An energetic crowd of students and community members gathered inside the Little Theatre at Norco College to attend the inaugural Art of Women Leadership Conference. The morning began with an inspirational panel discussion about equity in the arts. The panelists, each from culturally diverse backgrounds, included:
Jazmin Morales, a classically trained violinist, activist, mariachi member, and administrator at the Center for Innovation and Community Impact, Colburn School. She spoke about the importance of diversifying the classical music field and making education accessible for all, in particular to underrepresented women of color.
Karen Koner, Ph.D., is an assistant professor and coordinator of music education at San Diego State University. Her published research focuses music teacher education, with an interest in current practices, trends, and needs of k-12 music educators.
Lee Cioppa, an administrator at Colburn School, and former Julliard School enrollment manager, talked about the importance of removing the financial barriers from the arts and making it equitable and accessible for students from all backgrounds.
Tobi Harper, a deputy director at Red Hen Press and founder of Quill, a queer publishing series, spoke about forging his own way through San Francisco State and creating a voice for the queer community pursuing a career in literature.
The day continued with a series of workshops, networking, and presentations that empowered career-minded women in the arts.
Thalia Moore-Shearer, a highly talented Norco College music student, took the lead in organizing the conference after attending a similar event at San Diego State.
"I did not know women could conduct. I thought that was a man's job. I did not know that music research was a career option. I thought that in the arts your options were teach or perform," said Moore-Shearer. “I was inspired and wanted to bring this knowledge to the Norco College community and provide a place for women in the arts to gather and ignite."
To find out more about the music program and events, visit www.norcomusic.com.
