various venues and were able to record their first EP and music video. “Being in a band isn’t easy. It involves teamwork, communicating, learning to compromise and having a very open mind because you have to deal with a lot of different working styles,” he said. “It definitely helped me become a better person and mature as a musician overall.” Since AMP’s humble beginnings, Spates said more than 500 of Coachella’s young musicians have been impacted by their enrollment and exposure to its various programs. AMP earned its nonprofit status in 2017 and offers a plethora of programs ranging from private lessons to the popular spring program. “If we could make this program successful for kids, we can make it work for everyone,” she said. “Long- term, I’d love for this program to be a resource for musicians to connect and gain work. It could be an amazing resource for people to meet other musicians, write songs together and have a collaborative musical atmosphere. That would be a dream for all of us.” Recently, AMP was the recipient of a $25,000 Coachella Valley Spotlight grant from Palm Desert- based H.N. and Frances C. Berger Foundation. The funds will be used to purchase instruments and support tuition assistance for music education for the Summer AMP Camp program. “Who knows where your musical talent will take you in the future?” Camille said reflecting on her decision to enroll Noah in AMP. “However, having that musical family (and support) is important to developing those skills.”
schools. Without this program, they may never have had the opportunity to meet someone who shares their same interests,” said Kate Spates, AMP co-founder. “We’re teaching these kids important and bankable skills. They’re learning to work collaboratively on a team, leverage marketing for their band, negotiate deals and so much more.” Noah, now 18 and an “AMPlumni,” was recently featured in Demi Lovato’s “I Love Me” music video last year. He credits AMP for encouraging his love for music. “AMP really expanded my horizons to different genres of music,” Noah said. “It gave me a lot of good experiences and I would definitely encourage other people attracted to music to check it out. It provided me with the opportunity to join master classes, receive instructor guidance, learn about audio engineering, studio recording and more.” During his time as an AMP student, Noah and his fellow students formed Silver Sky (formerly D Tension). They were also the first band to go through AMP’s Rockin’ On initiative, a business development program that uses music as the vehicle for teaching entrepreneurship. They have played notable shows at
For more information about AMP, visit ampcv.org .
Coastal Quest Oakland nonprofit brings collaboration to coastal protection efforts
W HEN COASTAL QUEST executive director Tegan Hoffmann, Ph.D. speaks about her work of ocean preservation and conservation, the enthusiasm and passion she feels naturally shine through her words. “Protecting, sustaining and enhancing the coast for people and nature potentially affects 2.4 billion people globally,” Hoffmann said. “Coastal ecosystems
are vulnerable to threats of climate change, higher temperatures, decreased water quality, extreme weather events and sea level rise, and that results in destructive, recurring, widespread loss of human lives, habitat, property and critical infrastructure.” The task is daunting as 40 percent of the world’s population lives along the coast and other global challenges can slow progress. However, Coastal
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IN YOUR CORNER ISSUE 9 | 2021
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