*, Vice Chair (she/they)

Michael Woodward, Treasurer (he/him)

Andy Chapel*, Secretary (he/him)

Lotus the Vibe, Racial Equity Chair / Cultural Advocacy Chair / Recruitment Chair (she/they)

Vedin Pavlovic, Accessibility Chair (they/them)

fluffy*, Singer Liaison (she/they)

Wing, Board Member at Large (she/her)

Staff
Founder & Executive Director
Haven Wilvich* (she/her)
Haven first dreamed of a trans and nonbinary led community choir in 2016 when she got fustrated with how difficult it is being a feminine Bass singer in traditional choirs. When she's not focuse on community building, she does vaccine research, watches birds, and kayaks Washington's many beautiful bodies of water.
Interim Artistic Director
Dr. Christopher Hansen (he/they)
Conductor, violinist, composer, pedagogue, philosopher, and musicologist; Dr. Christopher T. F. Hanson (he/they) enjoys working across a number of disciplines to promote the transformative power of the arts. Most recently, Dr. Hanson served as an assistant professor of music education at Seattle Pacific University. He currently serves as faculty for the Northwest School for the Arts. His research focuses on the transformative power of the arts, student and teacher agency, and the significance of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Access, and Belonging in education. Dr. Hanson serves as the artistic director for Rainbow City Performing Arts (RCPA), and the music director of the Rainbow City Orchestra (RCO). "Rainbow City" is a non-profit community music organization that serves and supports the LGBTQIA+ community in greater Seattle through the study and performance of contemporary and historically marginalized composers. "I am so honored to serve as the interim director for STANCE. I have been a supporter of the ensemble from the audience and on stage since its inception. I have first hand knowledge of the incredible talent and passion each member shares and I am thrilled to join a community of performers that understand the unique power of their voice in the community."
Assistant Artistic Director / Accompanist
Mikey Prince (he/they)
Mikey found STANCE in 2022 after looking into trans choirs across the US to research trans-centered choral pedagogy. When he is not joyously music-making with community in STANCE, Mikey is joyously music-making with K-5 students as a music educator in Seattle Public Schools.
* = Singer with STANCE
Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDOR) was started in 1999 by transgender advocate Gwendolyn Ann Smith as a vigil to honor the memory of Rita Hester, a transgender woman who was killed in 1998. The vigil commemorated all the transgender people lost to violence since Rita Hester’s death, and began an important tradition that has become the annual international Transgender Day of Remembrance.

“Transgender Day of Remembrance seeks to highlight the losses we face due to anti-transgender bigotry and violence. I am no stranger to the need to fight for our rights, and the right to simply exist is first and foremost. With so many seeking to erase transgender people — sometimes in the most brutal ways possible — it is vitally important that those we lose are remembered, and that we continue to fight for justice.”
— Transgender Day of Remembrance founder Gwendolyn Ann Smith

Each year, we remember the names of the transgender people whose lives have been lost to anti-transgender violence in the past 12 months. These are the people we know of whose lives have been taken due to anti-transgender violence, but it should be noted that these crimes often are misreported, go underreported, or are not reported at all.

The week before Transgender Day of Remembrance, people and organizations around the world now participate in Transgender Awareness Week to help raise the visibility of transgender people and address issues members of the community face.

Adapted from GLAAD. For more information, visit Remembering Our Dead.

Program

STANCE is a small grassroots organization largely funded by individual supporters like you. If you are able, we encourage you to make a one-time or monthly donation to support our ability to continue creating art that celebrates trans joy and community building through music.

Miserere

Names of those we remember this year

Moment of silence

Sunlight

Forward

Thank you to our sponsors

Land & Labor Acknowledgement

Thank You

Emcee

Fox Hampton (he/they)

Poet(s)

Lotus the Vibe (they/them)

STANCE Leadership

Board of Directors

Staff

Founder & Executive Director

Interim Artistic Director

Assistant Artistic Director / Accompanist

* = Singer with STANCE

Program

Thank you for attending!