Ann Arbor Public Schools (AAPS) is sponsoring a free family concert at The Ark on Saturday, May 17, at 11:30 a.m. The event, titled “There’s a Place for You in the Circle,” will feature Joe Reilly and The Community Gardeners, along with the All Nations Dancers.
Local singer-songwriter Joe Reilly and Joslyn Hunscher-Young shared more details about the upcoming event.
“This program is part of a 15-month project that AAPS has been conducting since June of 2024, which is funded through a grant by the Michigan Department of Education,” Hunscher-Young said. “I serve as the project co-director for this work along with Jared Aumen, secondary social studies district chair for AAPS.”
Hunscher-Young is a social studies teacher at Community High School in Ann Arbor and a curriculum writer for AAPS. This is her fifth year working in the district.
Joe Reilly is a singer, songwriter, social worker and Dharma teacher in the tradition of Thich Nhat Hanh. He has been a professional musician since 2001, a social worker since 2013, and was ordained as a Dharma teacher in 2021. He has practiced mindfulness since 2004.
“It is always beneficial to experience live music, dance and food in community,” Reilly said. “This concert will also uplift Indigenous people — myself, the dancers, and the food vendors— within the wonderful performance space of The Ark.”
A rich sensory experience
“A unique blend of traditional Native American music with contemporary folk and rock, accompanied by traditional Anishinaabe dancers,” Reilly said. “And really delicious local Indigenous food! This will be an experiential and participatory event.”
Food will be catered by Anishnabe Meejim, a Lansing-based Indigenous food truck run by Eva Menefee and her husband Robin Menefee.
A broader educational initiative
“This is one portion of a larger project to support learning about and amplifying the histories, voices, and cultures of Michigan Indigenous people and their communities,” Hunscher-Young said. “The family concert, “There’s a Place for You in the Circle,” is our final event in a series of workshops aimed to promote community engagement with Michigan Indigenous artists. We previously organized an educational concert with Stacie Sheldon and Asiginak-Negamojig about Ojibwe language revitalization and hands-on beadwork workshops with Heron Hill Designs.”
While it is a family-friendly event, organizers have emphasized its appeal across generations.
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The theme of community and the symbolism of the circle are central to the event’s message.
“The Circle represents the inclusive nature of Indigenous cultures, as well as the sacred balance taught in traditional Indigenous spirituality,” Reilly said. “It represents how we are all connected as relatives and that no one is any more or less important than anyone else. We are interdependent and interconnected, and we all have a responsibility to care for ourselves and one another.”
Reilly, who is of Italian, Irish and Native American heritage, shared his personal connection to the cultural celebration.
“My Indigenous ancestry — Cherokee and Choctaw — and my being raised and adopted into Anishinaabe culture motivates me to share those parts of my identity in ways that will heal and counteract generations of historical and ongoing traumas from centuries of colonization,” Reilly said.
The free event has been made possible through a grant from the Michigan Department of Education.
“All costs for the venue, food, and artist compensation have been covered through this grant,” Hunscher-Young said.
Reilly hopes attendees walk away with both enjoyment and reflection.
“(It is) a reminder of who they are as human beings, and greater awareness of the Indigenous cultures that are still alive on this land, Anishinaabe Aki, the land of the people of the 3 Fires,” Reilly said.
Hunscher-Young echoed his sentiment.
“The collaborative work of Joe, his band, The Community Gardeners, and the All Nations Dancers will be engaging and exciting,” she said. “I hope this concert is a way for people to learn more about Indigenous arts and culture while also coming together for a fun afternoon. Too often, when we teach and learn about Native communities, we fail to recognize the ways they contribute to our society today. Highlighting, amplifying, and engaging the work of Indigenous artists is one way for us to help address this failure in our community.”
