MEET MATT HERNÁNDEZ PROGRAM DIRECTOR

My name is Matt Hernández, and I joined the PiA team as a Program Director in November 2020. I did a PiA fellowship in 2019 at the Tushita Foundation in Jaipur, India. I’m originally from Los Angeles, California, and I majored in history at UC Santa Barbara. My studies initially focused on the colonial history of Latin America, as a way of unpacking my Central American heritage and understanding the historical developments that led my parents to immigrate to LA. However, after joining the Music of India Ensemble at UCSB, I explored additional coursework on South Asian history and culture. My curiosity had been unleashed.

I studied abroad in New Delhi in college. Although I knew Indian cities would be a sensory overload, I still wasn’t prepared for the intensity of the experience. My time abroad raised questions that needed answering, and when I heard about PiA after returning to UCSB, I knew a fellowship would enable me to seek those answers.

The Tushita Foundation is located in Amer, a small town on the outskirts of Jaipur that once served as the Rajput capital. I taught students between the ages of 6-16 who came from diverse ethnic and religious backgrounds. My students embraced me as a mentor, and though I held the title of teacher, they were the ones who taught me invaluable lessons.

I recall a powerful moment of cultural exchange during one of my music classes. My students were struggling to understand Western solfege, and it reminded me of my struggles to understand Hindustani sargam during my sitar lessons. Music is a universal language, so I figured it wouldn’t matter which cultural system we used. By the end of class, my students were sight-singing Western notation using the sapta svara of the sargam tradition. Despite our different backgrounds, we were able to arrive at a moment of mutual understanding.

Since joining the PiA staff one year ago, my most rewarding experiences have been the opportunities to engage with the extended PiA family. I have been moved by our alumni’s commitment to PiA’s mission. Whether conducting applicant interviews, hosting webinars, or participating in Orientation, PiA alumni, trustees, and friends exemplify devotion to the PiA values and a readiness to welcome new generations of Fellows into the family.

It is my great privilege to contribute to this wonderful community and to work on advancing the mission we so firmly believe in. Thankful for the contributions of those who came before me, and encouraged by those who will come next, I draw tremendous inspiration from everyone who calls PiA their community for life.

An Update From The Senior Program Director

We are ready to send 14 Fellows to Asia this winter, and our first Fellow has already landed in Thailand! This cohort completed PiA’s first ever virtual orientation in October. Although these were long hours to spend on Zoom, we had a number of external experts leading our Fellows through different sessions, so the variety of voices ensured that we kept things diverse and interesting! Over 20 alumni also participated in our orientation, and we continue to be grateful for the willingness and eagerness of our alumni community to contribute to the success of our fellowships.

As part of orientation, we introduced Fellows to the Process for Reporting and Investigating Alleged Incidents of Harassment, Bullying, and Discrimination