Why We're Pausing This Summer

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Seattle JazzED is built on resilience—on the power of community, creativity, and music to carry us through change. We’re sharing an important update about our summer programs, and the intentional steps we’re taking to strengthen our future. 

After careful consideration and deep reflection, we’ve made the difficult decision to pause our summer programming this year—apart from our Second Line Camp, which will continue as planned. 

We’re taking this pause now so that we can move forward stronger—building programs that are sustainable, rooted in community, and built to last. 

Over the past two years, Seattle JazzED has gone through significant internal changes. We’ve welcomed new leadership, adjusted how our team works together, and restructured to better align with our financial reality and the direction we’re headed. 

At the same time, we’ve been navigating the same headwinds affecting many nonprofits: increased demand for financial assistance, shifting philanthropic priorities from donors, and the continued impact of inflation and economic uncertainty on families and organizations alike.  

Even through all this change, one thing has remained steady: our commitment to our teaching artists, students, families, and supporters. 

But the numbers tell a hard truth. We’ve seen a steady decline in tuition revenue. As costs rise and financial assistance requests increase, the gap between revenue and program expenses has become unsustainable. Our fundraising efforts alone can no longer maintain the level of support and quality programming that we strive to provide. 

Rather than risk last-minute disruptions during the school year, we’re choosing to pause during the summer so that we can refocus. Our team will be using this time to strengthen our financial model, refine our program offerings, and expand outreach to increase enrollment this fall.  

At the heart of this decision is our commitment to the long-term health of Seattle JazzED. We are dedicated to ensuring that our programs are not only sustainable but also accessible to all families, no matter their circumstances.  

By taking this step now, we’re making space to do the thoughtful, behind-the-scenes work that will ensure Seattle JazzED remains a thriving home for youth, music, and creativity for years to come. 

For any questions, please reach out to our Executive Director at liz@seattlejazzed.org.

Claiming Space in Jazz: A Personal and Collective Story

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By Shelby Archer, Program Registration Manager at Seattle JazzED

My journey in jazz began in 6th grade when I picked up the saxophone. From middle school through college, I was often one of the only girls or femme players in jazz bands, which created an internal pressure to prove my worth in what felt like a boys' club. I developed a tough, competitive edge—always striving to be the best while simultaneously battling the urge to hide or quit. But my love for jazz and playing music kept me going.  

Playing saxophone became my voice and way of carving out space in a male-dominated field, where I ultimately found belonging through music and lifelong friendships with fellow band geeks. 

That experience shaped the way I see my work today. I’ve been at Seattle JazzED for two years now, and even though I was never a Seattle JazzED student myself (said with only slight jealousy and regret), I feel incredibly close to the work we do as a jazz musician and educator. 

I’ve worn many hats before landing in my current role as the Program Registration Manager. I started by working in our after-school Foundations programs, commuting to Seattle Public Schools throughout the week. I was an extra adult in the room with a musical background—helping students tune their instruments, fixing strings on the fly, taking attendance, encouraging participation and focus, and sometimes engaging in impromptu dance battles (when challenged). It was a hands-on role that connected me deeply with students, their families, our teachers, and school administrators.  

Now, in my more behind-the-scenes role, I focus on family communications and student registration, tracking student demographics, and synthesizing reports for our staff and board. As a right-brained musician, I was intimidated by the data-heavy aspect of my role. But I’ve come to view these spreadsheets as stories, or snapshots of our students' journeys at Seattle JazzED. 

For most of JazzED’s history, our student demographics reflected the same gender disparity that has existed in jazz spaces for decades. Despite our commitment to inclusivity and creating a space where all students feel free to express themselves—learning to be brave and not perfect—historical patterns are difficult to break.  

Traditional music programs, particularly those with auditions and competitive placement systems, can be intimidating, especially for young girls. Even though jazz as an art form is rooted in freedom and self-expression, many school-based programs have cultivated environments that unintentionally uphold exclusivity. 

One of my biggest projects in this role has been analyzing our student data over the past five years—tracking shifts in race, ethnicity, gender, and zip codes, as well as financial accessibility through our sliding scale tuition. Seattle JazzED has evolved immensely over the last 15 years, especially in response to the changing needs of the community. The impacts of COVID-19, shifts in enrollment, and even our move from South Seattle to South Lake Union have all influenced who we serve. Through it all, our commitment to accessibility and inclusivity remains the same. 

That’s why fall 2024 marked a historic milestone. The past five years of demographic data showed a consistent predominance of He/Him-identifying students across all our programs—aside from our Femme Ellington Project (our class made up of all-femme identifying players!). But this fall, for the first time, She/Her-identifying students became the most reported gender identity among our students. This shift reflects years of intentional effort to create an inclusive space where all students feel they belong—a milestone worth celebrating. 

Looking at the data is one thing, but seeing it come to life in our classrooms is another. When I see young students stepping into our space, picking up their instruments with confidence, and improvising without fear—being brave, not perfect—I see a version of myself I wish I had unlocked when I was younger. More importantly, I see a future for jazz that is more diverse, more welcoming, and more representative of the voices that have always deserved to be heard.  

Jazz is a Black American art form, born from resilience and resistance against oppression. Because of this, we must play it and teach it in a way that is empowering, reformative, and rooted in inclusivity. Jazz must be a space where all players feel free to express themselves, and that’s exactly what we strive to cultivate at Seattle JazzED. 

Celebrating 15 Years of Seattle JazzED

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On March 6, 2025, the Seattle JazzED community came together for Soundtrack for the Future, our 15th anniversary gala that transformed the Amazon Meeting Center into a vibrant hub of music and community. This annual event benefits Seattle JazzED’s work to foster lifelong music-makers through accessible, exceptional jazz education.  

Thanks to the incredible generosity of the JazzED community, including donors who contributed before the gala and those who gave throughout the evening, we raised $262,805. Your support is what makes our mission possible, ensuring that every young person who wants to make music has access to high-quality, inclusive, and enriching music education. 

Amidst lively conversations and the energetic sounds of Alex Dugdale’s Deca-Dance, guests enjoyed a spread of Cajun cuisine catered by Old Ballard Catering Company, topped off with desserts from La Liath Bakery.  

Our emcee, Trae Holiday, guided us through the evening with energy and warmth. Jazz Lab students kicked off the program with a soulful performance of “Mercy, Mercy, Mercy” that had heads nodding and the crowd clapping. 

A special moment of the evening was welcoming our new executive director, Liz Riggs Meder. In her speech, Liz reflected on her personal journey with music education and the vital role it plays in young people’s lives.

“What we do is truly inspiring. And it has me reflecting on my own musical upbringing. For you see, I am a product of music education. While my paid professions have spanned engineering, mountain guiding and education, who I am was forged by my experiences in the band room...    

Giving children a joyful space to creatively express themselves? That is just as essential as literacy or numeracy. Every student has a right to that. Every child should have access to high-quality, inclusive, and enriching music education, no matter the school they attend or their ability to pay. And I believe that JazzED and our mission rooted in the resilient values of jazz can make this happen. ”

Following Liz’s speech, Seattle JazzED alum Jahnvi Madan took the stage for a performance of “Flowers No One Has Ever Seen,” a reminder of the power of music to inspire and connect.  

The night closed with a community music-making moment led by Alex Dugdale and Deca-Dance. As the band played the Latin jazz classic “Manteca,” guests shook maracas and filled the room with movement and celebration.