NEW Music Released to Benefit Mitrata!
On September 15, a support of ours, singer Johanna Beekman, unveiled her newest music video, a collaboration between Johanna and nearly 20 others. The new song, called “Mantra Sangha: Health & Healing”, features dancers, singers, and performers, including video of Mitrata kids! Johanna has graciously donated all proceeds from the song to Mitrata.
In the release over Zoom and Facebook Live, Johanna talked with many of the collaborators and gave several performances. She also interviewed Nancy Williger, Mitrata’s first sponsor and previous Board President. Watch the video here: https://www.facebook.com/johanna.beekman/videos/10224613056776063/ (Nancy’s interview begins around 40 minutes in.)
In her interview, Nancy highlighted the meaning and mission of Mitrata: “Mitrata means ‘friendship’ in Nepalese,” she said. “Friendship is the spirit and basis of Mitrata.” She highlighted Mitrata’s mission to educate the underprivileged children we serve who otherwise would have no opportunity to get an education. “We want to… help them give back,” she said. She highlighted the story of Sudan, one of Mitrata’s graduated students who went through medical school. He grew up very poor and disadvantaged, but he always wanted to give back and found his way to do that through medicine. Nancy discusses how this makes Mitrata unique: “A lot of charities stop supporting children after 10th grade. We want to support [our kids] through 11th and 12th grade and maybe university.”
We are honored that Johanna thought of Mitrata when producing this new release and dedicated profits to supporting our children. Johanna’s mother, Susan, had been sponsoring a child with Mitrata since 2017 and went to Nepal in 2018. When they told Johanna about Mitrata’s work, she selflessly decided to devote a portion of her proceeds from her yoga classes and performances in studios, festivals, and churches to support our cause.
To learn more about Johanna, please visit her website: https://www.johannasings.com.
Artist Johanna Beekman
During the first weeks of the pandemic, Johanna was quarantined in a cabin in the Sierra Mountains. There, she would begin her morning practices with the Sanskrit mantra as a way of to deal with her sense of isolation and her fears about COVID-19. It was during these times that Johanna found a melody and eventually a song that would become “Mantra Sangha: Health & Healing”. Johanna knew she wanted this song to be a global opportunity to connect and heal. She reached out to a group of musicians from around the country and the world, all of whom donated their time. All in all, through production and remote practice, the enormous project took about six months to complete.
About 2,500 people tuned in to the grand Zoom unveiling where Nancy spoke compellingly about the need in Nepal and Mitrata’s place in helping our kids and the country as a whole. As for the video, it is intermixed with stories and images from Mitrata, including Johanna’s families sponsored child, Preeti, and her dance at the graduation ceremony that Susan and her husband attended in 2018. Susan spoke about this special moment for her as both of her daughters, Preeti and Johanna, came together in this one project.
The final video is energetic and riveting, and an excellent way to share the spirit of Mitrata. Watch the official music video below.
Remember all proceeds benefit Mitrata! If interested, you can purchase the song here: https://johannabeekman.hearnow.com/