The Beginning

“Music expresses that which cannot be put into words and cannot remain silent.”

-Victor Hugo

I truly believe that music brings people to together. Not only this, but I am confident that music and art are invaluable tools in achieving critical dialogue, reflection, and communication in our global pursuit of a fuller humanity. During my time at Brown, I have grown very passionate about education as the practice of freedom as well as the power of performance to engage in critical pedagogy globally. This summer, I will be traveling to Bamako, Mali to the village of Djoumanzana to work with youth at the Djoumanzana Children’s Center, a struggling institution with one classroom managed by two of the most selfless, passionate, and generous educators I’ve been privileged to meet. The Children’s Center is an informal organization sponsored by various NGO’s in Mali. While the resources for the center are beyond minimal, the children of the village utilize the center as a safe place to learn and play, immersed in the performative culture which dances through the streets throughout every moment of every day. Through this tremendous opportunity for community engagement among the youth at the community center and in the streets, I hope to facilitate “problem-posing” and “socially liberating” activities and projects in the performing arts to create works of art and participate in transnational collaboration.