Dawn Martin Berry-Walker is the Chief Executive Director of the Pappy Martin Legacy Jazz Collective, carrying forward the legacy of her father, bassist and community leader James “Pappy” Martin. Through the Pappy Martin Legacy Masten Jazz Festival and the Love Supreme School of Music, she creates opportunities for Buffalo residents to experience jazz, learn from working musicians, and participate in a living cultural tradition.

Founded in 1996, the free Pappy Martin Legacy Masten Jazz Festival brings local, national, and international artists together on Buffalo’s East Side, while the Love Supreme School of Music provides music instruction and performance opportunities for young people at Lincoln Memorial United Methodist Church on Masten Avenue. Together, these programs elevate joy by creating welcoming spaces for music, celebration, mentorship, creativity, and intergenerational connection.

This work strengthens the social determinant of health known as Social and Community Context, which recognizes that supportive relationships, community connection, participation, and belonging influence health and well-being. By gathering neighbors around shared cultural experiences and investing in young musicians, the Collective deepens social ties and builds community pride on Buffalo’s East Side.

For this feature, Fokus’d Kreatives Apprentices researched Dawn Berry-Walker and the Pappy Martin Legacy Jazz Collective, developed interview questions about jazz, community connection, and social well-being, coordinated pre-production logistics and communication, prepared the interview, and assisted with production on the day of filming.