The Universal Declaration of Human Rights was ratified and signed by the member states of the United Nations n 1948. It was spearheaded by then UN Human Rights Commissioner Eleanor Roosevelt. It has been translated into 359 languages. Despite the signing of this document 60 years ago this year, numerous countries continue to violate the tenets of this declaration. Until these rights are realized for us all, I hope to be a part of making our voices heard.
World Voices Project supports Every Human Has Rights campaign. an effort by The Elders that encourages people to not only know their rights, but to become part of a global online community that insists that their governments respect those rights. Clearly it is not the people, but governments, holding hands with other interests, who continue to violate human rights throughout the world on a daily basis. Become a part of the global community. Sign the Declaration! Let us speak with ONE VOICE
Biography
Brenda Ray
As a graduate of the London International Film School I have been recording audio in the world of documentary films and commercial television for over twenty years. It’s taken me to all corners of the globe and introduced me to people from all walks of life. I’ve been inspired by their cultures, their struggles, their joie de vivre, their perseverance, their simple pleasures.
I’ve noticed how important it is when visiting a country to make an effort to speak the language. It’s as if the language is the bedrock of a collective identity and it’s held dear to all who speak it. When a foreigner attempts to embrace and enter into that identity- to string sentences together and humble oneself; to speak like a three year old in the presence of adults, to not presume everyone should speak English, there’s an opening of the heart on the part of the native speaker that’s akin to receiving the key to the throne. Selfishly I’ve sought this key, and numerous notebooks with scribbled phrases and key verbs, word order and expletives line the bookshelves of the place I call home.
For a long time I’ve been a dutiful technician, but I’ve always been fascinated with language. With the advent of digital tape and hard drive formats, I started collecting voices from my documentary jobs. Two years ago I started (finally) creating artistic pieces from them. There are two songs on this site > Our Dreams > Warsaw-Dakar that I hope you’ll enjoy.
Documentary Sound Recordist
HAMILTON’S AMERICA: The definitive film about the creation of the musical, with Lin-Manuel Miranda and Barack Obama. Directed by Alex Horwitz.
UNFORGIVABLE BLACKNESS: The Rise And Fall Of Jack Johnson, a Ken Burns documentary.
INSIDE JOB, THE 2008 FINANCIAL MELTDOWN. Directed by Charles Ferguson.
GLASS: A PORTRAIT OF PHILIP IN TWELVE PARTS: a film about the prolific life of Philip Glass, featuring Martin Scorsese, Errol Morris, Woody Allen, Ravi Shankar, Chuck Close. Directed by Scott Hicks.
