As year-end fundraising draws to a close, OPERAnauts pauses to reflect—gratefully—on an extraordinary and demanding year. The comparison to the global pandemic is apt, but with a crucial difference. In 2020, there was a shared belief that a vaccine would restore a sense of normalcy. In 2025, no such promise existed.
Instead, the year was marked by sustained uncertainty. Elected officials at the highest levels publicly attacked the nonprofit sector, fueling an erosion of trust that was difficult to understand and deeply destabilizing. New policies, executive orders, and federal funding pauses arrived with relentless frequency. Just as one challenge was addressed, another emerged, requiring constant adaptation.
For OPERAnauts, these pressures were felt acutely. The organization provides music training and services to marginalized communities in the Democratic Republic of Congo—communities facing violence, fear, and trauma. This burden was shared by staff and supporters alike, many of whom belong to those same communities. Trauma became a defining theme of the year.
And yet, OPERAnauts endured because of its community. Supporters stood alongside the organization as partners, moral anchors, and creative collaborators. They gave generously—through financial contributions, volunteer time, and artistic talents—performing, filming, editing, and amplifying the work. Their belief in the mission made survival, and progress, possible.
Among many inspiring acts, special gratitude is owed to Louise and Ted McClure, whose generosity and leadership created lasting impact. Through a Practice Marathon with her students, Louise transformed music practice into global solidarity, supporting seven musicians in Kinshasa and sparking new partnerships and instrument donations.
These actions—large and small—offered hope to teams in the U.S. and Congo during a year marked by conflict and devastating floods. This reflection is, above all, a thank-you. Thank you for choosing OPERAnauts, for refusing to stand on the sidelines, and for carrying this work forward together.
As the holidays arrive, OPERAnauts invites supporters to share the stories of 2025 and the power of the nonprofit sector. This work is a marathon, not a sprint. There is no quick fix ahead—but with continued partnership, creativity, and courage, music will remain a path through grief and toward hope in 2026 and beyond.