Jake Dester and his partner, Sydney McNulty, first donated to Literacy Partners after moving to New York City in 2016 to pursue their music careers. Their love of reading and commitment to philanthropy (donating 5% of their income to charity) drove them to seek out literacy non-profits. And they found us.
Jake quickly went beyond financial support to become a volunteer. When we needed music to accompany a new organizational video created with Fareed Zakaria, we turned to Jake. Not only is he a great musician (performing as Sydney & Jake at a myriad of New York City events and venues), but also a passionate composer. The spot, which was produced in partnership with American Airlines for their in-flight programming, required us to provide a score within three days — over a weekend!
Inspired by the video, he says, “not only do I really believe in the work, the video showed me that it is not a belief – it’s a factual understanding – what Literacy Partners does really works and changes lives.” Jake immediately began composing, loving the idea of putting his talent and passion to work for a cause he believed in.
Jake is also a voracious reader with (at least) 8 books currently in progress. He reads to learn how to build his business as an independent musician, artist and composer and to understand the world around him. Jake says,
“Illiteracy most often impacts the most marginalized – voices we don’t hear – and people who are often misrepresented. If you don’t speak English in this country you have few choices, and no opportunity to share your experience or make the most of your life. Literacy gets us closer to a just society – more information leads to more choices and a more even playing field.”
We couldn’t agree more.
You can check out Jake’s composing work at JakeDester.com, Dester Music on Facebook and @DesterMusic on Instagram. You can also follow Sydney & Jake on Facebook to find out about their latest gigs, how to book them, and where to see them live.
To see our new video with Fareed Zakaria, look for it on American Airlines flights in December and January, or see it here.