October 2026 Newsletter:

On Philanthropy and Its Impact

Mobile lab proudly in use at Norrback Avenue

Become a Monthly Sponsor

Every program OpporTUNEity offers is free to the people we serve, from elementary students making their first beats after school to adults writing songs in recovery and after incarceration, and monthly sponsors are the ones who keep it that way, giving us steady ground to plan on so that no child is turned away and no family has to choose. A gift of any size, whether $10, $25 or $50 a month, becomes part of every session, every song and every showcase throughout the year.

A Night with Parrish Smith

Parrish Smith discussing gratitude and his success as the most sampled hip-hop artist of all time

On Tuesday, October 20, hip-hop pioneer Parrish Smith, co-founder of the legendary group EPMD, joined the men in our Hip Hop Seminar at the Worcester County House of Correction by Zoom, and what we expected to be a conversation about music turned into something much bigger. The seminar is one of several courses we offer inside the House of Correction through our partnership with the Worcester County Sheriff’s Office, now in its eighth year. It’s taught by Dennis Vanasse, a longtime friend of Parrish’s who has just finished co-writing Parrish’s autobiography, and the same men also take our Beatmaking Lab with Harman Kaler, where they’re creating their own music on laptops and MIDI keyboards.

Parrish spoke candidly about his own path, from EPMD’s fast rise to a long stretch of stepping back, reflection and what he called shadow work. “Sometimes you get put in a holding pattern for a reason,” he told the men, explaining that the times life slowed him down gave him a perspective that people who rise too fast often never get. He talked about learning to take care of himself after years of taking care of others, and about conflict, telling the class that anger never fixes it and that “the only thing that fixed that is you fixing yourself.” He also passed along advice he was once given himself, which was to “embrace your struggle.”

He returned again and again to stillness, and to the challenge of going from stadium crowds and constant travel to the quiet of sitting down to make music. “If the world is really moving that fast, then you must have a little break,” he said, recommending fifteen to twenty minutes of meditation, “because that’s the difference between making a good decision and a bad decision.” When he was asked whether he had always practiced gratitude, he was honest. “I didn’t have gratitude in the beginning,” he said. It came to him over time, as he understood “how blessed you truly are,” and he told the men that gratitude keeps you accountable to “your family, your teachers or the people who believe in you.”

That sense of responsibility ran through everything he said about the music. He talked about the artists he helped bring up during EPMD’s success, and about sampling as a way of honoring the generation that came before, since sampling sends revenue back to the original artists and teaches younger listeners where the music came from. “As much as you’re making that beat, you’re also educating the younger artists behind you,” he said, and he challenged the men to see themselves as “the actual beacon to take it as far as it can go” for the people around them. He was just as direct about the business: publishing, registering their work with ASCAP or BMI, and never signing a contract without an attorney, a lesson EPMD learned the hard way.

Best of all, Parrish wants to come back. In December he’ll return to hear the beats the men are building with Harman and to give them feedback on their production, writing and publishing, and we can’t wait. Our thanks to Parrish for his generosity, to Dennis for making the connection, and to the Worcester County Sheriff’s Office, whose partnership makes evenings like this possible.

OpporTUNEity In the News

Wish I May recording session at the Prior center, photo credit Alan Jung

This month, reporter Stephanie Jarvis Campbell told our story in Worcester Magazine and the Sunday, October 25 Telegram & Gazette, following three of our songwriters, John Wayne Cormier Jr., Marc Recor and Travis, back into the studio at the College of the Holy Cross’s Prior Performing Arts Center to record “Wish I May,” a song of hope and redemption first written in our very first session at the Worcester County House of Correction in 2019. With Harman Kaler guiding the session and Dan DeCristofaro producing, the song has now been released on Spotify, Apple Music and Amazon Music, the fourth record in the OpporTUNEity Records catalog.

The article captures what makes this work matter better than we ever could on our own. John remembered one young man in a jail session who felt he had nothing to offer, until he spoke up with the line that became the title and hook of another of our songs, “Nowhere Right Now.” “He gave us the most important thing,” John said. Marc, who now runs his own business and still writes songs in his garage, described his time in our classes as “mental health at its best,” and Travis said being part of the project was an honor and “a lot of fun.” We’re deeply grateful to Stephanie, who has covered our work twice before (A Golden OpporTUNEity, A Musical Lifeline), for telling these stories once again with such care, and to everyone who shared their voice.

We hope you’ll read the full article and give “Wish I May” a listen. More than 150 songs have been written in our classes since 2019, and every one of them deserves to be heard.

If you’d like to help bring the next one into the studio, you can support OpporTUNEity Records here.

New Grants!

