(Editor’s Note: The following article was submitted by Dennis Warner.)
When singer/songwriter Dennis Warner was driving home to Minnesota after a concert in Illinois, the words to the song started to evolve. The song, Beads on One String, will take Dennis and two members of his band to South Africa this March to perform around 10 concerts.
“On the way home to Minnesota I wrote the song that would change my life,” Dennis explains how the words came. “Beads on One String was written after I visualized a beaded necklace where every bead is a different size, shape, and color but all held together by one string. This image is how I see us all around the world; we are all different sizes, shapes, and colors. I started writing it as a cultural diversity song, with the importance placed on the beads and how their individual differences are what make them (us) great. And I believe that’s true, but I struggled to make it an interesting song. So I changed directions and went 180 degrees the other way with it. Instead, I focused on the things we have in common with each other and NOT our differences. The song was now about the importance of the string that keeps the beautiful beads together on the necklace. Beads on One String soon became a children’s book that is being used throughout the U.S. and beyond in bully prevention/positive behavior curriculums in elementary schools.”
Squaring the Education Pyramid Institute (STEPi) Partners with Dennis
“The CEO of STEPi saw me perform in Toronto and loved the book,” explains Dennis on how the South Africa connection was developed.
In the past year, almost 15,000 copies of the book have been distributed by STEPi (Squaring the Education Pyramid Institute (STEPi) (www.STEPiEdu.com) to schools in South Africa and Uganda. Their mission is to help African youth learn the English language to expand their future opportunities. In March 2023, Dennis will travel to South Africa to sing and perform for the kids, teach them the song and reinforce the book’s unifying message of connectedness to each other. STEPi plans to distribute an additional 5,000 copies of the book in 2023.
According to Pumeza Macingwane, a STEPi Coordinator in South Africa:
“Dennis’ visit will give hope and encouragement to schools and communities in South Africa. The physical presence of his team as well as the message from Beads on One String will encourage unity between humans of different colours, cultures, genders and age; tackling issues of diverse cultural intolerance, gender-based violence, racism, abuse and bullying. The message in Beads on One String is necessary and vital. It can play an imperative role in humanity coming together as one and co-existing in love and peace.”
For more information on Dennis Warner, visit the website at www.WarnerSongs.com and www.BeadsOnOneString.net.
Impact of Beads on One String
STEPi Coordinator from Uganda statement:
“Beads on One String was positively welcomed by our students/attendees/kids, most especially refugees. We do volunteer work at two urban refugee organisations: Refugees & Hope and Amani Sasa Urban Refugees. We organized a friendly soccer game between the host community and our refugee brothers and sisters. The tensions were high from the beginning. The host community did not fully welcome the refugees because of the social imbalance brought by the government’s corruption tendencies. Refugees are given more care from the government/UNHCR which has annoyed the locals.”
“Beads on One String changed the perception before the football game. We had a book/reading session and Beads on One String was the book of the day. The message made all of us feel the natural oneness among ourselves/that humanity within us and felt that we are all connected.”
