As a life-long resident of New Orleans, Derrick Tabb fully understands the challenges inner city youth face. After traveling the world as a member of the Rebirth Brass Band, Derrick returned home to make an impact, to empower the city’s youth through music and mentorship.
Derrick Tabb is empowering youth for low-income households through music education and mentorship. His nonprofit organization, The Roots of Music, is taking youth off the streets and changing lives around the Crescent City all while celebrating the legacy of Louisiana culture.
The culture and sounds of Louisiana are known across the world. But a decline in state-funded music programs gives way to the nation’s largest at-risk youth population, in a state that continually ranks among the highest for crime and criminal activity. The well-being of our future and continuation of our culture lies in the hands of our young people. A mission that Derrick Tabb is very passionate about, “Roots is a program for the city, for the kids of the city. Without a program like this we will lose our sound. If we don’t provide them an outlet, we not only risk losing our music, but we risk losing our youth.”
Inspired by the impact his junior high band instructor had on his life, Derrick founded The Roots of Music, an after-school nonprofit organization that empowers the at-risk youth of New Orleans through music education, academic support, and mentorship. Five days a week, 12 months a year, the program provides music education and other academic tutoring to students ages nine to 14, all while preserving the unique musical and cultural heritage of the city.
I’m a Grammy award winner, but the opportunity to share the music of the city and the culture of Louisiana with people across the world is the real achievement.
It’s got to be New Orleans! I’m very proud of where I’m from. There’s no place like home and no place like here.
It is critically important and necessary to invest in our children and our youth. They are the future and without sharing our culture and investing in them, we risk losing the traditions we love.
The culture
LWCC is a private, nonprofit mutual insurance company and the largest workers’ compensation carrier in Louisiana. Our purpose is to help Louisiana thrive.
