HAAM Members Tell Their Stories
The Live Music Capital of the World is home to incredible musicians whose talent and creativity enrich our live music scene and embody what makes our city unique. From an Iranian immigrant who found his voice in world music to an open-format DJ who is also a Top Five Austin Business Woman of the Year and nominee for an Latino Media Orgullo Award. These artists represent not just different musical genres, but the diverse paths that lead creators to make Austin their artistic home.
How do we keep these creatives here in Central Texas? HAAM has become the lifeline for artists pursuing their dreams while managing life's challenges. These musicians have found more than just access to healthcare through HAAM, they've found the peace of mind and encouragement they need to focus on their craft, navigate health challenges, and continue enriching Austin's cultural landscape. Their resilience, creativity, and determination showcase not just individual triumphs, but the power of a community that supports its artists.
In our 2024 Annual Impact Report, we highlight six HAAM members whose stories exemplify the direct impact HAAM programs and services have in the lives of our HAAM musicians, DJs, and music teachers. Watch these local creatives tell their stories below, and dig a little deeper in our annual report!
Read HAAM Member Stories
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In 2020, Taz was in a serious car accident that thrust his face into the steering wheel of his car, cracking his left jawbone and smashing the bottom row of his teeth. Two months later he tripped playing basketball and fell face-first to the ground, destroying the top row of his teeth. Uninsured at the time, he decided to go at it on his own and spent two years and his life savings on implants that ultimately failed.
In the summer of 2023, Taz connected with HAAM. “I was in so much pain that I had to ask my roommate to call HAAM and find out who I should talk to,” he said. “The next day HAAM called and they started to help me get insurance and find a dentist.”
"HAAM has showed me what family outside of family means, and really, it's not something I could pay back." Read more about how HAAM got Taz Thompson back onstage in our annual report.
Click on the “Members Tell Their Stories” tab in our annual report to read his full story.
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“I was shocked when I learned everything HAAM offers. My peers in other cities don’t have access to this type of support.”
DJ KICKIT joined HAAM shortly after attending a joint MAS Cultura and HAAM outreach event with close friend and MAS Cultura founder Monica Maldonado. The event was held at HAAM Headquarters to raise awareness about HAAM among Latine musicians and piqued DJ KICKIT’s interest. The San Antonio native had recently lost her corporate job as a Senior Digital Product Manager and was at a crossroads. Read more about how HAAM supports DJ KICKIT with access to care.
Click on the “Members Tell Their Stories” tab in our annual report to read her full story.
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“HAAM has brought me peace of mind and given me a sense of relief through some treacherous and scary times.”
C.J. Sparks was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes while growing up in Commerce, Texas. He relocated to the outskirts of Austin at nineteen to chase his dream of becoming a professional musician.
Before becoming a HAAM member in 2023, C.J. struggled to get the insulin and supplies he needed from his insurance plan when he needed them, especially on the road. More than once, C.J. ended up in the hospital because he ran out of insulin while on tour.
Click on the “Members Tell Their Stories” tab in our annual report to read his full story.
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Mohammad was only seventeen when he fled Iran to settle in the United States. No family, no friends, and only $200 in his pocket. He moved to Austin in 1979 determined to make music his life’s work. At that time, the Austin music scene was buzzing and surprisingly diverse for what was still a sleepy university town.
“Musicians were flocking to Austin from all over the world. I felt right at home,” he said.
In 1996, Mohammad and fellow musicians Jason McKenzie, Roberto Riggio, and Oliver Rajamani formed a band called the Gypsies, which later became Atash, Mohammad’s musical home for the past 25 years. Voted Best World Music Band in Austin seven times, Atash celebrates diversity and our shared humanity.
Click on the “Members Tell Their Stories” tab in our annual report to read his full story.
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Drummer Joel Duhon has the distinction of being one of HAAM’s first 100 members. He remembers the fateful morning he signed up for HAAM. When his car stalled on Mopac on his way to HAAM’s tiny downtown office, Joel begged a family member to pick him up so he wouldn’t miss his appointment.
Joel is one of those musicians who knew at a young age that he wanted to make music his life. His parents got him his first drum kit when he was six and by age nine he was in a neighborhood band playing with kids twice his age. By age 16, Joel was sneaking into nightclubs to play paid gigs.
“Discovered” by Van Wilks’s bassist while jamming at a venue in Houston during the late 1980’s, Joel’s music career took off! In the blink of an eye, he was performing for massive crowds and touring with music royalty such as ZZ Top, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Eddie Money, and Willie Nelson.
Click on the “Members Tell Their Stories” tab in our annual report to read his full story.
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For more than half of her life, HAAM member Nicole Quinn lived with pain, fatigue, dizziness, and other debilitating symptoms. Uninsured, she accrued “a Lamborghini’s worth of medical debt” but no diagnosis.
A few months after joining HAAM in 2022, the newly insured Houston native and self-described Indie Neo-Folk Singer-Songwriter attended her first HEAR Clinic sponsored by Estes Audiology. That short visit led to the medical diagnosis that Nicole had been waiting years to receive. During Nicole's hearing exam, her audiologist found a concerning abnormality and referred her to a specialist. A few weeks later, Nicole was diagnosed with Meniere's disease, a rare inner ear disorder.
"“Now I am surrounded by a supportive team of healthcare providers and am getting my career back on track. HAAM made all of this possible." Read more about Nicole’s story in our annual report.
Click on the “Members Tell Their Stories” tab in our annual report to read his full story.