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Reigniting Advocacy in West Virginia
A Look at Emerging Leadership and Collective Action
By Jazzmone Sutton, NAfME Senior Manager for State Advocacy and Equity
In the heart of West Virginia, a quiet yet powerful transformation is underway. This shift is driven by the steadfast dedication of a new generation of leaders committed to nurturing and advancing music education across the state. At the forefront of this movement is Genesis Mihalko, a second-year advocacy leader whose work is rejuvenating the advocacy landscape for music educators and students in the Mountain State.
As the West Virginia Music Educators Association’s (WVMEA) Advocacy Leadership Force chair, Genesis’s work is truly inspiring. As part of the annual NAfME Hill Day, Genesis coordinated meetings between WVMEA leaders and congressional members to discuss federal policy impacting music education in West Virginia. These Hill visits are crucial opportunities to voice the concerns and aspirations of music educators and students, ensuring that their needs and interests are reflected in federal policy decisions.
In addition to leading WVMEA’s participation in Hill Day, Genesis also leads the WVMEA Advocacy Leadership Force (ALF), a collective of representatives from across the state working to propel advocacy efforts in the state forward.

West Virginia State Capitol in Charleston, West Virginia. Photo: Posnov / Moment Collection via Getty Images
The NAfME ALF, of which the WVMEA ALF is modeled after, is composed of state advocacy chairs from state music education associations (MEAs). The ALF meets monthly to discuss topics and share ideas that help MEA members become more effective advocates in their states. The ALF is led by NAfME Senior Manager for State Advocacy and Equity Jazzmone Sutton. NAfME encourages all music education advocates to connect with your ALF representative.
One key WVMEA advocacy resource is the creation of advocacy challenges released on its social media (follow on Facebook). These challenges are designed to engage members in meaningful advocacy activities, from holding vertically aligned music education focused check-ins, to tips on connecting with administrators. Their mission is clear: to provide actionable resources and foster a culture of advocacy among WVMEA members.
Another goal of the ALF is to equip West Virginia advocates with the knowledge and skills to impact positive change for music students. To accomplish this goal, advocacy leaders are working on an advocacy 101 session to be presented at the WVMEA annual In-Service Conference. All are welcome to attend in the hopes of learning practical strategies to implement advocacy no matter their location. The ALF hopes that every member feels empowered and prepared to champion the cause of music education.
The efforts of the WVMEA ALF are not just about policy and advocacy; they represent a broader vision of orchestrating success in its various forms throughout West Virginia. The ALF is working in collaboration with NAfME to create resources to better support educators and students in Title I schools.
By fostering a strong, engaged community of advocates they are ensuring that music education remains a vibrant and valued part of the state’s education landscape. Together, they are composing a future where music education thrives, and their commitment continues to resonate across the Mountain State.
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Published Date
October 31, 2024
Category
- Advocacy
- Advocacy
- State Advocacy & Public Policy
Copyright
October 31, 2024. © National Association for Music Education (NAfME.org)