“ Let’s Go-Go ”: Music,Community,and Social Responsibilities

Abstract

In this article, I examine the role of music education in fostering social responsibilities by challenging the pervasive notion of music as a universal language. Using the Let’s Go-Go Band initiative by the District of Columbia Public Schools as an example, I illustrate how music functions as a culturally situated practice shaped by local histories and community values. In addition, I offer practical strategies for music educators to engage more critically with issues of social responsibility in their teaching. Last, I advocate for a more critically engaged, place-based, and socially embedded model of music education; one that embraces intentional, reflective pedagogies and acknowledges music’s complex role in advancing equity, empathy, and community resilience.