As The People’s Music School’s “chief storyteller” and one of the newest members of the staff, I am working to get up to speed on all things People’s. I started by reading the story of Rita Simo, the organization’s heralded and respected founder. Born in the Dominican Republic in 1935, she has a long and storied life devoted to music, learning, and social justice. There is a lot to the story – tidbits of which I will write about in the coming weeks and months – but it all seems to come back to the values espoused during Rita’s youth. During one particularly salient story in the early pages of the book, her mother states “El sol para todos.”
The sun comes out for everybody.
What I have learned, seen, and felt in my first few months have embodied this simple statement: People’s is a loving and caring organization that puts its people — all of its people — at the center of the organization. And while this is core to who we are, it is no easy task: it takes a great deal of deliberation, discussion, and intention to get it right.
The results are palpable. When you walk through the doors of our schools, you feel the sun shining down on you. Music filters through the hallways, children giggle and play with their friends, and the large outdoor space in Uptown fills the neighborhood with music.
When George Harrison wrote Here Comes the Sun, he was in Eric Clapton’s garden, relishing in both the arrival of spring, and the respite from the trials and frustrations of his current business affairs with the Beatles. People’s embodies this sentiment for me: gone are the stresses of an uncertain world and in its place is a feeling of light, joy and growth. And I say, it’s all right.
Sarah Kammerer is our new Director of Growth and Engagement. She is excited to share her newfound feeling of belonging and community at TPMS with you at our annual gala – You Belong Here – on March 15! Save the Date and check out our playlist!