Center of Life
Title: Supporting Student Voices Through Music at COL
Student Interns:
Andrew Liu
University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
Rin Suzuki
University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health, Behavioral and Community Health Sciences
Academic Preceptor:
Martha Ann Terry, PhD
University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health
Community Preceptor:
Danielle Chaykowsky
Director of Programs, Center of Life
Romana Henson
Music & Arts Program Manager, Center of Life
Community Site:
Center of Life (COL) is a nonprofit organization in Pittsburgh’s Hazelwood neighborhood. Founded in 2001 by Pastor Tim, it most visibly provides local youth with academic opportunities ranging from summer camps to music programs. It connects families with needed local resources and regularly holds events that bring the community together. Currently based out of a church and a previous elementary school, COL is planning a move to a new facility on the Hazelwood Green.
Team’s Experience:
The Bridging the Gaps interns supported students’ journeys in creating music and art projects over the summer. Their interactions with students from The KRUNK Movement and COL Jazz programs revealed that the two groups come from very different backgrounds and have significantly different needs. The interns’ project aimed to address a shared issue and bridge this gap through music, something both groups have in common. When the BTG interns learned about a recent KRUNK Movement album, “Mental I.D.,” on which students sing about mental health, they discovered that many other students were unaware of it and that its lyrics were not widely shared on streaming platforms or at concerts. To help those meaningful messages reach a wider audience and hear other students’ thoughts on mental health, the interns created a lyric book featuring students’ voices from both COL Jazz and The KRUNK Movement, along with related information and resources on mental health.
Reflections
When I first came to Pittsburgh 12 years ago, I quickly learned that Pittsburgh was one of the most segregated cities in the US. One major reason is due to gentrification and resulting Black displacement. One instance I personally witnessed was when Penn Plaza was torn down to make way for a Whole Foods. However, amidst concerns that gentrification in Hazelwood would follow a similar pattern, it is heartening to see COL strategically positioning itself as a bridge between and advocate for the community and the economic forces threatening to leave it behind. In a way, I see the contrast between Jazz and KRUNK being a microcosm of Pittsburgh’s penchant for gentrification, where you have more affluent individuals coming into the communities of less privileged individuals to utilize the local resources. By creating this lyric book, we hope to include the voices of the outsiders (Jazz) to help elevate, amplify, and empower the voices and music of the locals (KRUNK), an effort which we hope aligns with and advances the mission of COL.
Andrew Liu
I saw the power of community, the power of music, and the power of youth during my time at COL. People in the community and the community itself grow together when they are closely connected. Music is a way not only to express joy, but also to vent the struggles and stress you face in life. Some students have shared with me their life struggles, and at the same time, how much joy they’ve had at COL. I was able to understand that community spaces like COL offer a safe space for students to build resilience, grow self-confidence, and understand that there is a place they can always come to.
Rin Suzuki
