Your Song Spring News

A note from Your Song Executive Director, Kyshona Armstrong…

First, I would like to thank you all for signing up on our mailing list. This first phase of Your Song has been especially exciting and I’ve been overwhelmed with you all’s support and encouragement along the way.  Thank you for that.  

How it’s going: 

We are on our way with community programming both in Greater Nashville as well as in smaller communities around the country. Independently, I have partnered with Intersection’s Lullaby Project by stepping into the role of project manager. I have also been working with Centennial Park Conservancy’s Kidsville, providing songwriting groups in community centers located in East and South Nashville. These partnerships have allowed Your Song to operate as more of a thread in the Nashville community; connecting organizations with other music therapists and songwriters that have a deeper understanding and knowledge of how to approach story telling and encourage creativity in underserved communities.     

Take a moment and listen to a few of the lullabies that we’ve been able to write in partnership with Intersection. 

And here are a few photos of some of the watercolors the kids created as we talked about the relationship between music as art and the creation of visual art. 

May is Mental Health Awareness month. It is also a month when many non-profit organizations appeal for donations. Since Your Song is fiscally sponsored by the Arts and Business Council of Greater Nashville, you can make a charitable donation to support Your Song. We hope you will consider doing so!

May 10th at the Bluebird Cafe 

The Bluebird Cafe has been so kind to host us for our first fundraising event on May 10th.  I have put together a round for the evening that will feature singer/songwriter/songbird Shannon LaBrie, Social Justice Songwriter and Activist for Change, Crys Matthews, Singer/songwriter and music therapist with Your Song, Amyliza De Jesus and our very first Your Song artist, Whittney Martinez. 

To reserve a table for the evening, you can buy your tickets here: https://bluebirdcafe.com/shows/

Encouraging Thought:

I’d like to leave you all with an encouraging thought that was planted in me this week: “There is power in proximity”

I had the absolute honor and privilege of being on a program with lawyer, social justice activist, law professor, author, founder and Executive Director of the Equal Justice Initiative, Bryan Stevenson in Greenville, SC this week. During his keynote speech, Mr. Stevenson stated “Proximity allows us to get close to the people who have fallen down so that we can affirm their humanity and restore their dignity”.  His words fired me up! At times it can be overwhelming to want to be everywhere helping everyone at the same time. I want to do so much but feel like what I do isn’t enough. He reminded me that our presence alone can be help enough for someone who has fallen… because they have been truly seen. 
 

I’ll be reading through my notes from his speech for months, I’m sure. 

Again, thank you all for your support of Your Song! 

I look forward to seeing some of you out in the community (locally and around the country).

Respectfully,

Kyshona Armstrong. MT-BC

Founder, Executive Director of Your Song