Cape Town, South Africa

As I drove down the street I could see people dancing and hear singing near the courthouse in Simon's Town- a suburb of Cape Town, South Africa. I pulled over and ran toward the group with recording gear in hand.

I was welcomed by the group and could feel the gaze of the armed police as they stood watch outside of the courthouse keeping a sharp eye on protestors.

I later learned that they were singing to support the family of a young teen who was raped and killed by a local drug dealer, a crime overlooked by local law enforcement. A number of the protestors stand accused of beating the drug dealer to death for his unspeakable crime.

The stark contrast of the warm songs and the armed officers was heavy. My legs shook and my eyes teared up as their songs filled the air with hope and laughter instead of anger and resentment in hopes of a better future for their community.