Affinity Groups

Affinity Group Celebration

Wednesday Sept 14, 2022 at 9:00pm - 10:00pm ET online

Come check out the work of each Affinity Group in this celebration of our accomplishments.

Consider starting an Affinity Group to the specific needs of you and your community!

CMN's Affinity Groups

Early Childhood Group
Stacey Peasley, Coordinator

Interested in music and activities for children under 7 years old? Are you a teacher, librarian, performer, songwriter or parent? The first month of each quarter is a Songswap where attendees share songs and activities for early childhood audiences. The third month of each quarter is a social gathering/connection time. All songswaps and social connection sessions are offered at no charge.

This group normally meets the third Thursday of the month at 6:30 pm CT, and is open to CMNers and non-members.  Register here.

Wednesday SongsSwap
Kim Wallach, Coordinator

We meet every wednesday 1pm EST to swap songs. Come with a song to share or just come to listen. All are welcome. It is an hour of singing, chatting, sharing, instructing, kvetching, and general all round connecting.  If that sounds good to you, then come!  Register here.

White Awareness, Accountability and Antiracism Group
Brian Caselli Jordan & Noam Brown, Co-facilitators

We're a group of white children’s music makers working to heal racism who meet the first Wednesday of each month to:

• talk about the role of race in our lives and the world around us in the present, and historically
• practice the ways we will talk about race and justice with children
• build our skills for engaging and interrupting when racial incidents occur and practice, practice, practice
• brainstorm how we can use our music and access to heal racism
• support one another as we strive to share access, resources and build equitable, loving community of solidarity with our colleagues of color as white folks making children's music.

This group is open to CMN members only.  Register here.

Be The Change Action Task Force
Nikki Rung & Cindy Hawsl, Co-Facilitators

The “Be The Change” Action Task Force moderated by Nikki Rung and Cynthia Haws is continuing to equip and empower people to “be the change” and work towards creating goals and taking action steps to dismantle racism in community, entertainment, and children’s music. We have committees that will be addressing Venues, Radio-play, Education and the Environment.

We meet the 2nd Monday of each month, from 7:00pm to 9:00pm ET online. This group is open to current CMNers and non-members. 
Register here.

Songwriting Critique
David Heitler-Klevans, Facilitator

Bring a song-in-progress and get constructive feedback and ideas for improvement from other CMN songwriters (and give feedback to others in turn). Songs can be at any stage in the writing process, but should not be 100% finished and polished. We will use a process adapted from a couple of Philadelphia area songwriting groups. This AG will motivate us to write more songs, and help us to raise the quality of our songs for children & families.

We meet the 2nd Thursday of each month, from 7:00pm to 8:30pm ET online.  Register here.

HipHop
SaulPaul, Facilitator

HipHop is happening- Join Us!

We meet on the 4th Monday of the month.  Register here.