Guitars and Ukes In The Classroom

Thank you for all you do, Dr. Seuss Foundation, and San Diego Foundation! Supporting early literacy prepares young children to become capable and enthusiastic readers, passionate learners, and participants in their classrooms and communities.

Guitars and Ukes In The Classroom San Diego Central Library San Diego Council on Literacy Head Start

Thank you, San Diego County Employees' Charitable Organization (a.k.a. CECO) for supporting GITC to purchase 21 beautiful, durable Waterman ukuleles made of 100% Global Recycled Standard sourced plastic for our work with children ages five and younger in Head Start programs with San Diego's MAAC Project! Littles of all abilities around the county are having their first experiences exploring hands-on music thanks to CECO!

Special thanks also to Ian and Robert at Kala Brand Music for surprising us by helping stretch the grant dollars farther.

Learn more about what CECO is doing for others with this short and inspiring video! So heartwarming, We are grateful. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TKkaeHDBMqM

CECO - Lend a Hand -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Make sure to follow us on social mediaFacebo...

TODAY's RALLY and COUNCIL MEETING POSTPONED:

Out of respect and concern for the community during the attack and loss of life at the Islamic Center of San Diego, today’s planned Arts and Culture rally and advocacy activities at Civic Plaza as well as the City Council meeting have been postponed.

Our hearts are with the Islamic community, the family members, the school children whose sense of safety has been shattered, their teachers, and with every caring San Diegan who is grieving at this tragic moment.

We do not have the full story yet, but the teens who waged this cruel attack and took their own lives afterward were obviously fueled by darkness and a desire for destruction. This is its own tragedy. What forces inspired such hatred and annihilation need to be stopped.

San Diego’s strength is in our inclusiveness, diversity, kindness, and resilience. We will stand together through this painful loss.

GITC got a wonderful visit from our old friend, Robin Greenfield and his awesome intern, Dani, this weekend. Many years ago when he started his crusade for living sustainably, in harmony with the planet, some of you might remember his epic bike rides across America! Posting and foraging along the way, from San Diego to Burlington, VT, and 1% for the Planet making friends, bringing awareness to the abundance of wasted food, overreliance on commercial plastic packaging, living his ideals, and sharing his adventures as they unfolded. Today Robin is teaching about living free and foraging. He taught a beautiful all day workshop yesterday at Olivewood Gardens & Learning Center. Robin is a source of perpetual learning, kindness, and inspiration. He has so much to teach, and does this so humbly. If you want to look at the world differently, we hope you'll spend time with our good friend!

Public outrage continues to grow after Mayor Todd Gloria added $0 for arts and culture restoration in his May Revise, intensifying criticism across San Diego and now drawing national attention.

Among the strongest voices this week were Erin Harkey, CEO of Americans for the Arts, and Julie Gerngross Baker, CEO of California for the Arts who warned that San Diego risks walking away from the very identity it has spent decades building as a nationally recognized creative city.

They wrote:

“It is time for our leaders to show up for artists and reaffirm support for the sector that both generates real economic impact and gives San Diego its soul.”

For the fourth week in a row, The San Diego Union-Tribune published an extraordinary wave of public letters opposing the proposed elimination of arts and culture funding. Voices from every corner of civic life — artists, educators, nonprofit leaders, parents, business advocates, and community members — are speaking out.

Even today’s front-page headline from reporter David Garrick asks: “The Making of the City’s Budget Crisis: How did San Diego come to find itself in this current financial fiasco?”

What is becoming increasingly clear is this: these cuts are no longer viewed as simply a budget issue. For many San Diegans, this has become a defining conversation about the future identity, economy, and soul of the city itself.

Read the full pages of public letters here:
https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/2026/05/17/letters-artists-and-arts-groups-ask-san-diego-to-reconsider-proposed-funding-cuts/

Call to Action:
Join the Arts & Culture Budget Crisis Press Conference & Rally
Monday, May 18 at 4 p.m.
Civic Center Plaza outside San Diego City Hall

RSVP:
https://bit.ly/RSVP_May18_CallToAction_PressConference

Jacob Collier has real, affirming words for the Berklee College of Music Grads, here. In times of struggle and challenge, he coaches from valuable personal reflection. Musicians, families and friends of musicians, please watch, Thank you, Jacob!

Jacob Collier’s Berklee Commencement Speech for the graduating class of 2026 🎓 Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

What's up with U.S. student test scores? Why are they so far below where they were 10 years ago. See the latest data. Cell phones and screens in classrooms are not actually helping our kids. Change means we can do something to turn things around!

Why U.S. Test Scores Are in a ‘Generation-Long Decline’ (Gift Article) The drops go beyond the pandemic and cut across income, geographic and racial divides, new data shows.