West Wing Week: 10/16/2015 or, “The American Soundtrack”

Welcome to the West Wing Week, your guide to everything that's happening at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. This week, the President traveled to Roseburg, Oregon, celebrated Hispanic Heritage Month, and hosted world-class musicians at the White House. That's October 9th to October 15th or, "The American Soundtrack."

Friday, October 9

• On Friday morning, the President boarded Air Force One — bound for Oregon. There, the President met with the grieving families of those killed in the shooting at Umpqua Community College in Roseburg.

Sunday, October 10

• On Sunday, in honor of International Day of the Girl, the First Lady released her first-ever Spotify playlist, featuring an impressive array of female artists. Join the First Lady, Beyoncé, Alicia Keys, Janelle Monae and so many others by sharing a photo of yourself using the hashtag #62MillionGirls to highlight the millions of girls around the world who aren't in school.
• Also over the weekend, The New York Review of Books released a podcast of a conversation between the President and beloved American novelist, Marilynne Robinson. Check out a behind-the-scenes look at their conversation.

Wednesday, October 14

• On Wednesday, the First Lady and world-class musicians and artists sat down with middle-school students for a hands-on workshop.
• The White House has a tradition of hosting musicians and artists for occasional jam sessions, drawing talent from all musical genres to celebrate the varied musical traditions of America. On Wednesday night, the White House hosted "In Performance: A Celebration of American Creativity," featuring Buddy Guy, Queen Latifah, MC Lyte, Audra McDonald, Keb’ Mo’, Smokey Robinson, Trombone Shorty, Esperanza Spalding, Brian Stokes Mitchell, James Taylor, and Usher, with special readings and remarks from Carol Burnett. Catch the airing of the full show in January on PBS, but you can also check out about past performances online.

Thursday, October 15

• On Thursday morning, the President took to a lectern in the Roosevelt Room of the White House to discuss our strategy in Afghanistan.
• That afternoon, the President celebrated Hispanic Heritage Month and the 25th anniversary of the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanics — with a special guest, the Buena Vista Social Club Orchestra.

Remember to stay engaged with us online, where you can find out more about any of these topics and see complete videos of these events. And thanks so much for checking out this edition of West Wing Week.