Photo Essay: Cultural Presentation and Performance
Latoya Shelton
Chief Photographer
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| Explaining the Culture of Music - Yewande Austin
explains how different aspects of several cultures trickle down into
modern music. Austin discusses who wrote some of the more influential
folk songs. She explained how “Amazing Grace” was actually written by a European slave trader and not an actual slave, like most of the audience thought. |
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| Spirit Filled - Sharlene Murphy waves her hands while Austin sings a spiritual. Towards the middle of Austin’s program, audience members were more inclined to react emotionally. Austin believes this is because music touches all of us differently but deeply. “People have used music when they weren’t respected for their minds,” Austin said. |
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| Testify on Tape - Sophomore Tanesha Curl tapes Austin during her performance and lecture. Austin believes in enriching the world through storytelling and song. “Right now, I am on a 30-city college tour, and next I will be returning to Africa.” Austin’s Change Rocks Foundation believes in “changing the world on song at a time.” |
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| Moved by the Music - Larry Livers taps his heart in response to a song while Jaleel Harris responds with glee. |
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| Musical Enlightenment - Austin drums through her vocals in the early portion of her program. Austin believes people can reach spiritual enlightenment and empowerment through usic and dance. |
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| Call to Dance - Sophomore Larry Livers answers the call to dance at Austin’s musical enrichment fest. Austin likes to involve the audience as much as possible. “Some days you get 100, some day’s you 1,000 … Sometimes the 100 is just crazy involved and sometimes the 1,000 are just dead” Austin said. |
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| Inspiring Change - Austin discusses her teachings with Timothy Harris. The Shreveport, La., native calls Atlanta, Ga., home for now. Her foundation, Change Rocks promotes education, HIV prevention and empowerment through good works and enlightenment across the globe. |
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| Beatboxing - (left to right) Larry Livers, Jaleel Harris, Kyndall Carter, Ana Hunt and Vincent Jackson beatbox and harmonize in Austin’s portion about hip hop music. |
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| Saving Grace - Austin enlightens the audience on how music became a sort of saving grace to oppressed peoples. Austin shed light on the origin of what is now known as “stepping” and how it was influenced by line dancing. |
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| Power in Music - KD Martin leaps from her chair in agreement with a point Austin just made. “I have always been inspired by the words of music and dance,” Austin said. |
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| History of Music - Jaleel Harris, Kyndall Carter and Ana Hunt react to Austin’s vocals during her demonstration on musical connections. Austin enlightened the audience on how the blues flowed into rock 'n' roll and jazz helped give birth to hip-hop. |
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