My story is about good music. The kind of music that doesn’t get old, the songs that hold a universal place in every person’s mind. Music that simply doesn’t exist anymore. Growing up my family had a small cottage on a lake in Northern Michigan. Whether we were inside cooking pancakes and bacon or outside cleaning off the outdoor furniture that had been collecting leaves and cobwebs we always, always had music playing. My dad was the reason behind this and he loved to listen to an array of genres and artists. Music in different languages, from our different cultures, and different decades as well. I think the first time he heard me singing along to Eydie Gormé he just about started crying. My older sisters enjoyed the music but since they were already in their broody teenager years they weren’t as impressionable as my 5 year old self. My dad and I really began to connect over music and he exposed to me to as many songs as he could think of. We didn’t listen to music at our house that often because he was working for most if the day, but I knew that as soon as we were at the cottage the best tunes would be going all weekend. One summer he took me to my first concert, The Beach Boys, and despite the fact that a third of the band members had passed away, I was a kid sitting amongst 60 and 70 year olds, and most of my friends had just gone to see Ariana Grande live I was more excited than I had ever been for anything in my life. Before I knew it my uncle and I were jamming out to Fleetwood Mac and Santana in his garage or burning CDs I would be able to use in my car one day. This passion eventually began shifting to involve the historical and societal aspects of what was occurring at the time the music I was listening to was coming out. I zoned in on Folk Rock of the 60s and early 70s that was synonymous with protest and social change. Artists like Bob Dylan sparked my interests in speaking out and messaging through art.

Outline:

1. Background as to how I was exposed to music + relationship with dad
2. Shift to how that exposure led to my interest in the societal and political issues
3. How those issues at the time connect to the issues we still have today in society
4. Part of my passion and drive to work in social justice while also satisfying and utilizing passion for music