My Voice Music

MY VOICE MUSIC IS A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION BASED IN PORTLAND, OREGON THAT ENGAGES YOUTH IN MUSIC AND PERFORMANCE IN ORDER TO PROMOTE SELF-ESTEEM, SOCIAL SKILLS, AND EMOTIONAL EXPRESSION.MY VOICE MUSIC WILL PROVIDE UNDER-SERVED YOUTH WITH ENGAGING, RELEVANT, AND CHALLENGING EXPERIENCES IN MUSIC IN ORDER TO PROMOTE THE DEVELOPMENT OF SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL SKILLS. ANCHORED IN A BELIEF IN THE POWER OF MUSIC, RELATIONSHIP AND STORY, WE WILL BE GUIDED BY THOUGHTFUL RESOURCE STEWARDSHIP AND A DEEP COMMITMENT TO EDUCATION THROUGH EXPERIENCE.

MVM STUDIOS IS A FULL RECORDING STUDIO FOR EMERGING SONGWRITERS, MUSICIANS, BEAT MAKERS, AND POETS AGES 9-24. AT MVM STUDIOS WE OFFER VARIOUS CLASSES, WORKSHOPS, AND LONG-TERM MENTORSHIPS THAT HELP YOUNG ARTISTS FIND AND SHARE THEIR VOICE THROUGH WRITING, RECORDING AND PERFORMING MUSIC. THROUGH THE YEAR MVM STUDIOS SERVED 89 STUDENTS TOTAL. 35 STUDENTS PARTICIPATED IN RECORDING SESSIONS AND 20 RECEIVED INDIVIDUAL LESSONS. OVER 50% OF STUDENTS RECEIVED FULL OR PARTIAL SCHOLARSHIPS.CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O. SUMMER 2021 WE RESUMED OUR IN-PERSON SUMMER ROCK CAMPS. WE OFFERED 5 WEEKS OF CAMP. EACH CAMP WAS 5 DAYS LONG FOR 4 HOURS PER DAY. 46 CAMPERS PARTICIPATED: FORMING A BAND, LEARNING THE BASICS OF SONGWRITING, TRYING THEIR HAND AT WRITING THEIR OWN SONGS, AND PERFORMING THEM IN A CONCERT FOR FAMILY AND FRIENDS AT THE END OF EACH WEEK. EACH CAMPER WENT HOME WITH A CD-RECORDING OF THEIR SONGS. TO HELP ENSURE ACCESS WE ALSO OFFERED TWO 4-DAY VIRTUAL CAMPS WHICH SERVED A TOTAL OF 9 STUDENTS. SURVEY RESULTS DEMONSTRATE THE IMPACT OF MVM STUDIOS' CLASSES AND CAMPS:82% REPORTED SPENDING MORE TIME DOING MUSIC84% REPORTED ENJOYING MUSIC MORE96% REPORTED BEING BETTER AT MUSIC80% REPORTED BEING BETTER AT TELLING OTHERS THEIR IDEAS AND FEELINGS75% REPORTED BEING BETTER AT WORKING WITH OTHERS80% REPORTED THAT THEY LEARNED THAT THEY CAN DO THINGS THAT THEY DIDN'T THINK THEY COULD DO BEFORE. MVM STUDIOS IN EAST PORTLAND: OUR NEW STATE-OF-THE-ART HEADQUARTERS IN EAST PORTLAND IS STILL IN PROCESS. THE ORIGINAL PLAN WAS TO BEGIN CONSTRUCTION IN 2020 AND COMPLETE IN 2021. WHEN THE PANDEMIC HIT AND THE FINANCIAL OUTLOOK WAS UNKNOWN WE PAUSED THIS PROJECT. THE PROJECT CONTINUES TO BE ON PAUSE AS WE WAIT FOR THE CITY OF PORTLAND TO APPROVE BUILDING PERMITS. IN THE MEANTIME, WE HAVE CONTINUED OUR EFFORTS TO INTEGRATE INTO THE EAST PORTLAND COMMUNITY THROUGH ONGOING COMMUNICATION WITH OUR NETWORK OF PARTNERS ABOUT OUR NEW EQUIPMENT LENDING LIBRARY AND ENSURING THAT YOUTH AND YOUTH WORKERS ARE ABLE TO ACCESS EQUIPMENT NEEDED TO MAKE MUSIC. IN SUMMER 2021 WE HOSTED POP UP CAMPS AT SEVERAL SITES THROUGHOUT EAST PORTLAND.

