Here at Seismic, we love music. It’s not uncommon to have music playing as team members join a call. During those calls, it is also likely you’ll see a spare guitar or piano hanging out in your colleagues’ video conference background. Additionally, our Communities of Belonging are always creating and sharing playlists to give the greater employee base a stronger, more diverse musical education at key times of the year (including this year’s Black History Month playlist).
Our love of music is probably matched only by our love of technology. Initially, you may think those two things are not interconnected. But there’s a wealth of research suggesting the opposite. Music education has been shown to enhance neurological development, discipline, pattern recognition, and spatial analysis.
These days, there are many efforts underway to introduce children, particularly those from underrepresented groups, to Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (collectively known as “STEM” education). Such programs are not just important; they’re crucial. But, in our eagerness toward that approach, we should also be sure that we aren’t overlooking “the classics” in terms of giving our kids a cohesive foundation.
The theme of this year’s Black History Month is “African Americans and the Arts.” All month long, we as a company have celebrated by sharing information about African American artists. We also spotlighted Seismic team members and asked them to share some of their favorite works/inspirations. Our team listened in on a great conversation about African American culture with noted DEI thought leader Julian Newman. And yes, there was also the playlist.
But enough about us. To close out BHM 2024, we wanted to take a moment to highlight some great youth music organizations, starting with one in Seismic’s very own backyard of San Diego, CA!
The San Diego Civic Youth Orchestra “makes the experience of performing ensemble music available to young people of any race, religion or ethnic origin, without regard to economic circumstances, in an environment that is positive and nurturing.” The “CYO,” as they’re called, is always accepting donations to help with their programming and equipment.
Now let’s head to the opposite coast and show some love to our Boston office. ZUMIX is an east Boston-based organization that “empowers young people to build successful futures for themselves, transforming lives and community through music, technology, and creative employment.” They have a stated commitment to equity: “Diversity is an asset and the inclusion of multiple perspectives is necessary for a thriving organization.” We fully agree. You can give here.
Last – but certainly not least – we’ll check in on our newest U.S. corporate office in Indianapolis. The Metropolitan Youth Orchestra is “a comprehensive program that equips students with the foundational abilities to learn and develop the capacities, skills, and knowledge needed to navigate challenges toward lifelong success, thereby strengthening the communities we live in.” There are several ways you can get involved with the MYO, including monetary/instrument donations, volunteering, or even booking them for your upcoming event! You can find more information on their Support page.
As you can imagine, we could go on and on. But we wanted to take a moment to highlight just a few organizations that are doing incredible work with students, giving them a strong cultural education that is also proven to enhance their ability to tackle the STEM fields of today and tomorrow. We love what these organizations are doing, and we hope you’ll support their efforts where possible via your time and resources.
We hope everyone had a great BHM 2024. See you next year!
