In New York City’s Friends Meeting House, a choir is presenting one of the annual performances. This choir is Lavender Light, self-described as “The Black and People of AllColors Lesbian and Gay Gospel Choir.” This choir has been gathering and performing inLower Manhattan for close to 40 years, creating a space for people of color and LGBTQ+people to intersect and celebrate their identities in music which has long excluded parts of themselves.

“Fortified Songs” was filmed by Harrison Walsh, working under the leadership of Cyrille Phipps, professor of Communication Media Arts at Marymount Manhattan College, as well as media coordinator for Lavender Light.

Before this performance, various crew members worked to film one of Lavender Light’s concerts the year before. Having these members return ensured an eeicient productionexperience, producing engaging show coverage.

Being on a previous Lavender Light concert and working in rotating documentary crews under Phipp’s leadership, camera operators Abby Jenkins and Jose Sanchez helped facilitate intricate and intimate shot coverage. Members of the registered student organization Mount Studios, a video and media production group, Alan Wences Quezadas, Emi Verhar, and Elly Zifchock bring their mobile video experience for additional cameracoverage and audio recording. ScreenPLAY leader and dance cinematographer Sara Pagliaro capture the choir’s stage presence and the band’s musical synergy.

The Lavender Light Choir

Sopranos

Suzanne Cohen, Jamie Ehrenfeld, Caspian Fernholz, Amit Goldberg, Maria-Elena Grant, Linda La, Marjorie Pierre Louis, Adanna Morgan, Adrienne Waddy

Altos

Beth Blissman, Gabrielle Davenport, Sara Finkle, Ashton Hiatt, Jourdan Hicks, Betty Pierre Louis, Karla McNeal, Briony Price, Caco Skol, Sarah Sylla

Tenors

Brandon Boulton, Austin Bowen, Denise "Mistah" Coles, Wesley Ferreira-Burke, Daniel Grajales, Zion Jackson, Drew Miles, Ted Montgomery, Justin Rivera, Conja Rule Jr., Patricia Shell, Brandon Smith, Albert Wilcox

Bass

Maurice Blackmon, Robert DeCaul, Mark Duncan, Angelo Gonzalez, Jason Joseph, Tyrie McKinnie, Chester C. Rhodes, Jr., Max Rodriguez, Bobby Sarkar

The Band

Dr. Kenneth Thornton – Piano, Keith Gamble – Guitar, Paul Ramsey – Bass, Tyson Somerville – Drums

ASL Interpreters

Kathleen D. Taylor, Kasiem Aboti Walters