“Music brings the community together. When Accent Pontiac students perform, they create bonds with their audiences and boost community pride. Music adds vibrancy to communities and strengthens our sense of belonging and connection with others.”

Sommer Dawson is the executive director of Accent Pontiac (located in Pontiac, Michigan), a music education organization where students from the Pontiac School District can strengthen their music craft and establish a sense of belonging. In the new issue of American Artscape, Dawson spoke with us about the ways in which Accent Pontiac’s programming empowers and uplifts youth, the organization’s innovative approach to support students’ mental health and well-being during the pandemic, and the impact that music education is making within the Pontiac community one note at a time.