County's Award-Winning Created Equal Program to Explore Black Music and Significance Throughout History
Created Equal Returns to Continue Crucial Community Dialogue
| WHO: |
Leon County Government and The Village Square |
| WHAT: |
Created Equal: The Rhythm and Resilience of Black Music |
| WHEN: |
Wednesday, April 9, starting at 5:30 p.m. |
| WHERE: |
The Moon, 1105 E. Lafayette St. |
Leon County Government and The Village Square invites media partners to the tenth annual Created Equal program titled, “Created Equal: The Rhythm and Resilience of Black Music” on Wednesday, April 9, at 5:30 p.m. at The Moon, 1105 E. Lafayette St. This award-winning program will explore the rich history of Black music, showing how it serves as a living chronicle of the Black experience.
The event is free, and dinner and refreshments will be provided. This year’s event will also feature dynamic performances by Tallahassee Nights Live. Interested attendees are encouraged to register for the event at LeonCountyFL.gov/CreatedEqual.
To celebrate and explore the significance and evolution of Black music, this year's Created Equal event will explore how music in Black culture has shaped the Black experience throughout history. Through a discussion-based panel, attendees will dive into the genres, movements, and pivotal moments that highlight the evolution of Black music and its cultural impact. By examining both the musical and historical timelines, attendees will gain a deeper understanding of how music has been a source of inspiration, solidarity, and empowerment for Black communities across generations.
The panel will include:
Dr. Mark Butler, a composer, conductor, music educator, pianist, and baritone, serves as Associate Professor of Music and Director of Choral Activities at Florida A&M University. He conducts the University Concert Choir and teaches courses including Choral Conducting, Class Piano, Applied Voice, and African American Music. His compositions and arrangements are often performed by All State and Conference choirs from throughout the United States. He recently conducted the Florida A&M University Concert Choir in several performances and concerts in Vienna, Austria, and has served internationally as a choral clinician for choruses in Honduras and the Bahamas. Holding degrees from Florida A&M University, Florida State University, and The American Conservatory of Music, Dr. Butler has conducted major works by Handel, Vivaldi, and Brahms, and has led choirs at prestigious conferences such as the Florida and Georgia Music Educators Association and the Southeastern African American Choral Festival.
Maurice Johnson is an educator and researcher specializing in media, communications, and Hip-Hop culture. A graduate of FAMU’s School of Journalism & Graphic Communication, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Magazine Production and a master’s degree in integrated marketing communications from FSU, with certificates in digital video production and project management. He has taught at FAMU, FSU, Widener University, Southern New Hampshire University, and West Virginia University. Currently a doctoral candidate at FAMU’s College of Education, his research explores Hip Hop culture, urban schools, and culturally responsive teaching and leadership. In 2023, Maurice was named an Inaugural HBCU Propel Center Faculty Fellow with Apple and also selected for FAMU's Inaugural 40 Under 40.
Dr. Lisa Munson is a professor of Sociology at Florida State University. Her research focuses on inequality, social justice, innovative teaching methods, and engaged scholarship. With nearly two decades of teaching experience, she has specialized in curriculum development, pedagogy, and mentoring undergraduate research. She created and implemented FSU's Sociology of Hip Hop Culture course and has authored three textbooks, including two on the subject. Lisa has presented her research globally, co-edited a special edition of the Arts journal, and serves on its Topical Advisory Board. Recognized for her teaching, community service, and event organizing, she has received numerous awards, including the University Innovation in Teaching award. Beyond academia, Lisa has curated over 50 community showcases featuring hip hop, house, and jazz music, dance, and visual art, fostering connections between academia and the local arts scene.
Lynn Hatter, Director of Content at WFSU Public Media, will moderate the conversation. Since joining WFSU in 2007 as a reporter and producer, she has steadily risen through the organization with a focus on education and health care. Ms. Hatter has earned nearly three dozen individual recognitions and awards for her reporting including the nationally award-winning projects “Committed” which focuses on how children became the fastest growing group subject to the state’s involuntary psychiatric commitment laws; And the “Not So Black and White” podcast series, which explores the divided history of Tallahassee and Leon County. A proud Florida A&M University graduate, she holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism and a master’s in professional communication from Florida State University.
The award-winning Created Equal program builds on the success of previous events and continues to encourage frank conversations on race and racial inequity. Citizens will be invited to join the discussion during roundtable conversations after the panel.
To register for this free event, visit LeonCountyFL.gov/CreatedEqual.
For more information, contact Mathieu Cavell, Leon County Community and Media Relations, at (850) 606-5300 / CMR@LeonCountyFL.gov.
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