Abstract
In this article, we share stories of Celeste, an African American woman navigating the predominantly White, male world of band teaching. Through a collaborative post-qualitative inquiry, we present her experiences in a rhizome, joining with Spivak’s concept of the deconstruction of marginality. Celeste’s story highlights the ways in which she is marginalized through difference from the hegemonic center. We chronicle instances in which Celeste’s presence as a margin within the center—as outside in—both sustain the center’s power and work to decenter the practice of band teaching through the saying of an “impossible no” to the structure. Through this project, we hope to share experiences that might resonate with other women of color working in the music teaching machine as they build a community of peers.
