MVM VII: THANK YOU!

Students performing a special musical piece written for MVM VII with Ian, MVM students and MVM Staff. photo by Jason Quigley

Each year My Voice Music’s anniversary provides a moment of reflection for me. I spend time reflecting on how far we have come; the many hands who have helped us to get here; the impact we are having on our community, and similarly how our community is helping to shape and inspire us; and finally, what our future holds for us.

My Voice Music was born years ago through my work as a treatment counselor when I began incorporating music and songwriting into my work and saw profound breakthroughs with youth struggling with mental health and behavioral challenges. Music literally changed everything. Seeing how struggling young people began to thrive when given a relevant and engaging experience that fueled their social and emotional needs changed the way I interacted with all youth, not simply those that enjoyed my music programs. That growth in my professionalism allowed youth to see that I was willing to work hard to meet their real needs of expressing themselves and being seen on their own terms. This need is often overlooked by adults and clinicians. My work began to require less behavioral interventions (breaking up fights, de-escalations, etc), and began requiring many more musical instruments, cd players, recording devices, jokes…

MVM Student Cassia performing at MVM VII. Photo by Jason Quigley

However, if this journey stopped with me alone, My Voice Music would never have been born and it certainly it would not have grown as it has.

From the simplest moments of encouragement, to individuals who (even prior to MVM being an official non-profit) donated vehicles, money, time, advice and professional services, My Voice Music was created by a community who understands there is a profound need for new ways by which to engage youth on the margins of our society; to help give them a voice in a relevant manner that speaks to them.

Our first anniversary party raised $3,000 for this work. That money funded our liability insurance for a year so that we could begin travelling to youth centers and begin bringing music and songwriting programs to youth who needed a creative outlet and inspiration on a completely. I ran every program back then as a volunteer. Those outreach programs served 90 young people in the first year we ran them. They now serve over 2,000 kids a year.

We have moved into our own studio at MVM Studios, which is open to the public.  Our classes out of this space included introductory rock camps and engineering classes out of the studio, as well as provide year-round artist mentorship and professional recording opportunities for youth writing and creating at a high level on their own terms.

Our Play it Forward scholarships mean that when a family can afford our full tuition for classes or studio time, they are providing a one-to-one match so that a young person who can not afford tuition can attend too. Last year we served about 200 kids out of this space – just one year prior, it did not exist!

Each day, I am humbled by the dedication of our staff to this work and by the donations of money, time, and professional services that we receive from our community which keep us operating day in and day out. My Voice Music has grown in ways that I did not think possible when we began.  Now I see just how much more we need to grow in order to reach more young people, more deeply.

Our 7th Anniversary raised approximately $44,000.  That is one-fifth of our operating budget for 2015.  This is absolutely vital to helping us run our programs, which are offered at free and reduced rates to participants.  Thank you.

It is impossible to share the gratitude I have for the My Voice Music community who is helping to build and grow this program year over year with each person on a daily basis.  However, I want to take this moment to say “thank you” to all those who have helped us get to where we are now.  Those who we have just met, and those who lent a hand so many years ago and have stayed with us.

Thank You!

Ian Mouser
MVM Founder / Executive Director

Just a few of the many volunteers and supporters who have helped MVM grow year-after-year.
Photo by Jason Quigley