January 22, 2025 • 9 mins
Today Justin Richmond has a quick chat with Laura Segura, the Executive Director of MusiCares—a Recording Academy non-profit that's currently offering support to musicians and music professionals affected by the ongoing fires in L.A.
MusiCares can provide assistance with costs related to evacuation, relocation, instrument replacement, home damage, medical care, mental health services, and other essential living expenses.
For more information or to apply for support, contact MusiCares at MusiCaresRelief@musicares.org or call 1-800-687-4227. To donate, please visit musicares.org/firerelief.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:15):
Pushkin, I'm really grateful for you taking the time to
speak with me real quick about what you guys are doing.
I mean, Music Cares, to my mind, has always been
such a great resource for the music community. Many people
have many things to say about the big bad record industry.
(00:36):
I feel like Music Cares, though, might be one of
the true oasises within that industry where it's just like,
you know, you guys do so much good stuff. And
it's been a wild week in LA and everyone's affected.
But being as we're a music podcast and we have
people who are musicians who listen and people who are
in the area who are affected, I just thought it
might be nice to get a quick chat with you
(00:58):
about how you guys are helping and you know, if
anyone's listening who might need help that you guys are
a resource for them.
Speaker 2 (01:04):
Well, first of all, justin let me just tell you
how much I love your podcast, and it means a
lot that you take a moment to bring us out
here and to feature us a little bit. Thank you.
You know, I'm amazed. You know who Music Cares is.
We don't really do marketing. We just started social media
what I think a year or two ago, you know,
so it's hard for us in an organization to sometimes
(01:24):
get our own story out there, So we really appreciate
you giving us an opportunity to speak. Yeah, we were
leading into a Grammy Week, which is normally a very
busy time of the year for all of the various
Grammy organizations. Music Cares was founded by the Recording Academy
thirty five years ago, and so we're one of their
affiliates if we are a five oh one C three charity,
(01:48):
and so we have our big fundraiser during Grammy Week.
Speaker 3 (01:50):
It's called Music Cares Person of the Year.
Speaker 2 (01:52):
It usually takes place the Friday before the big telecast,
so it's sort of like the charity gala of Grammy Week.
So it's already a taxing time period and Music Cares,
you know, over half of our operating budget is raised
that night. Eight you know, our ability to do our
year around Music Care's mission happens because of that charity
(02:14):
gala every year, so you can imagine the pressure around that.
And so the tragedy that started to unfold last week
has really been a massive pivot for the organization.
Speaker 3 (02:26):
I mean, I guess, in one hand.
Speaker 2 (02:28):
It's a beautiful thing that we're on the brink of
our fundraising gala because you know, the monies we raise
go directly back into the music community. But on the
other hand, it's just, I mean, there's no good way
to really look at it. It's just a terrible disaster and
it's terrible timing for everyone involved.
Speaker 1 (02:43):
Yeah, what are some of the ways you imagine being
able to help because you know, of course there's like
the mediate disaster that's presently ongoing and hopefully getting on
the way to contend, but there's you know, a whole
multi year sort of fallout of this where you know,
people will just be out of homes and have lost
equipment and this is all new. But how do you
(03:05):
guys imagine you might be able to help? And who
are the kinds of people who's should be looking to
you guys for assistance?
Speaker 3 (03:12):
Yeah, oh, good questions, justin and your instincts are right.
Speaker 2 (03:15):
Disasters aren't just these moments of crisis where the disaster
is actually happening. Disaster relief. Unfortunately, it has a very
long tale. The stories go on because you know, crises
hit people in different ways.
Speaker 3 (03:29):
There's not just you.
Speaker 2 (03:31):
Know, one cookie cutter way and health in human services
organization like ours can help people. So what normally happens
is we have a first round of aid that goes
out and we try to standardize that as much as possible.
Speaker 3 (03:44):
This, you know, we do that.
Speaker 2 (03:45):
We've been doing disaster relief since Hurricane Katrina, and you know,
so this is very similar type of protocol we we
put into place. For example, we were already still doing
a disaster relief on Florida and the Carolinas for the
storms on this last ball. We did this during COVID
as well, and usually there's an initial relief effort, right,
so that's like a standardized in our case fifteen hundred
(04:08):
dollars financialists issiness grant.
Speaker 3 (04:10):
And a five hundred dollars.
