Host Mark Li sits down with Stanford Thompson, Executive Director of Equity Arc and founder of Play On Philly, for a conversation on music, leadership, and the power of belonging.

From his early years as a trumpet student at the Curtis Institute of Music to studying Venezuela's El Sistema movement and building two nationally recognized organizations, Thompson reflects on the experiences that shaped his belief that artistic excellence and educational opportunity go hand in hand.

Together, Mark and Stanford explore the future of classical music, coalition-building, identity, and the role artists can play beyond the concert hall. They discuss Equity Arc's mission to expand pathways for young musicians, the importance of community and representation, lessons from the nationally publicized U.S. Marine Band controversy, and why the arts remain a powerful force for civic engagement and social change.

In this episode of Beyond the Hyphen, host Mark Li sits down with Maryland State Delegate Jared Solomon to explore the institutions, public systems, and civic spaces that shape everyday life in America. Before entering elected office, Delegate Solomon worked as a social studies teacher, federal policy advisor, and education advocate, experiences that continue to shape his approach to public service today. Together, they discuss education, transportation, civic trust, youth disconnection from institutions, and the role schools and public infrastructure play in building strong communities. From classrooms and rail systems to public spaces and civic belonging, this conversation examines what it means to rebuild trust in the systems young people grow up inside.

In this episode of Beyond the Hyphen, host Mark Li sits down with Maryland State Delegate Gabriel Moreno to explore immigration, identity, public service, and the future of civic leadership in America’s diverse communities. Born and raised in El Paso to immigrant parents from Mexico, Delegate Moreno reflects on his journey through education, immigration advocacy, nonprofit leadership, and law before entering the Maryland House of Delegates. Together, they discuss student voice, belonging, youth engagement, and what immigration advocacy reveals about the strengths and challenges of American civic life today. From Howard County’s evolving identity to the importance of community trust and representation, this conversation examines leadership through a deeply human lens.