Dr. Angela Wellman’s musical journey traces back to her upbringing in Kansas City, MO. As a young person involved in a music training initiative that was backed by the CETA (Comprehensive Employment and Training Act) program, she found the trombone– or rather, it found her.

In 2005, after music carried her around the map, Angela founded the Oakland Public Conservatory of Music as a way to assist Black and brown kids in accessing musical education. Now, after receiving numerous accolades for her work, including the National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Study Fellowship and being inducted into the Alameda County Women’s Hall of Fame, Dr. Wellman recently completed her doctorate degree in education. The focus of her dissertation: the importance of access to music for Black and brown children.

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