Kim Meechan came to the world of a cappella harmony singing via Chapman Mills Sound Connection, a Harmony, Inc. Chapter in Ottawa. A move to Halifax in 2013 led her to eventually seek out the ScotianAires and she joined the chorus in 2015. As Kim describes it, “The joy I felt when standing on the risers with my new group of Harmony sisters was uplifting and I was hooked!” Beginning as a lead, Kim has moved to the bass section and enjoys helping to create the foundation of the chord!

Never one to sit still, Kim got involved in chorus activities right away. With her love of photography, she became the chorus photographer and part of the Public Relations and Marketing Committee. Her creative and fun loving nature has also served her well helping the Ways and Means Committee (which she has chaired for three terms) to produce successful fundraisers. Other chorus roles include: Liaison Officer (three year term), Nomination Chair in 2018, and member-at-large on the Board of Directors from 2018-2019.

Personable and knowledgeable about her new home town, Kim was the obvious choice to guide three of Harmony Inc.’s International Convention and Contests (IC&C) organizers around the local sites when IC&C was held in Halifax in 2017. In April 2018 she served as the personal tour guide for then Harmony President Christina Lewellen, showing her the highlights of Halifax while Lewellen was visiting for the ScotianAires’ 35th anniversary celebration!

In July of 2017, Harmony, Inc., under Lewellen’s leadership, formed “The Harmony Inc. Equality and Diversity Committee”. The committee is primarily tasked with assessing the needs of the Harmony Inc. community in this area, developing systems for reporting incidents of discrimination, educating and raising awareness about diversity and promoting change. Kim was invited to join the committee and was subsequently appointed chair for the 2019-20 year.

Kim is passionate about the work of the committee and the opportunity it affords members of Harmony, Inc. to speak honestly about their feelings and their experiences in order to ensure that “every woman feels they belong”. Issues that face diverse members of the organization can easily go unnoticed or be misunderstood by the general membership, but Kim hopes to raise awareness through her articles in Harmony, Inc. publications and the educational opportunities she will create.

Kim believes in Harmony, Inc. and its willingness to grow and adapt and shares her dream for the future: “I am hoping that those of us who are “diverse” will share our stories – the good and the bad – so that all members can learn and grow towards an organization that is truly inclusive. I am also hoping that those members who are not “diverse” will be conscious and appreciative of the efforts of those who tell their stories and welcome the growth that comes from learning, changing and valuing all women!”

The ScotianAires are proud to have leadership like Kim’s emerge from our membership and we too value the growth that all of Harmony, Inc. will experience from the work of the Equality and Diversity Committee. Just like the bass note is often the foundation of the chord, inclusivity is the foundation of our organization!