Actress Lauren Anya Jwahir Hunter onset. (Credit: Rob Michaelson)
Film Director Julya Jara and Director of Photography Alejandro Guiterrez adjust the camera on pianist Arlington Jones. (Credit: Manuel Alejandro Hernández Cardona of CMC Studios)
Updated 6/26/2026 to reflect new information.
The concept for “The Quilt” first arose when Educational Coordinator Caleb Gonzalez spoke with teachers in San Antonio, TX to discuss which culture they wanted Musical Bridges Around the World to bring to their schools in the 2021-22 school year, through live concerts and original curricula. At a height of U.S. racial tensions and the Black Lives Matter movement, teachers overwhelmingly expressed interest to have students learn about African American culture.
MBAW then hired author Cynthia Freeman Gibbs to start developing scripts for the videos typically produced for a given culture’s curriculum. Gibbs’ first draft came back and the MBAW staff instantly recognized that it could, and should, evolve into a full-fledged film. Under the directorial guidance of then-Development Director and avid filmmaker Julya Jara, “The Quilt: A Living History of African American Music“ saw new light. This was not only an educational video for students in the local community, but a feature-length documentary for everyone to experience the importance of African American music history and culture. Julya led the charge and went into production, casting Cynthia as one of the two main actors. The other was Gibbs’ own niece and budding star, Lauren Anya Jwahir Hunter.
The film portrays Aunt Cynthia, a music history buff who helps her niece Lauren (pictured above) discover music genres borne of African American culture. They unravel a history of music through songs of slavery, Negro Spirituals, Blues, Ragtime, Jazz, Harlem Renaissance, Gospel, Civil Rights, Soul, R&B, and Hip Hop. Cynthia inspires Lauren’s curiosity about history, igniting love and pride for her culture by relating it to her contemporary interests. The layers of a quilt are also used to explain how African American music of the past connects to current music, using historical examples to peel back layers of human experience over time.
Actress and The Quilt‘s screenwriter Cynthia Freeman Gibbs. (Credit: Rob Michaelson)
With the help of the cast and crew, local musicians, major sponsorship from H-E-B, and partnerships with Carver Community Cultural Center, African American Quilt Circle of San Antonio, Texas Public Radio, and San Antonio African American Community Archive & Museum, filming finished mid-2021 and premiered publicly in San Antonio, TX on 23 July 2023 at the Carver Community Cultural Center. Since the debut, “The Quilt” has won over 12 film festival awards and spread to many of MBAW’s efforts including its educational curriculum and an annual live concert through the Musical Evenings series.
How To Experience
Attend a Public Screening or Live Concert
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Latest Quilt News
“The Quilt” Debuts on PBS Texas – February 2026
“The Quilt: A Living History of African American Music”, the educational documentary for children and adults produced by Musical Bridges Around the World, will make its PBS debut the week of 15 February 2026 on all 10 PBS Texas member stations and streaming on PBS...
Valentine’s Day Special – “My Garden in the Countryside”
Celebrate love this Valentine’s Day with a breathtaking live concert performance of "My Garden in the Countryside," a heartfelt piano piece composed and performed by the incredibly talented Arlington Jones. Written as a love song for his wife, this beautiful...
Featured Video – “Wade in the Water” – The Quilt: Live in Concert
Dr. Nicole Cherry and company perform the classic African-American spiritual as part of "The Quilt: Live in Concert" in January 2025. This event was part of DreamWeek San Antonio’s city-wide summit.🎶🎶 In the spirit of the award-winning documentary “The Quilt: A...
More on The Quilt
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