On Recent Social Events

Hello friends!

Being a minority and the second sex myself, I've been really hesitant to express my own opinions and mixed feelings on recent social events. However, I feel the urge to share this podcast by my former piano teacher, the renowned pianist Awadagin Pratt: https://artofthepiano.org/2020/06/13/aop-take-five/?fbclid=IwAR20WCas9D0uBnyjigSf76S6sg6OuenXTps6o1399aCzFh0NDGNCwvdg6_0. If you search online, you will learn that Mr. Pratt was the first African-American pianist to win the Naumburg International Piano Competition. This fact is highlighted again and again for a reason.

In this one-hour podcast, along with his own wonderful recordings, Prof. Pratt gives an insightful talk on social injustices, starting from sharing his own personal experiences. I particularly agree with the idea that Mr. Pratt encourages the audience to talk/socialize with black friends, not merely knowing of a few and being an outsider. To me, it's equivalent to AOC's words, "having a daughter does not make a man decent," in another sense.

Please do check it out!

Best,

Shing-Ming