What's up, everybody?

I'm Myra Flynn, creator of Homegoings, the Vermont Public Podcast, featuring candid conversations about race with artists of color.

The artists I interviewed are so prolific and so talented that earlier this year we put two and two together and asked ourselves, why don't we stage a live performance so folks can see some of this art?

We did just that.

And of course, we filmed it.

And it's been so long since anyone's held me spellbound like this and so long since I let myself be held on to In the spirit of curiosity, we topped off the evening with an open discussion that was, in fact, incredibly open.

No topic was off the table and there was no such thing as going too deep.

These are the conversations that are our birthright to have and the stories we are lucky to hear.

This is Homegoings.

Welcome home.

Id like to introduce our next musical act.

It's a single name act.

Her name is DonnCherie, and she is somebody who's had a pretty unique perspective when it comes to these pillars, born of grief, rage, joy and healing.

And I remember in the interview with DonnCherie, I said, so which one do you align with?

And she said, child, all of them.

But doesn't really matter how you walk into your house as long as you walk in this world and in your house authentically.

She said an artist's responsibility is to be who you are.

Right here, right now, exactly where you're at.

So please give it up for DonnCherie.

(applause) Hi.

You heard it, Donncherie.

So Black stories, Black lives, Black deaths, Black celebrations, and Black voices.

This voice, this voice has a reason for being this voice, has a story to tell.

Follow our voice and all that you're hearing.

Follow our voice.

Follow our spell.

Three, four Darkness loves her and she dances with it like a lover when the moon rises and it's kind of crazy if you think about it like when the song takes over and the shadows run for cover And it's been so long since anyone's held me spellbound like this and so long since I let myself be held onto (improvised singing) Two, three, four Her touch is poison, but I can't live without it like a glacier once the heat rises and it's kind of crazy if you think about it when a fire sparks a meadow and a rainbow after the wind blows, it's been so long since anyone's held me spellbound like this and so long since I let myself be held onto (improvised singing) (instrumental music) So long, so long So long, so long So long, so long (improvised singing) Two, three, four Spellbound, enchanted, captivated, enthralled like a lover once the thought rises and it's kind of crazy when you're noticing it like searching for the answers when your heart is beating faster And it's been so long since anyone's held me spellbound like this and so long since I let myself be held onto (improvised singing) I don't know if I can feign control And I don't know if I can feign control And I don't know if I can feign control (improvised singing) (applause) Thank you.

So check it out.

(applause) I brought the element of air.

Air is the messenger.

And while we are definitely talking about a homegoing, we're talking about a grieving of sorts.

The air tonight is representing the celebration of life.

And that's what I'm bringing you, love lust, the break up and then a call to action.

But we'll talk about that later.

(instrumental music) Mmmmm, the breakup (instrumental music) Now, dont that set well?

Love is a fool just a messy game we play and honey playing with you losing every single hand but when you hold me close enough I'm fool enough to believe my lies But way down inside I know you'll go onto the next thing (improvised singing) Love is a fool just a big ole waste of time Honey, aint it the truth?

Im losing everything that's mine but when you kiss me deep enough oh I'm fool enough to believe the lie Because deep down inside I know youll go onto the next thing yeah Im such a fool, I don't want to say goodbye And no one can love you quite the way that I (improvised singing) I know as soon as I let my heart go You'll go on (improvised singing) Now Im not your fool, nobody hurts me like you do now my hearts on the floor cuz I opened up to you you don't want to let go there ain't nothing here for you tonight Better believe, better believe You better believe, better believe You better believe, better believe I'm moving onto the next thing (instrumental music) (applause) So thank you all for letting me be my bonafide weird self.

I just wanted to let you all know that common _ _ _ _ _ sense and common decency are on life support.

But if we take some action, they're going to be just fine.

And this is sort of about that.

I mean, we've gone through pandemic and bullies and craziness and we had some leadership that was just kind of subpar.

And that's the kindest thing I'll say about that.

(laughter) This is “Blame ”.

