An Evening of Music and Hope: Concert in Support of Comunidad de Luz

For women and children arriving in Tijuana, finding a safe place to stay is only the beginning. The larger challenge is rebuilding a life: finding stable housing, securing childcare, accessing education, recovering from trauma, and creating a path toward independence. That is the work of Comunidad de Luz.

Comunidad de Luz provides shelter and support for migrant women and children seeking safety and stability just across the international border from San Diego. Created through a partnership between the Episcopal Diocese of San Diego, Vida Joven, and the Diocese of Western Mexico, the ministry was designed to do more than meet immediate needs. It offers families the opportunity to build a foundation for the future.

Supporting that work is the purpose behind the second annual An Evening of Music and Hope, which will be held Aug. 8 at St. Paul’s Episcopal Cathedral. Featuring the San Diego Philharmonic under the direction of Maestro Diego Guerra, the benefit concert will raise funds to sustain the shelter’s ministry and expand its impact.

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This year’s concert program features two ambitious works that explore human resilience in the face of hardship.

Pianist Lesi Mei will perform Sergei Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No. 2, one of the most technically demanding works in the piano repertoire. Premiered in 1913 and later reconstructed after the original score was lost during the Russian Revolution, the concerto has challenged generations of pianists with its complexity and intensity.

The second half of the program features Dmitri Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 11, “The Year 1905.” The four-movement work was inspired by the events of Bloody Sunday in Imperial Russia, when peaceful demonstrators were fired upon while seeking government reform. Through haunting melodies, revolutionary songs, military rhythms, and moments of profound grief, the symphony tells a story of ordinary people confronting violence, loss, and uncertainty.

For conductor Diego Guerra, the selection of these works reflects the power of music to engage some of the deepest dimensions of the human experience. “These pieces remind us that behind every historical event are real people facing difficult circumstances,” Guerra said. “Music helps us connect with those human stories in a way that statistics and headlines often cannot.”

That connection is especially meaningful for an event benefiting Comunidad de Luz. While separated by geography, culture, and history, the people whose stories inspired these compositions share a common reality with the women and children served by the shelter: the search for safety, dignity, and a path forward.

“We are grateful that this beautiful night of music will introduce many people to our critical ministry to address one of the most significant humanitarian challenges in the border region,” said concert organizer, Maureen McNulty. “Some Comunidad de Luz residents arrive in Tijuana after long, difficult journeys. Others have been deported after years in the United States. They all share a need for safety and support in the face of an uncertain future.”

Operating a shelter that will ultimately serve up to 100 women and children at a time requires ongoing resources. Housing, food, utilities, childcare, counseling services, educational programs, and staffing all depend on sustained community investment.

That is why An Evening of Music and Hope matters.

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Last year’s inaugural concert brought together more than 300 supporters and raised significant funds for the shelter’s operations. Organizers hope to build on that momentum this year while inviting new people to learn about the ministry.

“This concert is about more than extraordinary music,” said Robert Vivar, interim executive director of Comunidad de Luz and migration missioner for the Episcopal Diocese of San Diego. “It is about restoring hope for women and children who have endured unimaginable hardship. Every ticket purchased and every gift made helps provide shelter, meals, counseling, educational opportunities, and the chance for a brighter future.”

The concert offers attendees an opportunity to support a ministry that continues its work every day, regardless of news cycles or political debates. The needs facing women and children arriving at Comunidad de Luz remain constant, and so does the shelter’s commitment to serving them.

On Aug. 8, supporters will gather for an evening of music. More importantly, they will help ensure that Comunidad de Luz can continue providing safety, stability, and opportunity for families working to build a new future.