SUDBURY -- Sudbury musician JoPo released her latest single We Are Their Voice, advocating loudly on behalf of students during the ongoing Ontario education union strikes.
"I don’t even have kids, but I stand behind this," said JoPo.
The song was released on YouTube on Feb. 28 and received over 11,000 views in less than a week.
During the creation process, JoPo reached out to teachers across the province, in every school board, to help showcase the unified fight against the Ford government. She says that the entire video was a joint effort with help from the teachers and Bertrand Productions.
Local Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario President Barb Blasutti says it’s amazing to have the support and voice of a local musician on this issue.
"The public support for our fight is overwhelming, but especially so when it’s a local musician who takes the time to research the issues," Blasutti said. "When I first heard it, I had goosebumps."
Several students sing in the video, helping to give them a voice in the labour dispute. For many, it was the first time they have been in a real studio or a music video.
"Even talking to them in the studio, they were saying that in some of their classrooms there are like 38 students. It’s ridiculous. They’re not getting enough time per student when there are that many students in a classroom. So, they were all behind it 100 per cent," said JoPo.
This isn’t the first time that the singer-songwriter has advocated for community issues through songs.
"I think it’s just the path that I have chosen and I stick up for what’s right," she said.
