Voices of Hope is an organization that builds choral singing communities in correctional facilities in the state of Minnesota.
The flagship ensemble, Voices of Hope-Shakopee, was founded in 2015 by Dr. Amanda Weber and has grown from 15 to 50 incarcerated singers. The organization has recently expanded to include Voices of Hope-Stillwater. Both choirs rehearse weekly and perform several times a year inside their respective facilities.
The mission of Voices of Hope is to provide accessible music-making opportunities within justice-involved populations that foster individual growth and bridge unlikely communities through song.
We recognize that Voices of Hope has a dual calling to serve communities both inside and outside of Minnesota’s state prisons:
1. BRINGING HOPE INSIDE PRISON WALLS
Voices of Hope provides a safe and sober activity which empowers incarcerated individuals to find their voice, build connections in a diverse setting, and bring a positive message of hope and healing to the wider correctional facility.
2. BRINGING HOPE OUTSIDE PRISON WALLS
Voices of Hope views singing as a powerful tool of restorative justice, seeking to transform perspectives of incarceration and build bridges of healing within the wider community through collaboration and reflection.
amanda kate weber 