We engage musicians in the work of civic renewal. Join us!
Braver Angels is trying to spark a social movement that will hold the country together during the dark times that are sure to come with the presidential campaigns and beyond. It’s not about trying to change deeply held beliefs or pushing partisans to meet in the “mushy middle.” Instead, the aim is to make sure disagreements are based on reality, not lazy stereotypes; that people see the humanity of those they disagree with. It’s about giving people tools to coexist and providing a space where it is safe to interact with those from the “other side.”
— “This is the music America needs,” Farah Stockman, New York Times, August 5, 2023
Our Work
We’re currently working on four main projects. If you have ideas or connections that might help with any of these efforts, please contact our team at music@braverangels.org
We work with college students and youth.
Events
Artist of the Month
And the winners are…
After months of gathering song submissions, partnering with other organizations, working with our incredible volunteer response, and an outstanding cast of judges, the Braver Angels Music team is ready to announce the winners of the 2023 Braver Angels Song Contest.
Press Release: Braver Angels Music Launches Song Contest to Build Bridges with Music Communities
The song contest is back! We’re on the hunt for songs that engage across the aisle. Songwriters across America are invited to apply.
Artist of the Month: Muunie
Therapeutic pop artist Muunie talks with Alma Cook about how becoming “the most healed version of herself” has helped her radically love others.
Braver Angels has several music-centered initiatives, including concert programming & a growing Facebook community of songwriters. The artist of the month program is intended to bring visibility to grassroots musicians who are currently using their artistry & platforms in the spirit of our organization’s mission.
Nominate yourself or someone else to be a Braver Angels artist of the month!
Meet our Team
Our team is made up of about a dozen core volunteers, most of whom focus on one specific project area. We are so grateful for their generosity!
In addition to these volunteers, we have three staff leaders:
Alma Cook, Co-Director
Alma is an R&B singer-songwriter (find her music on Spotify!). She steers the weekly group meetings and leads the charge on musical ambassadorships, including the Artist of the Month program.
Micah Hendler, Co-Director
Micah founded the Jerusalem Youth Chorus (making Forbes‘ 30 Under 30 list along the way!) and Raise Your Voice Labs. He is our development liaison and is laying the groundwork for our youth programming.
John Carroll, Co-Director
John is a Nashville-based singer-songwriter (find his music on his website, where you can also join his mailing list!). He directs our monthly Song Square events and stewards the Facebook songwriting community.
Past Projects
In 2020, the music team organized a Braver Angels songwriting contest. More than 200 songwriters answered our call to submit songs in the spirit of Braver Angels. You can view the full contest collection here, and you can read a series of red/blue dialogues on selected entries here (part 1, part 2, part 3).
Guess what?! We’ve decided to host a song contest in 2023 as well! The only entry fee is Braver Angels membership, which costs a minimum of $12/year. Learn more here and apply now!