How do we embrace a new way of being when so many of the old and unsustainable ways continue to be incentivized? Corey shares the story of a serendipitous encounter with a powerful life lesson that took a decade to unlock. Perpetual Sabbatical provides insight for interrogating your current social impact practice and fundamentally shifting the way you and your institution can exist.

Corey Davis (he|they), Founder & Creative Director, Maven Leadership Collective

Alexandra Martinez, (she|her) Producer

Over My Head is a call to action. Inspired by the powerful anthems of the Black Church in America, it reimagines how joy and power-building can fuel today’s social justice movements. Rooted in spirituals and sacred music, the work was developed over three days in a collaborative, experimental workshop led by Hued Songs, a Maven-led nonprofit dedicated to amplifying Black culture, and guided by a prompt from Maven Leadership Collective. While we hoped for a cohesive result, the focus was always on the process, not the outcome. What you hear is pure experimentation—an honest reflection of what happens when artists have the freedom to explore without the pressure of perfection.

Maven Laurah Merisier (she|they), Vocalist

Jasmine Willliams (she|her), Vocalist

Miriam King (she|her), Vocalist

Chauncey Riley (he|him), Drums

Muzelle, (she|her), Violin

Joshua Walton (he|him), Bass

J'von Brown (he|him), Vocalist & Vocal Director

Kendall “King” Friday (he|him), Keyboard & Music Director

Maven Kunya Rowley (he|him), Artistic Director, Hued Songs

Corey Davis (he|they), Executive Producer

What does it mean to be “in community”? From board leadership to loved ones, let’s discuss the meaningful relationships that propel us to become more impactful leaders. Hear from Mavens and collaborators in the arts, organizing, and consulting as they share the reasons they invest in values-based relationships and the criteria and practices they use to elevate them beyond the transactional. Contributors share insight on how relationships influence board culture, staff engagement, organizational change, professional development, and entrepreneurship opportunities.

Maven Pioneer Winter, (he|they) Executive Artistic Director, Pioneer Winter Collective

Alyssa Nitchun, (she|her) Executive Director, Leslie-Lohman Museum of Art

J. Soto, (he|him) Director of Engagement & Operations, Leslie-Lohman Museum of Art

Maven Iliana Santillan, (she|her) Executive Director, El Pueblo

Maven Gaby Garcia-Vera, (all pronouns) Founder, Flamboyan Consulting

Alexandra Martinez, (she|her) Narrator & Producer

Corey Davis (he|they), Executive Producer

What does it mean to be “in community”? From board leadership to loved ones, let’s discuss the meaningful relationships that propel us to become more impactful leaders. Hear from Mavens and collaborators in the arts, organizing, and consulting as they share the reasons they invest in values-based relationships and the criteria and practices they use to elevate them beyond the transactional. Contributors share insight on how relationships influence board culture, staff engagement, organizational change, professional development, and entrepreneurship opportunities.

Jazmyn Beauchan (she|her), Narrator

Diane Felicio (she|her), Board President, Leslie-Lohman Museum of Art

Maven Doris Parent (she|her), Chief IDEAS Officer, The Philadelphia Orchestra & Ensemble Arts | Board Chair, Maven Leadership Collective

Maven Pioneer Winter (he|they), Executive Artistic Director, Pioneer Winter Collective

Corey Davis (he|they), Executive Producer

Musician Diego Melgar (he|him) reflected on the music that has moved him to action in the past–it is electronic music. The passion and dedication he has seen in communities—both for music and for social justice—continues to inspire him. Drawing influence from Chicago Footwork, gospel, sacred steel music Melgar offers this reflective meditation on the original version of Over My Head, using isolated samples. He uses improvisation, layers of lush guitars and drums—even the imperfections and oddities in his performance—as landmarks to create a sense of propulsion early in the track. Despite the shifting tempo, Melgar maintains a consistent rhythm using a wooden rim sound, anchored by rhythmic mathematics.The intentionality behind every part of this production is evident, showcasing techniques Melgar has learned over recent years in full bloom.

Diego Melgar (he|him), Producer

Marty Quinn (he|him), Bass

If so much of the data affirms the value of meaningful diversity, why are so many leaders and institutions moving against their own sustainability interests? Maven’s approach to recalibrating organizational culture has never been about "changing hearts and minds." Instead, we focus on helping leaders cultivate organizational culture by building an equity skill set—just as we do in other areas of professional expertise—essential for creating businesses and organizations that endure in a world of evolving norms and expectations. Since the country’s supposed reckoning with race and identity, there has been a noticeable decline in investing in equity. In this track, Maven’s Corey Davis, a client J. Soto, and a groundbreaking industry leader, Doris Parent explore why organizations are giving up on equity when research shows that everyone gains from it.

Movement One: Corey Davis (he|they), Founder & Creative Director, Maven Leadership Collective

Movement Two: J. Soto (he|him), Director of Engagement & Operations, Leslie-Lohman Museum of Art

Movement Three: Maven Doris Parent (she|her), Maven & Chief IDEAS Officer, The Philadelphia Orchestra & Ensemble Arts

Deep in a lush rainforest just north of a quiet surf town on the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica, where we host Maven Camp each year, Maven Iliana Santillan sends us an audio postcard about her encounter with Bruna, a headstrong horse that challenged her to embrace hard truths she already knew about her personal wellbeing and leadership and to release the stories she held about herself that no longer served her.

Maven Iliana Santillan, (she|her), Executive Director, El Pueblo

Maven Nadege Green, (she|her), Producer

Inspired by all the many little deaths that we endure on our way to becoming who we are meant to be, poet Arsimmer McCoy penned a new commission, Lazarus, is woven together with Laurah Merisier’s haunting vocals as she sings A Place for You. This beautiful collaboration, originally conceived after Maven Camp and further developed during our visit with Orlando alumnx, follows in what has now become an annual tradition of spotlighting the Maven experience in the current cohort. Please enjoy the talents of these two Mavens from our 2024 cohort.

Maven Laurah Merisier (she|they), Vocalist, Founder, Miami Soundspace

Maven Arsimmer McCoy (she|her), Multidisciplinary Artist

Corey Davis (he|they), Executive Producer

Kendall “King” Friday (he|him), Producer

A Place for You, courtesy of Melanie DeMore

Maven Laurah Merisier shares the creative process behind Eternal, the Maven collaboration that weaves together themes of growth through life’s “little deaths”—the struggles and losses that shape who we are meant to become. A death doula shares lessons from her practice on moving through these “little deaths” with grace, joy, and possibility.

Maven Laurah Merisier (she|they), Founder, Miami Soundspace

Aquira “Kiwi” Hall (she/her), Death & Birth Doula

Alexandra Martinez (she|her), Producer

Coda signals a departure from a familiar refrain in anticipation of the conclusion. This feels fitting as we transition to a pivotal year filled with final movements and milestones, departing once again from the familiar. We know the early adopters will get it and embrace the work ahead with enthusiasm. We hope you are one of them. And even if you don’t totally get it, we hope that our body of work and impact are sufficient to garner your trust.

"You must find your mixtape people.”

Featuring:

M.1

Perpetual Sabbatical

M.2

Over My Head

M.3

The Company We Keep Pt. 1

M.4

The Company We Keep Pt. 2

M.5

U-Know (Over My Head remix)

M.6

The Equity Case: Variations on a Theme

M.7

You Can Lead A Horse

M.8

Eternal

M.9

All These Little Deaths/ Eternal Reprise