Hear, and Be Heard: Leaving Yangon

I never could have imagined the unexpected turn life would take on February 1, 2021. We woke up to the news that the military had staged a coup in Myanmar, and some of the elected leaders who were to be sworn in that day were arrested. As we left our condo building that morning, we noticed new security guards in the building, and workers were installing razor wire on the surrounding fencing. Two months later, as violence escalated, we packed 2 suitcases, took one instrument each, closed up our apartment, and moved to Thailand not knowing whether we would return or not. And now it is two months even further down the road, and a return does not look likely.

I’ve been greatly humbled by the whole experience, ever more aware of the need to accept uncertainty, face up to harsh realities while, at the same time, hold out hope for something unexpected to happen to put Myanmar on a better path forward. Amidst the chaos and violence, there have been some incredible gems of humanity - soldiers defecting an inhumane system, people coming to terms with the ingrained racism they’ve grown up with, elders recognizing the bravery and ingenuity of the youth, and youth realizing the violence and injustice their parents grew up with. All over the world these people are grappling with these issues - systemic racism and legacies of colonization and slavery, generational differences made wider by the digital divide, and discussing what ‘security’ means and can look like.

In the coming weeks I’ll be updating my website, expanding my offerings to include curriculum development and training on dialogue - a professional passion of mine for the past 10 years. It’s more important than ever that we learn to listen, and have genuine dialogue with each other. SonicBloom offers workshops, one-on-one coaching, online training and support to use the power of arts and culture to bring about positive change.

Be well, stay safe, keep singing, and remember to . . . . listen.