Speaker 2 (04:11):
Grocery gift card that's ATF restricted which means you can't
buy things other than groceries with it. And we have
that first sort of standard round because we know people
are still in this case evacuated or you know, without
access to utilities, kids are out of school. Things are
different levels happening to a lot of people, and so
we just try to get out as quick as we
(04:32):
can those first initial rounds of relief and then you're right.
We move into sort of recovery resiliency services in coming months,
even a year out longer than that. It really depends
because right now people are still evacuated. So one person
might go home and they've lost their entire home. Another
person might go back and realize, oh, my goodness, my
(04:52):
home was saved, but you know, I have smoke damage
or something else. Right, So the full scope of the
disaster that we're looking at right now is not We
just don't know. It's not been fully revealed to any
one of us that are involved.
Speaker 3 (05:06):
So your instincts are right.
Speaker 2 (05:09):
It goes on far more than just this moment of
disaster relief, where it's important just to think about people's food,
their shelter, their safety, things of that nature. And then
we move into services like mental health, addictionary, recovery, you know,
instrument and replacement, equipment replacement, we help with insurance claims,
things of that nature.
Speaker 1 (05:29):
Wow, who are the kinds of people that I guess
can reach out to music cares for those kinds of
basic needs in the short.
Speaker 2 (05:37):
Term, So our mission is specifically for music professionals. We
ask people to demonstrate in this in disaster relief scenarios
three years of working in music in any capacity. So
it doesn't have to be a musician or a creator
or a performer. It could be anyone who works in
some form or fashion in the music industry. So in publishing,
it could work in publishing, a label executive, they could
(05:59):
they could be you know, live tour crew, really any facet.
Speaker 3 (06:04):
Of the music industry.
Speaker 2 (06:05):
We can support with our services, and we ask people
to reach out to us at Musiccares Relief at musiccares
dot org. Just tell us your situation, let us know
what's going on. Where are you right now? Are you safety,
have your basic needs met? What is it that we
can help you with? If people are willing to share
a broader narrative of what's going on, If that maybe
they already know they've lost their homes, and then we
(06:28):
have sort of an approval and vetting process, and at
that point then we'll release those initial realms of relief.
Speaker 1 (06:35):
There's another group of people who imagine might be listening
who aren't musicians, or they might not be directly affected
by what's happening, and they might be wondering where they
can give money. Do you guys accept donations?
Speaker 2 (06:49):
Yeah, we are public charity, so we accept donations. We
need donations. I mean, I think we already have well
over a two thousand people who have come to us
saying they need help, and we're still in the active
crisis currently, and you know, if we were to just
get out that first round of aid to them, I'm
trying to do that math in my head. You know,
(07:09):
there's at least four million dollars already right there in
just this first round of aids, So it definitely could
use support if people are in a position to give.
Our donation page is Musiccares dot org slash fire Relief.
Speaker 1 (07:23):
Okay, amazing, Well, thank you so much. I don't know,
is there anything else that you think people should know
or anything that'd be useful for you guys to get
out in terms of your mission.
Speaker 2 (07:33):
And well, one more thing I'd love to share if
I could, is just that you know, we're here all
year long and we work with music people in times
of their own personal crises or even just in the
you know, preventative healthcare things of that nature, or health
in human services organization.
Speaker 3 (07:50):
So I just would love our community to know whatever
part of music you.
Speaker 2 (07:54):
Happen to work in music Cares is there for you
and that you can come to us anytime. It doesn't
have to be disaster related moments. I just love people
to know that, you know, to check out our website
Musiccares dot org and and know that we're here for
anyone should they need.
Speaker 3 (08:11):
Them that help.
Speaker 1 (08:12):
Always really grateful that you guys do that work, because
you know, none of us get into the arts because
we're necessarily you know, financially, you know, financial wizards, that
we know how to take care of ourselves and plan
for retirement or handle health care needs. You know, it's
like sometimes we're just driven by a passion and all
these other things in life, of course come up, whether
there are moments of personal crisis or disaster events like
(08:36):
this fire or Krtrina, And so really grateful that you
guys exist and can help in times like this and
then more kind of mundane times.
Speaker 3 (08:45):
Yeah, oh, so appreciate that.
Speaker 2 (08:46):
Yeah, it's it's not an easy path for sure, but
we need that passion. You know, that passion is what
makes music as an art possible. And so Music Cares
exist because we respect the power of music in the
world and we need people to keep making it. So yeah,
certainly let us know if anyone out there needs some help.
Speaker 1 (09:03):
Incredible, thanks so much, Laura, And we'll have all this
information in the episode description, so if anyone who's listen
and wants to donate, they can. We appreciate it all,
check it out, or if they need help they can
they can reach out to you guys.
