“I dreaded going to school as a kid. As soon as I walked in and heard the door click shut, the walls closed in on me. Outside, I felt the vastness of the sky swallowing me whole. Claustrophobia, agoraphobia, loneliness, and isolation were my constant companions, but I did not know how to describe what I was feeling or if anyone would understand — certainly not my very traditional Italian family. So I kept everything to myself in desolate isolation. Fortunately, music became an escape. When I was playing, the panic eased. I connected to the rhythm, the melodies, the harmonies, and to something bigger than myself. But the feelings of isolation and panic would always return. Even after I reached early adulthood, I would join bands and, unable to explain the isolation and loneliness I was feeling, I would become overwhelmed and just walk away. Finally, after a friend introduced me to a spiritual practice and I gained some peace, I began to understand that I had been suffering from mental health challenges all those years — challenges that other people faced as well. I no longer felt isolated. I began to heal. Music, my refuge, also became my calling, and a way to truly connect with others. My life was transformed.” – Neil Giraldo, Artist for Action