Music serves as a powerful medium to connect with emotions. On Thursday, I snuck into another music classroom as they were finishing their last ten minutes. The teacher asked the children to sit down and then pushed play on a YouTube video called “No Mirrors in My Nana’s House”, written by Ysaye Maria Barnwell, illustrated by Synthia Saint James, and performed by Sweet Honey in the Rock. This song profoundly conveys messages about beauty and acceptance.

Sweet Honey in the Rock’s African American musical tradition captured the children’s attention and enriched their cultural awareness. They sat quietly until the song ended. The teacher, then, asked the students questions – why did the students think there were no mirrors? What magic did the girl see because there were no mirrors? Why is this song important?

Music education fosters empathy, tolerance, and a deeper understanding of diverse cultures, contributing to a more inclusive society. While this story could be used as a read-alone by a teacher or by the students themselves, there is a unique power when a story is sung in the same tradition as the author who originally wrote it.