OUr story
We deeply understand that all people have a human right to experience their cultural heritage.
We recognize the pressing need for culturally responsive and comprehensive tools educators of all ethnic backgrounds can use to teach Black history, artistry, creativity, and greater social empathy in the classrooms. As budget cuts continue to deprive students of music programs, we see an even more urgent need to ensure continued access to high quality cultural knowledge.
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In the wake of the 2020 racial turmoil, a nation-wide call for high-quality, culturally competent, historically expansive, and diversity promoting resources was voiced loudly and broadly. It became apparent that educational systems (among many other institutions) were in urgently need of repair and decolonization, if not full dismantling. Within the educational sphere, school systems, parents, and teachers sought to quickly respond, facing many questions around methodology, accuracy, authenticity, and "Am I the right person to teach this?" doubts. Frustration mounted.
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While the digital boom of virtual offerings made both the dissemination of access to resources more immediate and often less expensive for educators, it also resulted in an outpouring of content with varying standards of credibility and "truths," making it difficult to discern quality and accuracy. ​​​
To counter this rise, Boulanger Initiative, Castle of our Skins, and
D-Composed are committed to creating a digital hub of culturally responsive, intersectional, mixed media resources for elementary
to college educators nation-wide.
​Each non-profit useS informed performance, interactive education, and deep research to lead with authenticity.
The Mary-based Boulanger Initiative advocates for women and all gender marginalized composers to expand the collective understand of what music is, has been, and can be. Castle of our Skins, a Boston-based Black arts institution, is a concert and education series dedicated to fostering cultural curiosity in the African diaspora through music and the arts. Chicago-based D-Composed is a Black chamber music collective working to empower society by providing a platform for the music of Black composers.
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​wE share a deep understanding and recognition for an intersectional approach to inclusivity and belonging.
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Together, with the help of the Sphinx Venture Fund, we recognize the great potential our collective holds to provide a suite of historically grounded and culturally informative resources for elementary-college educators.