Mission
Voices United is a non-profit organization designed to promote social justice through the arts while nourishing and connecting warriors of change locally, nationally and around the world.
Voices United Utilizes the Arts to:
Liberate Artists & Change Makers
Enable artists and change makers to conceive and champion solutions to community, national, and world problems.
Offer Opportunities
Offer opportunities for artist and change makers of all ages to explore, develop and share their visions and concerns, and propose solutions to some of the many problems that we face on a global level without endorsing political, ideological, or religious preferences.
Life Skills Development
Extend opportunities for participants to acquire life skills to navigate through personal and professional challenges, fostering better relationships and enhancing overall well-being.
Prioritize Equity, Inclusion & Belonging
Prioritize belonging, equity, and inclusion, striving to create a nurturing environment that facilitates growth and enables every individual to reach their full potential.
Center Responsiveness
Center responsiveness, aspiring to address the needs of communities in real time to foster positive change and support.
History
Originally known as Peace Child Miami, Voices United was established in 1989 by 17-year-old Katie Christie, who was then a senior at New World School of the Arts in Miami. Following her journey to the Soviet Union under the Peace Child arts exchange initiative, Christie observed a lack of harmony and understanding among young individuals from varying racial and cultural backgrounds. She additionally recognized that the youth encountered numerous issues without sufficient avenues to express their worries. In response to these hurdles, Christie founded Voices United to amplify Miami's youth with a platform to voice their concerns.
The reverberations of this initiative have been substantial, touching the lives of thousands of participants and community members of all ages, and illuminating the issues held dear by today’s change makers.
Past Programs
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1989
Peace Child
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1990
City At Peace
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1991
City At Peace
Kids For Kids (cast of hearing impaired and hearing students)
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1992 & 1993
Be A Family
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1994
Standing Tall
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1995
Standing Tall
Wings of Love Japan (Cast of Japanese & American students)
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1996
Real Life
Stand for Children in Washington D.C.
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1997
Real Life
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1990 - 1998
City At Peace Crew (Touring Company)
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1995 – 1997
Summer Leadership Forum
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2006
Present – Voices United Touring Company
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2007
Help Wanted
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2008
Unspoken Voice
Common Ground - Peace Child World Youth Congress in Quebec City
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2009
Lost & Found
Summer Leadership Forum
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2010
Break The Chain
Beacons of Hope – Peace Child World Youth Congress in Istanbul, Turkey
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2011
The Story Within Me
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2012
Portal 108
Voices United Lesotho (cast of Basotho & American Youth)
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2013
Global Ties
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2014
25th Anniversary Celebration
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2015
Every 28 Hours
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2017
Ancestors in the Garden
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2020
Emerging Artist Showcase
Alumni Cabaret
JustUs Collective
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2021
Every 28 Hours Plays
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2022
We Are the Future Now
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2023
World Art Day
Raising Voice