NAMM members will return to the nation’s capital this spring for the organization’s 13th annual NAMM Music Education Advocacy DC Fly-In, scheduled for May 22 to 25. As business owners and representatives, NAMM members will have the opportunity to advocate for the industry at large to elected officials. Their common mission is to articulate the value, and the importance, of music education to elected officials.

“I think there are two very different approaches that individuals tend to take in our democracy: either sit on the sidelines and pine for a different outcome, or jump in and help change it for the better,” Joe Lamond, NAMM’s President and CEO, said. “This May, NAMM members from around the country will come to DC in one delegation, with one voice, to support our industry’s core beliefs. Won’t you join them?”

The week of advocacy will begin on May 22 with a Day of Service. That’s a chance for members to put advocacy into action with a visit to a local elementary school, where they’ll meet administrators, teachers and students, as well as provide musical instruction. On May 23, the Fly-In delegates will receive legislative briefings from leading policy experts and influencers, learn about the policies and priorities of the new administration, and receive advocacy training for meetings with elected officials both in DC and in their home states.

On May 24, NAMM delegates will head to Capitol Hill to meet with members of Congress and their staff to engage in meaningful dialogue regarding the importance of music education in their own districts. Delegates will ask for congressional support in the implementation and funding of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), which was signed into law by President Obama in 2015 and which is moving toward state-level implementation. Later that evening, NAMM members will have the chance to continue their networking with other members and officials at a Celebration for Music Education Reception, which will be held in the U.S. Capitol Building.

For detailed information, visit namm.org/issues-and-advocacy/fly-in. To register to attend, visit cvent.com/d/tvqtc3/4W.

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