At Jazz Congress, produced by Jazz at Lincoln Center on Wednesday, Jan. 8, Bryan Stevenson, founder and Executive Director of The Equal Justice Initiative, delivered a powerful keynote address that explored themes of identity, proximity, shifting narratives, and hope.
“Jazz has a unique power because it is this art form that is rooted in the Black American experience in this country,” Mr. Stevenson said. “Jazz is rooted in the American experience, and therefore, it has a unique status and the ability to create an identity that can push against some of the things that are also American but problematic, unjust, systemically problematic, and bigoted.”
He continued, “No matter what you are in the industry, whether you’re a teacher, a facilitator, a promoter, an artist, there are these other words that get connected to your name, to your life, that are important to your ability to make a difference to the people around you.”
Mr. Stevenson addressed nearly 500 attendees, as well as a global audience streaming Jazz Congress — a conference designed to strengthen the connection between artists, media professionals, and industry leaders within the global jazz community.
Maurine Knighton, Chief Program Officer at the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, introduced Mr. Stevenson, remarking, “Just as jazz brings together disparate elements to create shared artistry, Bryan Stevenson has united people across divides to challenge the narratives of inequality and fear that perpetuate injustice. He understands that freedom is not just an individual pursuit. It is collective, complex, and courageous.”
Mr. Stevenson’s keynote address in its entirety is available to watch here.
About Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Jazz Congress
Jazz Congress was founded in 2018, originally as a partnership with JazzTimes who in the past had produced or co-produced numerous jazz gatherings such as the JazzTimes Convention, the IAJE industry track and the Jazz Connect Conference. Since that time, Jazz at Lincoln Center has brought considerable experience and resources to present an industry gathering that not only drew upon the past, but also pointed toward the future. Over the years, Jazz Congress has brought together jazz artists and industry professionals from all over the world.
The Jazz Congress Advisory Board includes Gene Dobbs Bradford, Terri Lyne Carrington, Chanel Enriquez, Stefon Harris, Karen Kennedy, Don Lucoff, Riley Mulherkar, Katie Simon, Denny Stilwell, and Helen Sung.
Learn more: jazzcongress.org.
About The Equal Justice Initiative
Founded in 1989, the Equal Justice Initiative is a private, 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization committed to ending mass incarceration and excessive punishment in the United States, to challenging racial and economic injustice, and to protecting basic human rights for the most vulnerable people in American society.
Learn more: https://eji.org/
About The Doris Duke Foundation
The Doris Duke Foundation (DDF) is building a more creative, equitable, and sustainable future by investing in artists and the performing arts, environmental conservation, medical research, child well-being, and greater mutual understanding among diverse communities.
Learn more: https://www.dorisduke.org/
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January 14, 2025
BRYAN STEVENSON, FOUNDER AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE EQUAL JUSTICE INITIATIVE, SAYS “ARTISTS HAVE THE UNIQUE POWER TO CREATE IDENTITY THAT SHOULD NOT BE UNDERESTIMATED”
Mr. Stevenson’s powerful keynote address was presented at Jazz a Lincoln Center’s Jazz Congress, the annual gathering of the global jazz community
New York, NY
(January 14, 2025) —