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Dear Fresno Music Academy and Arts Community,
Many of us, at one point or another, have been honored by others for the work we have done. Now, the founder of Fresno Music Academy & Arts, Debi Ruud has received an exceptional recognition from Fresno’s District One Councilwoman and Council President, Annalisa Perea, who just last week by selected Debi as the Woman of The Year for District 1. Recognition of this honor for Debi and 7 other phenomenal women from the remaining councils, took place at a luncheon in Council Chambers in downtown Fresno. Here is what Debi had to say about this honor:
So yesterday this happened…I cannot even begin to adequately say how grateful I feel to have been able to serve this community for so many years. Thank you Annalisa and the rest of the council for this honor.
Like I said yesterday, I look forward to continue doing what I can to make the world, Fresno and my beloved Tower, District, a better and more peaceful place. What I didn’t say yesterday, because I got nervous, and I knew it would take WAY too long is…
When I was younger, I really wanted to “make it” in the music industry. I was actively pursuing that path. I had a HUGE dream and I was willing to do “almost” anything it took to get there (another story). I wanted to move to either Nashville or LA to be where it was all “happening.” Well, the universe had other plans.
Things fell apart and I had some decisions to make. One of them was to go finish my music degree, which I did. The other one, and the most significant one was to stay here, in Fresno and raise my kids and work hard to make THIS community, where I was born and that I love so very much, a better, more loving and peaceful place. I so want to see the negative narrative about Fresno change being to how great it is.
So, I decided that I could do that through music education. I started teaching out of my living room in 1998 and today I have a school!! Music completely changed the trajectory of my life when I was a teenager. I can honestly say that without music in my life , I’m not sure where I’d be. That’s a whole other story.
Fast forward …I love Fresno and I am so very proud to be involved in things like Leadership FRESNO, Rotary and TDPA with so many other AMAZING people that do so much for our world and our community. But at the end of the day, the thing that brings me the most joy (beside my kids, my friends, my pets and my loved ones) is walking through my school and hearing young singers, older singers, budding pianists, guitarist and drummers. I love sitting in front of my Hearts on Fire choir and hearing the wall of sound that they make together. I have witnessed how the power of music can facilitate so much good in the lives of hundreds of young people and “mature people” alike. At the end of the day, I am just very thankful for the gifts and graces that I have been given and I will continue to work hard to make a difference. At the end of the day I’m just one big hippie that wants peace.
Love Deb
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