In a time when music teacher preparation programs are increasingly instituting policies and curricular reforms toward a more diverse teacher workforce and inclusive pedagogies for P-12 music programs (Culp & Salvador 2021; Yi, 2025), many are concurrently confronting challenging political landscapes aimed at diminishing diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives in P-12 and higher education. Given the underrepresentation of students of color, students with differing abilities, and those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds in secondary school music programs in the United States (Elpus & Abril, 2011, 2019; Knapp, Clauhs & Powell, 2023), many of these policies and curricular reforms are aimed at decreasing barriers and increasing access to participation in music education programs (Culp & Clauhs, 2020) through inclusive pedagogies, including culturally responsive teaching (McKoy & Lind, 2022), anti-racist practices (Hess, 2021; Kendi, 2019), universal design for learning, and trauma-informed education (Salvador & Culp, 2022). Despite these efforts, the underrepresentation of people of color continues to systemically extend into the profile of music teacher licensure candidates, which remains predominately White in the United States (Elpus, 2015). As music teacher educators and institutions of higher education continue to evolve their pre-service music education curricula, academic guidelines, and admissions policies, they are often facing political landscapes and policy mandates that inhibit this work toward more diverse, inclusive, and democratic practices. The purpose of this roundtable is to provide a forum for participants to engage in dialogue about the political influences and policies impacting their ability to diversify and democratize music teacher education from both local and global perspectives. This moderated discussion will provide participants the opportunity to share their own experiences and collectively generate strategies toward more inclusive and accessible music teacher education programs in the current political climate. The session will include questions and prompts focused on the following: 1) The diversity of political and policy landscapes experienced by participants, 2) broader themes impacting P-12 and music teacher education programs globally, and 3) generating strategies for a path forward toward continued diversification and democratization of music teacher education.