Engineering a Different Dream, with STEMusic LLC's Roy Moye III

A career pivot sometimes helps you toward your destiny.

Roy Moye III achieved his dream of becoming an aerospace engineer, but once he got there, he realized his true passion was music. Instead of ignoring his calling, he took a leap of faith and built a career that combines singing, education, and entrepreneurship.

Today, through STEMusic LLC, Roy inspires young people to explore STEAM through music. His unique path has earned him a Grammy and taken him to audiences across the country, but his greatest passion is helping kids discover their own potential.

In this episode of Let's Get Personal, Roy shares how following an unexpected path led him to meaningful work. He also plugs his new album, STEMusic Takes Flight, available on streaming platforms now.

Transcript

SPEAKER_04 0:02

Hi, I'm Olivia, and I'm Kristen. Through our work at Learning Lab Witch Talk, we get a front row seat to innovation and personalized kindergarten through 12th grade learning. On this podcast, we share stories of how educators and parents are helping kids discover their passions. So you can do the same for a child you love.

SPEAKER_03 0:20

Time to dive in. Let's get personal.

SPEAKER_04 0:24

Hi everyone, and welcome to Let's Get Personal Real Talk About Reimagining Education. Today in the Learning Lab studio, we are so happy to have Roy Moy III, who is the founder and CEO of STEM Music LLC, and most importantly, is about to come out with a new album. So this is he's in the studio. Yes. We're on the promo tour, all the things. But Roy has been a fun friend of Learning Lab from the very beginning.

SPEAKER_03 0:51

Yeah. Well, and what I think is cool is that we haven't really had too many education entrepreneurs that are like, well, we certainly haven't had an entertainer. But also uh you're kind of just starting something new completely from scratch that's not like a school model. So I'm excited about like the type of entrepreneur that you are. I've known Roy for years.

SPEAKER_00 1:17

Yes.

SPEAKER_03 1:18

Yeah. And when I met Roy, I just have to tell the story. One, I don't know why we met for coffee, but we met for coffee, and Roy was talking about um this dream he had to start STEM music, but it didn't have a name yet. And he was an engineer.

SPEAKER_00 1:37

Yes.

SPEAKER_01 1:38

So tell so t I met for coffee though, because because weren't you working at the United Way? Yeah. So so I think that's how we got connected. Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 1:47

Relationship manager.

SPEAKER_01 1:48

I was a loaned executive. They had this program back in the day where you could um leave your job for three months and help with the annual campaign of uh raising funds and money to support United Way and all the different things that they do in the community, which I love. And um also it was very instrumental in helping me start STEM music from a business standpoint because I don't know if you remember the year that I was a loan executive, they made cold calls be in-person cold calls. So it wasn't just from the desk. You have to go out to the business and walk in the door and do all the things. And when I tell you that, I wasn't afraid of it, but just having to do it so many times, it made it more regular. And it's something that I've used in STEM music to help grow it. Go into a children's museum and just pitch right there. Or like, can I talk to the person who books, you know, performers? Can I talk to the children's librarian at this library? And there have been, I've booked a run of shows in DC off of doing that. And so and other places too. And so that I always think of United Way being a relationship manager and how that influenced that. But um, yeah, at the time, this was 2018. And um, yes, thank God for the United Way's while I'm loading executive because I was burnt out at that point of engineering. Engineering.

SPEAKER_03 2:58

I was I always am fascinated that you became an engineer. I am too. You were well, and I get that you probably like math and science, but you are such a people person.

SPEAKER_01 3:08

I am, and I think that was the journey. So, what I what I love is what I brought here today. This is for the camera. My airplanes, this is a Boeing 787 United Airlines. This is a P-51 Mustang uh Red Tails for the Tuskegee Airmen, very influential in my aviation and aerospace career. Um, but I've loved airplanes since I was a kid, and so that's actually what um I kept asking questions about as a kid. Like, how do I design airplanes? Like, do I want to be a pilot or do I want to like design airplanes?

SPEAKER_02 3:37

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 3:37

And then my dad, I believe, is the one who gave me the term aeronautical engineer slash aerospace engineer because he was in the military and he uh sampled fuel for like Air Force One and other things, and like so he kind of had a STEM background. Like, I didn't realize that until later I actually had him on my STEM music podcast and was like, what? Like he got a coin from uh Ronald Reagan because their lab was the lab that sampled the fuel in Germany. Yeah, it was kind of wild to learn. Like he's in a lab coat, you know, like what? I didn't know this.

SPEAKER_02 4:06

How funny?

SPEAKER_01 4:07

And so he had that that um terminology. And once I like, oh man, I was on Ass Jeeves at the time, you know, Google, all the places, Yahoo, like just searching aerospace engineering. And that's when I was like, I think this is where what I want to do. But to your point, a lot of math, a lot of science that's involved. And I remember thinking, I am not the strongest in math. Like I got up to calculus senior year of high school, but it's it was always a trudge. Like it was never, I never felt like math was easy. I did enjoy science, um, you know, my chemistry class, I like doing the experiments and different things. Um, so I wasn't your traditional engineering kid who was like, I'm doing all these different things. I'm taking cars apart or taking computers apart. I wasn't, I did like to build. I've always been a designer. Now that is something true. I've always been some like, let me build some Legos or let me design a rainforest in my bedroom that I shared with my brother. And he's like, why is there a rainforest in my bedroom?

SPEAKER_02 5:00

That's awesome.

SPEAKER_01 5:01

So, so you know, that that all kind of started at that, but it really was because of my love of airplanes. And so I was like, How do I do that? And so um kind of did the research and then applied. And I remember everybody telling me, like, are you sure? That's a lot of math. They weren't lying, and they weren't like trying to boo my dream.

SPEAKER_02 5:17

Like sure.

SPEAKER_01 5:18

They just wanted to like make sure I knew.

SPEAKER_02 5:20

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 5:21

And so I was a little like, I don't know, is this gonna be the thing? But I ended up leaning into it. It was very hard for me, very challenging. Um, I went to Wichita State. Shout out to Wichita State because I think that was the precursor to STEM music. I was singing all over campus and I was majoring in aerospace engineering, and that university did not say no to that. It's like they probably were thinking, like, who is this kid? Like, why is he like he's in talent shows? He's singing national anthems for the shockers. This is when they went to the final four, like that run, and like all those years. I started in 2010, so they went to the NIT, then they went into the bracket, then they went to the final four, and so I was singing national anthems for those teams. So I was also like, and but it's funny, the music people on campus were like, oh, he's a music major, and they didn't know I was an engineer, and then the engineering people were like, Oh, he's in engineering. They didn't know I did music. So, like my professors didn't know I sang until graduation. And I sang the national anthem at my graduation. And they were shocked, and they were in the front row, like I was like, I probably could have got some more A's if I sang in class, you know.

SPEAKER_03 6:21

So have you have you always loved music also? Or did and did you like train? Did you take lessons?

SPEAKER_01 6:30

That's a great question. I yes, music is it's just always been in the family. I do not play an instrument yet. We need to figure that out. But um I don't play an instrument. I don't even formally read like music. I can do a little bit of sight reading, you know, your church hymn and all, that type of thing. But um, music was just always playing a lot of gospel in the house. Um, and then my mother, like, she's not necessarily like the singer, but she would always take, I feel like I get my songwriting from her, even though she's not like a formal songwriting, songwriter. She would always take words like mom, we had computer lab today. Computer lab. And like she would just go into a song. And so, like that word association, like I feel like she did a and she loves music and like her music catalog, she's the one who kind of put me onto a lot of like non-gospel stuff. Um, my dad is a singer, and my grandfather, that's actually who I really get it from, Roy Nelson Moy Sr. Like when I first heard him sing in 2017 at a family reunion, I was like, whoa, this is actually where my voice comes from. Because my dad can sing, it but there was just a singers no singers, and it was just like, wow, like he's really good, and we harmonize together well and all the things. So music, it was, and we sang in the car on the way to church. Like, I have two siblings, and so we were always like, who's gonna hit the no? Like, you know, so it was very musical in that sense. And so, yeah, I've I've really loved music, and music was a a huge uh sense uh source of comfort for me as well, like growing up, experiencing bullying and different things. It was like I would always, I could always lean on music and singing, and actually in the basement of my childhood home, I would like I wrote over 40 songs. Like my parents didn't know this was happening, and then I'd be like going on tour. I would put a notebook piece of paper and I would tape it to the wall. So I would make the songs first, like over maybe let's say a month or so. And then I would like, oh, I'm gonna go on a 40 city tour. And I would write like Chicago and then tape that piece of paper to the wall and sing the songs. The next night I would change it to Philadelphia and like sing to the wall. So now that like I'm a touring artist, it's I I just think back to those days, like I really believed that that was something that I could do. I didn't know how I was gonna get there. But yeah, music definitely was always it just felt like it was always being played in the house, in the car. Um, and then once I found out that I had a gift of singing, because I was a very shy kid, nobody believes that.

