LMS joins The Denyce Graves Foundation Board of Advisors

About a year ago, I hosted an extremely special guest on my show, The Culture Soup Podcast®. I like to call her “Our Carmen” but everyone in their right mind claims this amazing beauty and talent.

I’m talking about the incomparable, mezzo soprano Denyce Graves. At that time, she had extended an invitation to me that I accepted swiftly and without any real thought because… really? What else could I say. She and the lead executive of The Denyce Graves Foundation, Ronald T. Smith, asked me to join the advisory board of The Denyce Graves Foundation (DGF).

What is it? Their mantra is “Education is Activism,'” and they are bringing that to life through various programs and initiatives.

I’m so incredibly blessed to be a part of this movement, and thrilled to be speaking to these young artistis about knowing their value and putting that into action as they begin their careers. I will also be signing copies of my book No Thanks: 7 Ways to Say I’ll Just Include Myself at the launch event of their new program Shared Voices: HBCU Conservatory & Consortium at Howard University‘s Chadwick A. Boseman College of Fine Arts which is under the auspices of the incredible Dean (and my soror of Alpha Kappa Alpha, Sorority Incorporated) Phylicia Rashad and of course HU President Dr. Wayne A.I. Frederick on September 30, 2022. It is being made possible through the support of The Metropolitan Opera and Smithsonian and represents a collaboration of a growing number colleges and universities, presently now more than a dozen, including reconizable names like The Julliard School, Oberlin College, Morehouse College, Spellman College, John Hopkins Peabody Institute and more.

Denyce will join me again on The Culture Soup Podcast® in the September time frame when we resume video streaming and ahead of the Shared Voices event. Look out for more details.

https://www.thedenycegravesfoundation.org/