Racquel Bernard is a PhD Candidate in musicology as well as a singer and songwriter. She earned her bachelor’s at Dartmouth College in african and african american studies and her master’s at the University of the West Indies (Mona, Jamaica campus) in cultural studies. Her work examines how black women’s reggae allows artists to confront racism, sexism, and classism paying special attention to the voice and musical semiotics. Originally from Jamaica, she explores reggae from both inside and outside of the genre. Her own repertoire under the name “Jahmi Roc” includes reggae, dancehall, r&b and hip hop. She previously performed with NSU Modern, one of UCLA’s competitive hip hop dance teams and considers herself a movement enthusiast. Bernard also has extensive experience in admissions consulting, helping students prepare for applying to top colleges.