Outdoor political demonstrations—“Takin’ It to The Streets”—make group power visible. When demonstrators chant or sing together, they make that power audible.

I’ve led singing at more community demonstrations than I can remember or count. Small ones like in the photo: that’s me keeping rainy spirits up at a Boston tributary for the 1976 Continental Walk for Disarmament and Social Justice. Massive ones, like the hot day in Chicago, 1980, when I sang for at least 50,000 people, mostly dressed in suffragist white, gathered in a final push to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment (it didn’t work). Medium-size demos like the one in May 1979, just weeks after the almost melt-down at Three Mile Island, when I backed up Pete Seeger on the steps of the US Capitol, urging safer and environmentally sustainable sources of energy. Many, many more.

It’s easy to get nostalgic about great moments when massed voices affirmed “Solidarity Forever,” “Shoulder to Shoulder,” “Si, Se Puede!” or “The People United Will Never Be Defeated.” Most recently, organizers in Minneapolis protesting the murders of peaceful citizens by ICE-CBP, took the examples of 1960s Civil Rights anthems and Estonia’s “Singing Revolution” to create a new “Singing Resistance” movement that then fed into many 2026 “No Kings” events. Even as a veteran of so many public vocal moments, I’ was ‘ve been moved by how eager people are to not only learn such songs, but learn how to lead them, perhaps for the first time.

Unfortunately, it’s also easy to ignore the risks to our physical voices that can accumulate when we chant or sing loudly, outdoors, for too many hours at a time. Long after my life-shift from folksinger-activist to healthcare——specifically, vocal health and rehabilitation——those life-interests collided.

In 2021 I treated a husky-voiced patient who’d been diagnosed with scarred vocal cords—permanent damage. The person was still in their 30s and, pre-pandemic, had been a singer with a clear, pure tone and high career hopes. But after the police murder of George Flloyd in 2020, they had been pulled into months of active protests: chanting and singing in the street for hours, day after day of that long, painful summer. Their scarred voice had carried their grief and rage through that sad and desperate time, but along the way it had also lost power, tone, pitch range, and stamina. They would never sound—or sing—like before. This was perhaps an extreme example, but many similar, milder stories have also shown up in my work.

I’m writing at a time when mass demonstrations are again erupting and embedding in our public culture. I’d like to help you take care of your voice along the way. I know this is an unfamiliar topic for a lot of folks; voice care is rather new to most people’s awareness. But whether you’re preparing for one big event or for a prolonged campaign, you can be in the vanguard here, preparing yourself and ideally educating others.

Just as your plan for public demonstrations includes safety measures like sunscreen, messaging privacy, de-escalation discourse, and comfortable shoes, you can take precautions for your vocal cords. A little extra planning can make a big difference, and can help keep your voice strong and effective for the longer road ahead. (For more information on preventing voice problems, check out my book: Everyday Voice Care: The Wellness Guide for Singers, Actors and Talkers.)

---

WHAT TO DO IN ADVANCE:

Plan to lead songs or chants with a vocal buddy or in teams whenever possible. Even during large, long events, each person should aim for at least 10 minutes of silence every hour. Silent breaks, especially during a long and loud event, help the cellular edges of your vocal folds recover from vibration stress, and really help to prevent swelling, vocal callouses (‘nodes’), and other long-term damage. Alternating vocal shifts (for example, 20 minutes on/off) can also work. Just resist the temptation to keep helping out (like singing with the crowd) when it’s your turn to simply shut-up.

Delegate the talking side of organizing to people who are not song-leaders. Talking over noise adds to singers’ vocal load and increases the risk of long-term damage to your voice.

Avoid cross-scheduling vocal performances or big social events the night before, later the same day, or one day after your public contribution. If that other obligation is something you can’t avoid, talk quietly there, leave early, and stay focused on fitting in vocal rest whenever you can.

---

THE DAY BEFORE THE EVENT:

Hydrate! Your vocal cords have multiple layers, all of which need hydration in advance. So the most important time to drink plenty of water is throughout the day and evening before your event (long-term hydration over days and weeks matters too). In that day-before time frame, also plan to eat small but nourishing meals that you’ll digest well, to minimize acid reflux hitting your voice overnight, and so that you’ll feel energetic overall.

