My name is Gina, and I am writing to ask for your help keeping my son Donald — everyone who loves him calls him DJ — enrolled at Berklee College of Music this fall.
DJ is 19 years old. He graduated high school with honors. He was accepted into Berklee’s Music Education program for Fall 2026. He has spent his entire life proving that where you start does not determine where you finish. Now he needs a bridge — not a handout — to stay on the path he has fought so hard to walk.
Who DJ Is
DJ spent years in foster care because of my mental health disability. During that time, I was unable to care for him, and the state stepped in. It was the hardest chapter of both our lives. When I finally regained custody, we began rebuilding together — step by step, day by day — and there was an understanding that the state would provide assistance to help our family stabilize.
That support was never fully realized. We have been financially unstable and under significant strain since reunification. But through every disruption, every setback, every moment that could have broken a lesser person, music was DJ’s constant. It was his anchor, his outlet, and ultimately his path forward.
During my recovery, when I needed strength the most, DJ became mine. He carried responsibilities far beyond his years — helping to hold our family together while never losing sight of his own future. He never lost his kindness, his compassion, or his dreams. His teachers and mentors have always seen what I see: a young man with rare resilience, a deep love of music, and a determination that does not quit.
Now at Berklee, DJ is pursuing a degree in Music Education. His dream is to teach — to use music the way it used him: as a lifeline, a purpose, and a way to reach young people who are growing up the way he did. Every class, every ensemble rehearsal, every late-night practice session brings him closer to that vision.
He is not just attending Berklee. He has fought for every step that brought him here. He belongs on this stage.
What Happened
Our family’s financial challenges did not arrive overnight. They are the result of years of compounding hardship that we have fought to overcome.
This year, serious medical issues arose in our family. These have further impacted my ability to work and have created significant additional expenses on top of an already broken financial foundation. I have lost my income entirely. Despite extensive efforts, I have been unable to secure any loan options — every application has been denied.
Through all of this, DJ has taken the weight of our family’s situation onto his own shoulders. During my illness, my disability, and my distraction, he has remained focused on his music and his future. He has not wavered. But he should not have to carry this alone.
We have taken every step available to us:
• Filed a professional judgment / special circumstances review with Berklee’s Office of Financial Aid
• Applied for emergency assistance through available programs and funds
• Explored every student employment and work-study option available
• Applied for every loan option available — all were denied
• Reduced all non-essential expenses to the absolute minimum
Without $27,000 in additional support, DJ will not be able to remain enrolled at Berklee for the Fall 2026 semester. Every door we have knocked on has been answered. The only one left is the door to community.
Where Every Dollar Goes
I want to be completely transparent about what this $27,000 covers. Every figure below is verified against DJ’s billing statement and financial aid award letter from Berklee.
Need Category
Total Cost
Covered By
Remaining Gap
Tuition (Fall 2026 semester)
$24,500
$7,500 Scholarships & Grants
$17,000
Housing / Room and board
$9,800
$3,500 Federal Financial Aid
$6,300
Required materials & instrument
$1,200
$500 Family Contribution
$700
Transportation (to/from campus)
$800
$500 Student Employment
$300
Essential living expenses (term)
$2,700
$0
$2,700
CROWDFUNDING GOAL
$39,000
$12,000
$27,000
After scholarships, grants, federal financial aid, family contribution, and student employment, DJ still needs $27,000 to remain enrolled and complete his Fall 2026 semester at Berklee. This campaign exists to bridge exactly that gap. Every dollar raised goes directly toward DJ’s education and essential living expenses. Nothing more.
What Your Donation Makes Possible
Every gift, no matter the size, keeps DJ one step closer to his degree. Here is exactly what each amount covers:
Donation Amount
What It Makes Possible
$25
A week of public transportation to and from campus, so DJ never misses a class.
$50
Essential sheet music and practice materials for his music education coursework.
$100
A week of groceries, so DJ can focus on his studies and auditions, not his next meal.
$250
A utility and phone bill during the gap period, keeping DJ connected to faculty and ensemble partners.
$500
A full month of housing costs, directly preventing displacement mid-semester.
$1,000
A meaningful portion of DJ’s tuition gap, keeping him enrolled and on track for his degree.
$2,500
A full month of all essential expenses — tuition, housing, materials, and living costs combined.
$5,000+
Transformative support that secures DJ’s enrollment for the Fall 2026 term and brings his degree within reach.
A Final Word
DJ has spent his life proving that circumstances do not define a person. He was separated from his family by forces beyond his control. He watched his mother fight her way back. He stepped up as her strength when she needed it most. He graduated with honors. He earned his place at one of the most respected music schools in the world. He has overcome more before his nineteenth birthday than many people face in a lifetime.
He is not asking for a handout. He is asking for a bridge — a temporary lifeline that lets him stay in the program he has fought so hard to enter. When I was recovering, DJ helped make broken pieces whole again. Now I am asking our community to help make this one piece whole for him.
If you cannot donate, you can still help. Share this campaign with someone who can. Every share puts DJ’s story in front of someone new, and you never know whose door it will open.
Thank you for taking the time to read DJ’s story. Thank you for believing that a young person’s talent and determination, when met with community support, can change the trajectory of a life.
With gratitude,
Gina Masella
