Trans people belong in this activity because this community is only as strong as its commitment to every single member in it. If you have trans people in your program, they need you in their corner. And right now, in the US, that means beyond the field too. 🏳️⚧️ #MarchingArts #DrumCorps #WinterGuard
Today, March 31st, is International Transgender Day of Visibility. This day is annually recognized around the world to uplift our trans family, friends, and community members. Despite what some politicians say, trans people are real and in your community right now. Trans people are valuable marching arts community members. Not only for their contributions to the artform, although there are many very skilled and dedicated trans people making such contributions, but just for existing.
Trans people are proof that systems of power which present themselves as natural and eternal are merely constructs which can, and should be, defied and dismantled. When the state can decide what or who a man and woman are, they can decide what you are allowed to do with your body. They can strip bodily autonomy from you at any point for any suspicion. The persistence of trans people to defy gendered expectations and gain their bodily autonomy has benefited everyone and is something we should be grateful for. To our trans readers today: whether you are visible to everyone around you or just yourself, you are proof that we can persevere. Thank you for being here.
To our cis readers today: what is legal is not what is moral. Do not comply in advance if you receive orders to enforce gender in any way. If you’re in the US, the situation for trans people has and continues to rapidly deteriorate across the country. Donating to local trans organizations doing advocacy, activism, and mutual aid work is always good but you can help with your time too. Many orgs will need hands to help distribute goods or send emails, butts to sit in seats at government meetings for visible support, and feet to hit the streets. Are there no orgs around you? Start small! See what you can do to improve a policy at your school or workplace.
Trans people, and by extension queer people in general, have faced threats before. Colonizers attempted to erase Indigenous gender variance wherever they sought to conquer and did not succeed. Nazi Germany attempted to burn all evidence of scientific research into gender and sexuality and did not succeed. Many governments left queer people for dead during the AIDS crisis but we are still here. Our liberation will not come from a government webpage. It will take everyone, a united queer front and our allies, to get us through to brighter times. Hold hands so you don’t lose your way in the dark. In solidarity forever, The MAASIN Queer Caucus
Today is International Transgender Day of Visibility. Trans people are in your ensemble, on your field, on your floor. Their existence is not up for debate. They are your people, and they deserve to be here simply because they exist. 🏳️⚧️
The MAASIN Podcast is looking for guests with experience, research, or expertise across our episode topics, including:
• accessibility
• performer wellbeing
• equity & representation
• leadership
• media
• community
Email us at podcast@maasin.net
Something new is coming. 🎙️
The MAASIN Podcast premieres soon, and we can't wait to share it with you!
Tune in on the MAASIN website, Substack, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube. Stay tuned for more details. 👀
#MAASIN #MarchingArts #Podcast #MarchingArtsPod
Sleep is vital for our health and performance! There is so much importance in getting quality, long sleep, but in the marching arts, it is often neglected.
In honor of Women’s History Month, we’re taking a closer look at the history of women in Band and the marching arts. Understanding this history helps us recognize where inequities come from and how the marching arts community can build a more inclusive future.
In honor of Women’s History Month, we remember the persistence and resilience of the women who came before us in musical arts. Every woman who steps onto the field, the podium, or the rehearsal room floor helps reshape the future of this activity! Read our latest article here:
In the marching arts we talk about inclusion. But what does inclusion look like when a performer is rehearsing, receiving feedback, and performing in a language that isn’t their own? Québécois performer Laetitia Miron shares what it was like to march while thinking in French & performing in English.
MAASIN is seeking to connect with marching arts members or staff who have been directly impacted by ICE activity. If you’ve experienced an ICE encounter & are willing to share your story we want to hear from you.
📩 DM us or reach out directly to our Internal Director at karen.daubert@maasin.net
ICE activity is increasing across the U.S., and no organization should assume it “won’t happen here.” MAASIN’s ICE Safety Plan Template helps organizations think through next steps, roles, and responses so you’re not scrambling in the moment.
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ICE is here, and if you are a marching arts educator, director, or organizational leader, this moment demands your action, not your apathy. Our latest article “The Marching Arts Are Not Immune from ICE” is live now on our Substack. We will be sharing more resources and guides in the coming weeks.
