We are taking our programming online in response to COVID-19

Dear Totem Star Family:

How you doing? What a crazy time we’re living in right now. Hope you're healthy and safe and are able to take good care of everyone close to you. Sending you so much love!

Although our recording studio has been shut down since March 9 we've found many creative ways to take our programming online to continue mentoring and building community with our young artists. Arts education and youth development are essential services, and we're doing all we can to keep #totemstarlive!

Here are some of the things we’ve implemented:

Remote Sessions
One-on-one meetings with our artists via any mobile/online platform accessible to them (e.g. Instagram, Zoom, Google Hangouts, etc.)

• The Remote Studio: Our core program, The Studio, is now online! Artists can now work one-on-one with our teaching artists on songwriting, vocal technique, beatmaking, mixing, music business, and more, all online!

• New Artist Onboarding: New artists can now do orientations and onboarding online as we continue to build our community of artists through the “Stay Home, Stay Healthy” order.

Virtual Studio B
Weekly group sessions facilitated by our teaching artists providing communal space for artists to drop-in and build community through collaboration, paramount to Totem Star’s mission and vision.

• Breakout Rooms: There are often so many artists in Virtual Studio B at any given time (so much fun but sometimes chaotic!) that we've learned to utilize "breakout rooms" on platforms like Zoom so smaller groups of artists can be in separate chat rooms to collaborate on projects distraction-free.

Online Events

• Open Mic Night: Last Friday, we held our very first virtual open mic on Instagram Live! Thank you to everyone who tuned in to #totemstarlive to support our artists' performances! Be sure to follow us on Instagram @totemstar and be on the lookout for the next open mic in April!

• The Story: We are moving our monthly talk series with guest artists and music industry professionals to Instagram Live! In these intimate sessions our guests will share what it was like when they were young aspiring artists and creatives trying to navigate the illusive music industry. Every session ends with Q&A.

• Freestyle Fridays (exact name TBD!): Every Friday night, we’ll be providing virtual space for artists to get together to cypher and share their latest ideas with one another. It's so important to create space for young artists to perform and be inspired by each other. 

These are confusing times, but we are still moving forward. Although it’s tough to be confined in our homes with less physical accessibility and interaction, we always encourage our young artists to keep making art. To keep writing. To keep telling their story. And if they’re feeling scared or anxious, to be assured that we all are. Writing, singing, rapping, and creating music may just be the best medicine.

Let’s all keep connected through these unprecedented times and use technology to cultivate a culture of community and connectivity. Follow us @totemstar, tune in for our online events, comment during our virtual gatherings to show support and love, and keep encouraging young folx to create art and collaborate with one another to stay inspired. Consider becoming a monthly donor to keep them going! Check out totemstar.org for more details!

We can all support young people through this. As one family!

Much love and aloha, 
Daniel Pak
Co-Founder / Executive Director