After experiencing the museum, Montgomery felt different. My class was silent. Nobody cared to crack any jokes. The air even started to smell different — like rotting garbage, reminiscent of the Southern Magnolia that Billie Holiday sung about decades prior. 

Music has been something that I have become so emotionally and physically invested in. I feel the pain that the artists are singing about — the love that they crave, the losses they grieve. However, the most special kind of music to me is the kind where I feel all of these things — where I go through and experience all of these emotions and events.

Whenever I hear a classmate speak on Zoom, I cannot help but notice how often they say “um.”

Start by asking yourself, “what is the cost of my silence?” Once you realize your impact, you can become intentional and aware of your surroundings, your actions and your voice. It all matters.