“AMERI’KANA is our living love letter to the Black, indigenous, immigrant and Latino heroes of American music. We want kids like us to know that they come from heroes.” –Making Movies

The AMERI’KANA project grew alongside Art as Mentorship, and its reach has brought Art as Mentorship into the national spotlight. Art as Mentorship is the only organization in the Midwest building a network of GRAMMY award-winning and world-class musicians to serve as mentors to young, Black, Indigenous, immigrant and Latino artists. As mentors, these professional musicians inspire youth to, like themselves, raise their voices and create original music that is grounded in their culture and personal experience. 

The AMERI’KANA project’s ability to attract high level collaborators benefits Art as Mentorship greatly, providing mentoring and exposure from nationally-touring, Grammy-level artists. The events and content creation associated with AMERI’KANA provide opportunities for young artists in the programs to gain real world performing experience and develop transferable digital skills, as both performers and producers of its output.  

The yearly festival, Celebrate AMERI’KANA serves as a “graduation” for young artists in Art as Mentorship’s programs. The opportunity to play alongside historically significant NEA heritage award-winning musicians is the punctuation mark on the learning and success the young artists have achieved.

The AMERI’KANA brand is leveraged as a fundraising mechanism for Art as Mentorship.

PURPOSE

  • AMERI’KANA highlights the influence of the Black and Brown musicians that created and continue to carry the legacy of American music, honoring lineage and legacy while exploring its impact.
  • AMERI’KANA is a response to intolerance and division, and a step toward healing the deep fissures in American society, reminding us of the connections we share.
  • AMERI’KANA engages underserved, immigrant and Latinx communities in a retelling of the American music story; inviting students, audiences, and performers to reassess their own sense of identity through an exploration of music history.
  • AMERI’KANA fills a gap in education, particularly for immigrant and BIPOC students, engaging and empowering young people through music, mentorship and performing opportunities.