SongRise is a DC-based women's social justice a cappella group.
SongRise encourages perseverance, raises awareness, breaks down barriers, touches hearts and inspires action through song. Inspired by the rich tapestry of voices raised for change, the founders of SongRise gathered their colleagues and friends to sing for social justice.
We use our music to inspire the fight for social change. We offer up our singing talents at community events, rallies, protests, farmer's markets, civil rights celebrations, arts showcases, schools, the Capitol ... you name it, we will stand up and sing!
Header image photo by Lukas Pietrzak
01.
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“Your powerful performance set exactly the right tone for the event and energized the crowd—we couldn’t have asked for a better way to kick off the program."
National Women's Law Center, reproductive rights rally at the Supreme Court
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"Everyone in the room was inspired by your stirring performance. It was the perfect way to conclude a wonderful evening. Again, my sincere gratitude to the ladies of SongRise."
GEANCO Foundation Medical Missions
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"It was unanimous! All 700 participants at the H2O Summit’s Festival loved SongRise! They love the music, the lyrics and the great harmony that you brought to the festival and to their hearts. Thank you for an outstanding performance!"
Montgomery County H2O summit
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"You made our event a great success. I saw people in the crowd crying when you sang Imagine! I could actually imagine a world of peace when you sang. You lifted our spirits and we can't thank you enough."
CODEPINK
SongRise was named one of the top 3 Best Local Choral Groups by the Washington City Paper.
One day, when the glory comes,
it will be ours.
Herstory
SongRise was conceived on a shuttle to the D.C. Metro when Sarah Beller and Laura Honeywood started harmonizing to Sweet Honey in the Rock's "Ella's Song" after a Social Justice Open Mic. For a few rocky months they met in the practice rooms of American University every week with a revolving cast of special guest appearances until a core group solidified and rehearsals moved to the Apiary in Columbia Heights. From the moment SongRise was conceived, we knew it had the potential to solidify our individual and collective dreams of merging art with action, song, soul and substance, community and chorus, and many other alliterative amalgamations.
Since 2010, this group of strong, diverse women has joined their voices with organizations and activists taking a stand for change in their communities.
We have shared our music with many groups and organizations, including the Human Rights Campaign, All* Above All, and Equal Justice Under Law. When a group of teen girls from a D.C. high school held an art show embracing the beauty in every woman, SongRise responded with affirmation and encouragement. We have performed for the Sierra Club and other climate change activists as we sang about mountaintop removal; we have sung South African songs of freedom and resistance with Democracy Awakening protesters; and we performed at the MomsRising 10th anniversary celebration, where we called Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Secretary Tom Perez, Rep. Schakowski, Rep. Del Bene, and Tina Tchen to join their voices with ours and let their lights shine.
All around D.C., we're gonna let it shine.
