Love and Justice

Last evening I had an opportunity to attend a fund-raising event for a local charity - A Fund for Women. This program awards grants to women and girls in our community. When the fund was started in 1993 research indicated that less than 5% of all grant funds given across the United States were given to projects for women and girls. I find that number shocking.


It was a fun evening. The program was actually quite wonderful. In the past there have been speakers, but this year there was entertainment in the form of a play regarding women's role in the 1800's in Wisconsin and a video performance of a Women's Anthem sung by 100's of women - followed by a group of girls from the Madison Youth Choir performing the same song. It was a wonderful song and the melody is quite haunting. The song has been playing in my mind all evening and morning. So I decided to google it and sure enough - found it on YouTube.

I found out that Kavisha, an Australian folk performer, was commissioned by Victorian Women's Trust to write a Women's Anthem "Love and Justice" to celebrate 100 years of women's suffrage. The video, as seen below, has Kavisha conducting the 400 plus Victorian Women who premiered the song on November 29th 2008.



I have included the lyrics.
Enjoy

LOVE AND JUSTICE   ©   K.Mazzella/Peer

The moon is hidden in the clouds
the fire light is dying
in the dark slum and street
men women children crying
no work today means no pay and no pay means we're starving
mother I'm with child again
I feel like I am dying

A pen, a pen your weapon be
my fine courageous women !
let's sign our names a thousand times for freedom that's hard winning
no more let fear and anger rule with heavy hand of violence
the moon is shining in the sky as we break the silence

chorus
Love and Justice be my flag
I'll live my truth what e're will be
I swear that I cannot rest till there's equality
Love and justice be my flag
I 'll live my truth what ever comes
so many rivers to cross till our journeys done

All who toil the weary earth
see beyond your measure!
women are real gold  for all of us to treasure
for every heroine that's named there are a thousand nameless
who live to make a better day with acts of love and justice!

Daughter, sister, mother, wife
when you rise so shall others
happiness will fall upon son, father, husband, brother
in home and in the market place
town and countryside
let our laughter spread its wealth, it's surely our birthright!

Oh ! I had the strangest dream
it came one starry midnight
Men and women all joined hands in peace and loving friendship
all broken hearts were mended
all broken bodies healed
River, mountain, rocks rejoiced
the bells of freedom peeled!