Reflections from a Volunteer at BHCHP

I was working for a medical education company in Boston who had an upcoming volunteering event at BHCHP for Bingo Day – I thought it sounded pretty fun and signed up. Little did I know I’d be here 4 years later, regularly DJ’ing at BHCHP. Funny enough it started with an overheard conversation, a BHCHP staff member heard me chat with my coworker about buying used DJ equipment the week prior. They asked if I did shows and I said “I just got the equipment, I have no clue what I’m doing!” but everyone said “no worries, we’d just love to have you and everyone would enjoy the music – It’s just all about having a great time” That could not be more true – and it’s how everything got started.

I have continued to DJ at both BHCHP’s Stacy Kirkpatrick House in Jamaica Plain and Barbara MacInnis House in Boston . I take requests prior to and during sets, and my absolute favorite moments are seeing the faces when someone hears a song that really takes them back to a special time – It’s an amazing thing to see. The patients give me songs many a time that I’ve never heard before myself, and through DJ’ing, we’re all going through a journey of learning new music and musical styles at the same time. We also always have fun conversations, and many love to learn about scratching and how the whole setup works – sometimes we get a little dance party going on. Music has the power to heal. It can make us reminisce; it can take us to new places. I see music nights as something fun and a little different for the patients, and it’s something where it can either be something fun in the background of doing another activity, or actively engaging with the music.

Volunteer DJ’ing with BHCHP over the years has brought me so much joy, and a purpose in doing something I love, for a patient community that I love. If I can put in perspective how it has shaped my views of homelessness, I would say that I no longer paint issues with a broad brush. When I DJ, I interact with amazing people – who each have their own fascinating stories, their own journeys and continued paths to wellness – all different. The struggles are different, the emotions are different, and everyone’s day-to-day may feel different. My part in this is looking towards music as a unifying language and way to communicate with all and take a short frame of time and do my best in bringing us together for something.

This post was guest written by Lee Tetreault.