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PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Candice Michelle Franklin, Artistic Director of Jazz Ain't Dead
4:45:51
·
147 sec
Candice Michelle Franklin, a dancer and artistic director, advocated for restoring funding lost from the National Endowment of the Arts. She emphasized the essential nature of arts in uplifting communities, amplifying marginalized voices, and creating a sense of belonging.
- Franklin highlighted her work as a teaching artist with various institutions, including the Department of Education and Jazz Mobile.
- She stressed that arts funding makes free public programming possible, enabling artists to bring joy, teach history, and create opportunities.
- Franklin urged the council to restore NEA funding for theater, music, dance, and visual arts, arguing that investing in the arts is an investment in people and communities.
Candice Michelle Franklin
4:45:51
This is my first time ever doing anything like this.
4:45:53
I'm just an independent dancer.
4:45:55
But good afternoon council members.
4:45:57
My name is Candace Michelle Franklin and I'm honored to stand before you today to advocate for restoring funding to, from the loss from the National Endowment of the Arts.
4:46:07
I'm a dancer, choreographer, music producer, creative director, and the artistic director of Jazz Ain't Dead.
4:46:13
Most importantly, I'm a teaching artist working with institutions such as the Department Education, DOE, Jazz Mobile, Geoffrey Ballet School, Lincoln Center, the National Jazz Museum of Harlem, Yaffa Arts, Harlem One Stop, and Kumbay Center for African and Diaspora Dance.
4:46:32
Like the lady from the Met said earlier, the arts are not a luxury, they are essential.
4:46:37
They uplift communities, amplify marginalized voices, further dialogue toward equality, and remind people from all walks of life that they are seen and valued.
4:46:49
Most of my work is free to the public not because the arts are free but because arts funding makes public programming possible.
4:46:58
With the arts we are not just showing dance, we are bringing joy, excellence, teaching history, creating opportunities and sometimes on a day celebrating culture through the love of social dance, we have the beautiful extraordinary power simply through the offer of our dancers hand to show people that they are seen and that they matter.
4:47:18
For example, we work with seniors with Jazz Mobile and autistic children with the DOE teaching Lindy Hop and giving opportunity to perform with social and be social and be seen and feel valued.
4:47:34
I'm gonna jump over because I wanna make sure I make that seventeen seconds.
4:47:38
Probably not.
4:47:42
But anyway, that being said, let's say this, funding doesn't just support artists, it supports the people artists uplift, restoring arts funding strengthens communities, preserves history and builds bridges across generations.
4:47:55
It's not just a lifeline for artists in this city but a means for them to create belonging, provide opportunities and ensure that communities are seen and valued.
4:48:05
Ultimately enriching lives and improving the quality of life for all.
4:48:08
So I ask you, please help restore NEA funding for theater, music and dance, the visual and fine arts because when we invest in the arts, we invest in people.
4:48:18
Thank you.