In the second series of Conversations in the Neighborhood, music was chosen as an entry point to the humanities, offering an effective medium to address complex themes, including identity, migration, and culture. The theme of music enabled speakers in the six-part series to draw parallels between genres and locations for their audiences.
The series began with a workshop led by Kimberly Williams, a Ph.D. student in English, and DJ Dr. Victor Del Hierro, who discussed the cultural importance of Verzuz – a webcast series created by Timbaland and Swizz Beatz. During Verzuz events, two musicians showcase their musical discographies in a three-hour session; notable battles that trended on social media include Teddy Riley and Babyface; Brandy and Monica; and Bounty Killer and Beenie Man. In the session, Williams and Del Hierro delved into the importance of Black spaces, such as Verzuz, and their cultural meanings.
Some of the events centered on the idea of positionality and creation. In Latinx Musical Spaces: Rap Seminar, Roberto Santos shared how he uses digital tools to analyze songs and samples of artists. In the context of the humanities, Santos offered possibilities on how scholars can collaborate with software engineers and artists. In Sites of Transformation: Songs, Native Identity, and Healing, artists Renata Yazzie, Lyla June, and Sacramento Knoxx discussed their creative processes and musical influences. A particularly striking aspect of the discussion was June’s reflection on how her song “All Nations Rise” became a repository for indigenous communities to discuss and share their thoughts on belonging.
The series featured a virtual and in-person event in celebration of Black History Month. The virtual event Love Songs within Africa and the African Diaspora explored ways Black people have expressed love to one another, their ancestors, and themselves, moving away from stereotypical views of Blackness. Black Love: Creativity, Expressions, and its Gifts, held in partnership with A. Quinn Jones Museum, celebrated Black love through an exhibit on popular Black Literature curated by Cristovao Nwachukwu; music by Geexella; and poetry by Terri Bailey and Stanley Richardson. The event also featured food samples from two local caterers, Flavorful and Ivoire Delice & Market.
Simrun Waghray, a former Center for Humanities and the Public Sphere undergraduate intern, designed In Asia: Transnational Music, Archives, and Popular Culture, the final segment of the series. The event examined the connection between Asia, identity and music. In a riveting discussion, Miki Kaneda (Boston University), Tao Leigh Goffe (Cornell University), Christine Yano (University of Hawai’i) and Ivy Chen (UF Museum Studies) explored music’s role in establishing multiplicity, shaping people’s identities, and preserving diasporic communities.
Conversations in the Neighborhood: Let’s Talk about Music offered rich programming that allowed more than 250 attendees to explore deeply resonating ideas.