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Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Discovering common ground and celebrating our differences through music is in our DNA.

Our Commitment

Born in 1956 and inspired by the burgeoning Civil Rights Movement, Uniting Voices Chicago (formerly Chicago Children’s Choir) has always been committed to racial equity. Since our founding, our curricula and performance work has been shaped by the confrontations with segregation, exclusion and inequity that define Chicago’s history. Through Uniting Voices Chicago’s culturally responsive programs, students learn about their homes, the experiences of their neighbors and their place within the systems and structures that organize their worlds. Uniting Voices Chicago is dedicated to honoring and amplifying the lived experience of youth and the communities they live in, empowering them to be ambassadors for their neighborhoods and active participants in their cultures’ creative continuum.

Accessible Programs

No student is turned away for financial reasons. Tuition for Uniting Voices Chicago’s after-school programs are offered on sliding-scale based on household income, and Uniting Voices Chicago always works with families to ensure participation without financial barriers. Students in Uniting Voices Chicago’s school programs participate at no cost and Uniting Voices Chicago works with schools to offer programs at a minimum 50 percent subsidy.

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Anti-Racism Task Force

This group of board members, parents, alumni and staff works together to aid in understanding the role that racism plays within our organization and beyond, while guiding the journey from embracing multiculturalism to dismantling structural racism.

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Future Music Educators

The power of music stems from its connection to our personal experiences. We believe that students deserve conductors who reflect the world they live in and their everyday experiences. The Future Music Educators program is designed to provide paid professional development to BIPOC music instructors, ensuring equity and impact in music education down the line.

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Nikita Sekhar

A few weeks after I sang the solo, I was sitting at a coffee shop, and this woman came up to me and she told me that as a queer parent herself, seeing me onstage really gave her hope for the future. Her words really validated me not only as an artist, but as a queer individual.

Nikita Sekhar, Uniting Voices Chicago graduate (2020)
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In a world that’s full of so much hurting and hate, it’s reassuring and powerful to know that there are people who are trying their hardest to change other’s perspective on life through a creative and effective platform.

Ashley Franklin, Uniting Voices Chicago graduate (2020)
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Our discussions {around the issue of immigration} strengthened the dynamics of our group and brought us closer as we developed a communal understanding of the impacts of this injustice. With a few weeks remaining until the performance, we prepared ourselves mentally and emotionally to unite our voices and bring awareness to the issues of immigration in our country.

Anita Gandara, Uniting Voices Chicago graduate (2020)