The Spaces In Between

As I wrote in this post last fall, camp songs are one of my favorite things about camp. I particularly love the way that songs at Camp Aranu’tiq and Brave Trails affirm campers’ and counselors’ identities and create a sense of belonging.

This year Camp Aranu’tiq, like many other camps, closed their in-person camps due to covid-19, and moved to Virtual Camp programming. Julie Be, who is part of Camp Aranu’tiq’s admin team, decided to create a mix to help campers who are stuck at home feel less alone. Together, as part of the group Ants on a Log, Julie and Anya Rose created the “Trans and Non-Binary Kids Mix.” The mix is free to download, although they welcome donations, which will go to support Camp Aranu’tiq.

The mix is getting a lot of attention, and was recently featured by NPR! I love that it exists in the world, as it is so important for children (and adults!) to have music that reflects their lives and identities. Plus, the music is fantastic.

I was especially excited to discover that the mix includes one of my favorite songs, “Sometimes” by my friend Be Steadwell, as well as work by some of my favorite musicians, Ryan Cassata, Shawnee, Queer Kid Stuff, and Star Amerasu. I also appreciate that there are many songs that were not familiar to me, but that I have quickly grown to love. I especially enjoy the opening song, “We Royal” by Alphabet Rocks, and their homage to the history and power of trans people.

“We are
The liberators start with T— A to Ze
We are
The game changers
We are
The ones who lead
We are
The curious
The line erasers
Brave hearted
Born Royal!
Here forever no finish to what we started
We are
In every culture everywhere ever since
We are
The move makers
We are
The won’t quit
We are
Your neighbors
Your children
Its prolly hard to read it
We Royal!
Believe it when you see it”

Throughout the song they name important trans folks, including Miss Major, Hatshepsut, Sylvia Ray Rivera, Ben Barres, We-Wha, Lozen and Dahteste, and Sharice Davids. Overall, the songs range from protest song to love song, to silly interlude and funny sing-alongs to encouraging sweet songs. They invite us to protest, to honor key historical figures, to poke fun at gender, to imagine non-binary students hanging out at hogwarts, to love each other, to recognize they/them pronouns, and to “be who you are.”

“Be who you are, be brave, be loud
Be who you are, be bold, be proud
Speak up for yourself, don’t follow the crowd
Just be who you are”

Be Who You Are by Two of a Kind

I am excited to use this mix in my classes, especially “The Queer Child” and “Trans Representations” again in the Spring, and it has been good background music while I work on my syllabus. Take a listen yourself, here.

Cover art by Wripley M. Bennet.