Dr. Jackson
Meet
Together in Harmony: Building Community Through Song
This interactive choral session will equip future music educators with practical tools and multicultural repertoire to foster unity, belonging, and cultural awareness in their classrooms. Participants will explore ways to use global choral music as a foundation for inclusive teaching practices, collaborative learning, and meaningful community building. Through shared singing, discussion, and culturally responsive strategies, this workshop will inspire educators to create spaces where every student feels seen, heard, and valued.
Biography
Dr. Arnekua Jackson is a dream maker, trailblazer, and award-winning music educator who has spent over sixteen years serving grades K through 12. She holds a Bachelor of Music Education from Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University and both a Master of Music Education and Doctor of Philosophy in Music Education from Florida State University. Dr. Jackson currently serves as the Director of Vocal Arts at St. Thomas University in Miami Gardens, Florida, where she oversees the university’s choral and musical theatre programs. She is currently traveling across the nation conducting choral masterclasses, leading music workshops, and presenting at teacher professional development conferences in Florida and national conventions. In 2024, Dr. Jackson was honored as the State of Black Learning Excellence in Education Recipient, a national award recognizing her commitment to transformative and inclusive music education. She also was selected to be the 2025 Leon County Elementary Honor Choir Clinician. Throughout her distinguished career, she has received numerous accolades including Teacher of the Year at both the elementary and high school levels, Finalist for Palm Beach County’s Dwyer Award for Senior High Education, Top 5 Distinguished Educator of the Year in Leon County, and Outstanding Youth Director of the Year in Thomasville, Georgia. Her leadership has also earned her two Mayoral Proclamations, the McDonald’s Cash for Classroom Grand Prize, and NBC’s Let’s Hear Your Voice Songwriting and Best Music Video Award.
As a choral director and arts leader, Dr. Jackson has raised over $100,000 to support student performances, including a historic trip to Carnegie Hall where her elementary chorus became the youngest ensemble to ever perform in the National Youth Choir Festival. In addition, she has been the Musical Director for the Summer Conservatory with Brevo Theatre in South Florida, working with young artists to develop their vocal, theatrical, and performance skills. She was appointed State Chair for the Florida Music Educators Association (FMEA) Multicultural Network and serves as the State Chair of World Musics and Culture for the Florida American Choral Directors Association (ACDA). In these roles, she continues to champion diversity, cultural representation, and mentorship for educators and students alike.
Her passion for representation in music education inspired her to write the nationally acclaimed children’s book I Belong in Music, published in 2021. The book, featuring vibrant illustrations and empowering minority representation, has been sold in Target, Walmart, Barnes and Noble, and Books A Million, and is featured in classrooms and libraries across the country.
Dr. Jackson continues to inspire through her artistry, scholarship, and service. Whether mentoring young educators, leading national workshops, or sharing her story on stages across the United States, she remains steadfast in her mission to elevate voices, empower students, and create spaces where all children know they belong in music