Projects
Jerry’s Song: The Light Left Behind
Created on AI as a Tribute to Gerald Talbot and his Civil Rights Legacy
Words by Donna, voice and music AI, two versions produced on Suno.
JERRY’S SONG
THE LIGHT HE LEFT BEHIND
Verse 1
I see a new day, a new dawn on the horizon
Days of peace and love for new generations
We need to hold the course, keep our eyes on the prize
And never stop moving forward.
A new day is dawning and a change will come
We are not afraid of change
We are not afraid to light a new path forward
We need to know who we are and where we’ve been
To create a new world.
Chorus
Where compassion lives
And souls sing the song of eternal love
Where soul wounds heal and love never dies
Where we are one.
Verse 2
I see a new day, a new dawn on the horizon
Days of peace and love for new generations
Stay strong, stand firm, and change will come
Hold fast to hope and carry on.
We need to know who we are and where we’ve been
To create a new world
Where compassion lives
And souls sing the song of eternal love.
Chorus
Where soul wounds heal and love never dies
Where we are one
Where soul wounds heal and love never dies
Where we are one.
Ending
In the Shadow of the Eagle at the Abbe Museum
At a moment where the United States marks 250 years since its founding, this contemporary art exhibit aims to share a greater understanding of Wabanaki Nations’ place within our ongoing national narrative. The exhibit title is drawn from co-curator Donna Loring’s (Penobscot Nation) book that candidly chronicles time spent as a Tribal Representative for Maine. Joining the curatorial team are historian Dr. Darren Ranco (Penobscot Nation) and Virginia Museum of Fine Arts Curator Siera Hyte (Cherokee Nation). Using the Semiquincentennial and Wabanaki involvement in the Revolutionary War as a jumping off point, In the Shadow of the Eagle focuses on important themes such as military service, treaties, and self-governance. The exhibition features incredible new artworks by leading Wabanaki artists alongside important historical belongings, and loans of work by important Native artists from outside the Dawnlands.
Mary and Molly
Written by Donna Loring and co-directed with David Camlin with casting and dialogue direction by Margo Lukens, Mary and Molly features the creative work of indigenous creators and collaborators. Original artwork was created by Penobscot visual artists Shannon Sockalexis and Ann Pollard-Ranco and Mali Obomsawin‘s (Odanak Abenaki) music scores the film.
The film follows Mary, a young African-American woman living in Bangor, Maine. She finds a letter from her mother that tells of her Penobscot Indian heritage and the decision that her parents made many years ago to bring her up with only the knowledge of her African-American heritage. After opening the letter on her 21st Birthday, Mary goes to the Bangor Public Library and learns of Molly Molasses, her Penobscot Ancestor, and connects with her Penobscot ancestry for the first time. The film tackles Black and Brown issues of race, heritage, and the choosing of identity. Produced by SPEEDWELL Contemporary.