Wanting Memories - A 75th Birthday Gift for Dr. Ysaye Barnwell

“I am sitting here, wanting memories to teach me to see the beauty in the world through my own eyes.”

The song, “Wanting Memories,” written by Dr. Ysaye Barnwell, has touched millions around the world, guiding us on a journey from loss to rediscovery of purpose and love. Through song, dance, and just filming everyday life, we invited singers and non-singers alike to give voice to our collective resilience in this global music video project.


Raise Your Voice Labs is a creative culture transformation company that helps organizations, companies, and communities realign and reengage around a shared vision in these turbulent times. ​The Lab​, our powerful in-person or virtual process, has been honed by years of work transforming conflict into creativity - among Israelis and Palestinians in Jerusalem and across lines of race, class, power, and privilege in the United States and around the world - and helps groups grappling with change build cultures of resilience, adaptability, inclusive leadership, and supportive accountability. In the Lab, any team can unleash their creative and collaborative abilities, as they work together to reimagine what is possible and create a stunningly honest and inspiring video that can serve as a musical north star in their pursuit of that future. We are honored that Eric Whitacre, inventor of virtual choirs, has called our work "exactly what the world needs now."