SPEAKER_04 8:48

Well, that's what I was just about to ask. So, like, what were you? We see you now as this entertainer, and um what what were you like as a student, as a kid, as growing up?

SPEAKER_01 8:58

Young kid, very shy. Like, like third grade and before, like and under, like very shy. Like my parents would have to like check to see like, is he breathing? Like, where is Roy Tia? That's what my family calls me. And so I'd be in there building Legos or with my connects roller coaster to like yeah, I was just always like, you know, kind of very, very quiet. And then um, I think as I started to grow older, and I I really had the first level I remember was fifth grade um in a jazz musical, and I played Louis Armstrong. So a little fifth grader trying to talk like this, like attach me, you know. And so um, but I sang and and and just the reaction and stuff, and then I started doing that a little bit more. And when people come up to talk to you after the show or whatever, you kind of you you're kind of forced to have to like talk and stuff. And so I feel like that started to pull me out of my shell a little bit. Um, but yeah, just always very um musical, love to sing. But it's funny, all the way up to high school, I love to sing, but I actually wouldn't sing for people. Like people would be like, you have such a good voice. Like, just sing in the hallway, like in between classes. I'm like, I only sing in choir. Like, like I was so very, I don't know, I was very um particular about it. And I think I was I really wanted to pursue engineering. And so I used to tell people, like, no, I'm gonna be an engineer. Like, I'm pursuing engineering, like, I'm not doing this music.

SPEAKER_03 10:16

I love the story because we talk to kids all the time about like their talents and interests, and it seems like music actually came really easily to you. Sometimes something comes easy to you and you don't love it, but you like loved it and it became easy to you, but you also loved airplanes. Yeah. And maybe I like the fact that it was harder for you to get through the math. Like you didn't just sail through the math. At all, at all, at all.

SPEAKER_00 10:41

I was in them office hours, okay.

SPEAKER_01 10:43

It's funny, like I never got an A in a math class, like ever. In my like from young all the way up to um my last year of college. And I took a class um linear algebra, which allowed because if you take an additional class, we have to take a lot of math in engineering. At Wichita State, if you took one more class, you got the math minor. So I was like, you might as well take it. And linear algebra is the only math class I got an A in. So my final, my final math class, I think it was it's about matrices and stuff, and I think there's most ways you can go about it, but like it was almost like they gave you a roadmap to multiply these two matrices together or to solve it. And so I was like, oh, I can follow these steps and do this. Whereas some of the other math just felt like there's 17 ways to approach this answer, and I don't like that. Like, I want to be able to know, like, oh, I can do this and get to the answer. So I think that's partially why maybe I did a little bit better in that class.

SPEAKER_03 11:34

But yeah, sure. I'm I'm like, so what's interesting to me is, I mean, I feel like you are such such a talented singer, and you could have done gospel music, you could have done like RB. So how did you land on the children's music?

SPEAKER_01 11:53

Yeah, first of all, it's funny that you're saying like you could have done RB, you could have, girl, I did them all. And they did not work out in the way that I thought they were gonna work out. Um and and but I think it's a great thing for your listeners, like whoever's listening to this, regardless of what you're trying to do, whether it's in education or not, like the beautiful thing that I've learned, just in summary, is like go on the journey and be open to doing something that maybe you didn't expect to do because it might allow you to accomplish your wildest dreams. Like that's just a soundbite for like the story that I want to share. Because I think sometimes we're so wired to say, I want this and I want to be done in this way, in this form, especially when we put a goal in our mind when we're younger, college age, or even if like full adults, and you're like, oh, I'm progressing in age and like I still haven't done this one thing, and the only way I know I can do it is this way. But if you open your mind to another way, you actually might be able to get there. It's just in a different way. And so I did um pursue RB. So I came out with my first RB EP in 2015 summer, and that's actually when I started working at Spirit Aero Systems, which is now Boeing, Wichita, as a full-time engineer, structural design engineer. And the night I came out with that project, I was like, I had a concert at Eno's, which doesn't exist anymore. Um, in their back private room, people came, people bought my EP, and I was like, this is what I want to do. And that was a very, that was like month two at spirit, and I was like freaking out that night. I cried myself to sleep because I was like, Yeah, this is what I want to do, actually. Then pivoted to gospel in 2016 and that started that journey. Actually, got to go on a show called Sunday Best, which is like the gospel version of American Idol. Oh my goodness. It doesn't necessarily exist anymore. Yeah, I don't think it exists anymore, but um made it to the top 20 and actually got to be on television and judged by the people. And um, what I didn't know and nobody else knew at the time is I popped a blood vessel in my left vocal cord. So I was on the show with a damaged voice. Um and I still sang okay, but I learned a valuable lesson there of like you gotta make people feel something. The song that um I was given, it just didn't really go anywhere vocally. And so I was trying to like showcase all these things. I could sing high notes and this and that. Instead, it was like singing it in a high key that just makes you feel. So, you know, but you learn these things as you go. So I did that, and then that was like felt like a rock bottom for me, which sounds dramatic. This is a first world thing that we're talking about. But when it's your dream and it's something that you like, I had been working since 2016, so this was 2019 when I got on the show. So I'm thinking like this is the moment, like this is it. I'm gonna make it in the top five. I didn't think I could win the show because it was some very powerful the person who won, he deserved to win. I mean, powerhouse singers. But I thought I could make the top five and then get a like an independent record deal, do the Chitlin circuit, like, you know, just work your way up. And so when I got cut and out of the, you know, the the top 10, I didn't make the top 10. I was like, oh my gosh, what happens now? You know? Well, it just so happened in 2016, a couple years prior, um, nonprofit in town called Real Men Real Heroes, which is now Heroes Academy, and they were asking me to do a math lesson. So really STEM music does start with math, um, which is so funny because it's like, oh and these, you know, young black boys with the predominant uh population in this organization. And I was over the fourth grade class and fifth grade class. So we we met every Monday night. Wow. And so I know I knew these boys, like, you know, Mr. Roy here, all the things, right? So it's kind of like I was almost like an educator in that, you know, season. And they were like, we want to grant. So I had already done some STEM stuff for the audience science, technology, engineering, and math is what STEM stands for. Sometimes they put an A in it for art, so STEAM. Um, and so I we had done like egg drop and like bridges, and you know, we'd done like these fun activities, but then they said we want to grant and we have to do math lesson, like we're required. And I was like, ooh, they're gonna hate this. So I was like, you gotta do something creative. I don't know what it is, but you gotta figure it out. And so I was like, ooh, what if I remix this song, which was like super popular at the time, watch me whip, watch me nene. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. To watch me solve the equation. So I remixed the entire song. I put an algebraic equation in there to solve for X that's like in the song in the lyrics.

SPEAKER_02 15:56

Uh-huh.

SPEAKER_01 15:56

And then I showed up that Monday night and I was like, all right, we gotta do math today. And they were like, boo! Okay, but I did something, let me just perform it for you. Watch me solve, solve the equation. Hey, hey, watch me solve. And when I was done, the energy, the room, I mean, it's everything just shifted. They were fighting over the dry erase markers to go up to the board. There were like the fear of getting it wrong, or like nobody cared. Everyone was so engaged. We were outside, you y'all work in education. The parents don't be picking up the kids all the time, you know, all the time. So we're out there waiting with the kids, like, you know, that that were left over. And they were singing the song in the parking lot, you know, running around singing it. And I that night I was like, this is special. Something just happened here. And it's funny, I used to do this all the time, like just on my own. Like I live for the applause, applause. It's a Lady Gaga song in Experimental Methods, a class in Wichita State. They were, I was like, Y'all, we did the data and we got all the stuff to present. I'm gonna sing this. And you know, my engineering peers are like, What? I was like, You don't have to sing, I just want to do this. And so I I live for the data, data, so I remixed that and so I've been doing this my whole life, but when I did it with these kids, it just that was huge. And so then from 2016 to 2019, I was battling insecurity. So that's another thing for your listeners that just because you have a dream or you want to do something doesn't mean one, it's gonna be easier, two, you won't battle with like an insecurity or a fear.

