I grew up nursed on spirituals, blues and folk music. Music was an essential element of our home. My mother, a trained classical oboist, was the music ministry manager at our church, and led a women’s guitar choir, heavily invested in the civil and women’s rights movement. I studied composition, piano and trumpet at Peabody, then moved on to a degree in ethnomusicology and world religion at Oberlin Conservatory. During this time, I studied shakuhachi, kora of West Africa, and lived in Bali, continuing my studies of gamelan, sacred Balinese singing, as well as Hinduism and Animism. I’m a continuing student of jazz both privately and at Towson State University. As the vice-president of the Baltimore Songwriters Association, I led songwriter showcases, writing workshops, and provided resources and networking for local up and coming songwriters. Recent activist works include co-founding Songwriters Against Sexual Assault, a collective of local artists who perform on college campuses promoting dialogue concerning intimate partner violence. We write and present original songs which evolve out of our unique journeys of healing and empowerment. Other work includes music for the film Skindeep, a documentary of five women healing after trauma, filmed and produced in Baltimore Md by Franklin Media. I’ve self-produced two full-length CDs, and recently released my EP titled “Delicate”, featuring jazz, blues, folk, gospel, and reggae-influenced songs of love & life.