Why Jazz & Democracy Matter with Wesley Watkins Part 1

Greetings Glocal Citizens!

This week’s conversation comes in two parts. Like it’s geographical spread, northern hemisphere to southern hemisphere, think of this two part discussion as a way of engaging both hemispheres of your brain--the creative and the analytic. My guest is fellow Stanford alum and founder of The Jazz & Democracy Project® (J&D), Wesley “Dr. Wes” J. Watkins. After several years working in the education sector, Dr. Wes launched the program in November 2009 at Rosa Parks Elementary School, located in San Francisco's historic Fillmore District. J&D is a music integrated curriculum that utilizes jazz as a metaphor to bring democracy to life, enrich the study and teaching of history, government, civics and culture, and inspire youth to become active, positive contributors to their communities. He first proposed the curriculum as part of his undergraduate honors program at Stanford’s School of Education and later conducted research for his undergraduate honors thesis at Oxford University where he engaged and learned from music educators at both local elementary schools and world renowned secondary institutions. Now based in Sydney, Australia, J&D has traveled to countries all over the world and, in these times of global social transition, Dr. Wes anticipates continued opportunities to feature and further innovate using tools that will leave lasting impact on the ways that youth and educators approach building and living in their communities and beyond.

Where to find Wesley?
On LinkedIn
On Facebook
On Instagram
On YouTube

Who’s Wesley listening to?
Joseph Solomon

Other topics of interest:
Activist Oakland, CA
Northern Beaches, Sydney Lifestyle
United States Studies Center
Crikey! or Kriky!
Flat White vs Latte
Geechi Taylor
Find Rachelle Farrell, Meshell N’Degeocello, on J&D
Ledisi
Christian McBride
Betty Carter + Ray Charles
Episode 47 featuring Wynton Marsalis
Jazz for Young People @ Lincoln Center
Check out the Chris Botti SF Show
About Robert, Bobby and Madison McFerrin