WES Goes to School

As part of the Propylaeum’s Women Enrichment Series, we offer the outreach program WES Goes to School. Last year WES sponsored Angela Brown’s performance for the entire Shortridge student body. She was quite a hit with the students offering them a wonderful introduction to her world of opera and inspiring them with stories of her own persistence in fulfilling her dreams.

This year on April 25, WES will underwrite taking Aleta Hodge, author of Indiana Avenue – Life and Musical Journey from 1915 to 2015, to her alma mater Shortridge High School. Hodge will be accompanied by local jazz musicians. Together they will tell the history, in stories and music, of the great Indianapolis jazz musicians, composers, and their teachers who played integral roles in the Indiana Avenue jazz era. The Inkspots, Wes Montgomery, and Hoagie Carmichael are just a few who were a part of the Indiana Avenue jazz scene.

Aleta graduated from Stanford University with a B.S. degree and from Indiana University Kelley School of Business with an MBA degree in Finance. In 1991, she presented her paper, “International Marketing Approach for Women and Small Business Owners” at the World Conference on Entrepreneurship and Innovative Change in Singapore. She is the author of two financial empowerment books – Women and Money and The Value Book as well as her comprehensive book on Indiana Avenue jazz history. She wrote an editorial column for the Indianapolis Star for three years on health and wealth topics and appeared on NBC and FOX 59 news segments.

Aleta did a similar Indiana Avenue jazz presentation at the Jazz Kitchen last summer with Dan Wakefield for his WFYI radio program. The link to hear the broadcast is www.indianapublicarts.org/arts/the-uncle-dan-and-sophie-jam-indiana-avenue.php.