Many barriers exist for student musicians trying to move from high school to the collegiate level, which have only increased since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Music Inclusion Coalition (MIC), co-founded and led by Nora Segura-Barpal (‘20), aims to address this problem by making music accessible to all students, but particularly those who identify as Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) or Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ). Students are provided resources, mentorship, and high-quality recording equipment, which makes submitting auditions for college music programs easier. MIC uses advocacy, technology, and personal support to help students achieve their goals and also increase the diversity of college music programs.
MIC produced a jazz concert performed by The Annie Booth Trio on Wednesday March 3, 2021 to support their mission to make music more inclusive. Nora and her co-founder Josh Wilson were recently invited to participate in a panel conversation called “Having a Positive Impact: Identifying Opportunities for Systemic Change" at the Diverse Musicians' Alliance and Entrepreneurship Center for Music at the University of Colorado.