Spotlight Performance Academy and Homewood Creative Alliance gathered together their singers and artists on April 11 to raise their voices and $7,760 to protect immigrant rights.
R.J. VanSwol, a member of Spotlight’s Bel Canto Choir, explained that the idea for the concert came to him while listening to Joan Baez while on a walk. He “realized the music pulsing in the heart of our communities could not only make a statement but make a tangible difference.”
He said all the proceeds from ticket sales and from the silent art auction would be donated to the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, and he urged the audience to visit the organization’s website at icirr.org to learn more about how it helps people.
He said the message of the music was “to say to U.S. cities under attack from their own government, we stand with you against tyranny and brutality,” a reference to immigration enforcement sweeps since June 2025 that were especially intense in Chicago and Minneapolis. “We are honored to support this sorely needed work, both with our voices and with the funds you helped us raise.”
The program, with traditional and contemporary protest songs and songs from various culture had two main themes, VanSwol said. The first half consisted of songs “that cry out against injustice and inequality” and the second half focused on “demonstrating resilience and celebrating community.”
The concert opened with Buffalo Springfield’s 1966 hit “For What It’s Worth,” sung by Jodi Libretti, Sharon Doughney and Carl Wahlstrom. The finale was the Civil Rights Movement anthem “We Shall Overcome” sung by the ensemble with help from the audience.
The program included two songs sung in Spanish, “Gracias a la Vida” by Violetta Parra, performed by Jelena Radovic, Santyna Piñeiros, Jodi Libretti and Mary Madden-Pniewski; and El Hielo (ICE)” by La Santa Cecilia, sung by Santyna Piñeiros.
Other songs included Otis Redding’s “Respect,” made famous by Aretha Franklin, sung by Allison Turner, Jessie Miller, Jodi Libretti and Katie Stadt; “America” by Simon and Garfunkel, sung by Jessica Matushek and Karlie Sherman; “Big Yellow Taxi” by Joni Mitchell, sung by Liz Hitchcock.
There were also songs by the Beatles, Fleet Foxes, Florence + the Machine, Creedance Clearwater Revival, Sinèad O’Connor and more.
There were also two original songs, one by the concert’s music director, Doug Raffety, “Lives OVER Lies,” performed by Raffety and Angela Denk. Raffety played guitar and occasionally keyboard to accompany most of the songs, assisted by his son, Finnegan Goulet-Raffety, on guitar and upright bass. And “The Weight of the Whistle” by Jessie Miller.
The art auction included more than a dozen pieces curated by Homewood Creative Alliance, ranging from paintings to textiles to letter press and lighted stained glass.
Disclosure: The writer’s spouse, Amy Crump, contributed a piece of art to the auction.