SPEAKER_02 17:18

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 17:18

Because I was like, here I am wanting, I'm struggling in my engineering career, and nobody really knows that. I was doing everything like my packages were getting released. Nobody knew that, but internally I was like, this is like harder than what I want it to be, and I'm not enjoying it as much as I thought I would. Um so how am I gonna be the person to teach kids about STEM and like try to get them into STEM when I'm trying to like get out? And I just felt so conflicted and ashamed and like all of that. So for three years, I was just like talking about it, you know, like I wanna do this thing called STEM music, but I don't know. And then my friend said, you know, if you don't want to do something with this, it's okay. Like you can let it go. Yeah, and I think it was just that hearing that and being able to say, No, I gotta just try it. Yeah. So just write one song. You all know the song. We call it STEM music everywhere we go. And I wrote that theme song in my kitchen, my old apartment. When I played it back after I recorded it, I was just dancing like this. This is what I heard in my head. Like this is because I didn't want to make music that was like kitty, which is so funny that I'm a family children music artist because that wasn't the intention. It was like, I want to make songs that sound like regular music, uh-huh, but the content is about STEM. And so I took that song to a Nesby National Society of Black Engineers conference, performed it, had great feedback and the DJ the.

SPEAKER_03 18:34

That was a big deal that you got.

SPEAKER_01 18:36

And he even like, like, when he like was giving me back the jump drive, he was like, I need to, I need to play this song in the club. And I was like, stop playing with me, like don't, you know. But it just showed me that even people, even parents, you know, like non-kids were like vibing to it. And so after Sunday, so then Sunday Best happens that summer airs and everything. I'm like rock bottom because I just feel so embarrassed that like here I am on national television, Wichita's watching, and like, and I didn't do great or whatever. Meanwhile, Wichita's like so proud. But like, but I'm like, oh I wanted to like be, you know. I yeah, and so then it that was the final straw because I felt like I was at rock bottom musically, that I had tried this whole journey of RB gospel. I was like, you have nothing to lose. Just create this STEM music EP and create the company and see what happens. Yeah, and that's what happened in November of 2019. So we're coming up on seven years this fall.

SPEAKER_04 19:27

How crazy. What I think is so interesting about I'm gonna take this all the way back. You were like, no, I loved linear algebra, which was very like sequential. There's a roadmap. You followed this roadmap to being an engineer, and then you hate it, and then you did this roadmap to like get to what you thought being a musician, a singer would be, and none of it worked the way that you planned. It's just interesting to be like not yes, you can have a roadmap to accomplish your dream, but to your point, if you're not open to what shows up or what opportunities cross, or like really like listening to your gut and what is your magical little moment with the with the kids with the algebra. I mean, that's a really important thing to listen to. I think I felt that as a teacher. Like, there's just all these signals that we're maybe taught to ignore because it doesn't fit the roadmap. Right. Right? It doesn't fit this order that I'm saying it should go in.

SPEAKER_01 20:25

It doesn't make sense. That's what when I say back to, like you said, the open part. Um, I'm a person of faith, so I love God, but I also respect people who, you know, that's not your faith. So, like, what if you want to call the universe your voice, the voice, your gut, whatever it is. But like, I feel like we all have those moments where we know, like, maybe this is not gonna make sense to everybody. Because STEM music, like, what is that? Like, even now, as I'm gaining more clients and stuff like that, it's like when I explain it to them or even show videos of the performance, but when I'm there and I actually do a performance, it's they're like, oh my gosh, like because I think in family children music, like usually it's a concert where they're not like stopping to do STEM activities in between songs, like they're like just singing songs and it's great, but like the concert is genuinely like I'm singing a song about science, and then I'm bringing up kids and we're doing science experiments. I'm singing a song about technology, and then a kid is taking over the entire concert with a code that's made out of these different pieces of paper of different colors.

SPEAKER_03 21:20

Like, and that makes it a real entry point for kids. Whereas if you just hear a song and you're just singing Air Capital of the World, maybe that never like gets.

SPEAKER_01 21:30

It's it's like, and I wanted to make sure that kids were invited to do the thing. And and that happens in children's music, but they're doing STEM. Like when they're doing the thing, they're doing STEM, they're not just like singing along in a song or whatever. And so very important to do that. And I and I think that because we are like just hardwired to like you gotta follow this one thing or this one point. I think if you are if you do stay open, when I say the dream thing, like, because in my mind as an artist, I was like, okay, I have to quit my job and I have to do this thing full time to even be able to start to ascend to the dreams that I had. Have, you know? And then I surrender, which is a big part of this process. I make this STEM music stuff, survive the pandemic because I started doing virtual performances. Cause I thought it was over in March, right? Everybody, right? But I started doing virtual stuff. And that's really when I knew this is special. You're singing to your laptop in your apartment, making the most money you've ever made in music. And it was like $3,000. But like I had not made $3,000 in music. So I was like, something is happening.

SPEAKER_02 22:26

It's weird.

SPEAKER_01 22:27

And this is special. And then, you know, from there to getting brought into the children's music community, then there's this spin-off, One Tribe Collective, out of this family music collective. And then they're like, oh, we want to put this album together. Long story short, we make this album. I write a song called Black Lives Made Stim History. That's on that album. That album gets nominated for a Grammy in April 2022. I'm at the Grammys while still working at Spirit Earl Systems. I had pivoted to HR at that time. You could not have told me that I would be working a full-time job going to the Grammys as it as a part of a Grammy nominated group.

SPEAKER_03 23:01

That's doesn't make sense. Well, that's where it's you, they say the best like plans. Like God just laughed at you.

SPEAKER_01 23:07

Like, you thought, you know, and so it that and that really showed me, like, yeah, dude, you you gotta get out the way. You have to let it let go because God has a bigger plan if people want to say the universe or whatever, but like God has a bigger plan for you that you're not gonna be able to plan. Right. Like even this podcast episode, I was telling them before the podcast, like, okay, I put out this new album and I want to talk about it and start reaching out to podcasts, and y'all reached out to me. You know, so it's like, it's it's just like, yeah, just be open. Like, yes, I do believe in creating a plan. The engineer in me is like, the designer was like, you gotta plan. But but in that plan, just leave some room for something. Because I've you, if you would have told me in 2015 when I put out that first EP, oh my gosh, I'm gonna be a um children's music artist, and that's gonna be the way I get to quit my job and do music full time and tour the country. And what? There's no way I believe you. And funny, fun fact, like the EP that the first EP, so the first body of work of music that I put out, the title of that EP was Singing Takes Flight. And this debut album is STEM Music Takes Flight. And I just think that's a it's just a it's kind of and there's a 787 on the front of that R and B EP.

SPEAKER_03 24:14

Like, I just love airplanes, and so to see it full circle that now there's a whole album about them is just is well it's not very many people that get to marry almost like their hobby and their vocation in a way that you have. So in 2019, you started STEM music. Yes, and then how long were you doing that business as like a side hustle while you were still working at Spirit? And how did what did that look like?

