Miami Music Project Champions Youth Opportunity and Community Connection in Opa-Locka

Central Chapter students Aaliyah and Emily perform with the Central String Quartet during the 2026 Fall Showcase at Carrie P. Meek/Westview K-8 Center. Photo: Miami Music Project Miami Music Project announces its participation in 2026 Give Miami Day, one of the nation's largest annual giving campaigns, with a $100,000 fundraising goal to support its tuition-free Children's Orchestras Program. This year's campaign highlights the organization's continued growth, including the successful launch of its Central Chapter in Opa Locka at Carrie P. Meek/Westview K-8 Center, and invites the Miami community to invest in expanding access to high-quality music education and youth development opportunities.  The Central Chapter opened this fall with the support of the 2026-2027 Arts Access Miami Central Expansion Grant, an initiative powered by The Miami Foundation. Give Miami Day contributions will help sustain this achievement, supporting program resources.  "Launching the Central Chapter has felt meaningful, thanks to the warm welcome extended by the Carrie P. Meek/Westview K-8 Center as well as our friendship with the Carrie P. Meek Foundation," said Miami Music Project President and CEO Anna Klimala. "We are grateful for the support of Arts Access Miami and The Miami Foundation, and invite our community to help us build on this achievement and our mission of offering children across Miami-Dade the tools needed for success in life." How to support Miami Music Project this Give Miami Day Give Miami Day supporters can support Miami Music Project by donating:  Gifts starting at $25 will be accepted from Saturday, November 14, through Thursday, November 19, at GiveMiamiDay.org/MiamiMusicProject. An additional incentive encourages first-time Miami Music Project parent donors to participate. Thanks to a commitment from a Miami Music Project board member, the first 30 parents who make their first donation will unlock an additional $100 contribution each. This means a first-time gift of $25 can generate $125 in total support for the organization's transformational programs. Building on a Legacy of Access and Opportunity The Central Chapter grew out of Miami Music Project's longstanding presence in the Liberty City Community since 2013, where the organization has served over 850 children and youth. Honoring its mission to serve communities with the greatest need, Miami Music Project identified Opa-Locka. Opa-Locka is a historically under-resourced community where many families face financial barriers to extracurricular enrichment. To date, 79% of participating students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, underscoring the importance of tuition-free enrichment opportunities. For the families, the impact of skill-building through orchestral instruction, mentorship, and ensemble participation extends beyond the classroom. "When it comes to education, safety, and learning, I do not hesitate to take my children where they need to be," said Kathy Byrd, mom of Aaliyah (5th grade violin student) and Emily (4th grade double bass student). "My eldest daughter, Aaliyah, wanted to join Miami Music Project from the get-go, and she talked my younger daughter, Emily, into it. Now, the girls talk about playing all the time at home, focusing on practices and motivating each other. Whenever they perform, I cry. I love to see them enjoy what they are doing and get a chance to shine."

About Miami Music Project Miami Music Project is a 501(c)(3) award-winning nonprofit organization that uses music as an instrument for social transformation, empowering children to acquire values and achieve their full potential, positively affecting their society through the study and performance of music. Miami Music Project's vision is to create opportunity and access through music for those most in need, improve the quality of life for children today, and ultimately transform their lives, the lives of their families, and their communities. Emerging as a model for music education programs nationally, Miami Music Project offers free-of-charge, after-school programming to all students with no barriers to entry, regardless of race or economic status. As of today, the Miami Music Project has reached over 33,000 children and youth across Miami-Dade County, becoming one of the largest socially transformative music initiatives in the US. Miami Music Project's programming is inspired by the El Sistema phenomenon - a new model for social change and a visionary global movement that transforms the lives of children through music. The Miami Music Project meets children in seven local schools, providing them with the highest-quality, immersive conservatory-level education three hours a day, five times a week. This support results in 100% of our senior students pursuing higher education.