Producer Danielle Tarento has brought together more than 150 Black and Black mixed race actors from the UK and the USA to mark two months since the death of George Floyd during an arrest in Minneapolis, and in response to the outrage it sparked across the world.
Alongside a 38-piece orchestra, the performers have recorded Make Them Hear You from the Broadway musical Ragtime, to raise money for StopWatch.
The StopWatch campaign has been fighting the racist and disproportionate use of stop and search since 2010. Run by lawyers, activists and academics, the group works to promote effective, accountable and fair policing, inform the public about stop and search, develop and share research, organise awareness-raising events and forums and provide legal support challenging stop and search. You can donate to StopWatch here.
The song Make Them Hear You has a specifically poignant story behind it. Ragtime is set in the early 20th century, and sees African-American Coalhouse Walker Jr. suffering injustice because of his race. He sings a song of hope and inspiration before surrendering to the police, who shoot and kill him.
“Go out and tell our story, Let it echo far and wide, Make them hear you, Make them hear you.
How Justice was our battle, And how Justice was denied, Make them hear you, Make then hear you.
And say to those who blame us For the way we chose to fight, That sometimes there are battles That are more than black or white”
You can watch the full video here, and find a full list of performers and creatives below.
Singers: Cavin Cornwall, Tommie Earl Jenkins, Emmanuel Kojo, James T Lane, Ako Mitchell, Cedric Neal, Trevor Dion Nicholas, Clarke Peters, Mykal Rand, Joe Aaron Reid, Clive Rowe, Ray Shell, Tosh Wanogho-Maud, Layton Williams, Gary Wilmot
with Hannah Abdool, Lola Adaja, Alexandra Afryea, Kelly Agbowu, Simbi Akande, Marc Akinfolarin, Kimani Arthur, Bonnie Baddoo, Rhea Bailey, Nicole-Lily Baisden, Francessca Daniella-Baker, Bernadette Bangura, Ruby Barber-Street, Veleen Barrett, Koko Basigara, Maisey Bawden, Delycia Belgrave, Michaela Bennison, Evonnee Bentley-Holder, Kyle Birch, Ashh Blackwood, Nicole Botha, Daniel Bowerbank, O’Brian Broomfield, Wendy Mae Brown, Inez Budd, Kelsey Calladine-Smith, Christopher Cameron, Keziah Campbell-Golding, Ian Carlyle, Samara Casteallo, Hayley-Ria Christian, Jorell Coiffic-Kamall, Natasha Cottriall, Jordan Crouch, Joshua Da Costa, Lewis Davies, Ethan Davis, Joelle Dyson, Amber Sylvia Edwards, Matthew Elliot-Campbell, Bessy Ewa, Marie Finlayson, Gary Forbes, Cartier Fraser, Tim Frater, Jordan Frazier, Chloe Gentles, Nesah Gonzales, Amanda Gordon, C Gerdod Harris, Gabriela Harris, Kiera Haynes, Claudillea Holloway, Severine Howell-Meri, Ashlee Irish, Martina Isibor, Waylon Jacobs, Danielle Jam, Amber James, Damien James, Ebony Jonelle, Amana Jones, Cameron Bernard Jones, Léon Maurice-Jones, Jessica Joslin, Lemuel Knights, Chipo Kureya, Cassandra Lee, Marina Lawrence-Mahrra, Becca Lee-Isaacs, Jordan Louis-Fernand, Brian James Leys, Melissa Lowe, David Mairs-McKenzie, Donald Craig Manuel, Jade Marvin, Sifiso Mazibuko, Samantha Mbolekwa, Nicholas McLean, Debra Michaels, Sasha Monique, Dominique Moore, Nathaniel Morrison, Kody Mortimer, Keenan Munn-Francis, Gloria Obianyo, Annell Odartey, Harriett O’Grady, Funlola Olufunwa, Gloria Onitiri, Georgina Onuorah, Olivia Onyehara, Sean Parkins, Kirk Patterson, Paige Peddie, Earl R Perkins, Denise Pitter, Maiya Quansah-Breed, Lauran Rae, Sebastian Rasmussen, Anton Rice, Micha Richardson, Ejiro Richmond, Janice Rijssel, Nataylia Roni, Samuel Routley, Melissa Saint, Samuel Sarpong-Broni, Esme Sears, Ellie Seaton, Jo Servi, Lejaun Sheppard, Kamilah Shorey, Lukin Simmonds, Olivia Sinclair, Bree Smith, Charlotte St Croix, Lucy St Louis, Durone Stokes, Mikel Sylvanus, Stephanie Tavernier, Nina Toussaint-White, Kayi Ushe,Masimba Ushe, Anna Van Ruiten, Grace Venus, Ellena Vincent, Rodney Vubya, Amelia Walker, Rebecca-Daisy Wellington, Laura White,
Teddy Wills, Natalie Winsor, Sophie Maria Wojna, Kevin Yates, Tatianna Young
Orchestra:
Violin 1: Grace Butler, Charlie Cole, Miffy Hirsch, Stephen Hussey, Martin Palmer, Jessie May Smart, Corey Wickens
Violin 2: Jemima Clark, Dylan Edge, Rebecca Fagersten, Rosie Judge, Thomas Leate, Alex Prentice, Lāsma Ribule
Viola: Katherine Guerrero, Bridget Mansfield, Katie Perrin, Victoria Stephenson
Cello: Gemma Connor, Dave Hornberger, Hannah Thomas
Double Bass: Will Henderson, Martin Ludenbach
Trumpets: Annette Brown, Tom Harrison
Trombones: Chris Ford, Elliot Pooley
Horns: Dewi Jones, Joe Ryan
Reeds: Olivia Fraser, Chris Hatton, Jack Reddick, Ruth Whybrow
Keys: Ben Ferguson
Harp: Catrin Meek
Percussion: Tristan Butler, Ben Burton
Musical Direction / Vocal Arrangements by Jordan Li-Smith
Orchestrations by William David Brohn
Music Preparation by John Reddel & Luke Holman
Audio mixed by Andrew Johnson
Video edited by Nathan Amzi for The Umbrella Rooms
Produced by Danielle Tarento
Assisted by Mykal Rand