SPEAKER_01 24:40

It looked like me not sleeping. Um and it looked like there was a lot of frustration um because I saw what's happening in my life right now. And I think that's one of the greatest gifts that I have, but it's also one of the like tortures of my life is I'm a visionary and not in like some dramatic, like egotistical way, but God has just given me the ability to see things before they happen. And I'm not a psychic. I'm just saying like I have the ability to dream. Like I'm a dreamer, and I can I can my dreams are not just like, oh, that would be cool. I see it happening. I was taping the notebook piece of paper to the wall on tour in high school, you know. That's cool. I I'm that's how I am. And so as STEM music started to grow while I'm still working my full-time job as an engineer and then pivoted to HR for my last three years there, things were starting to happen. I'm starting to travel, I'm starting to gain some traction, and it's like, I just want to leave now. Like that. So that was a very hard um process and part of the journey when you're seeing stuff. I was leading orientation um at Spirit Aero Systems every Friday. I called it my residency because I would sing Stevie Wonder to open it up at 8 a.m. in the morning. And and this is like from shop floor workers to business engineers, like in orientation. And they're like, Are we in the right place? Like, is this orientation? But there would be so many people that would one guy threw money at me. Another guy was like, What? Why are you, why are you here? What the bleep are you doing here? And I'm just like, and so when you would hear responses like that, you it's it's you feel um grateful, but you feel very frustrated because you're like, they see it too. Like everyone sees that this should be a thing. Like I should be singing full-time. And so it was, it was quite the journey. But I will say this to especially if somebody's listening who is interested in starting a business or interested in, you know, turning that hobby or side hustle to a full-time thing, is like sometimes patience is your greatest friend as hard as it can be. Because when I did jump and take the leap, I went into my first national tour. And so I don't believe that that would have happened had I not been doing all the work.

SPEAKER_04 26:44

Yeah, you laid a foundation. Exactly.

SPEAKER_01 26:46

And I had a full-time job where I didn't have to work. So all the money I was earning for STEM music, I wasn't touching that. I was just living, and then I also got to invest. And um, for the West Coast market, I I saw this uh San Diego Science Festival. I was like, man, I know that I could go there and perform. And they would like love me. And so when I reached out, they were like, well, we don't really pay and we just it's volunteer. And so I I bet on myself and I was like, I'm gonna spend this $1,700 to go out here. I said, if I if I can make my way out here, can would you? And they said, Yeah, they gave me like two performance slots or three, and of course, knocked it out the park, did my thing, but they also asked, like, could you go on uh the local news and like help us promote? So I brought one of my little experiments, did that, did a great job with that as well. And so then they were like, oh my God, everybody's just talking about you. So then the next year they're like, could you come back? And I was like, Well, um, you know, and so then they they were like, okay, we have some budget, we wanna we're not gonna be able to match exactly. But then I came out, I did some. I'm in the airport in Denver on my way over, and they're like, uh, can you do a 5 a.m. slot or a 6 a.m.? You gotta be at the stadium at 5 a.m. today.

SPEAKER_02 27:48

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 27:48

And I did it. Yeah. And I was like, yeah, let I'll I'll help promote this in the rain. We're in a tent in the rain. I'm like kicking and doing the experiment and like come out to the festival, rain or shine, we're still here, you know. Yeah. And then they were like, oh my God, the hosts aren't from the news network are not gonna be able to come because of whatever. Can you host? We need you, and I'm hosting, you know, and so I was just doing that to the point where, okay, now they brought me back a third year. And then because I was there, the LA, you know, uh Maker Fair and STEM Festival, they were like, Oh, can we have you? PST plus R. And so then I cracked open into the West Coast thing. But all that could happen because I was working at Spirit. Yeah, and I had the finances to be able to do that. So sometimes patience is your best friend, even though it's never fun.

SPEAKER_04 28:27

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 28:28

Because you just want to do what you want to do.

SPEAKER_04 28:29

Yeah. What do you think? We talk a lot about values too lately, it seems like, but what do you what do you think? I went to school to be an investment banker, Roy. I'm not an investment banker. I do not know this. What? So, like there were values that I held that were in conflict, right? With like that being a fulfilling career. For you, what was it about being an engineer? Maybe like what values do you have that you're like, no, this this was the problem, is these are values that I have, and being an engineer wasn't meeting the moment of those values.

SPEAKER_01 29:00

I think, and it's interesting because you were saying like hated engineering, that's very close. I you know, but but I will say I did not try all the things in engineering that there are to try. So that's something I always say because especially just if there are, you know, young students listening or parents, you know, with kids, and like there's so much out there in engineering. So I'm sure there's probably something in there. Actually, my manager was like, I wish you were at, I wish we worked at uh Textron, because he came from Cessna. He was like, because they had sales engineering, and I just feel like you would be such a great sales engineer because it's the people, and this is I was like, oh, you know. Yeah, yeah. So so I just think I just want to say that that I think there's still some really cool things in engineering. Absolutely. I just didn't choose to discover because I had this music thing, you know, going on on the side, and I'm like, I want to do this music thing. And shout out to my managers too, because I would be in our like your performance review, and I'd be like, I just want to sing.

SPEAKER_04 29:50

And they're like, well, we're gonna find as many opportunities for you to sing. And I did.

SPEAKER_01 29:53

Shout out to Spirit Arrow systems by saying many national anthems there. They hired me for the family festival they had in 2015. Like, so they they did a great job of finding those opportunities. But um, I think values of uh just like kindness um and and collaboration, um, and I don't know, like being able to show people that they are seen, um, that they belong. And all the things that I'm saying do not like show up in engineering spaces, you know? And so I used to drive them crazy too. Because like, gosh, he's just trying to be so inclusive, or he's just trying to, you know, all these different things. And then when it comes to your performance review, right? Like you have to write all the technical things that you did. Um, and so then at the end, it's like, do you live the values? Transparency, integrity, collaboration. And all my peers would be like, Roy, what did you put on the on the last the three or four? Like, can you help us with that? You know, so I think just some of those things of integrity, of collaboration, of transparency, of care. Um, and I think I get a chance to do a lot more of that uh within STEM music and within education, right? And working with students. And I love in my concerts just being able to, I don't know. I've I'm a sensitive person, okay? I'm super emotional. I'm a cancer. I don't know, I don't know anybody else's sign. This is I just know that I'm an emotional being. And so it's it's a beautiful thing to be able to go to a in concerts and to feel the energy and acknowledge the kids. Like there was there was one show I did recently, and a kid was like kind of really bummed out that he wasn't chosen. And I and it's like that's me. Like, I was that kid. I was the kid that was gonna cry, like I was a crybaby. And so I was like, I remember that. And so we had some kids come up and do science experiment, and then I was like, I know you moved to the back, but like, do you want to be my helper on the third song? And like just to see him like emerge and be like, maybe, and like you can change your mind. Like I say that a lot in my show too. Like, I want kids to know they have agency. You may be excited at first, but now you have all this intention on you and you want to do something different. But like just being able to um express some of those values of care, of kindness, um, you know, I I think those are important to me. And so I get to facilitate more of that within what I'm doing now.

SPEAKER_04 32:01

Yeah, I feel like you you have to seem like you really value what you were saying of like seeing it in action, seeing the impact and the joy and action. Whereas an engineer, I'm sure that's hard to do, right? I mean, like you're not gonna be able to do it. Yeah, you do it as a phase.

SPEAKER_01 32:15

You do it in a different way. Because, you know, you could say that with, I want to see it in action, designing and kitsia, and you know, making sure my models look great and doing my drawing sheets and getting them approved and all the corrections, and I don't have any corrections, you know, I did it right, all of that stuff. So, you know, you can do it in your your own way, yeah, no matter what field you're in. But I I do think I'm a very just a person who values connection and um kindness. And I was bullied as a kid, and which a lot of people didn't know, but like being a gay kid who was not out and like I'm 33 right now, about to be 34. I came out at 30. Okay, so this is like a newer journey. And I think I'm especially through therapy, shout out to my therapist.

SPEAKER_04 32:56

Shout out to all our guys.

SPEAKER_01 32:57

Yes, I 10 out of 10 do recommend. Um, and and it may take a couple times to meet the therapist that works for you, I would say that. Okay. So if it's a bad experience the first time, just but but what I what I'm realizing, what we talk about a lot, is the way that I show up in working with kids, why I'm so passionate about kindness, connection, belonging. When I start my concert, I start with like a five-minute like speech. And and I always in the speech I say, I know you're like, Mr. Roy, shut up talking. Like, let's go, right? But I try to tell the kids, if you're not selected today, it doesn't mean that you're not worthy. It just means that this is who was selected, and we're gonna learn how to celebrate our friends. Like, that's how I start every show. It's we don't jump right into the song. Why am I doing that? I'm doing that because of me. Like I was the kid that if I wasn't paid, you know, like I'm gonna have an emotional breakdown. And so I'm I'm you know, cognizant of that. But also as a kid who was bullied and not seen, like I had all the care from food, clothing, you know, roof over your over your head, but but battling all these things inside and not having anyone to talk to, which is why I believe my relationship with God is so close, because that was that's my rock, like that's who I was talking to. And so I just want to make sure that kids feel seen and heard, no matter what what their background is, or what like that's just something so important to me because I know that I feel like that wasn't something that I was uh beginning as a kid.

