This last month has been a pretty crazy time for me. Not only with ballet, as in Crazy Good, but with my violin playing, as in Crazy. Just Crazy.
As you may know, I’m also a violinist and I play on the street corner in my hometown to help pay for my summer ballet intensives. For the last three years I’ve been playing in my sweet little town of Mount Dora, Florida and have loved every minute of it. Until recently.
I have been shut down by the police twice for playing my violin. Coincidentally, my dad was elected to City Council and since the election in November there’s been a batch of haters in our town causing all sorts of commotion. Now I’m a target, and I’m not liking it one bit!
Check out my video to see me stand up for myself at our recent City Council meeting. I was pretty nervous so I left out a lot of what I had planned to say. My speech was completely from my heart and I am so thankful for the support in the room that I received that evening, as well as the following day on social media.
Here is my written speech. I left out quite a bit!
Hi my name is Annika Slaby I’m 16 years old and live in Mount Dora, FL.
I am speaking tonight regarding my violin playing. This is my speech. I wrote this myself.
I have been playing my violin in downtown Mount Dora on the weekends for nearly three years and up until a month ago I have enjoyed every minute of it. What started as a way for me to earn some extra money has turned into so much more for me and I think the city of Mount Dora as well.
I have been homeschooled my whole life and part of my schooling has been participating in the real world, so playing violin to earn some extra money is a completely normal thing as part of my schooling. I play my violin to raise money for ballet summer intensives. It is my lifelong dream to pursue ballet as my career so this summer training is essential. I’ve trained all over the country with various companies including the Bolshoi Ballet, American Ballet Theater, the Harid Conservatory, Gelsey Kirkland Academy and this summer I’ll be attending the Ellison ballet academy for 6 weeks in NYC.
As time went on, I quickly realized my playing was more then an ends to a means for myself. It has enriched the moments of so many of the people that come to visit our special town. I know this because they tell me so. My dad even says couples often start to hold hands as they pass by me. I’m not saying I have that kind of power over them, but people have told me my playing does make them smile.
So the reason I’m here is because in all my years of playing with so much support from not only our visitors but the merchants and residents of this town, I have suddenly become a target to a batch of haters.
On December 23 I was met by a police officer who said he had gotten complaints about my playing because I was soliciting for money. Until that moment I always played on the sidewalk on Donnelly between fourth and fifth Avenues. This particular day I was in front of the wonderful store, Donnelly Euro footwear.
Upon meeting the officer, my parents and I packed up my things and left.
Upon further review of the ordinance we realized that I could continue to play as long as I was on private property and not on the sidewalk.
My dad also met with Chief O’Grady and told the chief that I would be playing on private property in order to comply with the ordinance.
Fast forward to Saturday night February 13. Since my first run in with the law, I have gotten permission from two merchants to play on their property. Saturday afternoon I was playing at the Renaissance building.
It was a gorgeous afternoon and the streets were bustling. It wasn’t an unusual day. People strolling by and stopping as I played.
While I was playing, I noticed council member Marie Rich go into the Estate Jewelry store within the Renaissance Building. I saw her speaking to the owner of that store. Within moments she left.
Within a few more moments the manager took my picture.
Then twenty minutes later, I was met by two police officers who said there had been numerous complaints about me playing for money, including one from a council member.
The police officer told me I needed to stop playing. I told him I was within the ordinance as I was playing on private property with permission from the owner of the building. When I asked if I could play until my parents could pick me up, he said no, that I could not play and solicit for money. When I asked if I could close my case and keep playing he said no again.
By this time Amy Sellers, a merchant in the Renaissance building, came out and spoke to the officer and told him also that I had permission to play on the property. She also offered to call the owner of the building for the police to speak to him as well.
At that point the officer went to speak to the owner of the building.
By this time my parents had arrived and spoke to the officers, basically saying the same thing I did…that I was within the ordinance.
So it was agreed that I could continue to play.
Now……when I speak about this in front of you, one word comes to me and that is “harassed.”
I feel betrayed by this city, a city I’ve lived in my whole life. I just can’t seem to understand why you want to tear something down that makes so many people so happy.
Thank you Mayor, for this time.
