Serrano Robinson
Age: 25
“Don’t be afraid of failure, even when you’re trying new things. I call that succeeding.”
It’s typical for Serrano Robinson to be in a community with youth.
In his day job as the Men As Peacemakers youth restorative program coordinator, his role is “to challenge them, to help
them understand who they are, to help them find their voices,” he said.
So, it was a natural fit for him to serve as a Mixtape Project facilitator — but the act of making music was out of his
comfort zone. “I get very shy,” he said.
During early virtual Mixtape meetings, Robinson joined in writing and sharing exercises.
That was solely to help the youth, he said, to be that model of
“I’ve never done this before, and I’m down to do it the first time.”
But then, he saw he had something to say.
“Losing a friend a couple years ago kind of hit me hard. It was someone I dreamed of growing old with,” he said.
On “Moving On,” Robinson, Daniel Oyinloye and Elliott Alves rap about loss.
Making music around this allowed him to process his grief and what he needed to move forward. He gained clarity, and it
was cathartic sharing that with you on the Mixtape Project.
“It was clear that we had all been through something deep. We all have made our way out of it through different avenues,
but that was how we came together.”
Robinson said it scares him to think about where he’d be without music, and creating for the Mixtape was a good
opportunity to release what he went through in a way he could understand.
And, he feels less shy about performing in front of others.
“Being able to know that I’m a human and this is my story. No matter what I say, they’re going to respect it because
that’s my story.”
While Robinson worked behind the scenes and at the mic, he also helped record the youth — a move that benefits MAP.
The nonprofit now owns the recording equipment used for the Mixtape Project, and it’ll be incorporated into future
projects. This adds another avenue of expression and accessibility to music for youth, he said.
For Robinson, the most gratifying part of participating in the Mixtape was watching people improve.
A lot of the kids we know have that skill for making music; skill doesn’t come with confidence, he said, but Robinson
saw that grow in the youth.
He hopes listeners feel the authenticity in these tracks, and that others are encouraged to tell their stories.
His advice: “Listen to your heart and be willing to adjust."
“Don’t be afraid of failure, even when you’re trying new things. I call that succeeding.”
written by Melinda Lavine
