The DREAM Project
Dare to Reach Every Achievable Moment
The DREAM Project is a compilation CD with songs of different genres donated by musicians and artists (local, regional, and national) who have all donated their time to help the University of West Florida’s Chapter of Students for Suicide Awareness (SSA) in loving memory of Tyler Knisely, a UWF student who lost his battle with depression and took his life fall semester 2008 and Jr. Villanueva, a UF student who also lost his battle and took his life spring semester 1997.
The CD begins with The DREAM, a poem written by Raela Villanueva right after her younger brother Jr. killed himself. Jr. only said “goodbye” to their mother before he left for Easter Sunday evening mass on March 30, 1997 and never came home again. He came to his sister in a dream, the only way he could say goodbye to her. Since then, Raela has been an advocate for suicide prevention and awareness and speaks openly about her brother’s suicide in an attempt to help save others from suffering such tragic loss.
Raela met UWF and Pensacola State College students Sabra Jernigan and Ashleigh Aaron in November 2008 via myspace through musician and friend Damien Louviere. After commencing plans for their 1st Annual Seeds of Hope music and art benefit show, Raela met guitarist Glenn Burnett at an open mic night at the Gutter Lounge. That week, Glenn wrote the music to her poem, and another poem called Sunset. Raela performed the DREAM song with Glenn and friends at the after party show but vowed never to sing it by herself again. Glenn then recruited singer/songwriter Tiffany Pifer, who lost her father to cancer just months before Jr. passed away. She has become the lead vocalist for The DREAM while Raela now confidently sings back up vocals. Tiffany too had a dream about her father and wrote a song called “Out of My Pain”.
All of the musicians and artists are local, regional and national artists who enjoy performing on the Gulf Coast
The CD also contains artwork – the cover is the DREAM Project logo painted by Raela on a tambourine during one of SSA’s bi-weekly “Escape” music and art therapy sessions, while the back cover is a sunset painting by Jr. from 1989 that Raela recently found while going through her parent’s house and after asking a friend to draw something up for the back cover. It was her brother’s way of blessing the project and saying, “here you go, now the project is complete, don’t give up big sister, this is part of the reason I had to leave.”
CD’s will sell for $8.99 in the community and through CD Baby with proceeds benefiting SSA and their mission (the students are in the process of turning Seeds of Hope into a non-profit), producing more CD’s for the DREAM Project, and resurrection of The DREAM Foundation (which provides a scholarship fund to encourage high school students to continue with their education by attending college and live out their dreams).
Raela’s goal with The DREAM Project is to reach out to students, set up a tour for musicians to perform at college campuses across the state with the help of the Florida Suicide Prevention Coalition. Raela will continue to tell her brother’s story to help other college students who deal with depression by performing her songs, speaking openly to students in a group setting and one-to-one, and through SSA’s Survivor Art Exhibit. SSA aims to reduce the stigma that surrounds suicide and depression, reach out to other students and start other SSA chapters across the state, eventually with SSA ambassadors who will help start SSA chapters in the high schools.
Raela is grateful for all the talented, amazing musicians she has known for years and those she has met and will continue to meet along the way in the journey of her healing. She is also grateful for the community leaders and business sponsors who have always supported her efforts to fight one of the toughest social issues ever. She is most grateful for her family for their unconditional love and support and close friends for their support and love through the depths of surviving the loss and in the struggle survive mental illness. Every fall has become a stepping stone, with the purpose to lift her closer to her true calling in life. She will always be grateful to Jr. for the smiles, friendship, and love he shared with all those whose lives he has touched and will continue to touch through The DREAM Project.
The DREAM Project Compilation CD song list
(DREAM = Dare to Reach Every Achievable Moment)
1) The DREAM – Friends of the Phoenix
Raela Villanueva – lyrics, back-up vocals; Glenn Burnett – music, guitar; Tiffany Pifer – lead vocals; Ashley Pennewill – mandolin; Frances Michaels – violin; Sean Peterson – bass; Brandon Warren – drums, snare
2) Sunset – Friends of the Phoenix
Raela Villanueva – lyrics; Glenn Burnett – music, guitar; Eric Schmitz – lead vocals; Tiffany Pifer – back-up vocals; Sean Peterson – bass; Brandon Warren – drums
3) Dear You – 60 Cycles of Sound
Jason Holstein – bass, back-up vocals; Ben Bogan – drums, back-up vocals; Rod Ueberroth – lead vocals, guitar; Jason Hurt – lead guitar
4) When – Damien Louviere
Damien Louviere – lyrics, vocals, guitar; Sean Peterson – bass; Brandon Warren – drums
5) Ask Me If I Care – Honey Island Swamp
Aaron Wilkinson – lyrics, vocals; Chris Mule – guitar; Sam Price – bass; Garland Paul – drums
6) Desperate Tonight – Five Eight
Mike Mantione, Dan Horowitz, Patrick “Trigger” Ferguson, Sean Dunn
7) Head Over Heels – Dannica Lowery
8) I Can Feel It – Joseph Green
Joe Green – lyrics/vocals; Matt Dufon - music
9) Leviathan – Victor Charlie
Charlie Garland – vocals, guitar; Clay Hinson – bass; Mark Turiano – drums
10) My Time To Shine – Mark Ellis / Good Foote
Mark Ellis – lyrics, vocals; Sean Peterson – music; Josh Gill – guitar; Dory Hornsby – drums; Mike Tipton – organ, back-up vocals; Andy Mayer – bass; Damien Louviere – back-up vocals
11) The Only One – Galvayne’s Groove
Vocals: Noelle Black, Guitar: Nat McKerley, Bass: David Stevens, Drums: David Zimmerman
12) 8-4-3-2 – Wake Up The Echo
Travis Brown, Nathan Price, Ryan Steward, Alex Steward
13) Out of My Pain – Tiffany Pifer
Tiffany Pifer – lyrics, lead vocals, back-up vocals, guitar; Frances Michaels - violin
14) Same Ol’ Tribe – Tribe Zion
Arlon Wise – vocals; Capt. Jonathon Fleege – Guitar; Joey Harrison – Bass; Jeremy King Cole – Drums; Brian Vogel – Trumpet; Michael Kinser – Saxophone
15) Close To You (Where I Stand) – Martyr: The Unicorn (aka Rob Dill)
16) Moonrise, Sunset – Brooks Hubbert
Brooks Hubbert – cello / harmonica
Other musicians who have helped SSA and The DREAM team in the past who are not listed on the CD song list include Lyndsey Battle, DubConscious, Fusebox Funk, The Gills, Paper Scissors Rocketpack, Green Hit, Gio Lugo, Joseph Oliver, Kevin Marchetti, Taylor Carlson, The Smart Brothers, Roper Electric, Kevin Koontz, Mr. Fahrenheit, Tom Marcellis Band, Jerry’s Kids, Chad Roose, Steve Hernandez, Nathan Gooch, Charissa Mrowka, Lynn Carey Sailor, and anyone she has forgotten to mention.
