Uniting Voices Chicago

Students from dozens of Chicago Public Schools join voices in honor of Black History Month

What do you get when 3,000 Chicago Public Schools students join forces during Black History Month to sing? Soulful and empowering songs with a message.

Uniting Voices Chicago, formerly known as the Chicago Children's Choir, teaches music to students from 88 public schools across Chicago.

They're preparing for a concert series next week at Chicago Symphony Center. The journey through Black history and Africana music begins with the Black National Anthem, "Lift Every Voice and Sing," and continues with "Earth is Ghetto," a viral song by Aliah Sheffield.

Uniting Voices Chicago receives largest-ever gift, from anonymous donor

The folks who run Uniting Voices Chicago — a citywide youth choral organization with about 3,200 singers — feel pretty confident that they’ll be able to continue offering such “life-changing” opportunities, after announcing this week that they’ve received a $4 million gift from an anonymous donor — by far the largest gift the non-profit has ever received.

“We are thrilled that we were given this anonymous gift and someone recognizing us from New York City ... that they are recognizing the work that we’re doing,” said the organization’s president, Josephine Lee.

Making History at Lollapalooza with Karol G

Uniting Voices joined Colombian superstar Karol G at Lollapalooza and made history as they accompanied the first-ever Latin female artist to headline the festival in Chicago. Coming together for the first time since their collaborative performance on Saturday Night Live in April, Karol G and Uniting Voices reprised the hit "Mientras Me Curo del Cora" and as a consequence, "the already wistful song turned into a beautiful event as Karol sang the uplifting lyrics backed by the soulful choir."