Helping Young People Find Their Voice

Send us Fan MailIn this episode of Behind the Story, Jelani Gonzalez sits down with Dale Novella Anderson Lee, a singer, songwriter, music producer, educator, and leader in teaching artistry.Dale shares how music became a source of healing in her own life and how that calling eventually led her into classrooms, workshops, and community spaces where young people learn to trust their voices. Through her work with Community-Word Project and the Teaching Artist Project, Dale helps artists and students use music, poetry, movement, storytelling, and visual art as tools for expression, confidence, and connection.This conversation explores what it really means to help young people feel seen, how art can create safety in under-resourced communities, why teaching artists need emotional grounding, and the responsibility that comes with shaping the next generation.At the heart of the episode is a simple but powerful message: every young person has a voice, and that voice matters.Support the show