Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Lauron J. Kehrer

@lauronkehrer.bsky.social

1.5K followers 290 following 240 posts

Associate Prof of Ethno/Musicology. Author of Queer Voices In Hip Hop. lauronkehrer.com #FirstGen academic. They/Them. All opinions mine.

Posts Media Videos Starter Packs

Pinned

Lauron J. Kehrer @lauronkehrer.bsky.social · Feb 19

In case you missed it last week, the video of my conversation with Big Freedia, moderated by Loren Kajikawa, hosted by @rad-institute.bsky.social is now available:

www.radcliffe.harvard.edu/event/2025-c...

New Orleans, Katrina, and Bounce: A Conversation with Big Freedia | Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study at Harvard University

Harvard Radcliffe Institute and the Harvard University Department of Music welcome the Queen of Bounce, Big Freedia, for a conversation about music, community, and strength in the face of climate chan...

www.radcliffe.harvard.edu

2 9

Lauron J. Kehrer @lauronkehrer.bsky.social · 17d

@iaspm-us.bsky.social invites nominations for the 2026 Woody Guthrie and Greg Tate Book Awards: iaspm-us.wildapricot.org/Guthrie-and-...

Woody Guthrie and Greg Tate Awards

iaspm-us.wildapricot.org

2 3

Lauron J. Kehrer @lauronkehrer.bsky.social · Jul 4

Happy July 4th 🤘🏻

Lauron J. Kehrer @lauronkehrer.bsky.social · Jul 4

CFP: @iaspm-us.bsky.social 2026 Conference Popular Music and the State

iaspm-us.wildapricot.org/2026-confere...

2 7

Lauron J. Kehrer @lauronkehrer.bsky.social · Jul 4

CFP: @iaspm-us.bsky.social 2026 Conference Popular Music and the State

iaspm-us.wildapricot.org/2026-confere...

15 22

Lauron J. Kehrer @lauronkehrer.bsky.social · Jun 24

I am off to Paris for the Depression in Popular Music Conference and IASPM 2025. It will be my first time in France! Let’s see how rusty that middle school and high school French is 😅

Lauron J. Kehrer @lauronkehrer.bsky.social · Jun 5

Am I part of bean sky now

1 2

Lauron J. Kehrer @lauronkehrer.bsky.social · Jun 5

GUESS WHO’S IN THE BEAN CLUB

1 3

Lauron J. Kehrer @lauronkehrer.bsky.social · May 15

I am deeply grateful to everyone who has helped me on this journey, including my letter writers and everyone who has given me advice along the way.

Lauron J. Kehrer @lauronkehrer.bsky.social · May 15

It is a little bittersweet as @cristina4.bsky.social is staying at WMU and we will be doing long distance again, but that makes it easier for me to stay in touch with my wonderful WMU colleagues.

1 5

Lauron J. Kehrer @lauronkehrer.bsky.social · May 15

I am very excited to share that I have accepted a position as Associate Professor of Music in the Music Department at Smith College! I will be relocating to Northampton, MA over the summer.

6 24

Lauron J. Kehrer @lauronkehrer.bsky.social · Apr 23

Thank you!

Lauron J. Kehrer @lauronkehrer.bsky.social · Apr 23

Honored to have been recognized by the WMU college of Fine Arts with the Excellence in Creative Research award for 2025. 🥹

3 13

Lauron J. Kehrer @lauronkehrer.bsky.social · Apr 3

Obviously there are so many ways we are racing to the bottom. Do continue to share stories about how this administration’s choices are negatively impacting people and personalizing these issues! But please also consider if it took something impacting you directly to be your breaking point…

Lauron J. Kehrer @lauronkehrer.bsky.social · Apr 3

There are some folks who are impacted by cuts to NIH & NEH grants posting things like, “I don’t usually post political things on fb but this is the last straw!” Just think about how that must sound to trans folks, immigrants, etc., that it wasn’t worth speaking up until *your* job was impacted.

1 1

Lauron J. Kehrer @lauronkehrer.bsky.social · Mar 19

This was indeed me lol

Lauron J. Kehrer @lauronkehrer.bsky.social · Mar 19

Sorry I’m late for my appointment, “Purple Rain” came on the radio and I was unable to leave my vehicle

3 5 38

Lauron J. Kehrer @lauronkehrer.bsky.social · Mar 14

Congrats @lmgm.bsky.social on winning this year’s Guthrie award!!

1 9

Lauron J. Kehrer @lauronkehrer.bsky.social · Mar 14

Second, I am moderating an all-star panel of recent Guthrie book prize winners (Daphne Brooks, @roysterfr.bsky.social, Áine Mangaong, and Shana Goldin-Perschbacher) at 4pm in Carson Television Center. It’s going to be a rich convo!

Lauron J. Kehrer @lauronkehrer.bsky.social · Mar 14

Two big events coming up at today’s PopCon/IASPM-US meeting!

First, we have the IASPM-US business meeting at noon in the music complex. We have some exciting announcements, including this year’s prize winners and next year’s conference

1 2

Lauron J. Kehrer @lauronkehrer.bsky.social · Mar 13

Yep I am here, is there something I can help with?!

1 1

Lauron J. Kehrer @lauronkehrer.bsky.social · Mar 12

Heading to PopCon/IASPM-US 2025! DTW is going hard with the 90s pop today

“How do I liiiiiive without youuuu”

Lauron J. Kehrer @lauronkehrer.bsky.social · Feb 22

I’m very much looking forward to the upcoming joint conference with PopCon in LA, and can’t wait to share what we have in store for 2026 😎

1 4

Lauron J. Kehrer @lauronkehrer.bsky.social · Feb 22

Feeling honored to have been elected to serve as the next president of @iaspm-us.bsky.social (International Association for the Study of Popular Music, U.S. Branch)! Thank you to everyone who voted. I’m very glad I will continue to serve with Anthony Kwame Harrison and the rest of the board.

3 29

Lauron J. Kehrer @lauronkehrer.bsky.social · Feb 19

New Orleans, Katrina, and Bounce: A Conversation with Big Freedia | Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study at Harvard University

www.radcliffe.harvard.edu

2 9

Lauron J. Kehrer @lauronkehrer.bsky.social · Feb 13

Look at @cristina4.bsky.social go! Love hearing about her book, Art Music Activism (@illinoispress.bsky.social) at the WMU Center for the Humanities Books & Beers Series 🤩

1 9

Lauron J. Kehrer @lauronkehrer.bsky.social · Feb 11

Y’all I just talked to Big Freedia in front of I don’t know how many people 😮‍💨

1 11