Natalia Naman Temesgen: Our childhood dreams may be the answer

Does anybody watch "America's Got Talent"? I went to college with Cordaro Rodriguez, the keyboardist in the musical act "Sons of Serendip." They've consistently impressed the judges this season, initially acing their audition with a hauntingly beautiful rendition of Keane's "Somewhere Only We Know." This week, they made it into the Top 6 thanks to audience votes via the Snapple Save feature. It's quite clear that they are not only hugely talented, but also well-liked by America.

The group is composed of four young men of color, connected through childhood friendship and studying at the same place at the same time. Each had a passion for music but was pursuing a more traditional career avenue before forming Sons of Serendip.

Cordaro wrote music when I knew him in college, and he played keyboard and piano for the university Gospel Ensemble, of which I was a member. I remember him being very talented and bright but a bit shy. Our paths crossed again more recently in Boston, where both he and my husband obtained their law degrees at BU.

His website explains, "After passing the bar, he was faced with a very difficult law market. After two years of being unable to find permanent full-time legal work, he enthusiastically welcomed the idea of auditioning for 'America's Got Talent' to pursue his love for music."

Amazingly, he has gotten further faster as an aspiring musician than as a lawyer (with a B.A. from the top college in the nation, says this year's ranking in U.S. News & World Reports).

What is someone like Cordaro to make of this? What about many of us who, like him, pursued the degrees we were told would open career doors but are still underemployed a few years out? Should we abandon the road to traditional means and return to our childhood dreams? If that's the case, I am overdue for a trip to L.A. and an audition for a Disney channel original series!

Fellow L-E columnist Alva James-Johnson wrote recently about the growing problem of underemployment, both nationally and in our city.

Cordaro was underemployed for two years as a lawyer, meanwhile shouldering what I can only imagine is a substantial amount of debt from student loans. It seems there is really no perfect formula to achieve gainful employment in this economy.

But I'm sure that's not all there is to take from Cordaro's journey. For all the disappointment the last few years have brought him, he is currently caught up in some of the most blissful, inspiring times of his life, doing something he loves very much: making music. Maybe these jammed doors aren't always meant to be forced open. Maybe there's a window nearby, painted with our dreams, that's been unlocked and waiting for our attention.

-- Natalia Naman Temesgen is an independent correspondent. Contact her at nataliadian@gmail.com or on Twitter@cafeaulazy.

This story was originally published September 13, 2014 at 9:13 PM with the headline "Natalia Naman Temesgen: Our childhood dreams may be the answer."