FINDING HIS GROOVE: David Segal is a professional drummer who was born with arthrogryposis, which made his hands and feet clubbed. He found a way, through wristbands and prosthetics, to never give up and to fulfill his dreams. His own disability is what motivated him to form the group.

touched them in such a sensible way that it has become an important part of their lives, giving them meaning. It helps them transcend beyond their limitation and allows them to write their own story through it. Music is what ties all of Can-Do Musos members. It motivated Mike Mignogna to fight for his recovery after surgery when he was younger. It gives Andrew Hewitt wings. For David Segal, music is that powerful stimulus that impassions him. He might have chosen drums, but he acknowledges the beauty of music in any of its expressions. “Music touches me in an emotional level. I am extremely touched by any kind of music. I am deeply moved by it. Music touches a deep part of me, and helps me express who I am. The same may be true for the rest of us [Can-Do Musos’ members],” Segal said, while trying to express the common sentiment that unifies the Can-Do Musos community. One of the goals of this organization is to create awareness and promote fairness of  judgement and acceptance for disabled musicians. People are inclined to view them in a different light than body-abled musicians, and tend to judge them based on prejudices, not skills. Can-Do Musos is outspoken about this reality and actively advocates for challenged musicians to be offered the opportunity to be judged based solely on their skills.

For Can-Do Musos, being naturally skillful is not a necessary requirement to be a good musician. Nobody is born knowing how to master an instrument. Therefore, they believe that everyone can work towards crafting and perfecting their skills. Can-Do Musos makes emphasis on the perseverance people show, rather than inborn qualities. They value the artist’s growth process. They regard it as crucial since it takes time, dedication, and tireless work. In addition, while they may aim for immaculate perfection, they understand the importance of making mistakes along the way, since they are part of how an artist grows and learns. As Segal states, “A good musician is someone who is patient, willing to work at something, and not afraid of making mistakes because mistakes are part of how you grow, part of learning, and they teach you to move on.” Can-Do Musos plans to continue playing at shows and concerts, touring, and keep providing disabled musicians with opportunities to shine. They want to increase their presence so more people are motivated to do more. They also want to continue speaking to everyone to raise awareness and promote acceptance. However, they want to speak especially to people with disabilities, to foster engagement. They want them to be inspired to follow their hearts and be actively involved in activities that nurture their passion. Can-Do Musos wants to take advantage of the benefits that globalization provides. They want to be known around the world so they can inspire other people with challenges to not give up and find ways to express themselves through their art. Other projects this organization has are FINDING HIS GROOVE: David Segal is a professional drummer who was born with arthrogryposis, which made his hands and feet clubbed. He found a way, through wristbands and prosthetics, to never give up and to fulfill his dreams. His own disability is what motivated him to form the group. touched them in such a sensible way that it has become an important part of their lives, giving them meaning. It helps them transcend beyond their limitation and allows them to write their own story through it. Music is what ties all of Can-Do Musos members. It motivated Mike Mignogna to fight for his recovery after surgery when he was younger. It gives Andrew Hewitt wings. For David Segal, music is that powerful stimulus that impassions him. He might have chosen drums, but he acknowledges the beauty of music in any of its expressions. “Music touches me in an emotional level. I am extremely touched by any kind of music. I am deeply moved by it. Music touches a deep part of me, and helps me express who I am. The same may be true for the rest of us [Can-Do Musos’ members],” Segal said, while trying to express the common sentiment that unifies the Can-Do Musos community. One of the goals of this organization is to create awareness and promote fairness of 34 May 2017 • EP Magazine | EXCEPTIONAL PARENT judgement and acceptance for disabled musicians. People are inclined to view them in a different light than body-abled musicians, and tend to judge them based on prejudices, not skills. Can-Do Musos is outspoken about this reality and actively advocates for challenged musicians to be offered the opportunity to be judged based solely on their skills. F or Can-Do Musos, being naturally skillful is not a necessary requirement to be a good musician. Nobody is born knowing how to master an instrument. Therefore, they believe that everyone can work towards crafting and perfecting their skills. Can-Do Musos makes emphasis on the perseverance people show, rather than inborn qualities. They value the artist’s growth process. They regard it as crucial since it takes time, dedication, and tireless work. In addition, while they may aim for immaculate perfection, they understand working toward offering music clinics, get challenged artists together to play, and gather to talk about life experiences and what it took to get there. They want to use music as a resource to continue putting people together and infuse passion for living. Every member of the community has something valuable to share. By sharing their difficulties, they get feedback from others. In addition, the hard times they may have gone through and the way in which they found their path to success motivate others. Being a disabled musician pursuing a dream is not easy. However, being given the chance to be treated fairly and belong to a community of friends surely eases the ride.

• For more information on this non-profit organization and what they do, visit candomusos.com. Email: david@can domusos.com

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Katherine Tapia is a journalism student at Passaic County Community College in New Jersey. She is the Editor-in-Chief for the college newspaper, for which she also contributes as a photographer and staff writer. She enjoys spending as time with her family, playing the guitar, reading, and writing.