Recently, the Blum Center was visited by two of our partners on the new Power of Music initiative, award winning filmmakers Michael Uwemedimo of Collaborative Media Advocacy Platform in Nigeria and Petna Ndaliko Katondolo of Yole!Africa in the Democratic Republic of Congo, for two-weeks as part of the beginning stages of the new initiative. In addition to meeting with representatives of both the UCI Blum Center and the Climate and Urban Sustainability Program teams and guest lecturing several undergraduate courses, Uwemedimo and Ndaliko Katondolo met with the Blum Center’s inaugural cohort of undergraduate research fellows to discuss the Power of Music project and the connections between research, storytelling, and action. The meeting particularly emphasized the role of youth engagement in the transformative work of art and music for documenting experiences, sharing knowledge, motivating action, and building community.
“I found the meeting with Michael and Petna to be quite influential. As echoed by students during the discussion, it is rare to be a part of a discussion like that with such dignified traveling scholars. Before the discussion, I had not fully grasped the profound significance and global impact that music holds. Music holds the power to mobilize groups, serve as cultural expression, and tell stories through a creative lens.” – Sophia Simpson, Blum Center Undergraduate Research Fellow
Several of the undergraduate research fellows, who have been training with Blum Center scholars since September to conduct social ecological research on critical social and environmental issues, are working explicitly on the Power of Music project, helping to map out the vision for the first year and coordinate potential local collaborations. Other Fellows were able to learn more about the project and the broader importance of youth as changemakers, and to begin establishing a network of inspiring scholars and artists working on applied, socially-relevant, projects.
“A standout moment for me was our discussion about the importance of interdisciplinary and intersectional perspectives in tackling societal issues and how to improve the application of this strategy, as that is a topic I am also very passionate about. Further, fellows were able to share our experiences and thoughts related to their project on more distinctly integrating music and art at UCI and its majors. The opportunity to contribute was both exciting and rewarding. Speaking to Michael and Petna was incredibly inspiring and I am hopeful in trying to replicate their passion and impact in my future career and path.” – Lizzie Braver, Blum Center Undergraduate Research Fellow
“The scholars had a perspective on urban environments, the arts, and policy that challenged a lot of beliefs that I have held as a result of where we reside. Being able to be in conversation with the scholars and Dr. Matthew not only was an extremely insightful experience, but it led me to understand how scholars are able to construct transnational projects that aim to solve global issues.” – Christina Kolias, Blum Center Undergraduate Research Fellow
The Power of Music is a brand new initiative which aims to leverage UCI as a hub for fostering collaborations and partnerships among students, scholars, community organizers and practitioners through the power of music and to further harness those collaborative efforts to drive social change. Last month the project received a generous gift of $1.5 million from The Drake Gives and we are excited to get this project up and running!
“The vision that Dr. Matthew, Michael, and Petna had resonated with me. It encouraged me to dream bigger and understand that I needed to take initiative instead of waiting for opportunities to come to me. I think I would like to make a space for music in my future as well! […] Michael and Petna’s stories were deeply moving and helped me recognize the power of music in action. The way they were able to promote sustainable practices and amplify the voices of underrepresented communities through music was inspiring to listen to. […] Through their stories, I learned that cultural development is essential for creating a sustainable future and the arts are critical in bringing communities together, making change, and sparking hope for a better tomorrow. ” – Harshini Sasikumar, Blum Center Undergraduate Research Fellow