Funded by the dedicated AOK Community.

East Oakland Pride Elementary School music instructor Deb Barsotti is partnering with renowned guest instructor Tacuma King to decolonize the music and instruments that students will learn in the coming year. Students in grades 3-5 at Pride have historically learned violin and euro-centric songs. With AOK funding, Pride will acquire several indigenous African instruments, including a Balafon, Sangban Dunun, Ba, Kinkini, and Djembes. Mr. King and Ms. Barsotti will then instruct the students weekly in African and South American cultural music learned by ear and played on both the violin and the African instruments. Students will share what they’ve learned in performances during school assemblies.