What does it mean to find home—and to help create a place where others can belong?
Home Again: An Evening of Story, Song, and Belonging brings literature, conversation, and live music together for a one-night benefit supporting the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition (TIRRC).
The evening begins with Chattanooga author Mariah Friend reading from her debut novel, The Pattern Shop, followed by a panel conversation between Friend and Ghanaian-born Chattanooga musician Kofi Mawuko, moderated by Hope Henchey, a Chattanooga storyteller, content creator, and public speaker whose work explores community, mutual aid, interdependence, and the places and people that connect us. Together, they will explore identity, migration, community, and what it means to find—and create—a sense of belonging. Then, Mawuko and his eight-piece Ogya World Music Band take the stage for a high-energy performance drawing together the rhythms of West Africa, the Caribbean, and the Americas.
A singer, dancer, multi-instrumentalist, master drummer, and longtime Chattanooga teaching artist, Mawuko began performing in his native Ghana as a child and later toured internationally with the Kyirem Cultural Troupe. After living and teaching in London, he relocated to the United States and ultimately made Chattanooga home.
Friend is a former ICU nurse turned debut author of The Pattern Shop—inspired by her experiences backpacking around the world in her mid-twenties, including spending several months in Ghana. Her writing is inspired by the twin vocabularies of loss and healing, and what it means to belong to each other. Based in Chattanooga, Mariah thrives when cultivating moments of depth, connection, and building community.
Proceeds from the evening will benefit the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition, a statewide, immigrant- and refugee-led nonprofit working through community organizing, policy advocacy, belonging initiatives, and direct resources for immigrant and refugee families.
Sliding-scale tickets are available so attendees can choose the level that best fits their circumstances:
- Community Ticket — $10
- Standard Ticket — $25
- Supporter Ticket — $50
- Pay-It-Forward Ticket — $100
All ticket levels include the same event experience and general admission seating. Higher ticket levels help keep the event accessible while increasing the funds raised in support of TIRRC.
Come for an evening of story, conversation, and music—and help support the work of building communities where more of our neighbors can belong and thrive.