Alika Hope

Alika Hope, M.A. is the founder and primary vocalist for the Ray of Hope Project. She was born in Oregon, and received a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from the University of Notre Dame. Hope also minored in dance at St. Mary's College. She went on to receive her Master of Arts in Early Childhood Special Education from Teachers College at Columbia University.

Opera career
In 2003, Hope was the soloist singing "Ave Maria" National Shrine of The Divine Mercy on Divine Mercy Sunday. This performance was broadcast internationally on EWTN.

Theatre and singing
Hope is a member of Actors Equity Association and was in a production of South Pacific (musical) in the 2000s In 2012, she performed on The Island Lil as Junie. She has also portrayed Mrs. Muller in "Doubt" with Berkshire Actors Theatre. Her singing events can be found on BroadwayWorld who participated in recent events, including a Human Rights Festival in 2018 and an Arts Festival for Human Rights in NYC in 2017.

Television
Alika Hope has been co-host of CT Perspective TV since 2013. CT Perspective TV airs on FOX-CT. She stars as Sandra in the upcoming comedy "A Coupla Pros".

Pageants
Alika is Ms. New England America for the 2019 Ms. America Pageant.

Ray of Hope Project
Hope is the co-founder and president of The Ray of Hope Project. The Ray of Hope Project is an organization with the goal of using African American spirituals to shed light on the combined anti-slavery efforts of blacks and whites in 19th century New England. The Project includes nine musicians and actors who incorporate African American spirituals with live music in their participatory programs.

The Ray of Hope Project musicians and actors use historical records of successful African Americans to teach about slavery in America in the 1900s. Collaborations with schools, libraries, and museums throughout the United States have allowed the Ray of Hope Project members to create poems and performance material. The Ray of Hope Project also uses the music and lyrics of 20th century social justice songs as a way of creating conversations around current issues of global social justice issues. Collaborations with schools, libraries, and museums throughout the United States have allowed the Ray of Hope Project members to create poems and performance material.

"Hope for a Motherless Child", their first album was released in 2016, and won a "preferred choice" award for Kids CD in the 2016 Creative Child Magazine awards. It was also awarded a Global Music Award in June 2016.

In June, 2016, Hope and the Ray of Hope project participated in Old Sturbridge Village's Juneteenth/Freedom Week. Alika was interviewed by Connecticut Public Radio about the experience. During an interview with Lioness Magazine, Hope stated that the motto of Ray of Hope Project is to "Feel the Music, Change the World"

In 2017, Ray of Hope created a music video "IRL" which focuses on the importance of exhibiting kindness in social media.