MyTown Music

On Empowerment

Empowerment was never a term in my vocabulary previous to this summer. I always believed that people would act based on their own personal values and ideas, rather than a group’s. That was until I was born into the MyTown Music family.

Empowerment has a strict definition. “To promote the self-actualization or influence of.” Now this isn’t my first rodeo in a group setting, accomplishing goals. I had been in youth-run-youth-led youth groups throughout my adolescence. But there was always that feeling of having to push people. Having to push people to do the smallest task. The passion was missing.

Come Summer 2011. I was looking for a music internship. My resume was already stacked. Size 9 font. .25” margins. Times New Roman. 1 page. The standard business school resume. No vacant lines. I’ve done a lot in 20 years. More than most every other peer in my class. What I would come to know and love as MtM would need a place on that page.

The visionary. Corey. Told me to come up with a project for the summer. In an interview setting (which this was), that statement had never been uttered to me before. Kid, I know you’re new to this and probably very confused, but go make a name for yourself. Start something. I pondered. Empowerment. I would have left it there. I already had a summer job. Why would I come up with a project? This isn’t class. Empowerment. Inspired.

I thought and thought. I needed a project that would change the image of this company forever. Instrument donations. Perfect. The plan went through. Great. Idea formatted. Letters sent. Emails transmitted. You’ve got mail.

Now what? Ideas flowing. Empowerment. Mentions of jumping into the Relationship Department. Mentions of business to business contacts. Mentions of Street Teams. Mentions of corporate identity and culture. Memories streaming back of what that means. MIS 111? MIS 304? Math 115A? B? Some class. Now it’s relevant. Now it’s real. Empowerment. Take projects on. Spit out ideas like I was made to do this. I was made to do this. I take on projects because I have been given an opportunity to change people. Change the face of this earth. Change the sounds entering the human ear.

I have been empowered. It sounds like a curse. Or like some catchy advertising scheme. But it’s not. I have acted without being prompted. I have been inspired. I bite off more than I can chew but I still get it down without choking. No Heimlich. No bailout. Empowerment does not come from the top down. Empowerment is a web. I am empowered because someone else is empowered who got empowered by someone else who was empowered by someone else who was empowered. We share the passion. The flame. The ignition to do more.

Add it to the resume. Made it fit. But how can I put empowerment on a resume? How can I talk about MtM without stumbling over my words? How do I talk about MtM without jumping out of my skin? How can I talk about MtM with the audience never experiencing magic? Empowerment? Inspiration?

This is the new generation of business. This is the new culture of youth. This is our time. This is our revolution. This is empowerment. This is inspiration. This is love. This is MyTown Music.

We provide hope for music education. We provide hope for music. We provide hope for. We provide hope. We provide. We. You. You can. You can help.

Written through the stream of consciousness by the leader of the lost… IS