Reflective Rhythms stands in solidarity with the Black community and the Black Lives Matter movement. As a platform we commit to combating anti-Blackness in the wake of the deaths of Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, Tony McDade, and countless others who have lost their lives to police brutality and systemic racism. We will continue to educate ourselves about racism in the United States and music history and promise to continue disrupting anti-Blackness in our personal and professional lives. We have included resources below for those who would like to support the Black community and promote anti-racism in their own lives and communities.
Supporting Black Musicians, Businesses, and Creators:
Ways to Support Black Restaurants in Austin: https://www.austin360.com/foodanddining/20200601/want-to-support-black-owned-food-businesses-in-austin-heres-where-to-start
A directory of Black Businesses organized by state, city, and zip code: https://officialblackwallstreet.com/directory/
Ways to Support Black Creators on Etsy: https://themadmommy.com/black-owned-etsy-shops/
A GoFundMe account supporting BIPOC musicians in the wake of COVID-19 created by Pamela Simonson, Co-Founder of the Coalition for African Americans in the Performing Arts (CAAPA): https://charity.gofundme.com/o/en/campaign/caapa-artist-relief-fund
You can also donate directly to CAAPA here: https://4caapa.org/support.html
The Institute for Composer Diversity, an organization committed to highlighting the voices of composers from historically marginalized groups: https://www.composerdiversity.com/
A lecture on music and the Civil Rights Movement by musicologist Stephan Pennington. A link is provided to donate to The Bail Project before June 29th. https://www.twitch.tv/videos/641600434
Justice for the Black Community:
Austin organizations to support: https://www.austinmonthly.com/donate-to-these-five-austin-organizations-promoting-racial-equality/
https://undoingracismaustin.org/about-us/who-we-are/
Ithaca organizations to support: https://sspride.org/
https://www.dorothycottoninstitute.org/about-dci-dorothy-cotton-institute/
http://www.multiculturalresourcecenter.org
https://tompkinscountysurj.com/
A wonderful list of organizations to support, as well as resources for White and White passing folx working on ending their complicity in White Supremacy. This list was written by Anna Stamborski, M. Div Candidate (2022); Nikki Zimmermann, M. Div Candidate (2021); and Bailie Gregory, M. Div, M.S. Ed. Please see their compensation instructions.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1PrAq4iBNb4nVIcTsLcNlW8zjaQXBLkWayL8EaPlh0bc/preview
Another document addressing these issues (including family resources!) compiled by Sarah Sophie Flicker and Alyssa Klein: https://docs.google.com/document/u/1/d/1BRlF2_zhNe86SGgHa6-VlBO-QgirITwCTugSfKie5Fs/mobilebasic
Resources for Teachers
Looking for music lesson plans and primary source materials? Here are a few free resources (they also helped shape this project!):
https://folkways.si.edu/tools-for-teaching/smithsonian
https://klru.pbslearningmedia.org/subjects/the-arts/music
Here’s a resource on human rights created by kids for kids: https://bykids.org/
Family Resources
https://www.prettygooddesign.org/blog/Blog%20Post%20Title%20One-5new4
http://www.childrenscommunityschool.org/social-justice-resources/
https://www.buzzfeed.com/mikespohr/childrens-books-about-race-and-racism
Digital resources from the National Museum of African American History and Culture: https://nmaahc.si.edu/explore/nmaahc-digital-resources-guide
Episode 1 Resources
In this episode we talked about how there are different kinds of feminisms and the importance of honoring each woman’s unique experiences. What do the women in these books have in common? How are they different? What are some ideas you have to support these women and celebrate their unique personalities?
Are there things about this episode that you found especially cool? Are there any you tried out on your own? Please let us know!
Videos
We talked with Sonya about how she uses affect—the feelings, emotions, and moods that music creates—to share her ideas with listeners through song. We also talked about how the blues women used inflection, emphasis, and improvisation to create different affects. Here’s another song by Ma Rainey called “Those Dogs of Mine.” What kind of affect do you think Ma Rainey is trying to create? How does she do it? Feel free to try out some of her techniques or make some of your own up!
“Those Dogs of Mine”
Lyrics: https://lyrics.fandom.com/wiki/Ma_Rainey:Those_Dogs_Of_Mine
Links
If you’re interested in learning about the Blues women of the 1920s and how you can support women in Blues today, you can find some good information here: https://www.nationalwomeninblues.com/history/
If you are a teacher interested in incorporating some of what we talked about into your classroom, PBS has a lesson plan that covers much of what we discussed in this episode. It can be found here: https://www.nationalwomeninblues.com/history/
Books
Little Dreamers: Visionary Women Around the World by Vashti Harrison (Suggested Ages 8-12)
Ithaca-Tomkins County Public Library Call Number: Children’s Non-Fiction J 920.72 Harrison
Austin Pubic Library Call Number: J 920.72 HA (Available at the Manchaca Road, Milwood, Old Quarry, and University Hills branches)
Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History by Vashti Harrison (Suggested Ages 8-12)
Ithaca-Tomkins County Public Library Call Number: Children’s Non-Fiction J 920.72 Harrison
Austin Public Library Call Number: J 920 HA (Available at the Cepeda, Milwood, North Village, and Twin Oaks branches)
Rad American Women A-Z By Kate Schatz
Ithaca-Tomkins County Public Library Call Number: Children’s Non-Fiction J 920.72 Schatz
Austin Public Library Call Number: Y 920 SC (Available at the Central Library, St. John, and Terrazas Branches)
Episode 2 Resources
In this episode we talked about how genres can contain lots of different styles of music. Here are a few examples of some different types of samba. How do they sound compared to “Aquarela do Brasil”? If you find some similarities, feel free to try them out at home and make a whole new type of samba!