SPEAKER_04 34:15

Yeah, yeah, absolutely. Do you feel like you could have gotten to where you are today without having been an engineer? Do you think you could have flip-flopped it? Do you think that you being a musician, an entertainer, could you have gotten there? It's Kristen's question. She wrote it down, and I was like, I want to make sure I ask this question. Yes.

SPEAKER_01 34:36

Um I'm gonna say no.

SPEAKER_04 34:39

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 34:39

I'm gonna I I'm gonna say that it really this this journey had to happen for this thing to be formed the way that it's been formed. And I think the order of it does matter because and here's why. I I I think you know, there's there's many, you know, children music artists or just artists in general, and talented artists and songwriters, they can like write songs about anything. So you could technically like write songs about STEM STEM or whatever, um, just as a songwriter. Do some research and write it. But I think having gone through the experience, there's so much um depth and weight that comes with that, to then be able to sing it in a song, put it in a song, uh, and to communicate it a certain way. I think that's one of the things I love the most about STEM music and create. I love when like I'm tasked with, okay, we need you to write a song about Artemis going back to the moon. And like, ooh, okay, it's like putting a puzzle together and and knowing certain technical pieces of knowledge, but then being able to say, okay, but how is everybody gonna understand that in layman's terms, you know? So sometimes I am sneaking in the actual technical, like the song Fly Like a Pilot, since I'm in a pilot outfit. And it's like, you know, step uh step in the airplane, sit in the cockpit, fly like a pilot, flying at push the throttle forward, pull the stick back, leap to the sky with the angle of attack. Not everybody might know what an angle of attack is, yeah, um, you know, which is the degree of the center line of the cord line of the airplane to the incoming relative wind. And so it's that angle in between that when your plane is, you know, flying and leaping to the sky. But it's like that's a great way to then have this conversation about that, what you just learned. Like, oh, there's an angle there.

SPEAKER_03 36:15

And for our listeners, Roy is literally wearing a pilot pilot uniform if you didn't catch that. Yeah, and so you should watch the promotion.

SPEAKER_01 36:25

Yes, because this is this is the STA music takes flight era. And so I was like, you know, I think I want to do, I usually wear a Stimusic t-shirt and I put out a jersey this summer, but I was like, I want to do something that's very aviation-related. And I kind of debated, I am not a pilot, but I was like, what do kids associate aviation?

SPEAKER_02 36:41

Like, yeah, they see your pilot.

SPEAKER_01 36:43

And I was like, you know, this this will be fun. Um, and maybe inspire me to to get my private private pilot's license, which is something that is kind of a goal. I did fly in an airplane when I was 16 in Olathe, Kansas.

SPEAKER_03 36:53

Okay, you flew the airplane or you flew in an airplane?

SPEAKER_01 36:56

The airplane. And so the the um pilot, he this was my 16th birthday. He he um he literally he's not. These are called, these are called discovery flights. So you can actually do this at any airport. So for yeah, any parents out there, people listening who are interested in a private pilot's license or their kid is, you can go to an um airport or uh a flying uh program, pilot program, and you can say, Hey, I'm interested in this. Can I do a discovery flight? And they will take you up, and then um a lot of times they'll give you the controls and they're there so they can help, you know, do what they need to do. But yeah, I got to do some turns. But he literally lined us up on the runway. He said, Okay, when I tell you, I want you to push the throttle forward, and then I will tell you to pull back on the stick. Diamond D20 aircraft for any airplane nerds out there, bubble canopy. So it's like, yes, very it looks like a dragonfly, you know. But yeah, so um definitely got to do that. And so I was like, yeah, this this will be a good outfit to showcase what this album is about and to communicate my passion for aviation and aerospace. Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 37:55

It's so fun. Well, talk about your new album. Yes. And what was that like to make it?

SPEAKER_01 38:00

So I don't know if you all I we may have talked about this, but um, I was born in Kaiserslautern, Germany. So my dad was in the army. And so, but I was born there, and then three weeks later, I was on a plane back to the States. So that is my unscientific theory, non-scientific theory of why I love airplanes so much. And I've said that my whole life because every kid loves airplanes. Every kid loves to go, shh, I'm obsessed. Like, you know, it's like, it's like, what happened? I'm like, it's because I was on a plane three weeks after I was born. Yeah. Not three months, people. Like, think about a three-week-old baby on a plane. That's crazy to me. And so um, I always, when I started STIM music, I was always thinking about kind of making a love letter to how I got into STEM. Because if you would have said, hey Roy, do you want to pursue mechanical engineering? Do you want to pursue biomedical engineering? Do you want to pursue no, I would not be an aerospace engineer, I would not be an engineer without airplanes. They are my first love. And so I was like, I can't wait for the day when I get to make an album about aviation and aerospace. Um, and so this album kind of the ideation, of course, started in 2019, but the really starting to think about it and trying to do stuff with it and starting to write little bits and pieces is uh 2023. And I thought, oh yeah, it'll be out in 2024. Like it's been a journey. But the blessing is in the journey, um, STEM music, I partnered with arts partners. Yeah, we won a grant um called the Arts Thrive Grant, uh, the National Uh Endowment for the Arts. And it was through the city of Wichita. And so they put out this competition, and we were one of the three um, you know, uh organizations that were selected for it. And we hosted our summer camp in the Learning Lab. That was so great. Right here. And that was such a so I'm so glad once again, patience and timing and that sort of thing. Sure. Because that may not have happened. And to be able to one, have some financial support for three songs and three music videos um for you know production and getting to work with um 17 students right here in the learning lab. We sat on those beanbags with the whiteboards, and we were genuinely writing songs that are on the album. So, y'all, you can listen to the album on Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, all the places you stream music. And if you look into those writer credits for Let's Make a Plane, Air Capital of the World, and Born to Fly, you will see names of students who were in this learning lab. We were all writing together. Um, some of them who are featured artists on the song who had solos or rap verses. Um, and it just was a beautiful, I mean, that was such a beautiful experience. And those kids, most of them black and brown kids who may not have had exposure. And then what I loved about the learning lab, we thought we were gonna do it somewhere else. And the learning lab came at the last second, and we were so grateful to y'all. Um, Arts Partners is based in here now. And the space is just, it's such a welcoming and inviting space. Like, even the I remember the first day they walked in and they were just like looking around, like, wow, like they weren't, they haven't been exposed to a place that looked like this. And so I was so grateful that it was here. I even even told y'all before if y'all want to add other things that people can book here, do songwriting sessions because that little beanbag, I don't know, do you call it a certain area? Does it have a name?

SPEAKER_04 41:11

Um no, not really.

SPEAKER_01 41:12

But that bean bag, like with the big windows right there.

SPEAKER_04 41:16

I guess it's the ID8 space, is how to call it.

SPEAKER_01 41:18

It's such a great songwriting space because you're just like chilling out here. It is like a chill space. Yeah, yeah. Yeah, and I've been to a couple of songwriter rooms, and um, you know, they try to make it comfortable and stuff like that. So it just gave those vibes. So we did that, and then after that camp was over, so that was just three songs. I did, of course, some songs, you know, solo on my own, but then I I got to go partner with um Gordon Parks Academy, Mueller Aerospace Elementary, and Buckner Performing Arts. And so they are all on the album students from from um those schools, and then my niece from the song Taking Flight, um, which was so incredible. Lydia of just so my niece took her first flight summer of 2024.

SPEAKER_04 41:58

Uh-huh.

