Meridian - Songs from the in between
Bringing to light the stories of immigrants in Houston
The Meridian is defined as a circle passing through a given place on the earth's surface and the terrestrial poles. It symbolizes the in between; a passing-through space. I grew up in the between; in between cultures, in between languages, in between worlds. Meridian is a digital storytelling project that uses music to retire the outdated archetype of what it means to American from the South. A collaboration between musicians of varying cultural backgrounds, Meridian uplifts voices from Houston's immigrant community through performances, outreach, and recorded music to put the unsung stories of our community in the center stage.
This project is a continuation of the work that bilingual singer/songwriter Amanda Pascali and her group have done in recent years (The Immigrant American Folk Project (2020), The Other Side artist residency (2022)) to advocate for immigrant voices and highlight stories of immigration. It uses music, poetry, film, writing, and visual art to foster a sense of belonging by encouraging immigrants and first-generation Americans to build their own definition of what it means to be “American” in their own unique way. Houston, America’s most diverse city, is home to over 1.7 million immigrants with stories that are seldom highlighted in mainstream media. This project aims to highlight the stories that fall outside the boundaries of conventional American storytelling.
Why Does This Matter?
Every year, the U.S. lawfully admits over one million people; more than any other country in the world. Naturally, it is immigrants, these one million, who have for years set our nation apart from the rest, distinguishing us and establishing our identity as a country. Because music transcends borders, sharing songs from the immigrant community leads to stronger solidarity between immigrants and non-immigrants and a more powerful community that promotes togetherness and empathy.
Music influences our identities; how we see ourselves. Music is a powerful tool that can continue to change the world. Music defines us; our names, where we come from, and where we are going.
Photo from the Pascali Family Archives.