Tuesday is HAAM Benefit Day. HAAM is possibly my favorite nonprofit ever – it offers free (or really cheap) healthcare to musicians in Austin.
As the rest of the country goes ballistic debating whether people ought to be entitled to health insurance – which often doesn’t even get you decent care – Austin just give its artists, otherwise known as the poor and politically forgotten, what they need to stay healthy.
It is such an awesome program that you think, “No, it’s a mistake, they can’t.”
But they do.
Since I lived here, I’ve gotten physicals, allergy check-ups, cavities filled, saw a specialist all for less money than when I had actual health insurance in New York City... And, I’ve seen awesome people. People who seem to care what’s wrong with you & have the time to see a conversation through.
So join me ‘n the please, please me in celebrating & supporting HAAM.
TODAY at 4pm, we’ll be on Keye TV, Channel 42, Channel 5 on Cable, http://weareaustin.com/lifestyle/austinlive online
TUESDAY at 5pm, we’re at BD Riley’s, 204 E 6th at Brazos
*we’ll be doing the special stripped down show we brought to Cincinnati last weekend… & Google’s picking up a round of drinks
There’ll be musicians all over town trying to raise awareness tomorrow…. 5% of whatever you spend on food, drinks, records, t-shirts, etc. etc. at THESE BUSINESSES all over the city will go towards HAAM. So go forth & spend!
As someone who’s lived in New Orleans, Bahia, New York and traveled to Central Africa and India, I would never call Austin “the live music capital of the world.”
But as a branding strategy, I respect it. Especially when it’s a slightly arrogant wish that Austin’s city government and activists are working to make happen: We can build a city of art.
Because even though it’s hard to make money at music today, art makes life beautiful, cool, worth living. And there’s a million ways to attract artists and make a place for them in our city. Or yours.
Rock ‘n roll HAAM. We heart you!
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