I BELIEVE

A Community Transformation Initiative from Pianist Lara Downes

Musician, activist, and cultural catalyst LARA DOWNES leads the community transformation Initiative I Believe. The program's mission is to introduce children to classical music's wonders while celebrating Black composers long neglected in the concert hall. The event also showcases students' voices in the form of their own personal credos or I Believe statements, several of which will be read as part of the assembly. Below are some of the most recent events.

I BELIEVE @ USC WITH LOS ANGELES MASTER CHORALE

On March 23, 2024…

I BELIEVE @ WATTS LEARNING CENTER

On February 8th, 2023, in commemoration of Black History Month and as part of a partnership between KUSC and Los Angeles Public Schools, over 400 Watts Learning Center middle school students attended the “I Believe” event.