The Charles F. Kettering Foundation is proud to share the fourth in a series of videos featuring Kettering senior fellow Johnnetta Betsch Cole. Kettering president and CEO Sharon L. Davies sat down with Cole to document and celebrate her extensive and multifaceted journey over more than eight decades. Cole is a noted anthropologist, educator, author, speaker, and consultant on diversity, equity, accessibilities, and inclusion in workplaces. She is also the former president of both Spelman College and Bennett College and the former director of the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art.

In this conversation, Cole speaks with Davies about the powerful role of the arts in a democratic society. Cole’s passion for art was inspired by her mother and deepened through her study of anthropology. Art, Cole argues, is a cultural expression that allows people to communicate within their society and to the world. It is not a luxury, but a necessity for all, visible in everyday acts like quilting and collage-making. She also highlights jazz as a democratic art form, where diverse sounds and individual contributions blend harmoniously, symbolizing an inclusive democracy where everybody participates.

Watch the video to learn more.