Nicole Mitchell’s impact on jazz was highlighted in a recent New York Times article “Jazz Has Always Been Protest Music. Can It Meet This Moment?” The article focuses on the role jazz has played in political protest as well as how prominent musicians such as Mitchell are addressing inequities in jazz education. Mitchell notes,
“The music is about community…So if a student graduates and doesn’t have any connection to community, that’s a real rip-off for that student in terms of what they’re supposed to be gaining. And it’s also a rip-off for the future of the music.”