Peter & Bethany Yarrow

A successful artist and activist, Peter Yarrow's talent is legendary. His gift for songwriting has produced some of the most moving songs that Peter, Paul & Mary have recorded, including "Puff, The Magic Dragon," "Day Is Done," and "Light One Candle." This musical creativity has always gone hand-in-hand with Yarrow's commitment to social change.

Many issues have moved Peter Yarrow to dedicate his time and talent over the years: hunger, homelessness, nuclear threat, education, equal rights and more. Among the many honors bestowed upon him, Yarrow is most proud of the Allard K. Lowenstein Award, which he received in 1982 for advancing the causes of human rights, peace and freedom. Throughout everything, his music has been an advocacy, and he has proven that when we come together and work for a common goal, positive change can take place.

Yarrow's most recent project utilizes music and video along with character education curricula to help establish safe, compassionate and nurturing environments for children in schools and summer camps across America. Launched in over 10,000 schools, Operation Respect: "Don't Laugh At Me" was hailed by virtually the entire educational community as a key initiative in our nation's response to the challenge of physical and emotional violence among children. Yarrow feels that this program, of which he is Founding Director, is perhaps the most important advocacy effort of his entire career.

In addition to his ongoing career with Peter, Paul & Mary, now in its 40th year, Yarrow makes special appearances with his talented daughter, Bethany, a singer and songwriter in her own right, in a program called "Father to Daughter and Beyond: A Legacy of Commitment and Activism."

Though only in her twenties, Bethany Yarrow is no stranger to the circumstances of the struggle for human rights and self-determination. As early as her teenage years she joined her father in marches, demonstrations and election campaigns. A Summa Cum Laude graduate of Yale, Bethany has traveled widely and has seen firsthand the results of social, economic and political inequity around the world.

In 1992, she received a university fellowship to travel to South Africa and make a documentary about the grassroots reality of apartheid. "Mama Awethu" chronicles the lives of five black women as they face the daily realities of the crushing system of apartheid in the townships of Cape Town, South Africa. The film received critical acclaim and was selected for competition in twelve festivals internationally, including the Sundance, Bombay and Berlin Film Festivals.

In a joint presentation, Peter and Bethany bridge the generation gap with a program of songs and personal stories, which reflect their enormous regard for one another and shared commitment to making the world a better, more just place for everyone. Their program inspires audiences young and old, and empowers everyone who hears them to reach for the kind of closeness, affection and respect that characterizes their remarkable relationship.

Topics

Don't Laugh at Me

Intergenerational Connections

Father to Daughter: A Legacy of Commitment and Hope