SPEAKER_01 41:59

And my mom sent me the picture, and I was like, oh my God, this is so cool. And I was like, I should write a song about that. Like how kids should take their first flight, because I don't think that's a song that exists. And then I'm thinking about it, mulling it over in the summer of 2025. Yeah. That's where we're here for the camp. And I run into Lydia, she's like, I'm like, what are you doing this week? And she's like, Oh, we're going to Florida. And she did not sound happy. And I was like, literally, people are pretty hype about going to Florida for vacation. And I was like, Why are you that excited? She was like, Well, my daughter, I love her. But last time we flew with her, it just was, you know. When she told me this story, I said, Oh my gosh, this is like confirmation. Like, I'm I've been thinking about writing this song. And literally that night, it was a night where thunderstorms were happening. It was raining. I went home and I wrote the entire song. That's every time. And I recorded it, a cappella, and I sent it to her. And I was like, That's so sweet. I literally just wrote this song. I think, you know, and she um played it and she texted me back and said, We're dancing in the kitchen. Oh my gosh. And then I and then I was like, oh my gosh, my niece should be on it. And so my niece introduces each segment. Like, Teo, why is the plane getting faster? Teo, why is the plane shaking? Teo, and so we have just all these different, you know, portions of the song that talk about what kids can expect on a flight, even breathing exercises for turbulence. Like, oh, I'm scared. And so there's a there's a, you know, breathe in.

SPEAKER_03 43:22

The album sounds so cool. And do you imagine like families? Like, can educators bring it into their classroom? Like, what's the best way to end up? Yeah, I think so.

SPEAKER_01 43:31

There are a couple music videos that exist, and we definitely want to make more. Um, also working on some like curriculum that I want to introduce with it. I'm in a master's program at Wichita State for learning and instructional design. So master's education.

SPEAKER_03 43:43

No, either that's I know there's so much going on.

SPEAKER_01 43:46

If everything goes right, my summer class ends tomorrow. But if everything goes right, I should be graduating May of 27. Um and so, really just putting what I'm learning in the this degree program into STEM music. Um, and so yeah, like you can play it in your classroom. It could be great for bell work of just like, let's learn about the four main forces of flight. Oh, we're gonna listen to airplane forces or let's learn about the control surfaces on airplanes. Let's listen to this. Um, you know, and so it just it promotes the science of flight, but also talks we give love to manufacturing um, you know, workers because I worked at Spirit Arrow Systems, so we had to show love. Like, what are the different parts of the plane? And so we have a song that we made with those students here called Let's Make a Plane.

SPEAKER_00 44:23

And we're like, say tail, tail, wings, wings, engines, engines, and don't forget about the fuselage, because you know, that's a big part of Witch's Haw.

SPEAKER_01 44:32

And so, of course, there's a song Air Capital of the World. So if teachers want to uh teach the history of aviation, maybe you're gonna take a field trip to the Kansas Aviation Museum, and you're like, what's a great way to like showcase the history in a sound bite? Boom, you got a four-minute song that's all about the air capital of the world. So is the album out? Like out. Okay. It came out Juneteenth. So just yeah, it's okay. Okay, I was like, just as we're recording this just this past Friday. Um it's brand new, it's fresh, it's out, and it's on all streaming platforms. Uh, we will be having, so when this airs, July 8th, I saw on the sheet. That's right. July 9th is um the very next day, and that's the album release concert at the Kansas Aviation Museum. Oh, yeah, 6 to 8 p.m. And the cool thing about that is that is also the first day of Sunflower Summer.

SPEAKER_02 45:19

Oh, nice!

SPEAKER_01 45:20

And so if you download the app, Android or Apple, you your kiddo can get in for free with one um parent who can also get in for free. So that's another thing is like you can see this amazing attraction and hundreds of others across the state of Kansas, 20, I believe, in Wichita through the Sunflower Summer app. So yeah, it's a perfect day. Like when Ben and I, shout out to Ben Sauseda, we were talking about this idea because I've just done so much with the museum. We shot music videos there. Like, I was like, what if we do the release concert there? He's like, that would be great. He's like, what if we do it the first day of Sunflower Summer is a great way to encourage people to come out to the museum. So yeah, we're I'm just excited about it. I think it's it's the perfect. Like when I listen to the album, I'm like, this is the album I wanted as a kid. Like if this album existed when I was a kid, I would have my parents would have been like, shut that off. Like, this is so, you know, but it's it's such a beautiful love letter. Um, and the other special thing about this album is all four of my living grandparents are on the album.

SPEAKER_04 46:15

Well, that's really a comment.

SPEAKER_01 46:16

And so there's a flying lessons interlude where two of my grandparents are like just talking about what it means to be born to fly. Because there's a whole seven-minute gospel song that's called Born to Fly on the album at the very end. And then the last song is me, my father, and my grandfather. So all three Roy are on the same.

SPEAKER_03 46:31

Wow, how crazy is that!

SPEAKER_01 46:33

And then my grandmother, my other grandmother, ends the album, and like what she says is just like you have to, that's a tease. You gotta go listen. Well, listen listen to what my grandmother says at the end, because she literally summed up like what, why I'm doing STEM music. And it was just the the most precious and beautiful way. And that last song is called Um By the Grace of God. So it's like flying lessons interlude, born to fly, by the grace of God. Like that's how the album, because everything else is like children, your family music before, and then it's just it's just a nice way to end it.

SPEAKER_03 47:02

So are you going on a tour, like an album tour, or are you just continuing to do kind of the same stuff that you've been doing? I'm I was wondering, I thought, sorry to ask you 10 questions. No, you're good, you're good. But it was really fun to have you working with kids for even like that camp. I mean, it was days at a time. And you know, we kind of got to see you do the songwriting with some of the kids. And I do think that was an opportunity that they might never get anywhere else. So I was just wondering, is that part of your plan as you move forward with your business? Like, are you gonna continue to offer like these direct educational experiences or is it always gonna be incorporated in a concept?

SPEAKER_01 47:43

In a concert, yeah. No, that's a great question. I uh we wanted to do it again, you know, this summer. Um, but you know, funding and different things like that. And so um I would love to. One of the things that I am starting to do now is um the STEM music workshop, and so um, that's a really fun thing for middle school age students. So I just did one with uh in Joplin with their trio program. Oh no, um, and I've done some with KU Trio Talent Search um based out of the Kansas City area.

SPEAKER_02 48:10

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 48:10

And um basically I'm I'm teaching students STEM topics, and then they have to build a hands-on, you know, STEM activity, and then once they're finished with that, they're challenged to make a poem, a song, a rap, and then perform that, like present that. And so that's a kind of a little microcosm of what we were doing last summer. And so I'm starting to get to do that a lot more uh with schools, with organizations, that sort of thing. But yeah, I think it would be amazing. Here's the vision. Here's the vision. I'm gonna say it on the podcast because we are gonna submit this album for the Grammys. That is an intention, and that I told that to the students the very first day of camp here last summer. So that is something for best children's music album in that category. And so the hope is that we get a nomination. Of course, the hope is that we win, right? We're gonna try to do all the work. Um, but even if we were able to get a nomination, I would love to do a um fundraiser, go fund me through Arts Partners, nonprofit 501c3. So it's, you know, you can write it off on your taxes or whatever. But I would love to do like donations to help get these kids to get to go to the Grammys. But on top of that, if you want to give more, whatever's left over, because it's not coming to Roy. That money would not be coming to Roy. It'd be going to Arts Partners. We could use those funds to do another camp.

SPEAKER_02 49:20

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 49:21

Like that's that's like the vision. So I'm like, I gotta work really hard. I gotta promote this album. If you know any Grammy members, tell them to consider the project when the voting time comes up in September. Um, but that's a vision, like a true, and since day one, like starting it with those kids, I was like, these songs we write are not like throwaway. These are gonna be on the album, your name is gonna be on the album. Um, and I have the intention to submit it for even the album cover was designed partly by one of the students in that camp.

SPEAKER_04 49:46

That's so cool.

SPEAKER_01 49:47

Um, so yeah, that that would be so that we can do more. I would love to do more camps and offer this to um students all over, you know?

SPEAKER_03 49:55

Yeah, yeah. What is kind of your long-term, like, what do you hope for STEM music for the work that you're doing?

