Philly 2 Cents

What is 2Cents?  

2 C.ommunities:  Kensington and West Philadelphia

E.mpowering N.eighbors to T.each S.tudents:  Music is a pillar of Black and Brown communities.  There are hundreds of Black and Brown musicians and artists in Philadelphia right now who love kids, love music, and see music as a cure for negative emotions and a wellspring of positivity and inner brilliance.  These artists may not know they have a pathway to employment as teaching artists, then certified teachers.  2Cents is here to inform them of opportunities, provide basic training, support them in the classroom, and help them take the next step toward degree programs and certification if they choose to do so.

Why did we form 2Cents?  Many Black and Brown students devote themselves to the study of music with rigor and passion in high school, only to find barriers when they apply to audition for collegiate music education programs.  Some of these barriers include:

• Auditions based almost exclusively on classical music repertoire
• Degree programs with a course catalog dominated by classical music history and theory
• High cost of earning a degree vs low entry-level salaries compared to other professions
• Devaluation of non-European cultures’ modalities of learning and appreciating music

We feel that passion for artistic expression, cultural authenticity, and a shared lived experience are the most valuable capital in reaching Black and Brown students in Philadelphia, outweighing the value of training typically accrued in most P.W.I. music education degree programs.

Who is involved in 2Cents?

• Douglas Payne, Jr: President & son of Douglas Payne, Sr, retired PSD music educator
• Dwight Carter, Vice President, teacher, mentor & former math educator for Global Leadership Academy
• Jesse Mell, founder of Mad Beatz Philly and Citywide Drumline Coordinator for Phila. Schools
• Travien Bryson, teacher mentor and 2021 Lindback Award recipient; Math SBTL @ Carnell School
• Alandra Abrams
• Shantair Fordham,
• Robert Cole,
• Lanisha Holland,
• Martina Williams,
• Saeed Abdul Khabeer
• Melvin Powell and Robert Smith, community recruitment partners

Where are the teacher training sessions conducted?

• West Kensington Ministry, 2140 N Hancock St: Click here to view Spring 2022 training
• Cristo Rey High School, 1717 W Allegheny Ave: Click here to view Summer 2021 training

Where are the teaching artists placed after training?

• Mastery Prep Elementary, 1801 W Pike St: Click here to view Cultural Connections K-2
• Mastery Prep Middle School, 1798 W Hunting Park Ave: Click here to view Cultural Connections 6-8
• Belmont Charter High School 1301 Belmont Ave.
• Philadelphia Recreation Centers: Click here to view Summer 2021 programming for Gr. 3-5
• Mann Music Center Motion & Music Academy: Click here to view Spring 2021 programming

How can I connect with 2Cents? 

Email Executive Director Douglas Payne, Jr:  philly2cents@gmail.com

You are invited to volunteer with 2cents, where you can work along side youth, teaching artists, and community leaders from Philadelphia. Volunteers will have the opportunity to teach group drumming, capoeira, visual arts, and music production in classroom settings.