The way you ask this question is perfect. Let’s start with the latter part of it, where you reference the identity of the city. By many standards, Chicago is one of, if not the most diverse, city in the country. We are dominated by large minority percentages of white, African American, and Hispanic residents. However, we are robustly complemented by smaller numbers of Asian, Middle Eastern, Jewish, Eastern European, and more recently immigrated (non slave trade) African Americans. Of course, this can’t do justice to all of the various unique backgrounds here, and in a way, that splendid diversity that is so impossible to succinctly describe is the essence of our town.
What the Chicago Children’s Choir does is bring together youth from all of these diverse sectors and subsectors and, through the power of music, teach them life lessons. They sing Jewish songs, Muslim songs, African songs, Indian songs, modern American pop, and the list goes on and on. With every score the kids learn, the instructors teach these kids from different socioeconomic backgrounds about each other’s cultures, religions, and customs. They are taught love, understanding, education, and tolerance.
Importantly, they are literally bringing kids from different zip codes physically together to meet and befriend each other when they practice and perform these songs. It provides a platform for interracial and intercultural exchange and education that helps blow up this evil called ignorance, which, as we know, is the main driver of prejudice.
