Rita Ruiz

Rita moved to New York in 1990. After learning about UpBeat, she started learning violin alongside her daughter as they made classes accessible for adults. She felt it always seemed like an amazing program helping kids stay off the streets, as music is like learning another craft you can’t find anywhere else. Learning to read music, the discipline, socialization and getting along with others are some of the important values she saw in this program and in learning music.

When Rita met Liza and Rich, UpBeat was at another church that had structural damage. Rita took it upon herself to help them find a better place and reached out to another church to help them find a better space, and later on at St. Jerome’s church. She would tell them it was a free music program for youth that was inspired from a Venezuelan program for local communities and expressed how difficult it was to find free space and avoid high rent. After some time at St. Jerome’s, they got connected with Tercera Iglesia, which had music programs already, so they empathized and supported by providing space for UpBeat.

Rita continues to stop by UpBeat every now and then, and even though her and her daughter did not pursue music, they will take what they learned with them for the rest of their future.