In response to recent hate crimes and racial incidents on campus, St. Thomas a cappella groups collaborated to create a music video project called We Stand For.
Cadenza and the Summit Singers recorded the song “If You’re Out There” by John Legend and then invited students, clubs and other community members to come to OEC auditorium and write on a sign what they stood for.
“We felt as Cadenza we could physically use our voices, along with the Summit Singers, to spread a message that we don’t stand for this hate,” Cadenza member Paige Huschka said. “We want this to be a positive environment for everyone.”
Cadenza is an all-female group, while Summit Singers is all-male.
“This is something that really steps out of our box, out of the ordinary in order to really make a difference, make a change on our campus,” Summit Singers member Bisrat Bayou said.
The Summit Singers is a group of goofy guys who are brought together through their love of music, Bayou said.
“If music can do it, there are other capacities that people can make a change,” he said.
They wanted to have something to show the entire community of St. Paul in order to show that they do not stand for the hate, Huschka said.
Cadenza and the Summit Singers collaborated to sing “If You’re Out There” by John Legend. Photo submitted from Kristen Wagner.
Junior Cadenza member Kristen Wagner came up with the idea for the music video.
“I wanted it to be sort of a community thing, that’s how we got to the inviting people to come and make the signs and talk about what they stand for,” Wagner said.
“If You’re Out There” is one of Wagner’s favorite songs. When the hate crime happened, she started listening to it and thinking about it again.
“The lyrics are so powerful and the message is so clear and that this is the time,” Wagner said. “We need to make the change. It’s up to us.”
Rachel Torralba can be reached at torr3544@stthomas.edu.