Sonya Staley was arrested by Cincinnati police officer Carlos Sherman on 1 August 2019 for laying on a bench in Zeigler Park while watching her children play during an open dance rehearsal for the CSO Look Around festival. Ms Staley, a black woman, who had been specifically invited to stay for the event moments before the officer approached, initially challenged the order to sit up by pointing out a white woman who was stretching in similar bodily positions on the ground nearby. The confrontation escalated, and when Sonya decided to leave the park she was met by multiple police cars and arrested for trespassing (in public park) disorderly conduct (challenging police order) and resisting arrest. It was later discovered officer Sherman had a rep for harassing black women. In the months that followed, Mandy Goodwin the dancer stretching who witnessed the incident, stayed in contact with Sonya, and in collaboration with recently founded Social Justice League, organized a letter writing campaign to the judge and a rally at Cincinnati's downtown courthouse, just minutes' walk from Zeigler Park, the day before trial. Many musicians from the Look Around festival volunteered to perform in support and hopes the charges would be minimized or dropped.
This is a direct from PA recording of the rally at Hamilton County Courthouse 28 July 2020. Donations gathered via downloads will be forwarded to Sonya Staley's support fund
gf.me/u/ykz8uz while she endures the State's legal system, and to local organizations for Black Liberation, with emphasis on opposition to patriarchy.
01. Jaded Crow - AIM unity song and land acknowledgement
gcnativeamericancoalition.com
02. Sonya Has The Right (written by Shara Nova)
mybrightestdiamond.com
03. Ashley-Devon Williamston and Taylor Eggers - Considerations From an Exhausted Quarter-Life: a Poetic Performance
onerarecreature.com IG @onerarecreature @taylor.plays.strings
04. Sarah Gorak - Breonna's Waltz (violin and ukulele)
05. Sarah Gorak - Justice For Them (vox and ukulele)
sarahgorak.com justiceforbreonna.org
06. We Shall Overcome
07. Aprina's Revolutionary Love - When I Say "Black Lives Matter" This is What I Mean
aprinasrevolutionarylove.bandcamp.com
08. Mandy Goodwin - witness to the arrest
09. Siri Imani - Lost Generation
triiibefoundation.org
10. bonus: Liz Virgo - Tis of Thee (Ani DiFranco)
lizvirgo89@gmail.com
11. bonus: Sonya Has The Right (rehearsal)
organized by Mandy Goodwin
and Cynthia For The People IG @cynthiaforthepeople
lead vox: Monica Onyedika (Sonya Has The Right) Ellen Catherine Pierce (We Shall Overcome)
vox: (including MUSE women's choir) Em Joy, Julie Locker, Paula Gibson, Kaitrin McCoy, Aiden Sims, Liz Gottmer, Hattie Clark, Brianna Bernard, Megyn Norbut, Molly Cambron, Sarah D, Liz Virgo, Claire Seid, Libby Ash, Grace Batsch, Hannah Teetor, Imogen Watts, Anna Masla, Sarah Palmer, Jenna Calhoun, definitely many more...
musechoir.org
double bass: Taylor Eggers (and string arrangement)
cello: Michael Takahashi
viola: Carroll Wallace
violin: Sarah Gorak
ukulele: James Allen
electric guitar: Max Vignola
drums: Ethan Kimberly, Michael Wright, Jaded Crow
dancers: Laura Lane, Carroll Wallace, Aiden Sims, Julie Locker
Q-kidz dance team
q-kidz.org
sound system by Realicide IG @realicide
working with Sawyer Roberson
sawyerrobersonmusic.com
recorded and edited by Robert Imhuman
mastering by Geisthaus
painting by Imogen Watts
photos by Tala, etc?
(any credit errors please write to
realicide@gmail.com and they'll be corrected, it was a lot to sort out)
released August 7, 2020