Celebrating Black History Through Music

On February 24, 2026 LMU Music alumnus Donovan Claverie '25 visited St. Anastasia Catholic School to play music and speak with four to 14-year-old students about the intersection of music and Black history.

Bryant Keith Alexander, dean of the College of Communication and Fine Arts (CFA), attended the three sessions presented by Claverie. He noted, "Within these presentations I was impressed with his content mastery and his personable delivery. But also, the manner in which he navigated serious issues of slavery and segregation that serve as foundational contributors to the creativity and innovation of Black creativity. And to communicate that to youth populations from junior kindergarten to eighth grade - with care and grace, and with an invitation to be critical consumers of the music and its origins during Black History Month and beyond."

The invite came from Bella Franklin, a Black and Indo-Fijian 8th grade student who has grown up in the Catholic school system. "Throughout my time in school, I have faced many challenges, especially with my classmates using rude and offensive language towards me, such as racial slurs, and being isolated. This affected me in many ways - it made me feel different, even in something as simple as not sharing the same hair/hairstyles as the other girls in my class. I felt like the one student who was looked at differently any time something about diversity or inclusion came up," Franklin writes.

To combat isolation and build a bridge across cultures, Franklin got to work. She created a new student council role at St. Anastasia, the Diversity and Inclusion Coordinator (DAIC), which she expects 10 other local schools to adopt. As DAIC, Franklin plans monthly events to promote cultural awareness. "I saw the lack of diversity at my school and I wanted to help people understand and empathize with others better by learning about their cultures and customs. My mission is to make everyone feel seen and heard," she writes.

Franklin, who spent time as a percussionist in the LA Philharmonic Youth Orchestra, is especially passionate about how different cultures affect music. Claverie's presentation for Black History Month gave an overview of various music genres including gospel, jazz, rock, rhythm and blues, and hip hop.

"[The] presentation from LMU was important because it connected ALL of our students through music and helped them to realize that Black History Month, and the contributions of Black people throughout history, is a positive wonderful thing that should be celebrated," Franklin writes.

"I was impressed with the students, faculty, and staff at St. Anastasia Catholic School. There is something beautiful and powerful happening at that school, and we look forward to further engagements and partnerships in our shared mission of Catholic education," Dean Alexander writes.

Franklin was introduced to Dean Alexander by St. Anastasia Vice Principal Amanda M. Kraivanger BA '04, MA '06, who, while in the Bellarmine College of Liberal Arts, also studied under CFA's former Director of Choral Activities Mary Breden. During her time on campus, Kraivanger displayed a commitment to equity and justice, serving as President of Gryphon Circle. Her commitment continues in her current role, and she is known for facilitating positive connections amongst her network of mentors, mentees, colleagues, students, and friends.

"I love that we are establishing more of a partnership with LMU," writes Kraivanger. "I am of course biased because so much of who I am as a person and educator is because of my experiences there and the people I was able to know and learn from."

Kraivanger called Claverie a "natural" and was thankful for his support of Franklin's vision. "As [Bella] prepares to leave us for High School, she has left an important legacy for other students to follow," Kraivanger writes.