Combining writing and singing, two teens from Cwmbran wrote the song Just Be You to celebrate International Women’s Day and raise awareness of body confidence and mental health. Part of the proceeds will go to the Go Girls project (see @gogirlswales), an initiative set up by Charter Housing and Bron Afon which aims to empower and build the skills of young women and support them to tackle subjects that matter to them.
Read about 16 musicians who have challenged sexism in the music industry!
Willie Mae Rock Camp for Girls is a music and mentoring program that empowers girls and women through music education, volunteerism, and activities that foster self-respect, leadership skills, creativity, critical thinking, and collaboration.
For more resources on how to use the arts for social change, check out, ART BECAME THE OXYGEN: A GUIDE TO ARTISTIC RESPONSE: A Guide for Artists, Emergency Management Agencies, Funders, Policy-Makers, and Communities Responding to Natural and Civil Emergencies
Here are some of the boldest, strongest, most haunting or most toe-tapping and hip-shaking songs of various social justice movements:
- Billie Holliday’s Strange Fruit
- Rage Against the Machine – Killing in the Name
- Bob Dylan – The Times They Are A Changin
- Nina Simone – Mississippi Goddamn
- Kendrick Lamar – The Blacker the Berry
- Beyonce, ft. Chimamanda Ngozi – Flawless
- Grace, ft G-Easy – You Don’t Own Me
- We Shall Overcome
- Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young – Ohio
- Sex Pistols – God Save the Queen
- Public Enemy – Fight the Power
- Christina Aguilera – Beautiful
- John Lennon – Give Peace a Chance
- Marlo Thomas – Free to Be You and Me
- And…? What’s your favorite activist song?
