I'm a big believer in education, period.

And my career, the things that have happened have happened because of my music education background.

My mother was the influence in my life. She was strong she had great faith in the ultimate triumph of justice and hard work. She believed passionately in education.

Progress for black Americans depends on good schools because education is the last great equalizer.

I was a teacher for a long time. I taught at a community college: voice, theory, humanities. And nowadays, music education is a dying thing. Funding is being cut more and more and more.