Edward Alfonso Esparza
In Vancouver, WA a mentor for Latinos leads our youth into a path of creativity, passion, and leadership. One of his programs is well recognized. This program is a mixture of empowering the Latino youth as well as using music as means of personal expression. It is none other than One of a Kind Drumline!
What exactly is the program?
One of a Kind Drumline is about leadership through performance which consists of several kids that range from Kindergarten to twelfth grade. Kids learn that the drum is a part of them and can be used to reach success.
It is important act upon good citizenship. To emphasis this, the group does community service. They plant trees and clean around the community.
One of a Kind Drumline promotes education. Last October the youth went online and research different careers; it did not matter what grade they are in, they all did it. That way they can start looking into different career opportunities and see how they can apply their interests with what they can do for careers. Eddie also engaged all his students into the national college fair. They got criticized for taking the younger students. But, Eddie believes that exposing the kids even if they are young is the way to go. That way promotion of higher education is instilled in their young growing minds early on.
Eddie said “expose kids to music, community service, and career research will prepare the youth for what is in store for them as they continue to grow and learn”. He wants to make sure these kids obtain skills to make succession a reality.
What is behind your aspiration to form this program for the youth?
Growing up in poverty, Eddie used the drums to help him deal pain. We all have our own means of dealing with various life experiences. Eddie having a mixture of Native American and Mexican blood running through his veins was tempted by rhymes of the drums. The drums allowed him to overcome a lot and have made him who he is today. Eddie saw the positive impact the drums had with his life and formed this program to make his method of coping with things available.
When did you start the program?
One of his co-workers, Tammy, had a troubled foster child. He reminded Eddie of his own childhood. Eddie was going to teach his son how to play the drums and invited Tammy’s son to join them. They started with having a bunch of broken equipment and gathered kids to play them. Eddie was used to fixing drums; so he would buy stuff from E-Bay and fix them. From then on, they would get more drums and more drums to fix up. Later, they received grants which allowed them to expand their amount of equipment.
What is the foundation of the program and what are you trying to achieve with it?
“If it was not for my drums…I do not know where I would be right now,” Eddie says. Eddie grew up dealing with complex issues and understands that as minorities, we deal with a lot of issues which can either empower us or break us down. He used the drums to empower himself so founded this program to bring out a positive notion of dealing with the complexity of the life of a minority. The program gives the youth tools to empower themselves with.
Do you plan on expanding this program into other regions?
“Yes,” Eddie says, “we do plan on expanding it but first we have to finish establishing the non-profit status.” Their plan is to develop the program to where they are teaching students and providing them with an area to study. He loves all his students equally; but relates to Latinos more because they share the same culture and history. His mission is to serve everyone but especially the Latino youth.
It’s me Dani…bringing you the news from our Communities, Leaders, and Youth
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