(instrumental music) Harsh tones and slamming doors, Loud talking “man-of-war ” Shaking my head as I watch it unfolding You always talk so tough, your fear is obvious Scared of the world and all its “strange ” diversity Violent and cancerous, cowardly, pretentious You need the world kept small so you can be King So you push and you shove and ya fight it aint no way to save a house divided I dont need to bring you down to elevate me Dont blame it on me Dont blame it on... (improvised singing) I hear youre coming for me You better bring your A-game, baby I aint gone make it easy but come on The situation called for more than you ever gave it credit for Over shadowed by a vision thats too big for you to see But dont blame it on me Dont blame it on... (improvised singing) All the time, making everything about you Never mind all the _ _ _ _ed up things you do Laying blame is just your way to skirt the truth But it ain't my fault, when you burnt it all the flames took your house too (improvised singing) The situation called for more than you ever gave it credit for Over shadowed by a vision thats too big for you to see But dont blame it on... Dont you blame it on me, baby Dont you blame it on me, baby Dont you blame it on me, baby (improvised singing) (improvised singing) (instrumental music) Nice.

Chris Peterman on the saxophone.

The lovely Andy Smith on bass.

The lovely Caleb Bronz on drums.

My good friend Bob Gagnon on lead guitar.

And I am the art of DonnCherie.

So, like I said, common decency is on life support.

Common sense is on life support.

And the only way we're going to do something about it, the only way we're going to move forward with conversation is to face it.

And sometimes the stuff that we do needs to be brought to light, because if you shine light on it you can face it.

If you can face it, you can _ _ _ _ _ fix it.

Can you dig it?

Yeah.

So this is my song, “For Keeps ” and that's kind of what that's about, like, all the stuff that happens in the dark that we don't want anybody to know about, things we might say or the things we might allow others to say or others to do to other people because, well, we just don't want to rock the boat.

Rock the boat.

This is my friend, Senayit Tomlinson, you heard her earlier.

(cheers) (laughter) Unintentionally matched.

Uh, intentionally.

Sweet.

So she's going to sing with us this time.

(instrumental music) Rome is bleeding on a tall, tall hill, put the light on A sister dreams while the flood waters recede Put the light on, put the light on We're salivating to the war slides, always hoping God's on our side Put the light on, put the light on Put the light on, put the light on 'Cuz in the shadows where nothing matters there the darkness breeds while action sleeps And in the light of day wed have to make a play that might just be for keeps But there is plenty of blood on my hands Put the light on, put the light on But the bones are steel here in my stance Put the light on, put the light on The baby is nursing from a funeral urn as we stand and watch our island burn Put the light on, put the light on Put the light on, put the light on 'Cuz in the shadows where nothing matters there the darkness breeds while action sleeps And in the light of day wed have to make a play that In the absence of light Self deception grows in the absence In the absence of light In the absence of light Self deception grows in the absence In the absence of light We're acclimated to a sick, grey world It doesn't matter which flag unfurls The buried corpses we know we've kept They woke up and found us while we've slept Put the light on, put the light on 'Cuz in the shadows where nothing matters there the darkness breeds while action sleeps And in the light of day wed have to make a play that might just be for keeps Oh yeah Thank you.

(applause) I will not be chased out of a damn thing.

My magic, my body, my country, mine!

I go where the hell I want to go I live where I want to live I am exactly who I am, wherever I am.

And Vermont was the place that I chose.

And so I am here and I'll be here and I'll be here tomorrow and the next day until either I change my mind or I die.

And I want to be here also for somebody else who lands here, who is looking for a kind face.

I can't run from that.

The trick or the tip is just acceptance.

Don't make someone bend to your rules in order to figure it out.

So they don't believe what you believe.

So what?

So they've had an abortion.

So what?

So their partner doesn't look like yours or their partners don't look like yours.

So what?

There's a meme out there that says it costs nothing to mind your own business and everything when you f _ _ _ that up.

And I'm not the most eloquent person, you'll have probably figure that out.

But my goal is this to be as honest as I possibly can, what I need back from that is acceptance, because I'm just going to show up as me.

(applause) Thanks so much for joining us.

If you want to continue to be a part of the homegoings family, stay in touch at homegoings.co and subscribe to the Homegoings podcast Wherever you listen.

Take good care.