Teaching at the Urban College of Boston
In the summer of 2018, Yank'l Garcia and I envisioned a course taught at the Urban College of Boston called "Teaching Music to Empower." This innovative class, created in collaboration with Boston University was designed for current and future educators and was electable by all students, including those without musical training. We collaborated with guest artists in arts-based projects and music-making activities such as drum-circling, songwriting, and other forms of cultural music-making for the Fall semester of 2018 and the Spring semester of 2019. Through in-class discussion, teaching demonstrations, self-reflection, and performance, we empowered ourselves and learn to better support our students. At the end of the semester, I directed a student showcase at Boston University's Concert Hall where students performed their final projects.