Perspectives & Collective Action

If you enjoy games that reward the sort of inventive thinking we do best, we have a doozy for you. And it’s being played on a global stage.

Many are familiar with MLK’s use of nonviolence in the American civil rights movement of the 1950s and 60s, but what exactly is Kingian Nonviolence? For King, nonviolence was not simply the absence of violence but the presence of justice. Nonviolence is not passively submitting to violence but actively fighting for justice using non-violent means.

We say we are a global field. But are we? An open call from UNESCO—which you may not have heard about—presents us with an unprecedented opportunity to move in that direction.

Guarneri Hall does wonderful work supporting emerging and established artists, striving to make classical music more accessible and celebrated in every kind of community. In many ways, it was a dream pairing for me. My mind danced with visions of the ways my skill set might benefit a collaboration between us. And then I received my assignment.

We know that music is a rich human experience. It moves us emotionally, allowing for creative expression, physical activity, social engagement, and sensory and cognitive stimulation. But it’s the next part that really interests us: each of those outcomes can trigger psychological, physiological, cognitive, and behavioral responses that are causally linked with health and wellbeing.

Music’s healing potential was on display in New Orleans last month, as students, teachers, and community members came together to honor the lives lost in the Uvalde school shooting.

We do not accept the normalization of school gun violence in our country. As an organization, we commit to fighting against gun violence to ensure safe spaces for students to grow and learn and blossom. We also commit to supporting the field through providing trauma-informed training to teachers, cultivating youth leadership and voice, and advocating for equity in music education on the national level.

Music for social change is a field with enormous potential, yet one that has not been fully realized because of a central paradox: a common reliance on musical and educational practices that have little to do with social change.

Two comprehensive resources have been put together by international music associations to connect Ukrainian musicians with opportunities for essential support.

Many arts and cultural organizations are orienting—or have long been orienting—their work toward the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. A free new resource is here to help with that process: SHIFT—Shared Initiatives For Training.