“There are no words to describe the vibrations that the voice produces in the body and the expansion when connecting with my environment. I feel I can touch my heart with my vibrato, and I feel like touching the walls of my surroundings with the waves of the vibration of my voice.”
— Finding Harmony, p. 13
Many of you already know that I’m completing the Advanced Certificate in Disability Studies, a master’s-level program that has shaped the way I understand healing, embodiment, and the politics of care. As part of my academic work, I wrote Finding Harmony—initially a theoretical exercise exploring why practicing Voz Esencial matters. But the piece quickly became something much more personal.
In the article, I look at Voz through the intersections of capitalism, colonialism, disability, and the deep desire to heal rather than cure. I write from my own lived experience—growing up with the weight of colonial history, living with a hidden disability, and discovering that the vibration of my voice could become a pathway to repair. And although this story is mine, I know that its themes are far from unique. Many of you may find echoes of your own life in it.
Voz is always a personal and intimate practice. Each practitioner relates to their voice in a distinct way, and its meaning will shift from person to person. Still, I hope this article can be a starting point—a place to begin a richer conversation about how and why vibration shapes us.
I’m honored to share that Margaret Boozer, Co-director and Co-founder of Art Extension at the Urban Soils Institute, has invited Finding Harmony to become part of the permanent exhibit in the Soils Room at Swale House (House 11).
To mark this moment, on Sunday, July 7, 2024 at 3:40pm, I will hang a copy of the article in the space. I’ll read a few key passages and guide a short 10-minute Voz practice to honor the land, the house, and the voices that have shaped this work.
I’m sharing Finding Harmony here with you. I hope it resonates, sparks reflection, and opens new paths for your own connection with vibration and self.