In a world where our stories are too often silenced or sidelined, I found my voice not just through words on a page, but through melody, rhythm, and collective memory. As a Black queer writer and participant in the Louisville Orchestra’s Pride Songwriting Workshop, I am honored to be part of an initiative that not only centers LGBTQ+ voices but invites them to soar in harmony with one another.

This June, the Louisville Orchestra, in partnership with the Louisville Pride Center, will unveil a project unlike any other, one rooted in community, collaboration, and queerness in all its complexity. On June 20, 2025, join us as we debut a series of original songs created by queer and allied writers from across the city. These aren’t just songs; they are testaments to love, resilience, and the power of storytelling through sound.

I came into this experience having never written a song with accompaniment. I’ve written essays, speeches, even poetry, but composing lyrics alongside music was a new and vulnerable terrain. The Louisville Orchestra’s workshops gave us space to learn not only about the technical elements of songwriting like harmony, structure, and sound. It gave us the opportunity to explore the emotional resonance that music carries especially when it’s queer music written by queer hands.

Working with my writing partner, Jude Gediman, was a joy. Jude brought sharp insight and musical nuance to our collaboration. Together, we wrote We Are the Garden, a song about the aching beauty and sharp turns of love, the quiet beginnings, the stormy middles, and the sometimes uncertain ends. Our song reflects the highs and lows of queer relationships, exploring the complex ways we show up for each other, even when it’s hard. In many ways, the song became a mirror reflecting both of our journeys and those of so many in our community.

Instructor Baldwin Giang (center) gives feedback to participants Aaron Megibow (left) and Olivia Shams (right)

What truly helped us bring this vision to life was the phenomenal collaboration with Creative Corps composer Baldwin Giang and the talented musicians of the Louisville Orchestra. Baldwin’s intuitive sense of harmony and structure gave shape and movement to our lyrics in a way that honored the emotional truth of our words. His patience, brilliance, and generosity as a creative partner were crucial to the development of our song. The musicians brought We Are the Garden to life with such care and intentionality, capturing not only the mood and rhythm, but the very essence of the story we set out to tell. Their artistry carried our lyrics into a sonic world we could only have dreamed of and for that, we are forever grateful.

What makes this project even more special is its intergenerational structure. Writers from across different age groups, backgrounds, and experiences came together to craft lyrics and music that speak across time. That structure alone feels revolutionary. In a world that so often tries to isolate us by generation or identity, we created a space where wisdom, vulnerability, and creativity could thrive side by side.

This isn’t just about music. It’s about memory. It’s about presence. It’s about showing the city of Louisville and the world that queer voices belong at the center of our cultural life.

So, I’m inviting you, my queer fam, my allies, my kin to join us at the Louisville Pride Center on June 20, 2025, for an evening of music, pride, and collective celebration. Come hear the songs we’ve crafted, the stories we’ve stitched together with sound, and the dreams we’re daring to share out loud.

Because when we write together, sing together, and celebrate together, we remind the world that we are here, we are proud, and we are harmonizing toward liberation.

When: Friday, June 20, 6:00 PM and 7:00 PM (two performances)

Where: Louisville Pride Center (1244 S. 3rd St.)

FREE! RSVP at https://events.com/r/en_US/registration/lgbtq-songwriters-concert–conversation-louisville-june-982705