CCM alum and student join OPERA America's Inaugural Mentorship Program for Opera Leaders of Color

UC College-Conservatory of Music alum Carlos García León (MA/MBA Arts Administration, '19) and current MM Voice student Jaime Sharp were selected as inaugural participants in OPERA America's Mentorship Program for Opera Leaders of Color. This new initiative exists to advance racial equity in the field by pairing BIPOC professionals with executive-level leaders who can support them in achieving their career goals.

Three mentees were selected for the inaugural cohort: García León, who is the Individual Giving Manager at Cincinnati Opera; Sharp, who is the President and CEO of OperaNexGen; and Takesha Meshé Kizart-Thomas, Dramatic Soprano, Creative Performing Artist, and Producer. García León will be mentored by Ishan Johnson, Associate Director of Philanthropy at the Art Institute of Chicago. Sharp will be mentored by Priti Gandhi, Vice President of Artistic at Minnesota Opera and Incoming Artistic Director at Portland Opera. Kizart-Thomas will be mentored by Khori Dastoor, General Director at Opera San José and Incoming General Director at Houston Grand Opera.

"I was so thrilled to discover that I would be mentored by Priti Gandhi," Sharp says. "She had an extensive career as a singer before turning to administration full-time, which is exactly the trajectory I plan to follow. We've started to meet and have had candid discussions surrounding imposter syndrome and how to balance and preserve our day-to-day energy while also striving toward our overarching goals of increasing representation and racial equity within the operatic industry."

The yearlong program will provide mentees with guidance and support from BIPOC arts administrators and establish action plans for professional growth and long-term career trajectories. The pairs will come together for remote and in-person mentoring sessions over the next 12 months, including at Opera Conference 2022 in Minneapolis next May.

"In my mind, I currently don’t have a set title or position when I think of my future," García León says. "What I do have is a personal mission to fight for cultural equity and social justice, particularly in the arts. Fundraising happens to be a means to an end in my fight, and there is a lot of work that needs to be done in philanthropy within that. However, as my journey continues I hope to continue expanding my mission by learning from colleagues and mentors, and hopefully inspiring others, too."

García León plans to meet with Johnson once a month virtually and will also plan to have a future outing in Chicago, which is where García León grew up and where Johnson is based. García León looks forward to stregthening their fundraising skills, working with the rest of the cohort and having impactful conversations within the opera and fundraising fields — but their main hope is that this program will help BIPOC individuals have access to leadership roles in the arts.

"I feel an immense honor to be a part of this inaugural cohort; to be among the first of this program, to be the first Latine, the first non-binary person, but the pressure is also on to not be the last," says García León.

Sharp hopes to gain a new outlook and perspective on her career path as an arts administrator and to develop necessary skills to help further her organizations — OperaNexGen, Black Opera Alliance and Hear Us, Hear Them Ensemble. "I also plan to expand my network by building lasting relationships with my mentor and cohort colleagues so that we can continue to fight for equity in opera," she adds.

"Never let doubt or noise from others allow you to set limitations on yourself," Sharp says. "If you told me a year ago that I would be running an opera company with 20 team members, I would've given you a blank stare, and yet here I am. We learn by doing, so turn your ideas into a reality. The best piece of advice I ever received is that you know you are doing a great job when you fall the hardest because it means you took a risk and put yourself out there. You can be an artist AND pursue other interests."

Learn more about Carlos García León and Jaime Sharp in their professional bios below. 

This new initiative exists to advance racial equity in the field by pairing BIPOC professionals with executive-level leaders who can support them in achieving their career goals.

The yearlong program will provide mentees with guidance and support from BIPOC arts administrators and establish action plans for professional growth and long-term career trajectories. The pairs will come together for remote and in-person mentoring sessions over the next 12 months, including at Opera Conference 2022 in Minneapolis next May.

The program was established in 2021 as part of OPERA America’s sustained effort to eradicate racism and ensure equity throughout the field. It was designed by members of OPERA America’s Racial Justice Opera Network steering committee. It responds to the industry’s desire to correct practices of exclusion toward Black, Latinx, Asian, Pacific Islander, South Asian, Arab, Middle Eastern, North African, and Native American administrators, who face many systemic barriers that can adversely impact professional advancement.

The Mentorship Program for Opera Leaders of Color is the latest addition to a series of OPERA America programs for increasing racial equity in the field. The initiative joins the IDEA Opera Grants (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Access) supported by the Charles and Cerise Jacobs Charitable Foundation and the IDEA Opera Residencies supported by the Katherine S. and Axel G. Rosin Fund of The Scherman Foundation.

Other OPERA America programs focused on the advancement of opera administrators include the Leadership Intensive and the Mentorship Program for Women Administrators. To learn more about leadership development programs at OPERA America, visit operaamerica.org/LeadDev.