The When Voices Rise Songwriting Contest today announced the winners and finalists of its inaugural national competition, recognizing original songs that confront urgent social issues while celebrating music’s enduring ability to inspire action, foster community, and challenge injustice.
At a time when journalists, musicians, and cultural commentators have questioned why today’s political and social upheavals have not sparked a protest-song movement on the scale of the 1960s, more than 200 songwriters from across the United States responded with powerful works reflecting the urgency, complexity, and hope of the current moment.
The 2026 winners are:
First Prize ($1,000): Crys Matthews — Forged in Fire
Second Prize ($500): Karina Daza — Extranjera
Third Prize ($500): Rissi Palmer — Seeds
The three winning songs, along with the eight remaining finalists, will be showcased during a special concert at New York City’s acclaimed Joe’s Pub on August 21, 2026. Hosted by acclaimed Mexican composer and musical theater storyteller Jaime Lozano, the evening will celebrate the role of music as both artistic expression and social conscience.
“Art should be a reflection of the times, and what better way to speak up than through music and song,” said Jaime Lozano, co-creator of the contest and co-founder of The Familia Org.
The contest attracted participants from across generations. Entrants ranged in age from 18 to over 75 years old. Among survey respondents, more than one-third were age 65 or older, while nearly one-third were under age 45.
Winners were selected by a distinguished panel whose careers span music, journalism, scholarship, activism, and social change:
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María Hinojosa, Peabody and Emmy Award-winning journalist and founder of Futuro Media
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Gaby Moreno, Grammy-winning singer-songwriter and UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador
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Dr. Tammy L. Kernodle, internationally recognized scholar of African American music, gender, and social justice
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Tom Kitt, Pulitzer Prize, Tony, Emmy, and Grammy Award-winning composer of Next to Normal and co-founder of Musicians United for Social Equity
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Doug Yeager, veteran producer and artist manager whose five-decade career has helped shape the legacies of artists including Odetta, Richie Havens, and Tom Paxton
Created by playwright and lyricist Nancy Nachama Cheser, multi-award-winning composer Jaime Lozano, and The Familia Org, with support from the Saul N. Silbert Charitable Trust, the contest was inspired by the protest music traditions of the 1960s and 1970s as well as Latin America’s influential Nueva Canción movement. The competition welcomed original songs in any genre and any language.
“Music unites and energizes a community and gives us strength when confronted with so many disheartening and divisive forces that have demoralized so many,” said Nancy Nachama Cheser, creator of the contest.
The complete list of finalists and additional information about the August 21 concert can be found at www.whenvoicesrise.com.
About When Voices Rise
When Voices Rise is a national songwriting initiative that promotes original music focused on social justice and civic engagement.
The Familia is an organization founded by Jaime Lozano and Florencia Cuenca to foster community and artistic opportunities for Latine and immigrant artists. Jaime Lozano is a Mexican-born composer, orchestrator, and musical theatre storyteller whose work blends Latin musical idioms with theatrical emotion. As a multi-hyphenate and multi-award-winning artist, Jaime has orchestrated, arranged, directed, and produced across projects both in the U.S. and internationally, was a Lincoln Center Artist in Residence, and collaborated with many of the top artists including Lin-Manuel Miranda. Jaime also leads “Jaime Lozano & The Familia” — a concert project bringing immigrant narratives to life through music. Florencia Cuenca is a Mexican immigrant multi-hyphenate theatre maker passionate about developing projects that celebrate the intersection of diversity, women, and Latine communities. She recently made history as the first Mexican immigrant originating a co-lead role on Broadway in the musical Real Women Have Curves.
Nancy Nachama Cheser is an artist, playwright, and educator whose work bridges the movements of the 1960s and 70s to today’s realities. Her poster art from that era created with a collective of women — now in the collections of libraries at Duke University, Radcliffe College, MOMA, Rhode Island School of Design Museum, and Smith College – reflected the spirit of art as a response to political realities. As a playwright and lyricist, she brings that same creative urgency to stories and music, navigating language, home, and identity across diverse communities.
The Saul N. Silbert Charitable Trust is a non-profit, 501(c)3 organization incorporated in 1994 and a generous sponsor of When Voices Rise. It was founded by lover of the arts Saul Silbert from his personal estate. Saul Silbert believed strongly in the value of education and self-reliance. Executive Director Sarah Silbert Hinawi is a committed community arts leader and musician. She oversaw Purpl, a community-driven workspace and music/arts venue funded by the Saul N. Silbert Charitable Trust, curating opportunities and opening doors for emerging voices.
Joe’s Pub, a program of The Public Theater, was named for The Public’s founder Joseph Papp. Since it opened in 1998, Joe’s Pub has played a vital role in The Public’s mission of supporting artists at all stages of their careers with an intimate space to perform and develop new work. Joe’s Pub presents the best in live music and performance nightly, continuing its commitment to diversity, production values, community, and artistic freedom. In addition to one-night-only concerts and multi-night engagements, Joe’s Pub is home to the annual Habibi Festival, which hosts artists representing contemporary and traditional musics of the SWANA (Southwest Asia/North Africa) region, and The Vanguard Residency, a yearlong curation series that celebrates the career, and community, of a prolific and influential artist, including Nona Hendryx, Judy Collins, Laurie Anderson, Barbara Maier Gustern, Angelique Kidjo, Margaret Cho, and Dr. Justin Vivian Bond. Murray Hill is the incoming Vanguard for 2026-27.
With its intimate atmosphere and superior acoustics, Joe’s Pub presents over 600 shows featuring artists based in New York City and touring performers from all over the world, and hosts over 100,000 audience members annually. Beyond public performances, Joe’s Pub also leads artist development programs like New York Voices, a commissioning program that helps musicians develop new performance projects, and Joe’s Pub Working Group, an artist-led development and collaboration cohort. Current commissioned artists include Lisa Stephen Friday, Dan Fishback, Lampert & Barsha, Morgan Bassichis, and EMEL.
