AFRORACK: Chicago based youth education in modular synthesis looking for funding
AFRORACK aims to give talented young students an opportunity to access and learn about modular synthesis without socioeconomic barriers. They need your help.
Modular school
AFRORACK has been running since 2016 and was created by sound designer Aaron Guice to bring modular synthesis workshops to children and young adults in Chicago’s black and brown communities. There’s an interview with him in Attack Magazine from earlier in the year and the work this guy does is amazing. It’s fascinating what he says about kids being fearless when it comes to technology and music and how the older they get the more careful they become and afraid of making mistakes. So for him the ages of 6-14 are where the fun is really at.
In talking about why modular he said:
Modular is kind of interesting because some people tend to fetishize the gear, but the one really cool thing is that modular tends to become a platform for a lot of different things. AFRORACK is one platform where people can talk about ideas of equality. I love that it’s more than just sounds, it’s more than just music, and more than just technology—it’s literally a platform for new ideas. (Read the whole article here).
And then he gets kids involved in expressing themselves with no reference to traditional musical styles or communication – because that doesn’t really exist in modular – so they have to make up their own language and way of playing together.
AFRORACK has worked through all sections of the Chicago community running workshops in whatever spaces he can find forging relationships with schools and community spaces.
AFRORACK · Source: AFRORACK Attack Magazine
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However, Covid-19 has hit them hard. They’ve had to cancel events and workshops and are really struggling to stay afloat. Over on GoFundMe.com AFRORACK is hoping to raise $5,000 to keep things alive until they can start running courses again. At the time of writing they have just reached that goal – which is completely awesome! But don’t you dare think that’s enough – the lockdown situation could continue for many weeks yet and $5,000 isn’t going to go very far for very long. Please consider throwing them a few dollars.
This is a remarkable man with a fabulous vision and I hope that he’s able to raise enough money not only to survive but to buy more equipment, to offer more workshops and courses and expand what he’s doing. I wish something like this was happening in my local town.
More information
- AFRORACK GoFundMe page.
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