SPEAKER_01 50:03

That's a great question because I'm in a season right now where I'm I'm thinking about some things and I'm kind of like, you're crazy. Like, no, this is so much work. Like, it might involve a PhD. You know, it's like, why? We wanted to be an artist and sing and do, but I think I'm just in this master's program, I'm learning so much about learning. I'm learning so much about things you can do to make an impact in a real way. Um, from learning theories to educational technology that you introduce and stuff. So I think one, there's an idea of having multiple artists under a STEM music label that make their own concerts about a STEM topic because there's like so many STEM topics and they're touring, yeah, you know, and doing anything that that was from the beginning. That was an idea that I had from the beginning. But that definitely would take a lot of work. Um, I think overall, though, with STEM music, I would love for this company to make a huge impact on getting underrepresented black and brown kids, girls, people who who kids who are typically not afforded the opportunity and exposure to science, technology, engineering, and math. It would give them a realistic uh entry point and then support. Like we give out STEM music book scholarships, $250. I would love to be paying for entire college educations with, you know, STEM music support, um, through maybe a STEM music foundation. Um, but then also trying to figure out a way to systemically change how we are introducing STEM to students, that teachers could adopt what we are doing, what I'm currently doing right now, and not feel like they need to be a singer or an artist to use music to introduce and encourage students in STEM. Because that's the whole premise of STEM music is trying to introduce a topic that sometimes can feel scary, sometimes can feel foreign, but with the power of music, changing the attitude, changing the feeling, changing the vibe, as the kids would say, and making it something that's uh palatable, that that people can embrace, that kids can embrace, and teachers can embrace, and bringing more black and brown, you know, professionals into STEM, more girls into STEM, um, and just make give giving people more exposure and opportunity to succeed. Another part of STEM music too is like helping parents on that journey. I got to do a parent workshop with KU Trio Talent Search in December, cried my eyes out on the way home. Nothing but black and Latino parents in there and just getting to share with them that there are resources. Because sometimes it's overwhelming. Like I had to navigate that journey myself. You know, my parents believed in me and stuff, but like they weren't doing calculus. Right. They weren't doing statics, dynamics, all these different classes, but that there's like the Kansas City Public Library offers free tutoring. So I was telling that community, like, oh, you can if you have a library card, you can sign up to tutor.com and get free tutoring for your student and a STEM topics that maybe you don't understand. So I think that's what I see for STEM music is just just being a change agent within the the um educational journey of getting students into STEM and helping them succeed in STEM. And then on the side, just showcasing the to the world, you can do multiple things at once and they can work together.

SPEAKER_04 53:05

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 53:06

Things that maybe don't seem like they should go together or will go together. I love that's what I love. When I'm doing concerts and stuff, even I'll even have engineers, you know, who parents who will be in the audience, I'm gonna pick up my violin today. And I'm gonna figure, like you just show me, and I love that because it's like you can you may not be able to do everything at the same time, even telling kids that, like you can change your mind, you can pivot, and you can do if you love multiple things. You love basketball and you want to play D1 and maybe go to the NBA, but you also love physics, do both.

SPEAKER_04 53:37

Yeah, yeah, there is no restriction.

SPEAKER_01 53:39

You know, yes, you may lose some sleep, you may have to work really hard, you may not be able to do everything at once, but you can do these multiple things.

SPEAKER_04 53:46

Yeah, absolutely. Well, Roy, I like to ask everyone who comes on our podcast um, what are your non-negotiables? What are the things you won't compromise on? The hills that you would die on.

SPEAKER_01 54:01

I haven't personally professionally. I've died on a couple of them. Um I'm I'm a huge proponent of diversity, equity, and inclusion, and I understand that's like under attack at the moment. Um, but I will fight tooth and nail for my black and brown kids, specifically black and Latino, because I'm black Puerto Rican and Mexican. Um I will die on the heel of respect, kindness, and care, um, and and being intentional. Like those are things that I really care about, whether it's from dating to professional life, um, to music. I just cannot exist in a space where I'm not being respected or others aren't being respected, where kindness is not at the forefront. I I think uh in this world today, it's like it's very hard to hate up close. Like you could like be saying stuff, but the moment you get like close with somebody and you actually listen to their story, or you still may not agree with them. Yeah, but kindness is just something that's so powerful. Uh intentionality, I I cannot stand when, like, oh let's do the thing. And then there's no intention, like there's there's no like thought process behind why you're doing what you're doing. Um, and then care. I think back to what I said earlier as a kid, like I'm just so passionate about that. I want people to feel seen, I want people to feel cared for. And so those are some of the heels that I will die on. Like, even in my professional life now, fortunately, um, the VP at the time was was on board, but like we were headed to a National Society of Black Engineers conference, and there was no black engineers on the team. You know, we had 15 slots. I'm thinking, like, what is going on? And I was like, I'm gonna get fired today. But I was just like, that's a heel that I'm willing to die on. And fortunately, leadership did the right thing, you know, and I'm and I'm grateful. I'm I love that I can say that, but it it took a lot to, you know, because in corporate, you're going through hierarchy, right? All these channels. And I'm like, okay, at a certain point, I can't do the paperwork anymore. Like, I need to share that. Like, if we're going to recruit black engineers at a black conference, we ought to have we didn't we don't have many black engineers in the company. And that's many, you know, STEM engineering companies across the board, which is why I'm so passionate about the work that I'm trying to do.

SPEAKER_02 56:04

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 56:05

Um, but we we we ought to be intentional. There goes that the word intention again. We gotta be intentional about how we show up.

SPEAKER_02 56:10

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 56:10

So that these students see people who look like them and say, like, oh, maybe I'll consider this company. Um, and so yeah, those are some of the things that are are non-negotiables. Respect is a big deal too. I think since coming out and and going on that journey, it's like, okay, like if you can't respect, then we just we can't engage. Like this is just not a gonna be a thing for me. Because I try I try to live my life giving people respect, being kind, even frustrated. I was in Maryland, rented a car from Enterprise. They did not have a car. They put me in a car with a stranger.

SPEAKER_03 56:41

Oh, they didn't have a car?

SPEAKER_01 56:43

Because I usually rent from the airport where they have plenty of cars. But the way the the tour was set up, I needed to get it in Maryland. And so, because I was using the metro for the trip to lesson learned. Don't do that. If you're touring, get you a rental car from Jump and then do it, okay? But um, so the place they didn't have it, so they were like, we're gonna, we're gonna, this other person is looking for needing a car, so we're gonna drive you guys to Bethesda. So they put us in this Jeep Waggoneer. The people driving the Wagoneer did not know how to turn the AC on. It is summer, it's August. I'm in the back, sweating out. I have a show in an hour and 30 minutes. Because I'm thinking, like, oh, I'm gonna get in the car and I'm gonna go.

SPEAKER_02 57:19

You know, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 57:20

Get to Bethesda, they're like, oh, we have plenty of cars here. They just need to be cleaned. And I'm like, okay, I understand that you want to clean the cars for good customer service. I will take whatever car that you have that has at least half a tank of gas because I need to go. They pull the car around and I'm about to get in the car, and the lady goes, So how was your experience today? You know, that's an opportunity to be like, but even in that anger and that frustration was just very valid and very real. I said, I love Jesus and Jesus loves me, and he is helping me get through this moment right now. I'm very frustrated. So I'm just gonna take the keys and I'm gonna leave. I hope you have a wonderful day. And she just kind of looked at me. But but I share that to say, I'm not perfect, I'm human, but that is how I try to live my life. So I, and maybe it's a high standard, but that's what I want in return.

SPEAKER_04 58:08

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 58:08

If I'm gonna engage with someone or engage, whether it's making music, whether it's doing a camp, whether it's being here in the learning lab with our students, like I know you all. I know how you lead, I know how you serve. Yeah. So I felt comfortable when Ella said, hey, we're thinking about the learning lab, whatever.

SPEAKER_04 58:22

Now, we really didn't have a choice, but you always have a choice.

SPEAKER_01 58:26

It felt good to know, like, I'm gonna be in an environment where I know that that the kids are gonna be taken. And I even know the kids, but I'm like, yeah, once I know I'm working with kids, they're my babies. Whoever, whoever the kids are, it's like I'm very protective. So yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 58:38

No, it matters.

SPEAKER_04 58:40

It was really fun.

