Speaking up matters, but that doesn’t have to be just metaphorical. If you attend a protest, you may find yourself chanting, cheering, shouting, and otherwise using your voice to be heard loud and clear. The fight against injustice is a marathon, though, not a sprint, so you’ll want to be able to shout again another day.
Before sharing some tips, I’d like to remind you that shouting isn’t the only way to get a message across. Since shouting can create small respiratory droplets that spread the coronavirus, it’s good to consider other means of making noise and sharing messages. Signs carry a message; drums and other noisemakers can provide volume. But if you want or need to shout anyway? You’ll want some of these tips.
A performer who goes by @orpheuswannabe on Instagram shared a set of tips for taking care of your voice during a protest. She also shared a document full of resources that includes a link to a list of Black vocal coaches. If you want to learn more, either as an individual or for an activist organization you’re part of, consider hiring those professionals for their services.
Some of the tips will sound familiar if you’ve ever sung in a choir or had a vocal coach, but—surprise!—they work for shouting too. Here are some of the highlights:
Before you begin using your voice, hydrate well and warm up with some breathing exercises and vocal warm-up exercises like these.
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During the protest, the guide suggests shouting “from deep in your gut” and imagining the sound coming out of your nose and forehead, without focusing on your throat or mouth at all. Higher pitched sounds carry farther and can be easier on your voice.
If you’re part of a group speaking in unison, you don’t have to shout above the crowd. Keep your voice at a volume that feels comfortable, knowing that being in sync with your neighbors will amplify your voice.
If you begin to lose your voice, it’s time to stop shouting for the day. (You can still wave your sign, and continue supporting the protest in non-vocal ways.) Have some hot tea and rest your voice when you can. The tips also note that if you come into contact with tear gas, recognize it for the irritant it is, and rest your voice to avoid making the irritation worse.
