Today we’d like to introduce you to Angelica Brooks.
Hi Angelica, so excited to have you on the platform. So, before we get into questions about your work life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today.
I am a native of Washington, DC, and moved to LA to pursue my Doctorate at USC in Music Teaching and Learning. During my studies, I saw a need to address the lack of racial representation in the field of music education. This opportunity led to my research into the recruitment and retention of music educators of color as an act of social justice and educational equity. From that research, I started The Table Music Education Conference to bring together music education professors, administrators, and practitioners together to create tangible and sustainable solutions that create pathways into the profession and support their success and longevity in the field.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Not at all. Just to come out to LA to pursue my doctorate, I had to leave a career I spent over 15 years cultivating in Maryland as a choral music educator. This was difficult because being a key member of my professional learning community in music education in Maryland and serving my students were tied to my identity. When I arrived in LA, I suffered from depression because I left everything and everyone I knew to pursue this goal. I brought my wife and son with me, but the pressure of being successful in this program was felt since it was the reason I moved my entire family out here.
Just before my acceptance to USC, my family had just survived a series of unfortunate events. My wife was diagnosed with Stage 3a/HER2 breast cancer in 2016. Fortunately, she survived and has been in remission ever since. I experienced a miscarriage trying to carry our second child, and my mother-in-law passing within 5 days of each other in 2018. Both of these tragedies made me question my motivation and served as a catalyst to pursue my degree.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
To address the significance of recruitment and retention of music educators of color a collective work was needed. A convening of music education professors who train educators, music administrators who hire educators, and music teachers who have remained in the classroom more than five years who can speak to their experience was needed to discuss how all three entities need to work together to create sustainable strategies to recruit and retain music educators of color in the K-12 setting. While many districts only focus on recruitment, the issue of retention is just as vital. Music teacher retention is important because a shortage of teachers can negatively impact student performance and discipline. It can also contribute to educational inequities, as students who need the most help are also most impacted by turnover.
While organizations like the National Association for Music Education (NAFME) and the College Music Society (CMS) have conferences and professional development opportunities for professors, practitioners, and administrators, they are not designed for them to meet with each other. Conferences are typically structured to cater to these entities individually. To address this silo, I created The Table Music Education Conference for all three to meet and discuss issues that create barriers for music educators of color and what is currently being done to address these. The name, The Table, alludes to the need for a communal conversation and effort because all three entities impact the life cycle of an educator’s career and must, therefore, work together to create pathways into the profession and strategies that lead to retention.
With the assistance of the Presser Graduate Music Award sponsored by the Presser Foundation, NAFME, and Conn-Selmer, and the USC Thornton School of Music Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) committee, the conference was held at the University of Southern California on March 10-12, 2023. Session topics included Praxis Trends and Support, the LAUSD’s Black Student Excellence Initiative, Music in Higher Education, Pathways into the Profession, Curriculum Changes in Teacher Preparation, and Retention. Our keynote speaker was the President of NAFME, Dr. Mackie Spradley, who happens to be NAFME’s first Black female president. We are planning to have our next conference in 2025.
What makes you happy?
As an educator or as a non-profit founder, knowing I am making a difference makes me happy. Knowing I was able to make an impact in a small way through my efforts encourages me to keep going.
As a musician and music lover, what makes me happy is enjoying music from all over the world. I love learning about new artists and genres of music and creating playlist based on a theme or mood.
As a wife and mother, what makes me happy is seeing my family happy and thriving. I want to be just as successful in my private life as I am in my public life. I love that my family supports me in my endeavors and allows me to be myself at home.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.thetablemec.com
- Instagram: @thetablemusiced
- Facebook: @thetablemec
