YOUTH LEADERSHIP

Youth are involved in all aspects of the organization: leading songwriting workshops, participating in The Village community meeting sessions, attending our annual planning retreat to define organizational goals, helping as program assistants, and serving as youth advisory board members.

Daniel Gaviani, Youth Arts Curator, joined Zumix when he was 12 in 2007. Daniel first joined the Radio team, and from there he expanded into other areas such as Street Program and Rock-Ed where he soon found his niche. He came to realize that not only was he accepted by the radio team, but was accepted everywhere at Zumix. He became more confident, took more classes, and grew as a person. Lately Daniel has been participating much more than originally. In addition to taking more classes, he also joined Zumix’s house band (DiverCity Band) and became one of four Youth Arts Curators (YACs). He has begun to take on leadership roles by quickly stepping into action if anything needs to be done and is always willing help others to get the job done. Daniel is a leader because he is dedicated to Zumix and a hard worker. The previously shy boy is a regular at Zumix. When Daniel is not at Zumix he works a part time job at Revere City Hall to help reach his goals of going to college and becoming successful.

Ana Méndez, Youth Arts Curator, joined the Zumix community in 2009 as a shy girl with high expectations and goals of flourishing into a well rounded young lady and familiarizing herself with music. She joined the Fix-it program in the summer to get a taste of the organization and immediately fell in love with Zumix. Later on in the year she joined African Drumming and Rock-Ed, and her passion for the Zumix family instantaneously grew. She broke out of her shell of shyness when she performed, for her first time, for African Drumming and Rock-Ed. She is currently still enrolled in the African Drumming class and is now also in The Street program, where she hopes to excel above and beyond her original expectations. She is now a Youth Arts Curator (YAC) and loves to expose others to what Zumix is and what it is all about. She shares her personal story of how the loving environment of Zumix helped her grow to be the mature, caring, generous, and dependable young lady she is now. She aspires to take all these characteristics with her to keep a positive attitude and excel in school, and in life.

Kassandra Otero, Youth Arts Curator, is 17 years old and first came to ZUMIX when she was 13 just after finishing the 7th grade. She began in the Street Program with Program Staff Corey DePina and by halfway through her 8th grade year she had completed most of the Songwriting and Performance programs. While she enjoyed her time in all of the programs, as Kassandra entered Pioneer High School, she decided to take time off to focus on her school work. Towards the end of her sophomore year, fellow YAC, Daniel Gaviani, inspired Kassandra to return to ZUMIX. She thought, "If he can handle both Zumix and school, why can’t I?" Kassandra is back in the Street Program and a new program, DJ Training, while balancing her role as a Youth Arts Curator.