From the vibrant heart of Orlando, Florida, emerges a movement transforming the music industry — Calling All Crows (CAC). Harnessing the unifying power of music, CAC takes on social issues ranging from abortion to protecting democracy, amplifying the voices of women and marginalized communities. Their latest groundbreaking campaign, Voice Your Choice, is set to educate and mobilize music fans on reproductive freedom, intertwining melodies with activism. Through electrifying concerts, civic engagement events, and critical initiatives like Here For The Music, CAC is revolutionizing live music spaces to be safer and more inclusive. To dive into a world where music meets activism, read on, as we interview Courtney Cavaiola, Director of AMPlifying Democracy.

Where are you based?
I [Courtney Cavaiola] am currently based in Orlando, Florida and have been here for the past two years. I’m originally from the DC area and I’ve spent most of my career there, with a seven year break in Phoenix, where I raised my daughter and worked in progressive politics.

Can you tell us more about your organization’s work?
Calling All Crows is a nonprofit dedicated to creating a more feminist and just music industry. We harness the power of music to create long-term social change that amplifies the voices of women and marginalized communities. CAC aims to bridge the gap between music culture and activism by providing individuals and organizations with the tools necessary for sustained action; we believe that music is a force that can inspire and mobilize collective action towards creating a better society. By building this on-ramp to activism, we encourage and support music fans, artists, and industry leaders to use their voices and influence to make a difference.

The lyrics and language we use hold immense power. In what ways do you see music influencing the public and shaping attitudes toward societal issues such as inequality, discrimination, and human rights?
Music holds up a mirror to our American – and global – reality and music has been the movement maker for so many social and societal movements throughout history. America has a long tradition of musical moments that both embolden human rights movements and hold them together.

You recently launched your program called Voice Your Choice. Can you tell us a bit more about this exciting new program?
Voice Your Choice is our newest campaign designed to activate music fans to learn about reproductive freedom. We have partnered with Ballot Ready so that everyone who scans a QR code online, at a summer music festival, concert or on campus this Fall, has access to non-partisan, independently verified information about reproductive ballot initiatives, candidates and elected officials. We will also be registering young people to vote and making sure everyone has a plan to vote this November!

Why do you think it is especially important that we all vote in this election?
21 states have enacted abortion bans since June 2023 when the Supreme Court overturned Roe. 12 states have reproductive freedom on the ballot in November. Americans have an opportunity to vote on reproductive freedom in those states and we want to make sure they make an informed decision in the voting booth.

Women’s rights are being eroded across the globe, and the US is certainly contributing. It feels like we are going backwards rather than forwards when it comes to standing up for women. What are your thoughts on this?
It feels like women’s rights are being eroded across the globe because they are being eroded, deliberately and thoughtfully, and particularly in America. I worked for women in politics and on parity issues for a very long time and my answer to this is always to encourage women to run for office! When women run, women win! When they win, they write more legislation that benefits communities, other women, families and children. We need honest women with good hearts to run for office — that’s the only qualifier to run for office and be an effective politician that builds political and economic power for all women in America. The men running the show right now are not good-hearted, smart or at all qualified – trust me, I’ve been there – they’re empty suits with a lot of ambition and no plans to make life better for women in America. Young women could run circles around the men of Congress, but they need to be in the room making decisions where decisions are made if things are going to change!

Another state just voted for stricter abortion laws. What do you think women’s rights could look like in the next four years if elections go the way we want or if they don’t?
The momentum is in favor of reproductive freedom at the moment. Out of the six states that have put abortion on the ballot so far, all six have voted to codify reproductive freedom into their state constitution, meaning that no state legislature or governor can make abortion illegal in that state. Said another way, when Americans are given the choice, they choose reproductive freedom over restriction. This is why increasingly anti-choice state legislatures are voting for abortion bans. That’s why ballot initiatives are critical to Americans who support reproductive freedom. Without ballot initiatives, anti-choice state legislatures will continue to push through increasingly restrictive laws that ban abortion in all cases, and we will see more laws that criminalize abortion, miscarriages, birth control, etc.

Do you think the music industry has a responsibility to address societal issues, and if so, how do you see this responsibility being fulfilled?
I think artists write about both the struggle and beauty of life in America. Their speech must never be restricted to tell their story. The industry has a responsibility to amplify the voices of all artists from all walks of life in America to understand the journey they’re on.

In such a divided world how can music help to bring people together?
Music is a powerful force that brings people together to celebrate, dance and find the commonalities between us. It’s a beautiful thing to be at a concert singing and vibing with people you might not encounter out and about in the world. Music unites us and opens our hearts to see people beyond vitriolic labels and political points of view.

How do you see the relationship between music and societal change evolving in the digital age, particularly with the rise of social media and online activism?
I see music playing a complimentary role in societal change in the digital age. Music has a very long history in America of speaking truth to power, but also fueling and propelling social movements. Young people organizing online and using music as an emotional outlet for injustice and a tool of solidarity is the same as freedom fighters singing gospel and blues during the Civil Rights Movement and young people protesting the Vietnam War with folk music. This continued with the creation of rap as a powerful medium to fight brutal racism and inequality in American cities and in country music with its exploration of deep poverty. Further, dance and disco music created safe spaces and have contributed deeply to the visibility and safety of the LGBTQ+ community. The examples go on and on. Music is the most powerful form of protest and will likely always play a significant role in the American struggle for equality and justice.

On June 5th, Calling All Crows is hosting an event called AMPlifying Democracy. Can you tell us more about what attendees can expect? How can we get involved?
The June 5th event is a rock benefit to kick of our civic engagement and campaign work. The evening will include performances with Nashville-based Julie Williams, who we are all excited about, and CAC Founder Chadwick Stokes. The evening will include civic engagement activations, including signing onto the Ballot Ready platform and hearing from local politicians and activists in the reproductive freedom space. We hope that people will come out and support this important and urgent work with a fun night of music, education, and engagement! Buy tickets here.

We also love that you work with Here For The Music, which is part of Calling All Crows. Can you tell us a bit about this organization and your work with them?
Thank you for asking about Here For The Music. It’s run by our wonderful Maggie Arthur here at CAC and it trains artists, their crews, promoters, fans and concert venue staff about safety in live music spaces. The program is a deep dive on how to spot when folks are in trouble and how to safely and effectively intervene. Harassment and sexual violence at concerts is pervasive at live music shows. It’s incredibly important work and desperately needed.

Are there any other upcoming projects you would like to share?
This Fall, we will be rolling out a college and community college campus voter registration tour and bringing in artists to perform. College campuses are already politically charged environments, but we want to connect passion to direct action through civic engagement and service projects.

It has been a crazy past few years, how have you been staying positive?
I have been leaning into my love of music and my daughter! We listen to new albums together in the car a lot and explore the meaning of the lyrics. She’s 9-years-old and it’s the best thing in the world for me. Spending a lot of time with young people who are fighting for and working toward a more just and equal America is also keeping me going. Compassionate young people who are loud and rooted in their power keep me positive. I also really appreciate “Dear White Staffers” on Instagram as well as all of the union movements happening right now.

What is your motto in life?
Oh my goodness, great question! “Just keep swimming” is always a good one for me in both life and in politics. “Seek to understand and then seek to be understood” is a motto I love, but is more of a work in progress for me at the moment.

To learn more about Calling All Crows, please follow the links below.
Ballot Ready
Calling All Crows
Instagram: @callingallcrows

Calling All Crows - Movements Through Music