Billy Joel once said," I think music in itself is healing. It's an explosive expression of humanity. It's something we are all touched by. No matter what culture we're from, everyone loves music."
Who is a better candidate for the healing power of music than someone facing homeless or poverty? However, those in such precarious situation often do not have access to music, whether in the form of musical instruments, or the radio.
This is where the collaboration of the AmeriCorps Partnership to End Homelessness and MusicCorps comes in.
And what better way is there to unite two unique organizations with distinct missions than under the umbrella of a joint service project?
As we pulled into the parking lot of the North Carolina School of the Arts, I was immediately flooded with beautiful campus scenery, boasting impressive sculptures, an array of magnificently blooming plant life, and a unique student body of talented, creative, and interesting individuals.
As we entered the large conference room where our meeting was to be held, we were greeted warmly by the friendly director and members of Music Corps.
Everyone I know dreads ice breaker games. Having to nervously shake the sweaty palms of people you don't know while fumbling to make some kind of connection through tedious small talk can make even the most socially savvy among us cringe. However, our ice breaker was not only painless, but extremely fun!
Though we come from serving vastly different missions, and our backgrounds seem more diverse than the United Nations, I found myself connecting easily and effortlessly with the members of MusicCorps.
After getting to know each other through bonding on 3 commonalities and forming a line based on our birthdays, we, to our great delight, were greeted with the sight of pizza that was delivered for lunch.
While eating what could have easily been the best slice of my life, I continued getting to know fellow AmeriCorps members serving in the vastly different branch of service than ours: MusicCorps. Our assignment was to sit with someone new, rather than the same members of our organization, and I learned more about what the various members of MusicCorps do on a daily basis. Their work sounded involved as well as very rewarding and fun. For an organization which hasn't even celebrated its first birthday yet, MusicCorps were nothing less of organized and professional.
After the pizza lunch, we met back in the conference room and were randomly broken up into teams consisting of members of both organization, and were tasked with the mission of brainstorming ideas for the group service project, as well as planning the logistics of carrying out each hypothetical event. After about 20 minutes, we met back in the large room to share our ideas. We then repeated the process with a new set of group members.
I was very impressed with the members' ability to not only come up with impressive service ideas, but also with their ability to listen to our ideas. Together, we decided that music and homelessness is not only a possible combination for the group project, but also a necessary one. So many of our clients are the denied the enriching opportunities music provides. Some of the resonating ideas concentrated around homeless children, considering music is vital to child development and the fact that many homeless children tend to go unnoticed by "the system" and slip through the cracks.
The several potential project proposals included: holding a performance at a park and setting up resource information centers both homeless and housed individuals could find beneficial, developing a music corner at a local homeless day center, providing a fun retreat day, which would include music, face-painting, and other activities for homeless individuals, concentrating on homeless youth, at a park, and finally, holding a musical day camp where children would be able to create their own instruments through recycled materials, learn to play them, and perform in a group talent show.
Before adjourning, each organization chose several members to act as group leaders for the project and were tasked with email correspondence to collaborate on finalizing the project.
Up to date, over 30 emails have already been exchanged by the group. The tentative date for the project has been set for June 30th, with the activity involving a combination of a retreat day in the park as well as handing out as resources.
Personally, I am extremely excited to be working with such a fun and diverse group of musicians passionate about their service as well as their ability to improve lives and provide meaningful human connections through man's greatest common denominator: art, specifically the art of music.
By: Lana Skrypnyk
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