Music-Based Mindfulness Intervention for Black Americans

Black Americans experience significantly more stress and anxiety than other racial groups but have fewer sources of support. Although mindfulness represents a promising intervention for decreasing stress and anxiety, there are significant barriers that prevent Black Americans from accessing extant mindfulness tools, including cost, time, and limited cultural relevance. Under the mentorship of Dr. Matthew Nock (a specialist in intervention science), Professor Esperanza Spalding (Grammy award-winning jazz musician), and Lama Rod Owens (a leading Black contemplative), I plan to address these barriers by composing and testing (via a pilot randomized controlled trial) the feasibility and effectiveness of an online, music-based mindfulness intervention (MBMI) designed for Black Americans. The proposed study can provide a new method for decreasing stress and anxiety in the Black community, demonstrate a novel approach for delivering mindfulness, and inspire similar investigations for underserved populations.

Grant Jones

The Black Lotus Collective; Harvard University

Grantee, Reviewer, Steering Council Member