Jaime Lozano to Showcase WHEN VOICES RISE, a New Take on Protest Music

Opening on Monday March 2, 2026, the When Voices Rise Songwriting Contest invites musicians to submit original songs that speak to the urgency, complexity, and hope of this moment in history. Carrying on (but not limited to) the legacy of the protest and folk music of the 1960s and 70s in the U.S. and Latin America's Nueva Canción movement, this contest seeks original work, in any style or genre, that reflects the power of song to awaken minds and stir hearts. When Voices Rise accepts work in English, Spanish, or other languages that bring the songwriter's ideas to life. Submissions are being accepted March 2, 2026 – May 1, 2026, 11:59 EST. No fee, donation, or purchase is necessary to enter. 

“Music unites and energizes a community and gives us strength when confronted with so many disheartening and divisive forces,” says Nancy Nachama Cheser, creator of the contest.

The winning song will receive a prize of $1,000. Two runners-up will each receive $500. The top ten songs will be featured in a concert at NYC's iconic Joe's Pub on August 21st, 2026. Mexican multi-hyphenate musical theatre storyteller Jaime Lozano emcees this exciting evening of songs and shows music as a refuge for hope and resistance.

“Art should be a reflection of its times and what a better way to speak up than using music, through song. Music has saved me many times and this contest is an invitation to raise our voices together as a community. Sing about who we are and why we are here,” says composer Jaime Lozano.

“After watching the Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown, we were reminded of the crucial role music played during the turbulent sixties and seventies in both the United States and Latin America with the Nueva Canción movement, and we wanted to foster its resurgence in today's volatile realities. As artists frequently deflated by the daily barrage of news, the thought of finding a creative response energized us.  In that spirit and belief, we decided to sponsor the When Voices Rise Songwriting Contest,” says Lozano and Cheser. A panel of distinguished judges from today's music industry will be announced shortly.

For more information, visit www.whenvoicesrise.com 

The Team: 

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