Setlist from Redefining Independence + Reweaving Belonging: A weekend retreat for multi-cultural folks from rural space

Dear Friends, 

If you're reading this, you probably attended the Redefining Independence + Reweaving Belonging retreat for multi-cultural folks from rural spaces from Friday, July 4 through Sunday, July 6, 2025 in Collegeville. 

Here is the list of the songs we sang over the weekend with links to online recordings.

• Carry This All (Ahlay Blakely) - Bandcamp audio
• The Center Will Hold (text: Brene Brown, from Atlas of the Heart; music: clb) - Mixcord video
• Endless Boundless Gratitude (Samara Jade) - Bandcamp audio
• Even when we make mistakes/I Belong (EarthPractice) - website with lyrics + audio recording * yam’s Instagram post
• Five Needs (clb, inspired by Brittany’s IG post @teaching_to_a_riot) - Audio on Google Drive * Instagram Post
• Gather / We Are Not Alone (Joanna Laws Landis) - Soundcloud audio
• How Can I Lovingly Support Myself (clb) - no recording online*
• I Am Connected (Beautiful chorus) - Bandcamp audio * YouTube video
• I Am Remembering (Melissa Phillippe) - YouTube of creator * Scores, leadsheets, and lyrics * YouTube of others * SoundCloud audio of cover
• I Will Believe the Truth About Myself (Macrina Wiederkehr/Velma Frye) - YouTube video
• Love from the Inside Out (Moon Clemetson) - Audio on Google Drive
• Meditation on Breathing "When I breathe in, I breathe in peace" (Sarah Dan Jones) - YouTube video (composer w verses) * YouTube (layered song acapella)
• Net of Remembrance (Ahlay Blakely) - Bandcamp audio * YouTube
• Sorry, Not Sorry (Galen Smith of Mpls) - Mixcord video
• You are in the right place (Martha Burford) - YouTube video

* no known recording online. Please share in the comments if you find one!

** the composer/catcher of this song is not known to us. If you do know, please pass it on in the comments. :)

Here's some notes on Instruments

• CajonTab by Louson Drum - Liz has one of the Pro series. Get to know a bit of the cajon's musical history here. (Use Liz's, Conie's partner, affiliate link to get 10% off.
• Shruti Box, literally "sound" or "singing" in ancient Sankrit, replicates the sound of the Tambura, an East Asian Indian drone instrument. Part of the family of drone instruments that show up in many cultures, related to bagpipes and harmoniums. Conie's instrument is from Shrutibox.com run by Ron Kravitz of https://www.musicinthemoment.com/ in Philadelphia, PA; Ron has recently retired and is pointing folks to https://www.shrutibox.co.uk/. 

Gratitude for Episcopal House of Prayer at Collegeville for providing the gift of this Community Retreat.  

May all of these resources support you in your work and in your rest.

Conie and Kathryn G.

MN RUX, Year 2

There's too much to say and not enough time to say it, so sharing other folks' posts will have to do for now ... 

Awarded: MRAC Arts Impact for Individuals: DUP in Greater MN

 

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BnR highlighted in Everyday Advocates

 

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Partnership Highlight: KALI, A Space for Transformation in Stillwater, MN

Just a little post compiling the relationship we're building with KALI - A Space for Transformation in Stillwater, MN.  We are delighted to be collaborating with the owner who is a Korean adoptee who grew up in the area.  Check their many offerings on the website, https://kali.mn/.  

We'll have office hours on most Fridays, offering spiritual accompaniment/direction and voice coaching with a focus on healing from oppressive and toxic systems.  Please send us an email at listening@pointsoflightmusic.net or fill out the Contact Us form to setup a time to connect.

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Help Wanted: Advisory Board Members

 

Help Wanted:

Creating new  

Biracial & Rural* culture 

through storytelling events & retreats.

Do you fit the description of 

being black, indigenous, person of color 

who experienced otherness 

in predominantly white rural spaces. 

AND 

(pick one or several)

- desire to create more community and care 

for and with others like yourself?

- want to dig into the Mixed Bill of Rights and 

the Oath of Responsibility by Maria P.P. Root

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- want to explore the somatic practices 

within Resmaa Menakem's My Grandmother's Hands book

with other mixed folks?

- love to share your artistic practice with others?  

Or accompany folks on their artistic explorations?

- have space and interest to plan and implement logistics 

for an arts-centered retreat for next summer?

 

* Read more about our thoughts on inclusion, 

the limitations of names, 

and what we're doing about it here.

Help Wanted: Spreading the Word

Help Wanted:

Spread the Word of 

Biracial & Rural* 

to those that fit the description of 

being black, indigenous, person of color 

who experienced otherness 

in predominantly white rural spaces. 

* Read more about our thoughts on inclusion, 

the limitations of names, 

and what we're doing about it here.

