Akwasi Papa Abrefah discusses the role of US militarization and policing of the steel pan in Trinidad and Tobago, and the extensive histories of resistance and radical joy within the genre. Akwasi will also discuss his work in building a community for the music at Stanford University.

Akwasi Papa Abrefah is a Bay Area based steelpan player - most of his work takes place at Stanford University, the East Bay Center for the Performing Arts in Richmond, and the Bayview Senior Services Center, teaching, directing, and performing with students from 8 to 88. Promoting the unique history and culture of steelpan in ways that emphasize the instrument's ability to relate to stories of resilience, joy, competition, youth ingenuity, and national sovereignty - particularly in Afro-diasporic communities - has always been central to how and why he educates.

Since 2013, Abrefah has participated with competition bands around the world including the Philadelphia Pan Stars for Brooklyn Panorama in New York, NY (2016 & 2018), Ebony Steelband for Notting Hill Panorama in London, England (2019), as well as multiple steel orchestras in the birthplace of steelpan: Trinidad and Tobago. In the largest and most prestigious of all the Panorama competitions in the world - the one held in Port of Spain, Trinidad - he has participated in the Large Band category with Silver Stars Steel Orchestra (2013, 2015-2019), as well as the Medium Band category with Pamberi (2019).