HAAM Happenings

This Fall saw new faces at the HAAM office. Three undergraduate interns - Lillian Russell (St. Edward’s University), Jude Hill (St. Edward’s University), and Thomas Philip (The University of Texas at Austin) - joined the HAAM team, working in outreach & enrollment, and marketing & communications.

HAAM is currently implementing focus groups and feedback sessions with musicians thanks to the assistance of a recent grant from the Episcopal Health Foundation (EHF). This grant from EHF provides funding, staffing, and resources to assist in supporting musicians of color, nonbinary individuals, and female-identifying musicians who often face challenges in accessing health insurance and healthcare services. This grant is crucial for HAAM’s work to better serve Greater Austin’s traditionally underserved, under-represented communities suffering from centuries of healthcare inequalities which continue to this day.

Marcela Antonioli, LPC-I is one of HAAM’s Program Coordinators and assists HAAM’s  musicians, DJs and music teachers with navigation of healthcare services.   Marcela coordinates HAAM’s vision program, mind and body program, hearing health services and supports HAAM’s prescription assistance and community outreach efforts.

On Wednesday, June 7, HAAM raised more than $255,000 during the 2023 annual Corporate Battle of the Bands, presented by Cirrus Logic with stage sponsors, H-E-B, Netspend, and PNC Bank, exceeding last year’s total of $227,000. Bands were given a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to perform in front of a live audience at ACL Live at the Moody Theater. Funds raised go directly toward providing healthcare services for the musicians HAAM serves.

Join us in celebrating some our our newest 2023 Corporate Battle of the Bands supporting sponsors, Opry Entertainment Group , ABC Home & Commercial Services, FBR Management, C3 Presents, SXSW, and NOW CFO.

Singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist Violet Lea (Madam Radar, PAACK) was working as a full-time musician in South Korea when her life was turned upside down by an undiagnosed skin condition. She eventually moved to Austin when she learned about HAAM and our mission to assist musicians like herself who are in need of healthcare navigation and assistance. Every single HAAM donor, every single HAAM donation, leads to life-saving medical success stories like Violet’s. “It's just incredible that we live in a city that offers healthcare to musicians. I have so many friends that suffer because they just can't afford to go get a tooth fixed, or go to the doctor. It breaks my heart and I just feel so grateful that I have HAAM. It makes me really emotional to think about it because I lived so long without health insurance. I can’t thank HAAM enough!”

Meet Austin-based soul & funk band Tomar and the FCs. The band will provide a special performance during the judge’s deliberations at 2023 Corporate Battle of the Bands. Immediately after the judge’s deliberations, vocalist Tomar Williams will announce the winners after their performance.

Watch this space in the weeks to come as we provide some bio highlights for the participating acts in our 2023 Corporate Battle of the Bands. This week we highlight the 2022 Best Band award winner Noella Grey and The Imaginary Band (from band sponsor Ascension Seton, pictured here) and co-winner of Best Song in 2022, The Mag Stripes (from stage sponsor Netspend). 

Watch this space in the weeks to come as we provide some bio highlights (serious and silly) for the participating acts in our 2023 Corporate Battle of the Bands. This week we highlight The Haptics ( formerly known as ReUnion Jacked from Cirrus Logic, Knuckle Sammich (from H-E-B, pictured here), and Useless Amenities (from Cushman & Wakefield).