“If you want to be it, you have to see it.” Michael McElroy, 2019 Tony Awards Acceptance Speech

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Episode 1: Michael McElroy

Welcome to the Antiracist Artist Podcast, a podcast for activists, advocates and allies working to make our communities equitable through artistry. Each episode we are joined in conversation by an artist or arts facilitator who has been paving the way, in hopes of learning from their expertise and experience. Through action and unity, we can create a better tomorrow today. Let’s go!

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Hello and welcome to the Antiracist Artist Podcast. I’m your host, Taylor Ybarra, and I’m so glad to have you a part of the conversation.

In this episode of the Antiracist Artist Podcast we have the opportunity for an in-depth conversation with Michael McElroy, Founder/Musical Director and Arranger for Broadway Inspirational Voices (BIV) a multi-racial gospel choir comprised of Broadway performers. Michael has an impressive resume as an arranger, performer, Associate Arts Professor and Head of Vocal Performance in the New Studio on Broadway, and Director of the Office of Diversity Initiatives at NYU's Tisch School of the Arts.

During this episode, Michael and I talk about:

• How BIV was created out of the need to have a healing space for people of all walks of life to perform gospel music in order to give back to the community.
• Michael’s creation of a class entitled Roots to Rep, in order to host a space of learning about the lineage of musical forms, spanning from the beginnings of American slavery to modern day, in order to give artists the tools necessary to understand the origins of the musical cannon and what it was born out of.
• Through his position as the Director of the Office of Diversity Initiatives at New York University, he challenges the artistic space to not only be diverse in their students but also in the lessons, materials, and the teaching force.
• By being a founding member of the Black Theatre United (BTU), Michael helps to create an organization due to a direct need to shine the light on work which furthers humanity and which helps to create systems of empowerment for people of color, the disenfranchised, the marginalized.
• Michael’s definition of antiracisim and how it intersects with his own artistry.
• And so much more!

Resources & Organizations Mentioned:

• Broadway Inspirational Voices (BIV)
• Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS
• Covenant House New York
• Ronald McDonald House New York
• Jen Waldman Studio
• New Studio on Broadway
• Black Theatre United (BTU)
• Musicians United for Social Equity (MUSE)
• NYC Next
• A Moment for Broadway Performance

Episode Transcript

Each episode, we invite our guests to choose an organization to uplift, one that is creating a meaningful impact toward a more equitable, inclusive, accessible and antiracist future. In honor of Michael in this episode, we have donated to NYCNext and MUSE. You can donate and learn more about each of these organizations via the links above.

This podcast is made with, by, and for those of us in this fight together, and I invite you to be a part of this podcast community with us. You can stay connected with us at AntiracistArtist.com, on Instagram @antiracistartist, or by emailing antiracistartist@gmail.com. Let us know why antiracist artistry is important to you, what questions you would like to dig into, and who you’d like to hear from in future episodes.

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The Antiracist Artist Podcast is hosted by Taylor Ybarra, produced by Subito Politico Productions, LLC, and edited by Andrew Alcaraz.

To stay connected with the Antiracist Artist Podcast, please visit us at AntiracistArtist.com, on Instagram @antiracistartist, or via email at antiracistartist@gmail.com. We’d love to hear from you!

Our podcast is made possible with the support of folx like you. You can get exclusive content and access to the show by becoming a patron at patreon.com/antiracistartist.

This episode’s donation was made possible in part by the generosity of Jenny Hoofnagle.

Theme music features vocals by Esteban Suero, Forest VanDyke, Kennedy Kanagawa, Jamison, & MinJi Kim.

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This episode features the following artists/arts facilitators:

Esteban Suero | IG @estesuero / @theofficialeros

Forest VanDyke | IG - @forestvandyke

Kennedy Kanagawa | kennedykanagawa.com | IG @thisiskennedy

Jamison | www.courtneyjamison.com | IG @iamcourtneyjamison | TW @thecjamison

MinJi Kim | IG @minjilikesdogsandmusic

Maricela Juarez | www.maricelajuarez.com | IG @remarkablymari