Speaker 3 (09:14):
Great, thank you again for having us here, like we're
big fans. Very succeeded when you when you reached out.
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (09:21):
No, no big fans of what you guys do, so yeah,
really grateful. Thanks guys,
Pushkin, I'm really grateful for you taking the time to
speak with me real quick about what you guys are doing.
I mean, Music Cares, to my mind, has always been
such a great resource for the music community. Many people
have many things to say about the big bad record industry.
(00:36):
I feel like Music Cares, though, might be one of
the true oasises within that industry where it's just like,
you know, you guys do so much good stuff. And
it's been a wild week in LA and everyone's affected.
But being as we're a music podcast and we have
people who are musicians who listen and people who are
in the area who are affected, I just thought it
might be nice to get a quick chat with you
(00:58):
about how you guys are helping and you know, if
anyone's listening who might need help that you guys are
a resource for them.
Speaker 2 (01:04):
Well, first of all, justin let me just tell you
how much I love your podcast, and it means a
lot that you take a moment to bring us out
here and to feature us a little bit. Thank you.
You know, I'm amazed. You know who Music Cares is.
We don't really do marketing. We just started social media
what I think a year or two ago, you know,
so it's hard for us in an organization to sometimes
(01:24):
get our own story out there, So we really appreciate
you giving us an opportunity to speak. Yeah, we were
leading into a Grammy Week, which is normally a very
busy time of the year for all of the various
Grammy organizations. Music Cares was founded by the Recording Academy
thirty five years ago, and so we're one of their
affiliates if we are a five oh one C three charity,
(01:48):
and so we have our big fundraiser during Grammy Week.
Speaker 3 (01:50):
It's called Music Cares Person of the Year.
Speaker 2 (01:52):
It usually takes place the Friday before the big telecast,
so it's sort of like the charity gala of Grammy Week.
So it's already a taxing time period and Music Cares,
you know, over half of our operating budget is raised
that night. Eight you know, our ability to do our
year around Music Care's mission happens because of that charity
(02:14):
gala every year, so you can imagine the pressure around that.
And so the tragedy that started to unfold last week
has really been a massive pivot for the organization.
Speaker 3 (02:26):
I mean, I guess, in one hand.
Speaker 2 (02:28):
It's a beautiful thing that we're on the brink of
our fundraising gala because you know, the monies we raise
go directly back into the music community. But on the
other hand, it's just, I mean, there's no good way
to really look at it. It's just a terrible disaster and
it's terrible timing for everyone involved.
Speaker 1 (02:43):
Yeah, what are some of the ways you imagine being
able to help because you know, of course there's like
the mediate disaster that's presently ongoing and hopefully getting on
the way to contend, but there's you know, a whole
multi year sort of fallout of this where you know,
people will just be out of homes and have lost
equipment and this is all new. But how do you
(03:05):
guys imagine you might be able to help? And who
are the kinds of people who's should be looking to
you guys for assistance?
Speaker 3 (03:12):
Yeah, oh, good questions, justin and your instincts are right.
Speaker 2 (03:15):
Disasters aren't just these moments of crisis where the disaster
is actually happening. Disaster relief. Unfortunately, it has a very
long tale. The stories go on because you know, crises
hit people in different ways.
Speaker 3 (03:29):
There's not just you.
Speaker 2 (03:31):
Know, one cookie cutter way and health in human services
organization like ours can help people. So what normally happens
is we have a first round of aid that goes
out and we try to standardize that as much as possible.
Speaker 3 (03:44):
This, you know, we do that.
Speaker 2 (03:45):
We've been doing disaster relief since Hurricane Katrina, and you know,
so this is very similar type of protocol we we
put into place. For example, we were already still doing
a disaster relief on Florida and the Carolinas for the
storms on this last ball. We did this during COVID
as well, and usually there's an initial relief effort, right,
so that's like a standardized in our case fifteen hundred
(04:08):
dollars financialists issiness grant.
Speaker 3 (04:10):
And a five hundred dollars.
Speaker 2 (04:11):
Grocery gift card that's ATF restricted which means you can't
buy things other than groceries with it. And we have
that first sort of standard round because we know people
are still in this case evacuated or you know, without
access to utilities, kids are out of school. Things are
different levels happening to a lot of people, and so
we just try to get out as quick as we
(04:32):
can those first initial rounds of relief and then you're right.
