Voices of Our City looks like a typical choir. But when you talk to the members you learn aside from singing, they also have another thing in common.
Each voice in this choir, bring a unique sound.
And each person has their own story.
Patricia Williams says, “All in 90 days I lost everything my career, everything my son my house my belongings.”
And that’s how she ended up in San Diego. Her daughter was in the Navy and she had noting left for her in Ohio.
But finding a place to live and job wasn’t easy. She spent 10 years trying to find stable housing.
She says, “I was on the beach on the streets .. I was connected with people I didn’t even know .”
Even though Williams had a PHD and spent more than a decade in education, she couldn’t get a job.
She says, “I applied for 123 applications in the college district, 123 and none of them took me.”
She ended up on the door step of the nonprofit Voices of Our City.
The group connects homeless individuals with the resources they need.
And they use music to help people reclaim their life, creating programs like this choir.
Lindsey Seegers, with Voices of Our City says, “Everyone has the same thing in common they didn’t expect to find themselves homeless and they have the creative spark inside.”
The choir has performed on stages all over the county, even making an appearance in Hollywood winning a special award on a singing contest.
And while the choir is starting to make a name for themselves, for Patricia it’s about the message they’re able to share with others.
Williams adds, “They are empowering us to be who we are.. and they don’t judge it’s who we are.”
The Voices of Our City Choir has a performance Saturday raising money for the nonprofit.