Recording original songs at Community Compass Open Sky

We’re grateful to share three new grants this fall. The Middlesex Savings Charitable Foundation awarded OpporTUNEity $15,000 through its Educational Opportunities Program, and the Fred Harris Daniels Foundation awarded $5,000, both supporting our after-school youth programs, where fourth, fifth and sixth graders from Worcester Public Schools learn music at no cost to their families. The Greater Worcester Community Foundation awarded $10,000 to continue its support of the Songwriters Circle, our free weekly program for people in recovery and returning home from incarceration, which meets at three community sites across Worcester. Thank you to all three foundations for believing in this work and helping it grow!

Partner Spotlight: Michelle Bastien, Norrback Avenue School

Michelle Bastien, ETC at Norrback Avenue

This fall, OpporTUNEity opened its second youth program site at Norrback Avenue School, one of Worcester’s special education hub schools. We sat down with Michelle Bastien, the school’s Special Education Evaluation Team Chair, who helped bring the program to Norrback and select the students who take part.

What’s your role at Norrback, and what does a typical day look like?

I’m the Special Education Evaluation Team Chair, and I’ve been in this role for two years. In special education, no two days are the same, but a typical day centers on two things: keeping meetings student-focused and making sure we’re fully compliant with the law. You’ll usually find me supporting IEP meetings, responding to parent and staff concerns about special education services, and helping staff navigate services and supports.

Tell us about your background.

I’ve worked in special education for the last 15 years. I have a master’s in education with a license in intensive special needs, as well as an administrative license in special education. Over my career I’ve worked in intensive special needs, academic inclusion, early intervention, social-emotional coordination, high school academic support and special education coordination. Each role taught me something about the many sides of this work, and all of them help me advocate for students, staff and families today.

Why did you want to bring OpporTUNEity to Norrback?

Norrback is such an amazing and inclusive school, and the staff here are some of the most amazing people I’ve ever worked with. Our goal is to give every student an opportunity to learn and grow, and supporting a program that brings music and the arts to our students has been so rewarding.

How did you decide which students to invite?

We looked for students who love music but might not have this opportunity outside a program like this. We also looked at students in our special education programs who could benefit from music instruction of this caliber but don’t have access to it because of the nature of their disabilities or their families’ financial circumstances. These are the students who need an opportunity to shine!

How did families react?

Families were thrilled! One parent emailed to say, “We are so excited, he is dancing around the kitchen!” Another told me she had been facing a choice between an instrument rental and groceries before she read about this opportunity. To say it has made a huge impact would be an understatement.

What changes have you noticed in students since the program started?

They’re really starting to come together as a community with a common purpose. We’ve added program-wide incentives and lessons to help them come together as a musical group.

Is there a moment that stands out so far?

Hearing the class sing “Backwater Blues” by Bessie Smith was outstanding. When we started, this group looked at a picture of Louis Armstrong and thought he was Michael Jordan, so you can imagine my surprise when, by the third class, they were making beats and singing with so much passion.

Why does music work so well for the students you serve?

Music doesn’t care about disability, language or life circumstances. It’s a multisensory tool that can bridge academic, behavioral and other needs. When a student hears a beat or a melody that speaks to them, you see a change instantly. I’ve seen music calm the most dysregulated students and help nonverbal students speak and engage with what’s around them.

What are you most looking forward to at the December showcase?

Seeing the pride on these students’ faces when they get up and show off their hard work and musical talents!

Join us for the showcase on Saturday, December 19, at 2:00 p.m. at the Joy of Music Program, 1 Gorham Street.

Save the Date!

In Memory of Michael Earielo

Michael Earielo, long-term Program Director at EDM

We were deeply saddened to learn that Michael Earielo, Program Director of Everyday Miracles Peer Recovery Center since 2016, passed away on October 16 at the age of 56. Michael’s own recovery became the foundation of his life’s work, and he believed with his whole heart that every person deserves dignity, compassion and a second chance, regardless of their past. 

Everyday Miracles is where our Songwriters Circle began in the spring of 2025, and Michael’s welcome made it possible for people in recovery and returning home to gather and write together every week. The circle that meets there is part of his legacy, and we will carry his warmth, his humor and his belief in new beginnings into every session. Our hearts are with his wife, Jennifer, his family, the staff of Everyday Miracles, and the whole recovery community he served so faithfully.

Whether you're an experienced musician or exploring songwriting for the first time, we welcome you to take part in this unique, community-driven experience.

Join us at one of our upcoming weekly drop-in sessions:



• Community Compass at Open Sky Community Services--Wednesdays 11:00 A.M.

• Worcester Sheriff’s Office Regional Reentry Center--Thursdays, 9:00 a.m.

• Everyday Miracles Peer Recovery Center--Thursdays, 1:00 p.m.

If you are interested in learning more about our program offerings, please use the sign-up button or email opportuneitymusic@gmail.com.

We look forward to welcoming you!

A Special Thank You to Our Supporters

OPPORTUNEITY AND THE OPPORTUNEITY LOGO ARE TRADEMARKS OF MELISSA S. MARTIROS @ 2025. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.