In 2006 I founded and continue to run Music For Everyone, a “non-profit” organization with amission to cultivate the power of music as an educational and community-building tool inLancaster County, PA. Given that I had no previous experience in this world, my learning curveover the past 18 years has been long and steep. The most […]
There is Nothing “Non-Profit” About Non-Profit Organizations Read More »
Music is More Than Music. As such, its power and potential as an educational tool is unparalleled. Music is more than notesplayed and songs sung. Music is math. Music is reading. Music is language. Music is logic. Theresearch and data are clear in that children involved in music programs score higher onstandardized tests. It’s also
As the founder and executive director of a music related Community Benefit Organization (CBO), I constantly think of how to more effectively leverage the power and potential of music to impact lives and exert positive community impact. After almost eighteen years of leading MFE, I have come to appreciate that when it comes to potential
Music: The Community Impact Tool that Keeps on Giving Read More »
“The way to right wrongs is to shine the light of truth upon them.” —Ida B. Wells-Barnett Is systemic racism in our nation only a “Black problem?” Some believe so. Politicians, social scientists, and pundits often couch the challenges racism presents in terms of “What is America going to do about its ‘Black problem?”’ Before
Whether as an individual, business or Community Benefit Organization, it is important to periodically take an unvarnished, honest look in the mirror. Such self-reflection can reveal uncomfortable truths about yourself or your organization. We do not do that often enough. It can be quite painful when, after such honest self-examination, you find you might not
Organizational DEI: The Learning Curve Continues Read More »
When John Gerdy moved to Lancaster from Dayton, Ohio, in 1998, he was less than impressed with the vibrancy of the community. Fast forward 25 years later, and Gerdy, the founder and executive director of the music education nonprofit Music for Everyone, will publish a book on Oct. 24 about Lancaster’s revitalization thanks to its
I’ve published seven books, mostly about education reform and the role and impact of athletics and music on our educational system and society. One of those, Sports in School: The Future of an Institution, is a book I edited. Once published, I vowed never to edit another. Asking a dozen or so individuals to write
“Unfortunately, ‘post racism’ is also a myth, like unicorns and Black people who survive until the end of the movie.” — Justin Simien It’s often been said we now live in a post-racial society simply because Barack Obama was elected president twice; for those who believe that I have a few questions. Are we in
In 2017, I began taking painting lessons. It has been fascinating, exhilarating, challenging, and, more than anything, educational. I have a wonderful teacher. She’s encouraging and inspiring with a real sense of and ability to make the connections between painting and life. While having a competent teacher is vitally important, there are also lessons that
LIFE LESSONS FROM PAINTING: YOUR SELF PORTRAIT IS NEVER FINISHED Read More »
““My father was a slave, and my people died to build this country, and I am going to stay here and have a part of it just like you.” — Paul Robeson A disturbingly prevalent pretext developing among White nationalists is the “The Replacement Theory,” which argues that nonwhite immigrants are being imported (sometimes the
