Reclaiming Folk is an event series that celebrates and honors People of Color in folk music – we “reclaim” folk because, despite POCs being at the root of the genre, history and culture has erased us from American Folk music. From field calls to Blues and Gospel to Indigenous traditions, the origin of American folk music is connected to people of color.

Folk music is more than a genre, folk music is traditional music, folk music is storytelling, folk music is the music of the people, and folk music is a voice for what’s happening in the world today. In our society, there is often no space for marginalized people to tell our stories. Reclaiming Folk seeks to make space for musicians of color to share their stories and share the stories of our past, so that our future can be a more inclusive place for all.

Founded in 2024, Reclaiming Folk achieved immediate success and support from the community, featuring performances by 15+ artists and traveling to over 10 locations in Massachusetts. The event includes original music from folk musicians singing in the round, cover songs that honor the musicians who came before us, short interviews with the musicians about folk music, and a Q&A from the audience.

About the artists:

Naomi Westwater (they/them/she) is a queer, Black-multiracial singer-songwriter from Massachusetts. Their work combines folk-rock music, poetry, and spirituality. Naomi holds a Master of Music in Contemporary Performance and Production from Berklee College of Music, and they are a part of The Club Passim Folk Collective, where they produce Re-Imagining Lilith Fair: a tribute to the feminist music scene of the 1990s with an intersectional lens for today. Naomi was nominated for four Boston Music Awards, and featured in The Boston Globe, Under The Radar, WBUR, GBH, and The Bluegrass Situation. They made the WBUR’s 2024 Makers list, and in November 2024 the musician-in-residence at Château d'Orquevaux in France. Currently, Naomi is producing a series called Reclaiming Folk: A Celebration of People of Color in Folk Music and has received over 20 grants to tour the series. Naomi is on faculty at Club Passim and Not Sorry Productions teaching songwriting, spirituality, and poetry.

Louie Lou Louis is a Brooklyn-based songster who combines an uplifting musicality with a soothing, yet energizing vibe. Through life experiences and short stories, he celebrates human imperfection and engages audiences with an infectious positivity. With a unique blend of folk, jazz, and global music, he inspires joy and connection in any audience.

With his heartbreakingly powerful voice and incisive lyrics, Prateek (pruh - TEEK) has been described as “Not just any guy with a guitar…” by The Boston Globe. When you hear his music, you'll believe it too. Evolving away from the spare, Dylan-esque sound of his first EP, Prateek’s latest album “‘Til June” adds gritty electric guitars, silvery backing vocals, and a driving rhythm section, all in service of his tightly written, evocative songcraft. Prateek has been a Kerrville Folk Festival New Folk Finalist and has been nominated for Singer-Songwriter of the Year at both the New England Music Awards and the Boston Music Awards. His music has seen rotation all over the radio including Sirius XM, 98.9 WERS, and 92.5 The River. Listen to "'Til June" now wherever music is sold or streamed.

This program is supported in part by a grant from the Newton Cultural Council, a local council that is supported by the Mass Cultural Council and the City of Newton.