Open letter to Joan Baez

Thought for the day

I first heard your name when I was 12.  Back then, I used to ride my bike to the original Kepler's Book Store and roam the aisles.  But it wasn't until I was nearing 15, when you performed "We Shall Overcome" during Dr. King's March on Washington in 1963, that I truly felt connected to you.

That connection stayed with me throughout the 1960s as the fight for civil rights here at home and the war in Vietnam became ever-present issues in my life and the life of my Cubberley High School classmates and USC fraternity brothers.  Today is no exception.  The recent fight to confirm Ketanji Brown Jackson as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court brought out deep-seeded, ugly prejudices on the part of some U.S. Senators.  And the atrocities we are witnessing daily in Ukraine exceed many we saw in Vietnam.  

Surely, the need to "overcome" still is front and center for millions of Americans.

In an effort to make sense out of what is happening in Eastern Europe, I have begun asking friends (and friends of friends) to perform "Ukraine Shall Overcome."  Yes, I rewrote the lyrics to Louise Shropshire's iconic anthem that you and Pete Seeger immortalized decades ago.  Today, I am asking you to return to Washington and perform "Ukraine" on the steps of the U.S. Capitol.  In my opinion, your rendition wouldn't just be meaningful to people here at home, it would have a huge impact on people around the globe.

I am aware of your current passion for painting.  Your portrait of Volodymyr Zelensky is terrific.  Having dreamed up and published the Andy Warhol celebrity portrait of Jane Fonda in 1982, I hope you sell all 250 prints of the Ukrainian president.  As significant as this project is to you, I believe your voice still is the most powerful tool you possess.  

That said, your version of "Ukraine Shall Overcome" will reach tens of millions of people instantly.  My guess is, if you were to ask Mr. Zelensky, he'd say sing.  It will have a much greater impact on his people than a portrait of himself.  And you know what?  He would be right.

So, from this 1966 Cubberley graduate to you, a 1958 Paly graduate, I want to thank you for being a big part of my life.  My hope is our Palo Alto roots will cross again soon in Washington.  

- DF