Let’s join in creating a bold, visionary world that is not driven by fear but inspired by hope. — Jonathan Sprout
What if you knew you could be a force for good with simple choices you make each day? Grammy-nominated musician and composer Jonathan Sprout lives his life in that way and invites others to show up in every aspect of their lives. I’m certain that when he looks back down his timeline, he will be able to say with certainty, “I made a difference.”
Has social justice been a long-time passion for you?
Yes. I have a degree in psychology, am fascinated by human behavior, troubled by societal inequities, and always wishing we humans could behave with greater integrity.
Were you raised with those values?
I was raised by Protestant educators who taught by example that honesty, compassion, persistence, education, and good citizenship are integral to living a fulfilled life.
How does music feed your soul and how do you use it to communicate?
When I compose, I lose myself, in ways. I pull away from the day-to-day circumstances of my life and feel connected to some sort of divine state. I’m not much for singing with others. Strange, perhaps, but I much prefer to be alone with my music, the results of which (recordings) I’m always excited to share.
Tell us about Force For Good and its mission.
Force For Good is a team of five co-visionaries. It started with an itch inside me to make piano-based soothing music (before I knew how to play piano!). I began plunking out musical ideas I was “hearing” on a piano. I brought them to Joe Mennonna, an extraordinary piano player and arranger. Joe and I then brought my melodies to life and added instrumentation. I then brought the finished music to Rodney Whittenberg and over the course of about three years, we created 24 song-films. Former bandmate Leslie Chew and editor Hillary Black joined the FFG team to help with film conceptual ideas, a monthly newsletter, and internet presence. Lisa Gage joined the team last fall to help us get the word out.
Our mission is to inspire and empower people to do good. As optimists, we promote peace, equality and respect for the environment.
Why is it even more crucial now?
It’s always crucial to advance peace, equality, and respect for the environment.
Can we all be a force for good in the world in our day-to-day lives?
Absolutely. We’ve all been told that each of us can make a difference. The trouble is most of us don’t believe it. The trick is to be more proactive and less reactive with our thoughts, words and actions. Find a vision and then have the persistence to help make it happen.
What role do the arts play in creating a peaceful planet?
I can’t imagine a peaceful planet without music and films, without the stories artists share.
How important is it to reach children with the messages shared with Force for Good?
Very. It’s better to reach humans with a message when they’re more apt to believe you as children, than to reach them as adults when they’re less emotionally and developmentally available and willing to change.
You have a recent release called Innocence. When people listen, how would you like them to feel?
Relaxed, peaceful, and inspired.
Please talk about the film series you are part of.
Rodney and I have created 24 song-films about important issues that include promoting gender and racial equality, combatting climate change, endorsing renewable energies, protecting the environment, establishing sensible gun legislation, addressing the refugee crisis, advocating for differently-abled people, protecting the oceans, recycling and reducing the use of plastic, and promoting yoga. Every other month, we premiere a film. Some of our films are about challenging issues, though they were carefully created with the intent to inspire and empower viewers to act.
What are your thoughts about reminding people that social justice is not a partisan issue?
When one looks to the past and realizes how far we humans have come and how much we as a species have matured, it’s almost comical that we bicker over terms like “liberal,” “conservative,” and “progressive.” In most instances, even today’s conservative right-wing republicans would be considered radical liberals compared to the societal norms of a couple hundred years ago.
There’s nothing Republican or Democratic about “All men (people) are created equal.” There’s nothing partisan about “Love thy neighbor as thyself” and “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” The term “conservative” makes no sense to me these days. I conserve water. I conserve on electricity by turning down my thermostat and turning off light bulbs. I do my best to lower my carbon footprint. I’m a conservationist. I own a plug-in vehicle. That’s conservative. I reduce, reuse, and recycle as much as possible. I conserve every dollar I can. Waste not. Want not.
I think most of us are a lot less partisan than we think we are. Let’s take our tribal issues out of politics by electing well-intentioned, educated, honest, and smart people capable of getting things done. The trick is to elect a person of character and then let them represent us by making decisions based on their conscience. This requires some trust on the part of the electorate. Issues change but character is steadfast.
Is there anything else you would like to share?
We at Force For Good find inspiration uplifting the uplifters – bringing attention to those people doing good things. Our website is an aggregator of individuals and organizations doing great things. We have hundreds of links on our Resources Pages pointing to great people doing great deeds.
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Photo Credit: Richard Sabo, taken in Mikoluv, Slovakia