MVM'S SATELLITE PROGRAMS BRING SONGWRITING AND RECORDING PROGRAMS TO YOUTH LIVING IN RESIDENTIAL TREATMENT CENTERS OR SECURE FOSTER CARE PLACEMENTS. IN 2021 WE WORKED WITH TEN DIFFERENT PARTNER FACILITIES: TRILLIUM PARRY CENTER, ALBERTINA KERR SUB-ACUTE, TRILLIUM PB UNIT, SAGE, NEW AVENUES FOR YOUTH (PAVE PROGRAM), BREAKTHROUGH, COUNTERPOINT, MACLAREN YOUTH CORRECTIONAL FACILITY, ANISA'S PLACE, AND THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES. THROUGH CLOSE COLLABORATION WITH PROGRAM STAFF IN THESE FACILITIES WE WERE ABLE TO PROVIDE SESSIONS TO 749 YOUTH FACING CHALLENGES, INCLUDING MIGRANT DETENTION, HOMELESSNESS, SEXUAL EXPLOITATION, MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES, AND/OR BEHAVIORAL ISSUES. CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O. WE WERE HAPPY TO BE ABLE TO EXTEND OUR SUPPORT TO YOUNG WOMEN NAVIGATING THE IMPACTS OF COMMERCIAL SEX TRAFFICKING THROUGH A NEW PARTNERSHIP WITH ANISA'S PLACE. ALTHOUGH THE CONTINUED CHALLENGES OF PROVIDING SERVICE THIS YEAR, DURING THE ONGOING PANDEMIC, PREVENTED US FROM CONDUCTING A FULL ASSESSMENT OR OBTAINING COMPLETE STUDENT DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION, WE HAVE HEARD FROM MANY PARTICIPANTS AND FACILITY STAFF THAT PROGRAM ACTIVITIES WERE A LIFELINE DURING A TIME OF GREAT CONFUSION AND ISOLATION. STAFF FROM NEW AVENUES FOR YOUTH OFFERED THE FOLLOWING TESTIMONY:"MUSIC CONNECTS SO WELL WITH NAFY (NEW AVENUES FOR YOUTH) PARTICIPANTS. THE MVM STAFF WERE ABLE TO SUPPORT AND ENCOURAGE EACH PARTICIPANT TO CONNECT WITH MUSIC AND EXPLORE DIFFERENT WAYS TO EXPLORE IT. EVERY TIME A PERSON LEFT A ONE ON ONE SESSION THE PARTICIPANT WAS EXCITED TO CONTINUE WORKING ON WHATEVER THEY COLLABORATED ON WITH THEIR FACILITATOR." -NAFY STAFFMVM ACROSS OREGON IS AN INITIATIVE TO EXPAND MVM SATELLITE PROGRAMS TO SERVE YOUNG PEOPLE ACROSS THE STATE, WITH AN EMPHASIS ON RURAL COMMUNITIES AND RESIDENTIAL FACILITIES. IN 2021 WE CONTINUED TO DEVELOP A SATELLITE PROGRAM AT MACLAREN YOUTH CORRECTIONAL FACILITY (A FACILITY JUST SOUTH OF PORTLAND THAT SERVES OVER 250 YOUNG MEN). SATELLITE PROGRAMS DIRECTOR MONICA METZLER AND MVM STAFF STARTED OUTREACH TO POTENTIAL PARTNERS AND DRAFTED CURRICULUM TO TRAIN TEACHING ARTISTS IN PARTNER COMMUNITIES.