Podcast: Artist-Activist Hollis Reimagines Everything on Her New Single "Grace Lee"
Crossroads Cafe is a podcast that explores the intersections of art, spirituality, and social change. This week, we interviewed activist and songwriter Hollis. Listen here:
Last Friday, Hollis released a single called "Grace Lee" in celebration of the iconic activist, philosopher, and author. Grace Lee's activism and approach to the world could not be more relevant at this moment in time, and it's hard to think of someone better poised to tell her story than Hollis.
Grace Lee's activism in the Asian American Movement and the Civil Rights and Black Power movements has made her a shining example of what's radically possible when you leave boundaries behind and fight for what's right without limits. A paragon for racial equity and cross-racial solidarity, Lee dedicated her life to fighting for a better future for marginalized and working class people.
Hollis's single is a gorgeous and moving celebration of Grace Lee's ethos and passion for change, which feels immediately resonant today.
Along with the single's release, Hollis is partnering with #HateIsAVirus and merch brand WEAREUPRISERS to raise money for the James and Grace Lee Boggs Foundation, which preserves Grace's legacy and life's work.
Hollis is a worthy bearer of Grace Lee's torch. A Grammy-nominated songwriter, producer, and creative, Hollis creates in a stunningly cohesive web of activism, business, and art. She works as a coach for artists and leads cause-driven campaigns, produces and plans events, and runs youth creative writing workshops.
She was also the lead producer on Macklemore's "Thrift Shop" music video. She is a Google Next Gen Policy Leader and a Humanity in Action Senior Fellow and a board member of the Seattle Music Commission, as well as the Seattle Center Advisory Commission and 4Culture. She's presented at conferences alongside Gloria Steinem, Kimberle Crenshaw and Eve Ensler.
As you'll hear from our podcast interview, she's driven by a sense of deep love and compassion for the world around her, as well as a desire to plant seeds of possibility and change everywhere she goes. Her passions and drive blend beautifully on the stunningly moving "Grace Lee."
Stream the single, watch the video, and hear the latest episode of Crossroads Cafe below.