Rapid Response Choir - First “performance” at NOAA

I am overcome with gratitude to all of you for making today such a special experience. We gathered, we marched, we sang, we gave voice to the NOAA scientists who may not feel they have a voice themselves.

For our first time out at an action, SO many things went well:

People were on time (except Bailey, who, alas, got stuck with car trouble, after recruiting about SIX people! We’ll be sure you make it next time, Bailey!)
We self-organized despite many of us not knowing each other, or the songs.
We made an impressive appearance by marching up in our flourescent pink vests!
We used the people’s mic (Mic Check!) to good effect
We sang! This is most important thing! I saw so many people sining and clapping along, and so many people coming up after to thank us for adding that element to the event. We listened to each other and taught each other.
And so much more! Little things like the drumming helping both lead the chants, and helping them come to a well-timed close.

I can’t think of much more except we need a bigger repretroire, a bigger choir, and more vests!

To the first point, Jessica Arends or I will be sharing a Doodle poll on which weekend night has the best availability for rehearsals/tactics. I do not think we will have a practice this week, and we’ll work on a regular time/place going forward.

To the second, we have TEN new sign-ups today, 50% one-day growth!

To the third, I’ll have more vests on order soon.

Please link to media coverage and tag @RapidResponseChoir on BlueSky or Instagram. Please follow @RapidResponseChoir

We will not have an X/Twitter identity (of course), and haven’t worked on other platforms yet.

About “RRC Events”

I’m getting asked whether particular events can be “RRC Events”. My thinking is that scheduled RRC events should be;

Aligned with supporting communities under attack (immigrants, transgender people, etc.)
Protecting / defending vulnerable communities, as opposed to being on the offensive (Tesla dealerships, DOGE parties)
Within the Hyattsville/College Park catchment area OR are recognized mass action events
Supported by at least ten attending members

You are 100% welcome to ask on our channels for participation at events that don’t meet this criteria, but please do not call them Rapid Response Choir events, nor wear your vests. Our visual identity is a real strength, we don’t want to dilute it.

Also, I want to focus on tactics/training (as well as songs) for actual rapid response, and we can only support so many things at once.

More songs!?

Send them as .doc, or .txt attachments to [email protected] and I’ll add them to our songbook.