Drumming Up Change: A Conversation With Grooversity’s Marcus Santos And Elmer Pleitez

The infectious beat of Marcus Santos and the Brazilian drumming group he leads helps students at Somerville high school feel more welcome and engage in the community. Marcus has spearheaded the formation of a loose network of more than 20 drumming groups around the world. The Somerville group and the network as a whole are called Grooversity. In this episode, Marcus is joined by Elmer Pleitez, a junior at Somerville High School. Marcus and Elmer talk about: - Why this style of street music was banned in Brazil along with related Afro-Brazilian styles such as Samba reggae and how the US civil rights movement influenced these musical forms. - How making a better match between the mostly immigrant population at a high school and the music that is practiced and performed has contributed to a better sense of comfort and engagement among all students. - The Grooversity curriculum and its current focus on mental wellness. - Marcus and Elmer’s advice to social justice leaders who want to diversify the membership within the group: help promote the pursuit of happiness and create a loving structure for participants.

Our producer, John Consilvio joins Warren Goldstein-Gelb behind the microphone for this interview. Resources: - Grooversity webpage including training videos: - TED talks featuring Marcus and his students: Grooversity Mission TedX Marcos Santos at TedX Somerville - Some of the music in this podcast episode is from the Grooversity CD. - Social media: Facebook Twitter