A cohort of Curry students recently returned from a faculty-led trip to New Orleans as part of the newly created course, Music and the Call for Justice.
Developed by Associate Professor of Music Dr. Emily Howe, this course aims to use music as a lens to think through some of the pressing issues of our times in relation to identity, the environment, and justice.
"There's no place quite like New Orleans. I find it inspiring to be in a place where people express themselves so fully and generously, and I was excited to share the city’s vibrant music and culture with my students."
IMPACTFUL SITES
Students were incredibly moved by their visit to New Orleans’ Lower Ninth Ward, one of the areas most devastated by Hurricane Katrina. Thinking through the challenges of recovery from environmental disaster – and the way those challenges have disproportionately affected Black communities of New Orleans – prompted fruitful discussions about the connections between environment and culture, as well as the choices we make about how to organize society.
In addition to a joy-filled and transformative experience listening to great music, witnessing New Orleans parade culture, and meeting artists, culture-bearers, and nonprofit leaders in the city, students returned from New Orleans with a sense of the real-world stakes of inquiry in Music Studies specifically, and the Humanities more broadly.
"Because of this experience, I have a deeper understanding of New Orleans' rich and unique culture and how music plays a vital role. We visited Congo Square, which was the only place where enslaved Africans could play music, speak their native tongue, and practice everything in their culture in the 18th Century." -Max Cotton '26
For the remainder of the semester, students will be engaged in a collaborative research project initiated by New Voices New Orleans, a music education nonprofit organization aiming to create cultural equity in the city through projects empowering young people’s sense of civic voice.
Researching songs by local artists illuminating New Orleanians’ connection to water past and present, students will support the development of a culturally responsive and place-based curriculum for New Orleans Public Schools to educate young people about their natural environment through science and the arts.
"I hope our involvement in this project empowers our students to understand themselves as agents of change with a stake and a voice in – as well as a sense of responsibility towards – addressing the pressing societal issues of our time." -Dr. Emily Howe
Interested in taking a faculty-led course? Make an appointment with Career & Experiential Learning to start your journey!