April 11–12, 2025
Beckmen YOLA Center, Inglewood, CA
The 2025 West Coast Regional Gathering has concluded.
This two-day convening brought together music educators, program leaders, administrators, and Youth Ambassador alumni from across the El Sistema USA network. The event focused on youth voice, student and staff wellbeing, and equity-based music education through a series of expert-led workshops, cross-sector conversations, and youth-centered reflections.
This event was made possible through support of the National Endowment for the Arts and Youth Orchestra of Los Angeles.
We thank all who participated and contributed to this meaningful gathering. Up next: the East Coast Regional Gathering in Baltimore, June 20–21, 2025.
View photos from the event below. Photo credit: Paul Cressey
Event Photos
Speakers
Dr. Ndindi Kitonga
Co-Founder Angeles Workshop School
Ndindi Kitonga, Ph.D., is a Kenyan American educator, community organizer, and human rights activist dedicated to radical education, mutual aid, and abolitionist care, co-founding Angeles Workshop School and Palms Unhoused Mutual Aid (PUMA) while also teaching ethnic studies at California State University, Long Beach.
Dr. Ivonne Chand O’Neal
Founder and Chief Research Officer of MUSE Research
Ivonne Chand O’Neal, Ph.D., is a leading expert in creativity research, arts impact assessment, and cultural strategy, serving as the Founder and Chief Research Officer of MUSE Research, where she works with educational institutions, government agencies, and the entertainment industry to advance equity, access, and human flourishing through the arts.
Marianne Diaz
Founder of CleanSlate
Marianne Diaz is the Director of Outreach Services at the Southern California Counseling Center, using her lived experience to provide accessible mental health support and gang intervention in Watts and the greater Los Angeles-area, creating a community-centered space for healing and transformation.
Helen Lessick
Artist & Public Art Consultant
Helen Lessick is a creative catalyst and nationally recognized arts consultant dedicated to fostering artist-driven public art projects, cultural policy, and community engagement, with a legacy of enhancing under-resourced communities through the arts in the U.S. and internationally.
Dan Trahey
Manager of Creative Youth Voice & Leadership at El Sistema USA and the Director and Founder of Peabody’s Tuned-In Program
Dan Trahey is a musician, composer, educator, and social entrepreneur who designs socially conscious music programs rooted in youth and community voice. He has helped launch initiatives across the U.S. and internationally, including OrchKids and Tuned In at Peabody Conservatory, where he serves as Director. He also founded The Collective Conservatory to expand immersive music-making nationwide. Dan holds an M.M. from Yale and a B.M.E. from Peabody.
Alumni Panelists
Mary Elizalde
Founder of Classically Imperfect
Mary Elizalde is a freshman at USC studying Psychology and Musical Studies with an emphasis on violin. A Youth Orchestra Los Angeles (YOLA) alumna and former Concertmistress, she continues to work with YOLA professionally and musically.
She is the Founder of Classically Imperfect, an organization dedicated to mental health and wellness for young classical musicians, collaborating with artists from the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Peabody Conservatory, and Dreamyard. Additionally, she was selected as a member of the 2024 ESUSA Youth Ambassador Cohort.
Osi Atikpoh
Tubist, Educator, and Podcast Host
Osi Atikpoh is a Nigerian American tubist, educator, and podcast host based in Santa Monica, CA. A proud graduate of the Tuned-In program at the Peabody Institute, he went on to study at the Peabody Conservatory and the UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music. Osi has made his mark as a performer, sharing the stage as a soloist and orchestral musician with some of the world’s leading artists, including Kanye West, Slauson Malone, and many others. As an educator, he is dedicated to arts-based youth development, having worked with programs like the Peabody Preparatory, Baltimore Symphony OrchKids, and Harmony Project. Beyond his musical endeavors, Osi is the host of A Song Called Life, a podcast where he engages with entertainers, entrepreneurs, and thought leaders across various industries to share insights and inspire listeners.
Hugo Tomas
Zapotec-American Trumpeter and Educator
Hugo Tomas is a Zapotec-American trumpeter and educator from Los Angeles. A versatile performer, he has played with the Los Angeles Opera, San Diego Symphony, and artists like Arturo Sandoval and Sonora Dinamita.
An alumnus of Youth Orchestra Los Angeles (YOLA), he now teaches with YOLA, Young Musicians Foundation, and Harmony Project. He also founded the Hugo Tomas Trumpet Academy to provide affordable lessons for young musicians. As part of OaxaCalifornia, he works to preserve and innovate Oaxacan musical traditions.
Sponsors
This event is made possible in part by the National Endowement for the Arts.
Thank you to the Los Angeles Philharmonic for hosting and sponsoring the event!