What's In A Name OR "How to say: Your story is important & you're welcome here"

What's in a name?  

So much meaning, including a sense of belonging.  

And it's also just a conglomeration of sounds smooshed together.  In a particular sequence, yes.  One that has been developed over time and shifted in changed in different times and contexts.  One that continues to evolve today and into tomorrow based on what we knew then and what we will learn in the future.   

Biracial & Rural was a phrase we started using to refer to the experience of living in a pre-dominantly white rural space as a person whose ancestry was from two different continents.  In 2019 we applied that phrase  to title an autobiographical transdisciplinary performance art piece of Conie's story.  

By 2020, we realized that one person's story could not encapsulate the breadth of experiences possible in that phrase, Biracial & Rural (BnR).  It took until the end of 2020 to be able to articulate that BnR was a community of care and storytelling space and that Conie's story in that was called Freeing Refrains.  

This year, 2021, we're realizing the limitations of using Biracial.  With a conversation partner from Midwest Mixed, we realized the wide net we were hoping to spread using Biracial might be more deterrent as some folks see themselves as multi-ethnic or mixed.  It is a complexity that needs space to unfold and real relationship to feel the inclusion.  

And begs the questions:  How wide do you want to fling the net?  And will you change the name?

Fall 2021 Dates for Freeing Refrains!

We're excited to get some dates out there to share Freeing Refrains!  Check the below dates against your calendar and then make your reservations at Eventbrite!

Freeing Refrains is a song circle and storytelling gathering. During this event you will be hearing about Conie's rural mixed Asian story, learn songs that have buoyed her (if you'd like), and then dialogue with others about the challenge of speaking our truth.

This story launches Biracial & Rural (BnR), a community of care 

and storytelling space. Through Freeing Refrains, Points of Light Music is calling in other rural BIPOC folks to come together for support, encouragement, skill sharing, and connection. Read more at http://www.pointsoflightmusic.net/p/biracial-rural.html.

The current BnR dream is to come together in arts based retreats over the summer and continue the connection virtually over the winter. Retreats conclude with participants sharing their story at an Open Mic/Variety Show to foster community dialogue.

Register up to an hour before each gathering at Eventbrite. The zoom link will be available an hour before.

These free events are supported by a SPARK fund grant from the Coalition of Asian American Leaders (CAAL) and Rosy Simas Danse.

 

Nov 19: Give to the Max Day for "Biracial & Rural"

Even though Biracial & Rural was shelved in 2020 doesn't mean the work is over. Far from it! Fundraising is still needed to make it happen. Would you join us for the ...

Great MN Give Together!

Nov 14: Support "Biracial & Rural" on Give to the Max Day!

Thursday, November 14, 2019 is Give to the Max Day in Minnesota! 

It's the Great MN Give Together! 

I have a personal storytelling project that I've been wanting to share for a few years now. It's called Biracial & Rural. And it's time to bring it to the fore. 

More details about what it is and why I feel so compelled to do it are at https://www.givemn.org/story/Biracialandrural. 

We hope you are excited to support Biracial & Rural on Give to the Max Day.  

Please give generously on Nov 14! 

You can contribute to the project at the GiveMN.org link or the giving widget on the right side of this page.  

Points Of Light Music (PLM) is a fiscally sponsored project of Springboard for the Arts. What that means is that Springboard for the Arts has a legal contract with PLM to allow us to use their non-profit status to do fundraising.  When you make a contribution to Biracial and Rural, technically you're donating to Springboard for the Arts and then they regrant the funds to us (after taking a 5-7% administration fee*).  

On Give to the Max Day, Springboard is waiving their 5% administration fee on GiveMN.org transactions to encourage giving.  Translation:  Thu, Nov 14, 2019** is the best day to contribute to Biracial and Rural.

Isn't that awesome?!?  If you'd like to support Springboard and their mission for supporting artists (and communities) with resources to make a living and a life, go to https://givemn.org/organization/Springboard-For-The-Arts. 

Thank you for supporting Biracial & Rural on Nov. 14!

--

* Why the 5-7% fee?  Springboard takes 5% for GiveMN.org transactions and 7% for all other contributions via cash or check***.  GiveMN.org charges 6.9% per transaction and so Springboard lowers their admin fee to 5% for GiveMN.org donations to help artists retain more of your contribution.  On Give to the Max Day (11/14/19), Springboard is waiving their admin fee all together, so this is the best day to give!

** Unfortunately, this does not apply to donations placed in the preceding days where GiveMN.org allows folks to schedule their giving.

*** If you'd like to contribute by check, make it out to "Springboard for the Arts" with "Points of Light Music" in the memo line, then mail it to "Points of Light Music, P.O. Box 11791, St. Paul, MN 55111."