Social Activism

Glenn Marais is an important artist whose words and music speak out against injustice and inequality in a powerful and melodic voice that is equally haunting and beautiful. He uses his music for healing and hope through his company, Music in Mind, teaching character education through music, motivational speaking, curriculum kits, workshops, activities and school assemblies to thousands of students inspiring them to get involved locally and globally with his universal motto, “Give to live”!

• Drafted and implemented a youth leadership camp for Native Youth across Canada in 2009.
• Glenn traveled to Swaziland in 2009 as part of the Heart for Africa foundation to act as music director/composer for an international concert event, Celebrate Litsemba, which featured at risk children performing for other at risk children. He returned in 2010 to Swaziland for Celebrate Litsemba 2010 to be performed in the national stadium for 15 000 at risk children.
• In November 2005, Glenn Travelled to Africa to film a video for his song, “Like a Child” on the HIV/AIDS pandemic in Africa that went to number one on Much More Music. The song and video were featured at the International AIDS Conference in Toronto in 2006 and Glenn closed the conference with a live performance in front of 7000 people that was broadcast around the world. He has raised over $100 000 for the Cotlands Orphanage in Cape Town South Africa through this project working with the Stephen Lewis Foundation.
• He returned to Cotlands Orphanage in Cape Town, South Africa in 2009 to film and visit with the director of the orphanage. Glenn is raising money to purchase the land for Cotlands to have a permanent facility. He raised over $100 000 with his Kids for Cotlands campaign, working with The Stephen Lewis Foundation
• Glenn was selected to write the song for the 25th anniversary of the AIDS Candlelight Vigil in Toronto in June 2009. The vigil is one of the largest and longest running in North America. He composed and sang the song, “Can You See Me.”
  ∙ Composed the song, “On the Shoulders of Giants”, which was selected for the celebration of Nelson Mandela’s 90th birthday by the Nelson Mandela Children’s Foundation in Canada.
• Keynote speaker at Together We’re Better Conference, The largest student conference in the Calendar, for the YRDSB, in 2007, 2008 and 2009 and 2012.
• Guest performer and presenter at the YRDSB “Power of Literacy through the Arts” Conference, 2008 and 2009, 2010 and 2011
• Former Programs Manager for ArtsCan Circle, a non-profit that send artists and musicians to the Far North to work on fly-in reserves and donated instruments for indigenous youth.
• Created and orchestrated a national kindness campaign, Say My Name Canada that was featured on Global News and The Toronto Star, with over 100 000 participants from over 60 schools. The video for Say my Name has over 2 million views on You Tube and is a significant part of Glenn’s anti-bullying work, healing through kindness.

Glenn believes strongly in empowering and educating our young people to become the voice of change that we need to see in our world.