Check-in with your vocal buddies and others in your group or pod, so that everyone knows their role and their share of the vocal plan.

Review your material: songs, chants, lyrics, keys, chords, capos and pitch-pipes; but practice by singing lightly rather than full-out.

Test any other equipment you plan to use, such as a headset mic, bull-horn, or portable amp; double-check extension cords. Recharge electronics, check batteries and pack extras.

As you plan and pack your fluids, snacks, sunscreen, etc. for the event, stock dry-mouth lozenges* and discard any mentholated “cough drops” (see below.)

Be ready to explain to others, cheerfully, that if you’re quiet from time to time, it’s because you’re learning to take care of your voice.

---

THE NIGHT BEFORE: Continue to hydrate, and make your evening meal small but nourishing. Avoid alcohol and get as much sleep as you can. (Alcohol dehydrates you and increases reflux. Live clean for the cause!)

---

ON EVENT DAY:

Whenever possible, for last-minute logistics, get close to people you need to talk to (or use walkie-talkie connections) to avoid unnecessary yelling over wide open space or crowd noise.

Trade-off song-leading just as you’ve planned. You can still grin, march, clown, or dance during your voice-preserving silent breaks, but if you move toward the back of your pod, you’ll be less tempted to keep helping the vocal leader. When it’s your turn to lead again, remind your buddy to get their own vocal rest.

Hydrate steadily to keep your mouth and body comfortable and your mind clear. (This won’t help your voice right away, hence the advance preparation. But it’s still good for plenty of other reasons.)

Notice sensations of vocal strain, such as tickles, coughing, soreness, or just needing to work harder to push your voice. These may show up before you sound hoarse, rough, quiet, tired, or losing your range. If you feel these mild symptoms, don’t get scared, just recommit to your self-protection plan. Especially, keep taking rest breaks when you can. Rotate out completely if both sound and sensation keep getting worse.

Use safe lozenges* for comfort. Just don’t think of them as a substitute for other thoughtful self-care.

If you lose your voice suddenly and completely, especially after a loud moment, SHUT UP IMMEDIATELY AND STAY SILENT UNTIL YOU CAN SEE A DOCTOR. This can be a sign of vocal hemorrhage, a rare but more serious injury than just temporary hoarseness.

---

AFTER THE BIG DAY:

Expect to need vocal rest. Aim for 75% vocal recovery time (silence) for the rest of the day/evening after your event. Small amounts of normal talking are OK, but if you sound or feel at all hoarse, use a gentle voice, rather than pushing further to sound normal. Especially avoid yelling, loud singing, or loud talking over noise.

Celebrate and debrief the event quietly! Include notes on how your vocal strategies worked, and what you want to tweak next time.

Continue to hydrate, minimize alcohol, and maximize sleep. A long, steamy shower can also help tired vocal cords feel better.

---

THE NEXT DAY:

If you’re hoarse the morning-after, if your throat feels sore, or if it still takes effort to talk or sing normally: stay protective, and again rest your voice most of the time, day and evening. (100% vocal rest is not recommended unless there is an extreme injury; a little usage and blood flow helps the cells recover.) The good news is that the most vulnerable cells on the surface of your vocal folds have a fast turnover rate for recovery; within 24-48 hours your voice should sound and feel normal.

If you do a lot of this kind of public leadership, singing and/or talking, try a few sessions with a voice coach, to learn how to get the most effective vocal sound for the least strain.

---

*ABOUT LOZENGES:

Lozenges that contain menthol——the ones that often promise to soothe a cough or relieve pain——mainly work by numbing the warning signs of vocal fatigue or distress. Worse, the menthol tends to irritate your vocal cords, so you’ll get tired even faster! Look instead for xylitol-based lozenges or mouth sprays, sold as “dry mouth care,” which help your voice much more. Other safe ingredients are glycerin, pectin, and zinc. Just look for tart or sweet flavorings, nothing ‘cool’ or minty.