Unstoppable: Fierce & Free

Singers of Lavender Light Gospel Choir

ANNA Crusis Women’s Choir performs the second of their 50th anniversary concerts in Fringe Arts Theater. Photo by Lori Waselchuk

ANNA Crusis Feminist Choir & Lavender Light Gospel Choir

What happens when a 50-year feminist tradition meets four decades of gospel liberation? You get Unstoppable: Fierce and Free — an electric collaboration between two choirs that have spent their histories proving that music is resistance, community is power, and joy is a radical act.

ANNA Crusis Feminist Choir, the longest-running feminist choir in the United States, has been inspiring social change and building community through song since 1975. Rooted in intersectional feminist values, ANNA is a community of women, transgender, and non-binary singers led by Artistic Director Miriam Davidson — dedicated to musical excellence, the celebration of diversity, and the ongoing struggle for justice and equity.

Lavender Light Gospel Choir, founded in 1985 in New York City, is an independent, Black-led, mixed-voice, intergenerational chorus that was the world’s first lesbian and gay gospel choir. Under Artistic Director Eric Williamson, Lavender Light creates space for LGBTQIA+ people to sing the Black gospel tradition — music born of survival, faith, and joy — as their fully expressed, authentic selves. With a special ministry to the Black queer community, they have performed at venues from Carnegie Hall to the United Nations and World Pride 2025.

Both choirs are members of GALA Choruses, the world’s largest association serving the LGBTQ+ choral community.

The Concert

Each choir will perform selections from their own repertoire, showcasing the distinct musical identities that have defined their movements. Then they come together for collaborative songs — a shared stage where feminist anthem meets gospel fire, and the cathedral rings with the combined power of both ensembles.

Set in the magnificent Philadelphia Episcopal Cathedral, with its soaring Romanesque architecture and storied stained glass, Unstoppable: Fierce and Free is more than a concert — it’s a declaration. In a moment when the forces working against our communities grow louder, these two choirs answer with something stronger: music, solidarity, and the fierce, unshakable freedom of singing together.

Details

• Date: Saturday, June 13, 2026
• Shows: 3:00 PM matinee & 7:30 PM evening
• Venue: Philadelphia Episcopal Cathedral, 19 S. 38th St., Philadelphia, PA 19104
• Accessibility: Wheelchair-accessible entrance located to the right of the main red doors, through the glass doors on 38th Street
• Transit: Near 30th Street Station (Amtrak, SEPTA Regional Rail). SEPTA trolleys and buses serve 38th Street.
• Parking: Metered street parking available on Chestnut, 38th, Ludlow, and Market Streets (MeterUP app). Nearby garages include Walnut 38 Park (38th & Walnut) and LAZ Parking (3665 Market St.)

ANNA Crusis Feminist Choir inspires social change and builds community through the power of music. A founding member of GALA Choruses, ANNA has performed at the Kimmel Center, Carnegie Hall, the United Nations, and the International Festival of Choirs in Santiago de Cuba. Learn more at annacrusis.org.

Lavender Light Gospel Choir is dedicated to keeping alive the Black gospel music tradition in a community that affirms and uplifts LGBTQIA+ people. A GALA Choruses member, Lavender Light has performed at Madison Square Garden, Yankee Stadium, Carnegie Hall, and World Pride. Learn more at lavenderlight.com.