Ananya Birla Quotes

I had this epiphany that I like the interaction with people. I wanted to make things happen at a grassroots level.

Going to a concert can sometimes be very difficult. It can be a long journey. There's the ticket prices. But when the music goes to the community - not the community coming to the concert - they say, 'Wow! I didn't know that this music was so amazing!'

Art is not meant to change the world, but when you see people interacting, when you see an impact on their lives, then I guess in a smaller way, this is changing the world. So, that's what I believe in. That's why I'm into creating more and more interactions.

I think live music is really, really important. And I think it's very important to do together. It's much more fun to play to music together than the one person listening to their lone iPod Shuffle. I think it's an amazing way to build community and have children do things that are funded that's not a videogame.

If I had to pick one social action I could encourage all my friends, family and fans to do, it would be to teach a child. One, to educate them about good music, but two, because that kind of relationship helps build a bond. When you share music with somebody, that then becomes your link to them. Music is what connects a lot of us, over borders.

It is very different trying to help a community organization than trying to sell yourself or sell a product.

I go stay a week in these little towns that don't have an art outlet and... go to the schools and play some of the old Texas music, sort of 'go through the Texas country roots' is what they call it.

In fact, I have the privilege of traveling around our country and meeting people all over the country who are making a huge difference in the lives of their neighbors and themselves. That's what I'm really fortunate to be able to do.

I think music should be experienced by people all ages.

We actually have a real community of people doing useful things.

Real, sustainable community change requires the initiative and engagement of community members.

People come to the Fountain Theatre because they've got hearts that are working and they've got heads that are working. They use the Fountain Theatre because it puts them in touch with the world that they're living in.

I think there are a lot of things that soccer does in the communities that transcend the soccer field.

You have to think about why you're asking an audience to come to the theater. It's not that they should come because it's good for them, because it's the vegetables that they should eat and the culture shot that they should get... It's about experience and building community and catalyzing dialogue and bringing people together.

The film industry brings people together, and so does technology. I see them as similar platforms.

My greatest work comes in the community.

Music is nothing but a door opener to meet families and their children and the elderly.

I spend a lot of time visiting local organisations.

I love being a part of something that is grassroots, and you can see the actual changes, the effect of what people do.

Your job is to inspire people from your neighborhood to get out.

Trying to learn from communities and engage with policy makers and community organizers all across the country is really important to me.

It is almost impossible to divorce sport from politics, but sport is such a positive factor in today's society - there is nothing else which will bring so many people together in that atmosphere.

I looked at Willie Nelson and Farm Aid as a role model; they do it every year, and it draws people together, and drawing people together where they realize they're not alone, to me, is strategic in healing.

D-Nice has shown us what is possible and how music can bring people together and virtual parties.

In Washington you legislate, but at home you touch people's lives; that's what I try to do when I go there.