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time. She and the new police chief Scott Freeman warily
approached one another because tensions were high. While
people who don’t know Mokah may see her as a firebrand,
she’s warm and easygoing while, yes, also driven to address
wrongs in our community.
After that vigil, I brought an idea to Mokah and her
husband Knowa. I had been thinking of pairing some of
the many great musicians in Athens across racial and other
differences to sing duets. We’ve worked together ever since
to produce a yearly concert called Athens in Harmony that
benefits AADM. We’ll be holding our eighth show on Feb.
23 at 7 p.m. at Hugh Hodgson Hall within UGA’s Perform
ing Arts Complex.
We put on a joyous concert, but also aim to bridge
sometimes-siloed communities to develop new friendships
and professional opportunities while exposing audiences
to a broader range of talent. This year’s confirmed perform
ers include Stanley Stroud (of the Original Splitz Band);
singer-songwriters Amy Coenen, Kimberly Morgan York,
Neal Priest, Knowa Johnson and Jess Thompson (of Hotel
Fiction); rapper LB; folk artist Nick Bradfield (White Rabbit
Collective); Nicole Bechill (SheHeHe); soul singers Trina
Meade, Lethia Donae and I am Mr. Mister; gospel singer
Daniel Elder of the East Side Players; and the Brazilian
singer Maria Kamila Justino.
When I saw Mokah meet Chief Freeman in that fraught
situation years ago, I knew I wanted them to cohost the
concert. Later they were better able to address problems
once they had worked together on a fun project. Mokah has
also hosted with Mayor Girtz, the Chamber of Commerce’s
executive director David Bradley, former prison chaplain
Shane Sims, and victims advocate Fatma Gurel. The 2025
cohost is Lt. Jody Thompson, a reserve police officer.
So many moments from past shows are etched in my
mind from the dozens of powerful performances. Here’s just
a sample: Chris McKay singing “None of us are Free (if one
of us is chained)” with hip-hop artist Squalle or young Jalen
Stroud amazing the crowd singing “Change is Gonna Come”
with Dusty Gannon (of Vision Video) and, in an encore
show, with Anthony Zuniga. John Tsao sang “The House
I Live in” while Debra Brenner underscored the meaning
using American Sign Language. Here’s just part of that song:
“The house I live in, my neighbors white and black,
The people who just came here or from generations back,
The town hall and the soapbox, the Torch of Liberty,
A home for all our children: that’s America to me.”
If you don’t recognize some of the performers’ names,
you’ll find each concert all the more amazing because of the
phenomenal talent in Athens brought to the forefront from
gospel choirs, bands and chorales in new pairings with a
great backing band led by Michael Wegner.
All the performers take the stage at show’s end, and the
audience joins in to sing “Give Peace a Chance” with hip-
hop artists in the show replacing John Lennon’s lyrics with
verses about peace and justice. The song pretty much sum
marizes the driving force for me for producing the show,
as my dad was killed in Vietnam. I know firsthand that we
need to find ways to see everyone’s humanity and work
against hate-mongering.
The concert brings us together, away from our screens,
and the stirring songs galvanize us and remind us of Amer
ican ideals not yet fulfilled. Athens in Harmony is a night
that celebrates a community that’s welcoming, full of talent
and potential, and striving to be more just.
count my rings
By Vikki Wynne
they come to count my rings
to see if the numbers match
and measure my bands for proof
the years I was watered more
a single round
thinned by one’s drought
but still there, no doubt
the rescue efforts
made by a tribe
when they saw my value
stood by my side
through wind and hail
collecting my broken branches
to be put to use
and nourish my roots
in the earth’s decay
and where lovers carved their mark
into my outer rim
my bark grew over
shrank each scar
to the size
of a graceful lesson
on the impact of sharp objects
and sharper words
they see I skipped no seasons
the dark, the light
and admire the space between
they come to count my rings
Resilience
By Kathryn Kyker
“In the midst of winter, I found there was, within me, an in
vincible summer. And that makes me happy. For it says that
no matter how hard the world pushes against me, within me,
there’s something stronger—something better, pushing right
back.” —Albert Camus
The first time I had COVID was in September 2023. To
distract myself from the fiery throat burning, numbing
fatigue and fear of death, I sat on my porch and watched
the business of nature.
Above my head was an active wasp nest. They took daily
delicate strolls across the rosy crowns of sedum. I’d planted
milkweed to help out the Monarch butterflies, and I saw
them often.
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