FEELING GOOD: Celebrating National Girls and Women in Sports Day through a Wall of Song

San José Museum of Art, San Jose Jazz, the Institute for the Study of Sport, Society & Social Change (ISSSSC), and the Wall of Song Project as explored the power of art, sport and the rituals of collective singing to create positive social change.

In celebration of National Girls and Women in Sports Day (NGWSD), this online, multidisciplinary event featured an interview with Grammy-nominated jazz powerhouse Ledisi, a solo by special guest soprano Danielle Marie and Dr. Akilah Carter-Francique, PhD (ISSSSC) hosting a Sport Conversation for Change, focusing on the importance of NGWSD to “inspire girls and women to play … and realize their full power.” Everyone is invited to add their voices to the Wall of Song Project by singing FEELING GOOD—the song made famous by Nina Simone—as a call-to-action, an anthem of solidarity, mental and physical wellbeing for all, and advocacy for women’s athletics and a more equitable, racially just community.

Moderator:

Dr. Akilah Carter-Francique - Executive Director for the Institute for the Study of Sport, Society and Social Change & Associate Professor in the Department of African American Studies

Panelists

• Mel Day–Lecturer AY-B, Art and Art History, San José State University

• Dr. Amy August–Assistant Director for the Institute for the Study of Sport, Society and Social Change, San José State University

• Bonnie Sugiyama–Director PRIDE & Gender Equity Center, San José State University

• Dr. Tamar Semerjian–Chair & Professor Department of Kinesiology, Faculty Athletics Representative, San José State University

• Dr. Jalylah Burrell–Assistant Professor in the Department of African American Studies, San José State University