“I was so unbelievably distraught, and felt so fractured and terrified. I was just crying and crying and crying,” she tells PEOPLE. “Do you remember that image of the little girl looking up, sobbing? I’ve seenmy 1½-year-old daughter Ellamake that face so many times. And I just thought, ‘What would I do if this were my child?’ ”
So Benanti got to work. Using her Rolodex of star-studded friends for support, the Tony-winning actress conceived and co-produced a new bilingual children’s album calledSinging You Home — Children’s Songs for Family Reunification.
“I started thinking, ‘I can put 1 percent of my energy into a hundred things or I can put a hundred percent of my energy into this one thing,’ ” Benanti says. “I’m really proud of it. It might be the thing I’m most proud of right now, other than being Ella’s mom.”
Ghostlight Records
Out today, the albumfeatures seven songs — some traditional and some new — and most sung in both English and Spanish.
All artists, musicians, technicians and recording studios donated their time and talents to the project. “Everyone chipped in for free,” Benanti said. “Not one single person who sang on the record, played on the record, or worked on the record in any way is receiving money from this – which is unheard of in this industry. It’s remarkable.”
Desiree Navarro/WireImage
Most importantly,Singing You Home — Children’s Songs for Family Reunificationwill be sent to facilities housing still-separated children. “The hope is that it might sooth them on multiple levels,” Benanti says. “They’ll be able to not only hear music in their own native language, but hear people thinking and singing just for them and know that this music is going towards getting them back to their families.”
“I truly believe we have to treat people the way we would hope to be treated,” she adds. “If Ella were torn for me from some horrendous reason, I would hope that a group of people would get together to reunite us as soon as possible.”
RELATED VIDEO: Mother Describes Being Separated From Young Son At Mexico Border
Controversy over Trump’s policy erupted over the summer when thousands of children were separated from their families and put detention centers.
In June, the president signed an order ending separations — though more than four months later, hundreds of those children still remain estranged, with more than two-thirds of their parents deported.
Singing You Home — Children’s Songs for Family Reunificationis available now.
source: people.com