Videos
This clip is from a samba school that plays at Carnival in Brazil. For more information on this tradition, see the Band on the Wall link in the “links” section. The video can be found here:
This samba is performed by a choro, which is a small group of instruments:
Links
For a closer look at Brazil and its wonderful musical traditions, take a look at this website from Band on the Wall: https://www.guidetotheworldofmusic.com/articles/people-and-places/the-music-of-brazil-samba-and-cultural-expression/
Want to learn more about Latinx musicians and music genres? PBS has a great site that focuses on the roles of Latinx musicians in U.S. music that can be found here: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/latinmusicusa/home/
The CUNY Dominican Studies Institute has taken a closer look at the role of Dominican musicians and provide a wealth of resources that can be found here: http://dominicanmusicusa.com/
Books
In this episode how Latinx covers a diverse array of experiences and identities. What do you find special about the characters in these books? What ideas do you have about celebrating them?
Portraits of Hispanic American Heroes by Juan Felipe Herrera (Suggested Ages 8-12)
Austin Public Library Call Number: J 920 HE (Available at the Central Library, Hampton Branch at Oak Hill, North Village, Southeast, Spicewood Springs, Terrazas, and Willie Mae Kirk branches)
Ithaca-Tompkins Public Library: available at the Waterloo Library, Children’s Non-Fiction J 1049 Herrera
Dreamers by Yuyi Morales
Austin Public Library Call Number: Available as an eBook or an Audiobook
Ithaca-Tompkins Public Library: Children’s Picture Book Fiction E Morales (Also available as an eBook)
Alma and How She Got Her Name by Juana Martinez-Neal
Austin Public Library Call Number: E FIC MART (available as an eBook and at the Carver, Central, Cepeda, Hampton Branch at Oak Hill, Howson, Little Walnut Creek, Milwood, North Village, St. John, Terrazas, Twin Oaks, Willie Mae Kirk, and Windsor Park branches).
Ithaca-Tompkins Public Library Call Number : Children’s Picture Book Fiction E Martinez-Neal (also available as an eBook)
Episode 3 Resources
In this episode we learned about how hip hop was created through a blending of diverse Black musical traditions with new technologies. The videos below demonstrate some of these elements. Have fun mixing and matching!
Videos
Want to learn how to scratch? Take a look at this video from Grandmaster Flash to see how he uses scratches, breakbeats, and back spins in action:
The Roland TR-808 was a very important tool in early hip hop music. Take a look at how it works:
Here’s an example of breakdancing from two members of Rock Steady Crew, a famous New York breakdancing group that’s still around:
Links
Take a peek at these materials from various eras of hip hop history! https://rmc.library.cornell.edu/hiphop/digital_collections.html
Tulane University has archived works of hip hop and bounce artists in New Orleans: https://digitallibrary.tulane.edu/islandora/object/tulane:p16313coll68
Want to make changes in hip hop like La’Kayla and RAS? Take a look at Get Free Hip Hop Civics: http://getfreehiphopcivics.com/
Grab a grown up and take a look at graffiti from around the world! http://intergraff.com/
Books
La’Kayla and RAS taught us a lot about how we can use hip hop to create the changes we want in the world, stand up for ourselves, and stand with others. Do you find these ideas in these books? How is music being used by the characters?
When the Beat Was Born: DJ Kool Herc and the Creation of Hip Hop by Laban Carrick Hill
Ithaca-Tompkins Public Library Call Number: Children’s Non-Fiction J 782.42 Hill
Austin Public Library Call Number: J 921 DJ (Also available as an eBook and at the Carver, Central, Cepeda, Hampton Branch at Oak Hill, Howson, Manchaca Road, North Village, Old Quarry, Ruiz, Southeast, Spicewood Springs, St. John, Terrazas, Willie Mae Kirk, and Windsor Park branches)
Hip Hop Speaks to Children: A Celebration of Poetry with a Beat edited by Nikki Giovanni
Ithaca-Tompkins Public Library Call Number: Children’s Non-Fiction J 811.008 Hip
Austin Public Library Call Number: J 811.008 HI (Available at the Carver, Central, Little Walnut Creek, Southeast, Spicewood Springs, and Twin Oaks branches).