Don't miss out! If you participated in the 2025 college marching band season, MAASIN wants to hear from you. Visit forms.gle/ogJeK1pajN9m... to make your voice heard today!
If you participated in the 2025 college marching band season, MAASIN wants to hear from you! Head to the link at forms.gle/ogJeK1pajN9m... and share your experience by February 15!
Last chance! Our March With Pride winter 2026 scholarship will stop accepting applications on December 31. Head to our website today and submit your application! This scholarship is open to any member of the LGBTQIA+ community who is a member of a WGI group. Don't miss out!
Help bring the next generation of LGBTQIA+ performers to the floor by supporting MAASIN this holiday season! Visit our website today and make a donation to the MAASIN March With Pride Scholarship Fund!
There is still time! Our March With Pride winter 2026 scholarship is still accepting applications until December 31. If you're performing in WGI this winter and you're a member of the LGBTQIA+ community, visit our website today and submit your application!
ONE MONTH LEFT! Applications for our winter March With Pride scholarship are still open! Apply before December 31 by visiting our website. This scholarship is open to all members of the LGBTQIA+ community who are performing in WGI this season.
Help support our March With Pride Winter 2026 scholarship today! Visit our website and make your tax-deductible donation to bring a new generation of LGBTQIA+ performers to the floor!
Here’s to 5 years of progress, and to the many more voices and stories we’ll uplift in the years ahead!
#MAASIN #marchingarts #MarchWithPride
This year, MAASIN celebrates 5 years of advocacy, community, and change in the marching arts! 🎉
We’re especially proud of our March With Pride recipients. Amari Lewis reminds us that our work goes beyond financial support, it’s about creating a legacy of inclusivity, resilience, and family. 💜
In our newest Substack article, composer Sarah Connelly Makiyama reflects on how being a woman has shaped her leadership, rooting it in empathy, adaptability, and collaboration. “Notes of Resistance: Composition, Gender, and Grit” is live now.
Link in bio. or directly at maasinetwork.substack.com
New on Substack: “Notes of Resistance: Composition, Gender, and Grit.”
Composer Sarah Connelly Makiyama shares how composition, identity, and resilience fuel her artistry in the marching arts and how creativity and courage can push our activity forward.
maasinetwork.substack.com
Behind the uniform, there are stories that rarely get told.
In her essay, Morgan Peters reflects on the joys and challenges of being a trans staff member in the marching arts and the resilience it takes to thrive.
Read her powerful perspective on our Substack: maasinetwork.substack.com
We’ve moved to Substack! 📬
Subscribing means you’ll get MAASIN updates, resources, and community stories sent right to your inbox. It’s the best way to stay connected and show your support.
Subscribe now! Link in bio. or directly at maasinetwork.substack.com
New on MAASIN’s Substack: “Out of the Closet and Onto the Field: One Trans Woman’s Experience in the Marching Arts”
From critique rooms to tour life, Morgan Peters shares what it’s like to navigate drum corps as a trans staff member and why visibility matters.
maasinetwork.substack.com
Big news: MAASIN is officially on Substack!
Check out our new Substack for essays, reflections, updates, and stories from our community, all delivered directly to your inbox.
Follow us and be part of the conversation! Link in bio. or directly at maasinetwork.substack.com
Big news: MAASIN is officially on Substack!
Check out our new Substack for essays, reflections, updates, and stories from our community, all delivered directly to your inbox.
Follow us and be part of the conversation! Link in bio. or directly at maasinetwork.substack.com
Join Our Team
Hard times call for bold action. If you’re looking for a way to give back and make a difference, MAASIN is where your passion meets purpose. We are organizers, advocates, and educators fighting for a safer, more inclusive marching arts.
Applications open through Sept. 14th.
🔗 maasin.net/join
MAASIN Join Today! Want to be part of the change? Apply in our bio
The marching arts should be a place where everyone feels safe, valued, and included. At MAASIN, we’re making that vision a reality, but we can’t do it alone. Join our team of advocates, educators, and change-makers.
Deadline to apply: September 14th
🔗 maasin.net/join
Join the Team!
Feeling powerless in challenging these times? Change starts with action. MAASIN is looking for passionate organizers ready to fight for equity, safety, and accessibility in the marching arts.
Applications are open NOW through September 14th.
🔗 maasin.net/join