Inside the old Engine 40 firehouse in East Boston, kids run a radio station, practice instruments, and learn songwriting and technical skills.The historic building houses ZUMIX. A nonprofit that empowers youth through music and the creative arts.The organization was built with huge ambitions that had modest beginnings. Co-founder Madeleine Steczynski explained.”The beginnings … really were in response to the epidemic of gang violence in the late ’80s and the very early ’90s,” she said.During the summer of 1991, the program was taught out of her East Boston apartment. Eighteen kids learned about songwriting.Nearly 35 years later, program director Corey Depina said their offerings are vast and varied.”Magic happens here at ZUMIX,” Depina said. “We make dreams come true. We offer programs that start as a small … like private lessons in guitar, drums, bass, piano. Kids can graduate from that and form ensembles that go out and get paid and do gigs. We also have an audio creative tech media pathway where young kids can learn live sound, audio engineering, studio engineering.”Board member and alumnus, Bryan Zuluaga, said his time at ZUMIX was life-changing.”Before, it was the place that gave me technical skills and a job. This was a place where I felt comfortable with other adults,” he said. “(One) of the first places in my life where someone that was not my family member was an older person that I could ask about college, or I could talk to about what jobs and taxes were, or just anything else that was going on.”Kenneth Palacios, a junior at Revere High School, said he found ZUMIX in 8th grade. He first took part in guitar lessons. He now hosts his own live radio show and much more.”Radio became storytelling,” Palacios said. “That became playing guitar for a band, that became making new friends, (then) photography and doing music journalism. All these different things kind of just manifested within each other.”ZUMIX is celebrating its 35th year with a number of events this spring and summer.Find more information here.
Inside the old Engine 40 firehouse in East Boston, kids run a radio station, practice instruments, and learn songwriting and technical skills.
The historic building houses ZUMIX. A nonprofit that empowers youth through music and the creative arts.
The organization was built with huge ambitions that had modest beginnings. Co-founder Madeleine Steczynski explained.
“The beginnings … really were in response to the epidemic of gang violence in the late ’80s and the very early ’90s,” she said.
During the summer of 1991, the program was taught out of her East Boston apartment. Eighteen kids learned about songwriting.
Nearly 35 years later, program director Corey Depina said their offerings are vast and varied.
“Magic happens here at ZUMIX,” Depina said. “We make dreams come true. We offer programs that start as a small … like private lessons in guitar, drums, bass, piano. Kids can graduate from that and form ensembles that go out and get paid and do gigs. We also have an audio creative tech media pathway where young kids can learn live sound, audio engineering, studio engineering.”
Board member and alumnus, Bryan Zuluaga, said his time at ZUMIX was life-changing.
“Before, it was the place that gave me technical skills and a job. This was a place where I felt comfortable with other adults,” he said. “(One) of the first places in my life where someone that was not my family member was an older person that I could ask about college, or I could talk to about what jobs and taxes were, or just anything else that was going on.”
Kenneth Palacios, a junior at Revere High School, said he found ZUMIX in 8th grade. He first took part in guitar lessons. He now hosts his own live radio show and much more.
“Radio became storytelling,” Palacios said. “That became playing guitar for a band, that became making new friends, (then) photography and doing music journalism. All these different things kind of just manifested within each other.”
ZUMIX is celebrating its 35th year with a number of events this spring and summer.
Find more information here.