We move into sort of recovery resiliency services in coming months,
even a year out longer than that. It really depends
because right now people are still evacuated. So one person
might go home and they've lost their entire home. Another
person might go back and realize, oh, my goodness, my
(04:52):
home was saved, but you know, I have smoke damage
or something else. Right, So the full scope of the
disaster that we're looking at right now is not We
just don't know. It's not been fully revealed to any
one of us that are involved.
Speaker 3 (05:06):
So your instincts are right.
Speaker 2 (05:09):
It goes on far more than just this moment of
disaster relief, where it's important just to think about people's food,
their shelter, their safety, things of that nature. And then
we move into services like mental health, addictionary, recovery, you know,
instrument and replacement, equipment replacement, we help with insurance claims,
things of that nature.
Speaker 1 (05:29):
Wow, who are the kinds of people that I guess
can reach out to music cares for those kinds of
basic needs in the short.
Speaker 2 (05:37):
Term, So our mission is specifically for music professionals. We
ask people to demonstrate in this in disaster relief scenarios
three years of working in music in any capacity. So
it doesn't have to be a musician or a creator
or a performer. It could be anyone who works in
some form or fashion in the music industry. So in publishing,
it could work in publishing, a label executive, they could
(05:59):
they could be you know, live tour crew, really any facet.
Speaker 3 (06:04):
Of the music industry.
Speaker 2 (06:05):
We can support with our services, and we ask people
to reach out to us at Musiccares Relief at musiccares
dot org. Just tell us your situation, let us know
what's going on. Where are you right now? Are you safety,
have your basic needs met? What is it that we
can help you with? If people are willing to share
a broader narrative of what's going on, If that maybe
they already know they've lost their homes, and then we
(06:28):
have sort of an approval and vetting process, and at
that point then we'll release those initial realms of relief.
Speaker 1 (06:35):
There's another group of people who imagine might be listening
who aren't musicians, or they might not be directly affected
by what's happening, and they might be wondering where they
can give money. Do you guys accept donations?
Speaker 2 (06:49):
Yeah, we are public charity, so we accept donations. We
need donations. I mean, I think we already have well
over a two thousand people who have come to us
saying they need help, and we're still in the active
crisis currently, and you know, if we were to just
get out that first round of aid to them, I'm
trying to do that math in my head. You know,
(07:09):
there's at least four million dollars already right there in
just this first round of aids, So it definitely could
use support if people are in a position to give.
Our donation page is Musiccares dot org slash fire Relief.
Speaker 1 (07:23):
Okay, amazing, Well, thank you so much. I don't know,
is there anything else that you think people should know
or anything that'd be useful for you guys to get
out in terms of your mission.
Speaker 2 (07:33):
And well, one more thing I'd love to share if
I could, is just that you know, we're here all
year long and we work with music people in times
of their own personal crises or even just in the
you know, preventative healthcare things of that nature, or health
in human services organization.
Speaker 3 (07:50):
So I just would love our community to know whatever
part of music you.
Speaker 2 (07:54):
Happen to work in music Cares is there for you
and that you can come to us anytime. It doesn't
have to be disaster related moments. I just love people
to know that, you know, to check out our website
Musiccares dot org and and know that we're here for
anyone should they need.
Speaker 3 (08:11):
Them that help.
Speaker 1 (08:12):
Always really grateful that you guys do that work, because
you know, none of us get into the arts because
we're necessarily you know, financially, you know, financial wizards, that
we know how to take care of ourselves and plan
for retirement or handle health care needs. You know, it's
like sometimes we're just driven by a passion and all
these other things in life, of course come up, whether
there are moments of personal crisis or disaster events like
(08:36):
this fire or Krtrina, And so really grateful that you
guys exist and can help in times like this and
then more kind of mundane times.
Speaker 3 (08:45):
Yeah, oh, so appreciate that.
Speaker 2 (08:46):
Yeah, it's it's not an easy path for sure, but
we need that passion. You know, that passion is what
makes music as an art possible. And so Music Cares
exist because we respect the power of music in the
world and we need people to keep making it. So yeah,
certainly let us know if anyone out there needs some help.
Speaker 1 (09:03):
Incredible, thanks so much, Laura, And we'll have all this
information in the episode description, so if anyone who's listen
and wants to donate, they can. We appreciate it all,
check it out, or if they need help they can
they can reach out to you guys.
Speaker 3 (09:14):
Great, thank you again for having us here, like we're
big fans. Very succeeded when you when you reached out.
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (09:21):
No, no big fans of what you guys do, so yeah,
really grateful. Thanks guys,
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