A Coconut Grove teenager is helping disadvantaged children discover the power and the magic of music, one guitar lesson at a time.
A Coconut Grove high school student who learned to play the guitar with a little help from his friends has taken that experience and made it a personal mission.
Shaan Mullick, 17, helps disadvantaged children find their voice, both literally and figuratively, through Melody in the Community, a nonprofit organization he launched with a friend and classmate in August 2023.
Mullick, a senior at the School for Advanced Studies, a collegiate high school on the Wolfson campus of Miami-Dade College, learned to play the guitar and ukulele with friends three years ago by watching YouTube videos.
“Growing up, we faced challenges in accessing stable music education, which made us realize how important it is for young people to have opportunities to explore their creativity through music,” Mullick says today.
With the support of friends and family, the South Grove teenager began visiting Lotus House, a women’s shelter in Miami’s Overtown neighborhood, to provide free access to music education for children living at the shelter.
“He started doing this at home with his siblings and then reached out to Lotus House to teach kids all these instruments,” Mullick’s mother Sapna Sharma says.
With the help of volunteers, the organization now provides music appreciation, lessons and workshops for disadvantaged youth, with a primary focus on homeless children and its programs at Lotus House.
“I felt a responsibility to use my passion and knowledge of music to create a platform where these kids could explore their potential and show that with the right resources, they can thrive creatively, just like I did,” Mullick says.
Photos shared by Mullick show the teenage volunteers, guitars in hand, with some of the children they serve. Asked to comment on the initiative, managers at Lotus House did not respond in time for this story.
Melody in the Community operates on a simple but transformative principle: give children instruments and the guidance to play, and they will create more than music. They will create hope.
“By offering hands-on musical education and performance opportunities, we aim to not only teach a skill but also build confidence, foster creativity, and create a sense of connection and hope for the future,” Mullick says.
At the heart of Melody in the Community is a team of 10 passionate volunteers, most of whom are high school students.
Daniel Barrera, 17, a former student of Venezuela’s state-funded music education program “El Sistema,” was inspired by music as a form of resistance.
“Music became a voice in a society where many were silenced,” Barrera said, adding that he wanted to offer a similar outlet in Miami.
He and Mullick, friends since 7th grade, launched Melody in the Community with a common vision. “Shaan and I both saw how music shaped our lives and wanted to share that with others, especially those without access,” Barrera said.
Alessandro Gregori, 17, joined Melody in the Community to reignite his love for music after quitting piano during COVID.
“When Shaan and Daniel told me they were starting a nonprofit to teach kids music, I joined instantly,” he said. “We were giving children access to musical education they wouldn’t otherwise have, and it felt good to be part of that process.”
One moment that stood out for Gregori was when a child created an original song.
“Most students only played what we taught them, but he seized the opportunity to create something on his own,” he said.
“Music is more than just notes,” he added. “It’s a way for people to express themselves.”
Mullick says he and his teammates would like to expand Melody in the Community’s programming to reach more children, so the organization’s impact is felt not only through the music it teaches but through the lives it transforms.
“Music is more than just an art form, it’s a universal language that can connect, heal, and empower people,” he said.
FIU student Nayeli Membreno wrote this story as part of a cooperative agreement between FIU’s Lee Caplin School of Journalism & Media and the Spotlight.
