No matter how hard I try, I can't escape the kids.
The few jobs that I've had, with the exception of one, centers around children/teenagers. Did I miss the memo?
Brief background: I've been performing since the age of 6, with a company called Children of Liberation. After that, we started getting grants through John Hopkins and the city, and later our name became Nu World Art Ensemble. I've been doing mentorship programs through Nu World since the age of 13. As of today, I've worked at an elementary/middle school, a high school, and have done more than 100 mentoring programs through Nu World. The only job I've had (ever) that didn't involve children was working at Comcast...which I hated with a passion.
So now, I'm working at a library, which is something I've always wanted to do. Call it the geek in me. I'm approached by this man, one of our regular customers, and he'd like me to work with him writing a grant for--you guessed it--a youth program. I'm blessed that dude felt like he could approach me about it, lets me know that I'll always have a connection with those younger than me, no matter how old I get.
Check it though; my passion is music.
Don't get me wrong, I love working with children; love the fact that people younger than me (and some older) see me as a role model. But it seems as if the harder I work and grind toward my career goal, the closer I get pushed into something involving kids! I recently got offered another position at the library, a job I just started; as Head of the Teen Advisory Board. Bam. There it is again.
Did I miss my calling? Or am I simply avoiding it? Just something I've been wondering about lately.
But I can't leave the music alone! At all! Just can't do it; it's in my blood. So, maybe I'm going to be that person to use my music and still connect with the youth.
Or...maybe I'm that person that's supposed to mold the minds of this already lost generation. Young people's minds are so impressionable today, well they've always been, really; and according to most people I get rave reviews in helping children find themselves with no limitations.
Is the rebel with a cause supposed to bring up other rebels? And if I am, can I at least do it "subliminally" through my music?
2 comments:
hmm im going through the same thing. my father said when i discussed the possibility of me becoming a teacher, "do you really want to be stuck in a room teaching the same curriculum over and over for the rest of your life?". and that threw me off of that whole track. however every job i do eventually ends up having kids involved in it somehow. we can certainly make a difference however. as woman of color who are influential we inspire this impressionable generation. im not saying you have to dedicate your LIFE to them..however leave a little bit of legacy. on the side perhaps? in your free time? :)
Why don't you write childrens music? I mean its two things, the passion & the calling in one.
I dig on the calling tho. For some reason I've been itching to write recently, not because there is a lot on my mind, but like stories, articles, journalism type shit, now I could write anywhere for anybody just by showing an artice to whatever editor I please; but for some reason I feel the need to go to cali; not because of La, but because the hub of video game journalism is out there, a hobby & a calling; and since that was on the mind, I was kinda mentioning it. But a person whom I never really spoke to, but we knew each other; told me I could be a model...third person, and I never mentioned that to anybody. So...I may have been born here, on the east, but something is drawing me west; and its as strong as the gravitational pull from the center of the planet.
Write childrens music!!!!
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