Accepting the AWARE Award with Youthrive: LIVE! // Our Story

One of our partners in music and community engagement is Youthrive: LIVE!. They brought Heatherlyn Music (myself and Jason) along with two other artists (Rodrigo Sanchez-Chavarria and Tish Jones) to the Summit to Prevent Sexual Violence hosted by the Minnesota Coalition Against Sexual Assault back in Dec of 2009.

Youthrive: LIVE! was selected by MNCASA as a 2011 AWARE award honoree and the artists were invited to accept the award on their behalf. We are so blessed to have the chance to work with these quality individuals and to partner with these healthy, effectively impactful organizations. It was wonderfully encouraging to be recognized and affirmed for the work we are doing.

"Heatherlyn gave an amazing presentation that captivated the room

and had people laughing and crying at the same time. You could hear a pin drop."

READ more from from Youthive: LIVE! about the artists at the Summit to Prevent Sexual Violence. Love these guys.

AWARE AWARD PRESENTATION // YOUTHRIVE: LIVE! ACCEPTANCE SPEECHES ~ Here's Callie Aguilar, Larry Lucio, Rodrigo Sanchez-Chavarria and myself - collectively addressing and thanking AWARE Awards participants. Thanks to Larry Lucio (Founder and Organizer of Youthrive: LIVE!) for the opportunity and for capturing this moment.

HEATHERLYN's PRESENTATION, with story and song, addressing why this is everybody's business at the Summit to Prevent Sexual Violence, DEC 2009. (This is one of the most personal, difficult stories I've ever shared and I'm not sure I've ever been so emotionally charged. I wasn't about to cry, but I felt like I could hardly contain myself in my own body.)

See the full gallery on Posterous

I was encouraged again when Cordelia Anderson spoke with me following the ceremony. She's a delightful human being and also an effecive leader, communicator and mobilizer in sexual violence prevention. She told me she's been sharing the video of my presentation as a part of her keynote addresses around the country as an example of connecting personal story, arts, awareness and social change. That blows me away and encourages me to keep growing. It's also quite a pertinent and timely word to me as the forthcoming album is entitled 'Storydwelling'...more on that another time. =)

 

HEATHERLYN's BLOG POST ABOUT THE INITIAL EVENT for which Youthrive: LIVE! received the award.

FULL PHOTO GALLERY of the AWARE Awards Ceremony.

Sharing in song for 100 clean latrines in Guatemala

See the full gallery on Posterous

We are participating in a benefit concert and auction today to support an initiative to fund the building and education for 100 dry latrines in Guatemala. There are several partnerships here through the St. Paul Area Synod who've visited with the people of Guatemala and desire to help alleviate the suffering caused by diarrhea. Eighty percent of the Guatemalan people suffer from acute or chronic diarrhea due to contaminated water or no sanitary facilities.

The photos here are the display of a how an ecological/compostable dry latrine would be built with local materials by the families who use them. It only takes $330 for each unit (materials, transport and labor).

Seems really possible to me. Such a simple solution to facilitate health and well being. I hope his rocks...and I'm sure it will.

I'm going to be sure to sing We Have A Dream and share about Rigoberta Menchu Tum (Nobel peace laureate) a lovely lady I meant last year. The second verse is inspired by her story and her great value of imagination and the ability to dream of a brighter and more hopeful future even in the darkest times.

Peace and goodness, Friend. Gotta go get ready to rock.

Celebrating 3rd anniversary of the debut album with FREE Music & a little stroll back in time....

April 13th, 2008 we released 'heatherlyn', a self-titled debut album. We thought it was only fitting to celebrate and give it one big last splash before releasing the sophomore album later this year. So, for a limited time, fan favorites from the album are avaibable at www.heatherlynmusic.com for FREE download. If you already have the album, be sure to invite others to help themselves to some free tunes! Thanks for helping extend that invitation to others who we don't know yet!

It's so interesting for me to reflect back on that time. It seems so far away now and it was, as you can see the P.D. (pre-dreadlocks) part of my life. Looking at the photos reminds me of what an incredible community we already had surrounding the music and it's only grown since! I also tend to be my own worst critic, as many of us human beings are, so I have all sorts of self-critique when I listen to the performances from "way back then". I'm glad that we are always capable of growing into our full potential. My approach to singing and writing has evolved over the past three years I'm excited to share that growth in the soon coming sophomore album. In the mean time, come enjoy this little stroll back in time!

PHOTOS FROM THE DEBUT CONCERT!! So fun to look back...and they are all on myspace (because that's what we used back in the day. hehe.) Click here to see the full gallery.

We found this video from the debut release concert celebration in the archives of the local cable access television station. It's Heatherlyn welcoming the crowd, introducing the band and performing Soul Nap. Funny to watch, being "P.D." and all and hopefully, I've grown some since then. ;-)

Thanks againg to Scott Malchow, Aaron Hanson, Dash Leander and Jake England for being such a significant part of my very first album, for believing in me, working hard on it together and contributing generously to it. I will be eternally grateful.

Remember to go to the Music tab on www.heatherlynmusic.com for your free tunes and share the love!

A Tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. That Will Make You Dance

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Put On Your Climbing Shoes (lyrics below) is directly inspired by Dr. King's Mountaintop Speech, his final delivery from the day before he was assasinated on April 4th, 1968. Today I grieve that the life of this man who stood for liberty and justice, indeed, for ALL, was taken by brutal ignorance. I also have hope for the incredible legacy that still lives on in every act of unexpected kindness, in every peaceful action for equality, in every courageous endeavor to build bridges with those different from ourselves and in every perpetuated idea that is infused with peace and love.

 

Enjoy this song today. Get up and dance to it. Have the courage to live it.

 

 

Put on Your Climbing Shoes

Words and Music by Heatherlyn. © 2009 HeatherlynMusic.com

Storydwelling Album Rendition by Heatherlyn and Matt Patrick. (c) 2011 HeatherlynMusic.com

Set out on this journey brothers and sisters

With provisions of love, grace and forgiveness

With conviction we are all intrinsically connected

So much in common and with beautiful difference.

 

Put on your climbing shoes

Put on your climbing shoes

Put on your shoes Take me with you to the mountaintop.

Keep on climbing. We will never stop.

 

Wade through streams, press on, push against the wind.

Take my hand, build trust. Know my friend, you’ll help me up.

Sometimes we’ll run and hurdle. Sometimes we’ll trip and stumble.

Over rocks and crags, steep passageways, LOVE will lift us.

 

When stormy clouds are covering the summit view

Remember how rainbows come into bloom.

Storm clouds, showers, thunder and drenching rain

Collide with sunshine rays of light to ribbons of colorful change.

 

Keep on hiking and we’ll the scale the heights.

Keep in walking. Walk by faith, not by sight.

 

Put ‘em on. Put ‘em on. Get Ready.

Put ‘em on. Put ‘em on. Get Ready.

 

(c) 2011 HeatherlynMusic.com. All Rights Reserved.

If you would like to share these lyrics, please do so by sharing the link to this post which includes the source and all appropriate credits. Thank you.

 

 

Heatherlyn on 15 local TV stations including MTN with 300,000+ viewers!!

The soulful, rooted, rockin' Amp It Up performance of Heatherlyn & the Storydwellers will be aired on fifteen stations in the Twin Cities, one to include MTN (Minneapolis Television Network) that reaches over 300,000 viewers! We are so greatful for this opportunity!

BUT if you're in another part of the country, or just feel like watching it now instead of relying on your local station's program schedule, it's right here on the world wide web. Click here to enjoy 5 of the Storydwelling album songs and hear an interview with Singer/Song-writer Heatherlyn and Producer Matt Patrick!

The Songs in this performance:

• Rosebud ~ A Lulluby by Heatherlyn
• Jack Riddle ~ The story of Mr. Riddle by Melissa Marley Bonnichsen
• When I Dream ~ A song for a sleepless night by Heatherlyn
• Home with You Continues ~ An ongoing love story-song continued from the debut album by Heatherlyn
• Put on Your Climbing Shoes ~ Inspired by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and all who are working for reconcilliation and building genuine community, by Heatherlyn and Matt Patrick

The Storydwellers in the Amp It Up performance are Zach Miller on drums, Aaron Fabrinni on upright and electric bass and Matt Patrick on electric guitar, ukelele, vocals and Heatherlyn on acoustic guitar and vocals.

You can be expecting these stellar musicians along with a couple more at the CD release concert towards the end of this summer (date TBA soon)!

Here are two simple ways you can be involved in the Storydwelling recording project:

1. SHARE!! The simplest, easiest and no-cost way of partnering with us is telling others who might be inspired and moved by the music. Share this link, our website and ANY other of our videos + posts as well! Share, email, repost, tweet, tell friends and family what inspires you about the music and the movement it inspires within you!
2. PRE-ORDER the Storydwelling album at www.heatherlynmusic.com! Reserve your own autographed copy and expect it in the mail! Nothing like getting a package in the mail!

BIG LOVE and GRATITUDE for being our community and for being involved in this project! Peace and much goodness to you and yours always!

 

This small, sweet, snuggly one...

This small, sweet, snuggly one climbed up into my lap a while ago. I've been reading articles and returning messages on my phone. And you can see what she did. Not sure about moving now...

It must be true what they say about pets reducing stress. Now I'm feeling all warm n fuzzy inside after a fairly stressful day full of emotions. Can't help but be grateful, in this moment, for the simple, significant gifts of small, sweet, snuggly ones.

Sorry to say it's looking like we may need to postpone the "Storydwelling" release...

Sorry to say it's looking like we may need to postpone the "Storydwelling" album release to summer/fall 2011. Pre-orders have just slowed down too much lately. About 150 physical CD pre-orders this month would help us meet our Spring goal. We'll keep you posted as always.

Thanks so much to those who have been participating in this project. Without the backing of a record label, it is the community that surrounds this music and believes in our work that has been and continues to be the backbone of this stellar project. It will most definitely be worth the wait and we have some sweet plans brewing for an album release party....

Peace and Courage for the Good, Friends.

More about the project here including video, photos and thoughts ---> www.heatherlynmusic.com