Dear Friends and Family of the Chicago Musical Pathways Initiative,
As we mark the one-year anniversary of the pandemic, let us take stock of where we are and, more importantly, how we are doing.
“It’s okay not to be okay,” wrote Chicago Tribune reporter Darcel Rockett in a recent article. “Even for families weathering the pandemic, the mental health toll can’t be minimized or masked. [O]ne cannot help recollecting the events that were canceled (recitals and graduations) and others that transpired (political protests and racial reckoning), all while we’ve gotten in touch with our hoarding tendencies, gone from single face masks to doubling them, and grown accustomed to Zoom for everything from work to fun to marking life’s milestones.”
I know many of us are feeling ennui and listlessness as the monotonies of quarantined life persist. Yet there is so much for which to be optimistic:
- COVID vaccines are a modern miracle of science, and data shows gigantic strides in mitigating the spread of the virus.
- Spring is in the air with warmer temperatures, more daylight, and less snow!
- It’s Women’s History Month, so let’s celebrate the amazing women in classical music. Need a refresher? Start with conductor Marin Alsop’s list of ten women composers you should listen to right now!
Please take care of yourselves and know that you always have a support system and cheering squad for you at Chicago Musical Pathways Initiative. I am grateful for everyone in the CMPI community and so proud of our fellows. Keep up the good work!
With gratitude,
Adrienne Thompson
Project Director | Chicago Musical Pathways Initiative