What happens when a lifetime of movement work becomes a legacy— not as a set of instructions, but as a story, a song, and a way of listening?This is Part Two of our conversation with singer, songwriter, educator, and cultural worker Jane Sapp. In Part One, we began tracing the experiences that shaped Jane’s life and practice. Here, the story widens: into her 53-year partnership with her husband Hubert; their work at the Highlander Center; Jane’s encounters with Appalachia, Penn Center, and the Free Southern Theater; and the lessons she is still exchanging with a new generation of young activists. Along the way, listen for three threads that run from the civil-rights era straight into the present: Listening as a movement practice — how Hubert Sapp’s gift for hearing people across conflict, and Jane’s own practice of turning lived experience into song, make being heard a source of dignity and connection.Solidarity across difference — what Jane and Hubert learned at Highlander by bringing Black communities from the Deep South together with working people in Appalachia and discovering the common forces beneath seemingly different struggles.Passing the work forward without prescribing the future — how Jane’s work with the Encampment for Citizenship helps young people turn story, music, theater, and visual art into tools for activism, while Jane learns from their courage, pressures, and hunger for community. Stay with us for a conversation about what survives across generations when people listen deeply, find common purpose, and make enough room for the next generation to create a movement that may not look anything like the one that came before it. Notable MentionsPeopleJane Sapp: Singer, songwriter, educator, and cultural worker whose music and community practice connect personal story, movement history, and collective action. Hubert Sapp: Jane’s husband and partner of 53 years; in the conversation she recalls his work with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., his gift for listening and conflict resolution, and his leadership at Highlander. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.: Civil-rights leader mentioned in connection with Hubert Sapp’s earlier movement work and the wider history surrounding Highlander and Penn Center. Myles Horton: Co-founder of Highlander Folk School, remembered by Jane as a courageous fighter and an important conversation partner during her years at Highlander. John O’Neal: Actor, writer, organizer, and co-founder of the Free Southern Theater; Jane spent a summer working with him and the company in New Orleans. Zohran Mamdani: New York City political leader whose ability to excite young people comes up when Jane describes what Encampment participants look for in leaders who hear them and can help channel their energy. Organizations & InitiativesHighlander Research and Education Center: Movement school founded in 1932 that has connected labor, civil-rights, Appalachian, multiracial, and grassroots organizing. Jane and Hubert Sapp worked there, with Hubert serving as executive director and Jane in the cultural program. Västerbottens folkhögskola Produced the short documentary Myles Horton: Education for Social Change that is quoted in this podcast. iVästerbottens folkhögskola s a public folk high school in Västerbotten, the large, thinly populated county in northern Sweden whose main city is Umeå. It’s run by the regional government, Region Västerbotten. Encampment for Citizenship: Intergenerational civic and social-justice program founded in 1946. Jane works with 15–18-year-olds through story, music, visual art, theater, dialogue, and activist education. Penn Center: Historic St. Helena Island institution rooted in African American education, Gullah Geechee culture, community development, and civil-rights history. Jane directed a cultural program and oral-history project there. Free Southern Theater: Civil-rights-era theater founded by Doris Derby, John O’Neal, and Gilbert Moses as a cultural and educational extension of the movement; Jane recalls spending a formative summer with the company in New Orleans. Places, Movements & Historical ContextAppalachia: The region where Jane says her understanding of common struggle widened as Black communities from the Deep South met miners and working people confronting exploitation. St. Helena Island and the Sea Islands: South Carolina Sea Island setting of Penn Center and Jane’s oral-history work, with deep Gullah Geechee, Reconstruction, and civil-rights history. Jim Crow: The system of racial segregation and discrimination Jane discusses with younger activists, many of whom know only a small portion of civil-rights history. Civil Rights Movement: The broad movement history Jane carries into her work with young people through firsthand stories, music, and discussion. Music & Cultural Practice“There’s a Bright Side Somewhere”: Traditional freedom-song material Jane sings near the end of the interview, turning the episode toward persistence, love, and hope. The Encampment has documented Jane closing a program with a closely related version, “There’s a Bright Sun Somewhere.” Jane Sapp Legacy Project / New Song Cycle: Jane’s ongoing effort to preserve and share her cultural work while mentoring younger activists; her site also describes a new cycle of songs responding to the current moment. Story, Song, Theater & Visual Art at the Encampment: Arts-based practices used to help young people analyze experience, find a collective voice, and imagine the world they want to build. “Someone Sang for Me,” a documentary by Julie Akeret (2002): As budget cuts exacerbate an already deplorable situation in our inner-city schools, the arts are among the first to go. In Springfield, Massachusetts, one woman, educator, musician, and cultural activist Jane Sapp is doing all she can to stem the tide -- with remarkable success. ******* Art Is CHANGE is a podcast that chronicles the power of art and community transformation, providing a platform for activist artists to share their experiences and gain the skills and strategies they need to thrive as agents of social change. Through compelling conversations with artist activists, artivists, and cultural organizers, the podcast explores how art and activism intersect to fuel cultural transformation and drive meaningful change. Guests discuss the challenges and triumphs of community arts, socially engaged art, and creative placemaking, offering insights into artist mentorship, building credibility, and communicating impact. Episodes delve into the realities of artist isolation, burnout, and funding for artists, while celebrating the role of artists in residence and creative leadership in shaping a more just and inclusive world. Whether you’re an emerging or established artist for social justice, this podcast offers inspiration, practical advice, and a sense of solidarity in the journey toward art and social change.