SPEAKER_03 58:42

I think I just wanted to comment on your master's degree. Um I think it's so interesting and very neat that you are being it's intentional, right? Like of like, you know, you understand how you went through school and learned, and math wasn't always easy for you, and you want to make it accessible for these kids. So instead of just trying your willingness throw spaghetti at the wall is what we say a lot in education, you're like learning how to do it. And I feel like that can only make your content yeah, absolutely.

SPEAKER_01 59:18

It has already improved so many things. And and not only that, it's showcased stuff that I'm doing naturally just because of how I am.

SPEAKER_00 59:24

And like, oh, that's connected to behaviorism and that's constructivism.

SPEAKER_01 59:29

I oh, this is so cool. You know, so it's been very, and and it really was because of teachers. I went to South by Southwest EDU and I did the Stip Music Workshop. And I just I just presented it because I don't know, I was like, I got to do a keynote the year before, and I was like, well, you can't apply for a keynote again, like, because you don't have a different story, you know. You already told your story. So I was like, I want to present again. Maybe we'll do a workshop this time. So I just drummed up this idea just from bits and pieces of stuff I've done throughout the years at Wichita State with Robin Road Heroes, all the things. And I presented it, the teachers had a great time. And then afterwards, everyone was just like, So do you have curriculum? Like, do you and I was like, What? I wasn't well I was never thinking about that. And that started the process of like maybe you could create curriculum. Oh, but what if, but do you know how to do like, oh, what if there's a program? And I had looked at masters of education before at Wichita State, but you know, like principal and that's I'm not trying to be in the classroom, but when I saw learning and instructional design, I was like, ooh, yeah, this might be the thing. Someone who worked at Spirit, I think she still works there. She was new. I was leaving and she was coming in, and she just finished that degree. And so I got to ask her about it, and she was like, Yeah, I think it would be great for you. And told me everything. And so now I'm in it, and I can say it is definitely the fact that I'm even considering another degree beyond this is like, wow, like this degree really has transformed me in the best way because I'm learning a lot. I'm working on STEM music in my assignments. So there's a thing called applied learning at Wichita State that they're really big on. And this is applied learning. Like I'm actually applying like that Joplin workshop. I did my regular STIM music workshop, but because I was in this emerging educational technology summer course, we had to pick a technology to, you know, study and whatever. So mine was gamification. And I was like, oh, this workshop is coming up. What if I put some, you know, and so I didn't use actual technology like a you know, cahoot or something like that to do it, but I used the principles of gamification and the engagement went up.

SPEAKER_02 1:01:21

Yeah, I'm sure.

SPEAKER_01 1:01:21

Because I was like, if you use a definition in your song, if you use musical instruments, I brought like maracas and trying this stuff. If you do the you get more entries into this drawing that we're gonna do for prize at the end. And it was like, ooh. Yeah. So it's just stuff that like you're learning and you're just you know applying directly and yeah, exciting stuff.

SPEAKER_04 1:01:37

I love it. I always think mu music is such a I love the way that you do the music and then the experiments in the shows. Like, so when I think about um creating learning experiences where you have kinesthetic and visual and auditory, and you're all your five senses are triggered in some way. When you can like check off all those things, it's it like puts it into their brains so much more deeply. And that's music is so special.

SPEAKER_01 1:02:04

What I'm learning too is music is so disarming and and inviting and encouraging. At that Joplin workshop, the these teachers were like, Yeah, we're gonna kick this kid out the program because he's just doing a lot that morning. That morning, literally, they so she was telling me this afterwards. She's like, the kid who got up and did the rap, you know, that once I was like, Yeah, I did such a great job. She was like, We were kicking him out of the program today. I was like, What? She was like, Yeah, but like just watching him in this workshop was just and and and I've heard that. Like, I've gone done concerts at elementary schools, and they're like, You picked the trouble kids, and we were so worried when they like came up to do whatever part of the show. And I'm like, but that's the power of music and the power of this style of learning. Usually you're in a classroom, you have to sit still, you have to be quiet. And it's like not everybody receives that. I've even had parents who are like, Man, I wanted to bring both my kids today, but one of my kids is autistic, but I wanted him to be with his brother, and I was just so worried. And they had such a great time. And the fact they were, and I was like, you know, I don't know this though. I'm just like coming and doing doing what I do. And so the fact that I'm getting to learn about why that's happening, and the fact that it is just in general happening is a beautiful thing. Because you're once again, it's it's back to the intention, but also the access. Because now everybody can learn. The first line of the math song is me and math really haven't been friends. But can I tell you that's not where this story ends? And the more like I get to see kids' eyes go, oh, I can be included in this. Because when you say math, like people are like, including myself, right? Like, nah. But the moment you hear me and math really haven't been friends, but can I tell you that's not where this story ends? Kids are like, Oh, let me, what is he about to say? Like, what maybe I do want to, you know, lean into this. So that's the power of it. And I'm just literally never thought I'd be doing this in my life. And I'm so grateful that this is how it's been. I love it.

SPEAKER_03 1:03:54

It's really fun for me to kind of watch from the sidelines since 2018.

SPEAKER_01 1:03:58

And thanks for believing in my dream. Like, because when we did meet and we talked, she was definitely someone who was like, and and shout out to the city of Wichita, I will say, because so many people, mentors, and just people that I've shared STEM music with before it was a thing, and even as it's been growing, it's really been a lot of support. And like, no, Roy, like we believe you can do this, but way back when that sounds really cool. Yeah, like you should you should pursue that or you should do that. I'm like, because I just want a city pool. I'm like, oh my god. I was just a nuisance to everyone.

SPEAKER_04 1:04:27

I was like, I just want to sell it. I think it's awesome. And then you, yeah, you came by the temporary space when we were building. And that was the first time I met you, but and that's when you had made the decision and you were like, yes, I am leaving. What was it, August? Yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 1:04:41

And then it ended up being September 3rd. But yeah.

SPEAKER_04 1:04:43

And so it was, yeah. And it was a year to the opening of the learning lab.

SPEAKER_01 1:04:48

And I remember sitting in that parking lot with the flyer, like, cuz, you know, I was quitting my job and I was like, Well, are you gonna move somewhere? You know, like there were these ideas, and and I just felt like that was a sign from God that, like, no, this is exactly where you're supposed to be. Like, this is not a coincidence that you like talk to them, they're like, oh, we wanted you to be a part of the opening, and there's this space that I didn't even know would be a part of this album, that I didn't even know would be a part of this camp. But like I sat in the car and I knew this space is gonna be a part of STEM music's journey in a special way. And I was just thinking, oh, you're gonna perform at the yeah, but like we did a whole camp.

SPEAKER_03 1:05:22

That's not anything. It's over. I was gonna say that there's a little bit of a special things to come. Yeah, special things to come. We like middle school kids doing STEM.

SPEAKER_01 1:05:33

Yes, and I know you and others had reached out about the like workshops. I'm like, I would love to do some workshops. I just need to figure out time. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 1:05:41

When you're not traveling, it's hard to when it makes sense. Let us know.

SPEAKER_01 1:05:44

Yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 1:05:45

We would love to have you back. Well, thank you, Roy, so much for coming. So much fun.

SPEAKER_01 1:05:49

Yes, y'all listen to the album, okay? It's on Spotify Apple Music. STEM Music Takes Flight, and it's under my name Roy Moy the Third. Stream the songs. There's songs about pilots, how to park the airplane, airplane forces. I just posted, go on Stim Music Instagram. Um, one of my friends who works at the airport, I asked, like, can you get a video of a person parking the plane? And literally the lyrics that I wrote in the rap, I just posted it today. They go right with like what he's doing. Which makes me so happy because once again, intention. I was like, no, I wrote it. And I wrote that song on the treadmill. But I was like, I wrote it within mind, like, no, and then the show, kids get to park the plane. I have mistakes.

SPEAKER_00 1:06:23

That's fun.

SPEAKER_01 1:06:24

And they they get to um be the marshal, and one kid gets to be the inflated plane, and so it's a cute little thing, yeah. So fun. Awesome.

SPEAKER_00 1:06:32

Thank you for having me. Yes, of course.

unknown 1:06:33

Thank you.