 Hello everyone!
Wow, it's been a whirlwind of a month. I just want to say thank you thank you thank you from the bottom of my heart for taking time to read my Full Circle post reflecting on the murder of George Floyd and the state of our country. I was overwhelmed (in a good way) by your responses, reflections, and questions. So many beautiful conversations came out of it. Thank you for reading, listening and sharing. No doubt everyone is overwhelmed by one thing or another, processing, and finding new ways to move forward...and hopefully better. Over the last few weeks I've compiled a shortlist of books and media I've read, watched, and loved over the years. I hope these can be of help.
I also wanted to share the above portrait painted by Philly-based visual artist, Elia Boe. She reached out to me after reading the article and offered this painting as a way to direct more people to the essay. Her only question: "what are my favorite colors"? A week after responding with "red, marigold, teal, and black" she sent this. My jaw dropped. I am just so honored by this piece and look forward to seeing it in person.
 Hartwood Acres Mansion: Performance & Interivew w/ Bill Deasy
STREAMS 'N THINGS
It's been a wild ride of a month in other ways as well. Some pretty unexpected interviews and live streams came up. If you're not following on social media and missed them, You can revisit them below:
Forbes.com
I did an interview with Forbes.com. The article talks about the ways independent artists are adapting in a post-pandemic world, and leveraging technological skills they've acquired through their careers as a means to stay afloat. [READ INTERVIEW]
Hartwood Acres Mansion
Two weeks ago I had this privelege of performing in this magical space -Hartwood Acres Mansion just outside of Pittsburgh. Like many venues, Hartwood Acres isn't hosting its outdoor summer concert series, one I've played a few times over the years. You can watch this pre-recorded set and interview with my friend Bill Deasy. [WATCH]
WHYY House Concert Series
Last week's WHYY live-stream w/ Jeffrey Gaines, Cliff Hills, Eric Schenkman was a treat to be a part of. Unfortunatey the stream isn't up yet, but be on the lookout at www.joyike.com/media later this week. It should be up soon!
The Gospel Coalition
Another interview on how artists are carving their way through the pandemic featuring Sandra McCracken, Melanie Penn, myself, and a few others. [READ INTERVIEW]
 LADYBUG DIGITAL MUSIC FESTIVAL - June 29+30
JAMILA MUSTAFA | KT TUNSTALL | VANESSA CARLTON | MARY LAMBERT | CARSIE BLANTON...
I'm taking a break from personal live-streams this month, but I will still be participating in this year's Ladybug Music Festival. It's going digital...which means that even if you haven't been able to make it to this Delaware-based all-female festival in past years, you can tune in from anywhere this year. Acts include Jamila Mustafa (host), KT Tunstall, Mary Lambert, Larkin Poe, Vanessa Carlton, Carsie Blanton, Kechi Okwuchi, Evie Clair, Taimane, Gina Chavez, and so many more! [GET TICKETS]  AM I BOOKING SHOWS?
I've had a small handful of folks reach out to me asking if I am booking house concerts and other things. I think everyone has different opinions and comfort levels but my short answer is "Yes". With the summer and fall being most ideal for small outdoor gatherings and with large gatherings cancelled but outdoor dining opening up, i do believe it's a much easier feat to social distance outside with smaller groups. So...if and when you are considering hosting something, and if you feel your community of friends or neighbors is open to the idea don't hesitate to reach out and we can talk about ways to do something safely!
 RECOMMENDED RESOURCES ON RACE
BOOKS
TV/MOVIES SHOWS
VIDEOS
HAVE A CANDID CONVERSATION The most frequent question I've received from people is "How do i go about asking a black person to have a conversation about race with me out of the blue? It feels forced. It feels weird."
No doubt, it'll be awkward, especially if you don't have a history with them. I don't recommend asking a stranger or someone you haven't already established trust with. If you don't have friends in your network you can speak candidly with, step back and think about the biases that inform how you interact in social settings. Realizing those biases is a great starting point that will undoubtedly affect friendships, conversations, and everything moving forward. If you do reach out to a friend and they decline the invitation. Don't take it personally. They're probably just as (or more) fatigued than you. If they say yes, that's wonderful! Enter the conversation ready to learn!
As always, thanks for making it through another even more lengthy newsletter!
I hope you are making time for screen breaks and wooded walks whenever possible!
Love to you all!
Joy
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