by Nina Kathiresan
Deja Kilgore sits across from me at Philadelphia City Hall, leaning in with a quiet confidence, poised for our conversation. Just moments earlier, he and his drumline, Mad Beatz Philly, had been performing outside the visitors' entrance, exciting the crowd and welcoming young people to the #VoteThatJawn 2024 pre-election press conference. Now, Deja’s posture is deliberate – hands resting in his lap, chin tilted in thought. Dressed in a dark green hoodie emblazoned with Mad Beatz Philly across the chest, Deja exudes a calm energy – the kind that commands my attention without demanding it. A soft smile emerges at the corners of his mouth; I take it as a silent invitation to begin:
Once the question leaves my mouth, Deja doesn’t hesitate to respond. “This is the biggest election I’ve ever experienced or read about,” he begins, “I just hope we can get through it, because I’ve got a child now, and I’m worried about her.” As both a father and a teacher to the young drummers at Mad Beatz Philly – a drumline program aiming to mentor Philadelphia’s best young drummers for careers in performance and music education – Deja has come to realize the essential role that youth can play in shaping the future. “This is something I always tell them,” he remarks, “I don’t expect you to pick what I pick. I expect you to pick what’s best for you, whatever you support, and stick with that.” Deja’s message is clear to me: the power of choice is crucial, but it’s not just about making a choice – it’s about making an informed one. In a time of uncertainty, he urges his students to “look at the facts, weigh their options, and understand the gravity of their decisions.”
Deja’s role as a drum teacher is about more than just teaching music; it’s about fostering a sense of leadership, responsibility, and collaboration. As I ask him more about the connection between his art and the current election, he draws two main parallels. “Well first of all, we use voting as the major form of decisions in my art. In marching band, I’m not gonna make a decision to let someone lead a piece, or solo, or remove them if we don’t vote on it first. That’s number one,” he tells me. While teaching drumming may begin with mastering rhythm, Deja expresses that it culminates in instilling a democratic process within his students. He emphasizes the importance of everyone’s voice being heard, whether in leading a piece or being civically engaged with issues that affect the community.
“Number two,” he continues, “we have a ‘village mindset’ in my art. We all come together, we all work together, and we do what we need to make change happen.” This “village mindset” translates into how Deja views our current election. Just as his students collaborate to make the drumline stronger, Deja hopes the same approach can be taken on a larger scale. “I would like to see the system do the same kind of work we do in the band, in order to improve,” he reflects. Both music and civic engagement share a common thread for Deja: collective and informed decision-making to create positive and meaningful change.
Yet, having lived in Philadelphia almost his entire life, Deja knows firsthand how community violence can overshadow the importance of elections. “We see issues of gun violence all across the city,” he explains, “it’s more immediate to everybody I know than an election.” He looks at me. “And nobody’s doing anything about it,” he trails off.
In a city where over 900 people have been victims of gun violence just in this past year, the fear is palpable. Similarly to Deja’s concerns, the Philadelphia Inquirer reports that 50% of Philadelphians say gun violence has severely impacted their quality of life, and 64% have heard gunshots in their neighborhood in the past year. And even though 85% to 90% of Philadelphia residents agree that addressing gun violence should be a top priority for elected officials, many feel that little is being done to make a difference. Deja describes this phenomenon, noting how people often feel trapped by the problems of their environment and disconnected from solutions. Here, Deja acknowledges that for many young people, it can be hard to see how voting can make a difference when they feel like nothing is changing.
Despite these challenges, Deja remains hopeful. “I have a seven year-old daughter,” he smiles. “She’s one of those kids who wants to be president one day.” As he speaks, his eyes brighten, but do not quite meet mine, instead gazing past me into the corner of the room – perhaps envisioning his daughter realizing this dream. His expression affirms to me his confidence in the potential of the next generation. Before we depart, Deja notes that he sees education as key to inspiring youth civic engagement, hoping that “schools will take a more active role in teaching politics” and the importance of voting. “Make your informed choice and stick with it,” Deja tells his students, constantly reinforcing to them the message that “every vote counts.”
For Deja, empowering youth to make informed decisions is about giving them the tools to fight for what matters. It’s about making sure they know the power they hold to shape their futures—whether they're in the band room or at the ballot box.
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