Embracing Diversity: Our Commitment to an Inclusive and Respectful Community

Living Jazz is not immune to the tension and division showing up around the world—and within our own community. We have been sitting with the hard questions, listening deeply, and doing our best to respond in ways that reflect our mission and values.

For over 40 years, Living Jazz has worked to build spaces where people feel respected and free to be their full selves. We have had courageous conversations, brought in outside voices to challenge our knowledge gaps, and reflected internally—knowing that we don’t have all the answers, but we won't ignore what’s happening around us.

Living Jazz recognizes that by having the word Jazz in our organization’s name and as part of our mission, there’s an intrinsic responsibility to honor Black musicians as the creators and to share the history and to respectfully support the advancement of the culture.

We will never ask our artists or participants to censor themselves. Instead, we strive to hold space for complexity—with mutual respect at the center. We believe our community’s diversity of background, belief, and identity is a strength, and we approach our differences with care, curiosity, and compassion.

This is what allows us to host a pride parade and sing gospel at Jazz Camp West, to honor Shabbat and indigenous traditions, to teach the cultural roots of jazz to children, and to uplift the voices of Black and Brown communities through our MLK tribute.

The work isn’t easy, and it’s never finished. But in this environment, people can listen, be heard, and feel held. That is the beauty of Living Jazz.

Update 5/19/2025