Blog Post by Peter Damon, intern
Hello, my name is Peter Damon, and I’m Me2/’s new intern! Normally, I attend Bennington College in VT, but every year, Bennington students go out and find an internship for 7 weeks in the winter. Let me tell you a little bit about how I came upon Me2/Orchestra…
It was November, and instead of looking forward to Thanksgiving break, I was desperately trying to find a job. I’m a freshman, so this process was very new to me and I was feeling the pressure. My passion is music, I’m a singer and a burgeoning composer, and so I wanted to find an organization where I would be surrounded by it, but still be close to my home in Boston, MA. I started scouring the Internet for any organization that might be willing to take me on, but then something grabbed my attention. It was Me2/Orchestra. I’ve struggled with severe anxiety and major depression all my life, and have long wanted tocombine my love of music with my desire to help others suffering from mental illness. Here was an organization doing just that. I of course reached out to see if I could be of any help to them, and soon received a lovely reply from Caroline Whiddon, the executive director, saying that they would be happy to have me. I couldn’t believe it! I’m now coming up on the end of my internship, and I’m incredibly satisfied with the work I’ve done. I’ve mostly been helping Caroline with outreach to other Boston organizations in order to raise awareness. I’ve also been regularly attending both rehearsals, and have enjoyed them immensely.
In the Boston and Burlington rehearsals, it’s immediately apparent the sense of community everyone feels. I happened to have spent a year in the Boston Gay Men’s Chorus, and their environments are very similar – everyone is accepted no matter what, and you don’t have to be anything you’re not. There aren’t very many places that can say that about themselves. I’ve also noticed that there isn’t one person who isn’t warm and inviting in the entire room. I’ve watched newcomers who are unsure of their ability to play the music come in and immediately be taken under the wing of a more experienced member until they’re ready to fly on their own. It’s really a wonderful place of acceptance and collaboration.