The Music Diplomacy Symposium: The Soundtrack of Community Building

9:00 a.m. Welcome To Music Diplomacy 

9:15 a.m. Music & Social Responsibility. Using Your Platform to Effect Positive Change featuring Nikki Jean, moderated by Dr. Lori Taylor

Break

10:45 a.m. Building Community & Preserving Culture Through Hip Hop featuring Joshua Perkins

Lunch Networking Break

12:15 p.m. Raising the Next Generation of Global Citizens Through Music (Discussion & Music Performance) featuring Allan Moreno and Youth Mariachi Band

1:15 p.m. The Power of Song to Face Challenging Times Around the World (Music in the Round) featuring local musicians sponsored by 90.9fm KRCL 

Break

2:30 p.m. VIP Keynote - Announcement Coming Soon!

3:45 p.m. Closing Comments

4:00 p.m. Program Ends

Allan Moreno is a professional musician and educator who traded fame for purpose. As the frontman of the rising Latin band Londs, Allan gained national attention through Tengo Talento, Mucho Talento and walked red carpets at the Grammys. But he left the spotlight behind to teach mariachi music to students at Esperanza Elementary in West Valley City, Utah. Now leading a program that serves over 200 students, Allan is changing lives through music—offering young people not just artistic expression, but a sense of belonging and purpose. His mission is clear: give kids instruments, and they’ll write their own future.

Joshua Perkins, also known as Text, is a dancer, educator, and cultural visionary who has spent over two decades revitalizing Utah’s hip-hop scene. As the founder and executive director of 1520 Arts, Josh established The HERC (Hip-Hop Education & Resource Center) in South Salt Lake—a creative hub where hundreds of youth learn breaking, graffiti, DJing, and the history of hip-hop. Deeply rooted in the belief that hip-hop transforms lives, Josh’s work bridges art, education, and community. His mission is simple: to help young people find power, pride, and purpose through the cultural legacy of hip-hop.

 Dr. Lori Taylor is a scholar, writer, and maker who tells the stories she wants to read. With a Ph.D. in American Studies, her research explores the messy, fascinating intersections of religion, race, history, and identity—especially in Mormon and Native American narratives. Her dissertation, Telling Stories about Mormons and Indians, sparked a career blending fact and fiction, data and design. Whether she’s coding, quilting, or crafting transmedia narratives, Lori’s work bridges worlds and challenges boundaries. She writes with curiosity, makes with purpose, and believes deeply in the power of storytelling to change the way we understand ourselves—and each other.

 Nikki Jean is a genre-defying artist whose path defies easy definition. A St. Paul native with a love for hip hop and classic songwriting, she has lived in multiple states, absorbing decades of musical influence. While others sampled the past, she studied it—reading sheet music like novels and writing songs with the depth of a storyteller.

She’s co-written with legends like Bob Dylan and Burt Bacharach and is best known for penning “Hip Hop Saved My Life” with Lupe Fiasco on the Grammy-nominated The Cool. After touring with Kanye West, Nikki turned away from the spotlight to study the roots of American songwriting, culminating in her debut album Pennies in a Jar.

Her 2014 EP Champagne Water showcased collaborations with Ab Soul and The Social Experiment, signaling her continued evolution. Now back with Rhymesayers, Nikki brings the richness of her journey—soulful, wise, and unmistakably her own.

This event is a vibrant celebration of music’s unique ability to transcend language, culture, and borders, making it a vital tool in diplomacy and global connection. Attendees will gain a deeper appreciation for the role of music in shaping our world and leave inspired to use music as a force for unity and change.

Whether you are a musician, a global changemaker, or someone passionate about the arts, the Music Diplomacy Symposium is your opportunity to be part of a global conversation that proves music is more than just sound—it’s a universal language for peace. Join us and discover the power of music diplomacy!