Amid all the chaos and turbulence that has been surrounding Missouri towns in recent weeks after the shooting and death of Michael Brown, one little girl is striving to make a difference.
Leah Flynn, the 7-year-old violinist who has made national headlines with her plea for peace in Ferguson, has gotten the opportunity to use her music to help people who are still hurting from the tragic events.
I recently spoke to Leah and her mother, Paula Flynn, about Leah’s idea to travel to Missouri, her trip and what she plans to do now that she is an Internet sensation.
Speaking to Leah, who is from Sanford, Florida, it becomes clear that her main goal is to surround people with love and happiness using her talent as a violinist.
“Normally, when I play for people at church or school, they’re always happy when I’m done playing,” says Leah.
This idea is what led her to want to travel to Ferguson in the wake of all the turmoil. After viewing the violence and protests happening in Ferguson shortly after the shooting and death of Brown, 18, by Police Officer Darren Wilson, Leah felt that she wanted to do something to help the suffering town.
“She said to me, ‘Mom, what’s going on?’ And I explained to her, because I have to — I told her what’s going,” her mother told WOFL. “She said, ‘But it's not right these people look so sad; maybe I could do something for them.”
Her wish came true when she was invited on Fox 2/KTVI St. Louis’s television morning show and then for KMOX news radio in St. Louis. “Everyone was very happy [after I played].” she says.
“Everyone was very impressed by her performance,” adds her mother, her pride brimming through the telephone.
Leah, who is only in the second-grade, has been playing the violin since she was 5 and practices daily with her father, a pianist and organist. She has performed as a soloist at many different concerts and venues.
So, how did this little prodigy get so good in just two years? Well, according to her, it is all about “Practice, practice —every day!”
Speaking with her mother, it is clear where Leah gets her drive. Paula also has hopes concerning the riots and protesting that is currently happening around the nation.
“I continue to believe that things will get better, that race relations will improve and that conversations will be had in reference to the different things that have been going on in news. And, hopefully, in a very short while, I don't want to say years, in a very short while, race relations will improve.”
Since returning to Florida after their trip to Missouri last week, the Flynn house has been bustling with excitment.
“She’s gotten some phones calls to do some things. Initially when we got back it was quite a bit of excitement, with different invites with different people. She had performance at church and at a school christmas concert,” says Paula.
Leah's rendition of "Let It Go" from Disney's Frozen has gotten more than 67,000 hits. So, if you were ever curious what it feels like to be a YouTube sensation, well, Leah says, “I just feel very excited and pleased and happy and, and happy!”
So, now that this 7-year-old achieved her dream in a matter of a couple months, what is next on her agenda? It is only up for this rising star.
“I want to be a professional violinist and I want to be violin teacher,” Leah says.
Seems as if we could expect a lot from this budding musician in the upcoming years.
Check out Leah’s performance "Let There Be Peace on Earth" in Missouri below:
