Hello from Behind the Decks! 🪩
Reflections from 2024, Dreams for 2025, and where you can catch me!
As a Scorpio, I essentially mark the end of my year with my birthday. Since then, I have been winding down consulting projects, traveling for vacation, and hanging with family (AKA being bossed around by my 1-year-old nephew.) This year was a DOOZY for me in so many incredible, affirming, and challenging ways, and it has been a blessing to take some time to reflect on everything I could accomplish.
It’s been a second since I wrote one of these, so I’m going to use this as my personal celebration moment. Thank you to so many of y’all that have been along for the ride with me this year, the love was PALPABLE everywhere I turned! HUGE LOVE, and with the way 2025 is shaping up, we are just getting started!
My Year in Reflection
My favorite part of updating my resume is that it helps me realize why I’m so tired. I think taking time to think about the things we have accomplished over a longer span of time inspires long-term thinking, disrupts short-term dopamine chasing, and invigorates our supply of “executive nitrous” to help us push through. So I’m going do this here so I can find some energy to do my damn taxes.
She’s a free agent, BABY! 2024 was my first calendar year being fully self-employed and sustaining myself through consulting, coaching, DJing, and Event production work. As a lifelong nonprofit cog, I wasn’t sure I could do it, and I’m so proud!
Two years serving as Oaklash Party Dad. This was my second full year serving on the Oaklash board and my first as Board President. I’m so proud of our team and what we have accomplished, including creating our Oaklash Skills for Nightlife Accelerator Program (O-SNAP!), launching a bunch of awesome artist residencies, and continuing to iterate on our annual Oaklash festival in a values- and community-centered way. You can read more about it in Mama Celeste’s end-of-the-year Executive Director report. Also, if you want to help us make a dent in our End of Year fundraising goal, you can donate here!
Spreading the Gospel of the Disco Diva. When I started Five Finger Disco with a one-off party last year, I really did it because every time I played this song, it bombed, and I thought, “People need a chance to get into the disco head space to really appreciate this heater.” After 4 knockout parties and a couple of stage takeovers in 2024, it’s safe to say the people are CLOCKED IN! Thank you to my resident Nina Sol, my assistant producer Mads, my designer Gaia, Algin for being a wonderful collaborator, and so many more people who made FFD the moment that is. I’ve got a LOT CUED UP for 2025, so don’t you worry! (more on that below)
The Dancefloor at FFD at the Stud back in July, prominently featuring the QUEEN of SF Nightlife and my Bay Area DJ Calendar collaborator, Raquel Heraldez (Photo by Devlin Shand @devlinshandphotography) Putting MYSELF in as Coach. This year, I developed my professional coaching skill set by becoming a certified executive coach through the Berkeley Executive Coaching Insitute. As I finished up my certification requirements this month, I really reflected on all the awesome opportunities I had to hold space for growth and problem-solving. I was able to do some super impactful work with the Addiction Science team at the University of Missouri St. Louis, as well as offer my talents to many O-SNAP cohort members, professional collaborators, and dear friends. I am so excited to continue to offer support to so many people who I love and whose work I respect as they strive to become the best versions of themselves!
Me and my consulting partner, Taeko Frost, helping pack harm reduction kits at an in-person team development session with the Addiction Science team at UMSL I was locked in with community… I spent the first half of this year pouring a ton if energy and love into my former partner’s queer space, Nectar Social Club. Although the romantic relationship didn’t work out (happens.) I am so proud of what I was able to accomplish through that time and beyond it. From helping a flock of fledgling event producers create and execute some fly-ass events to helping form a spiritual watering hole for queer activists raising their voices in support of Palestine, it was clear to me that every ounce I poured into the community came back out a gallon.
Throughout this year, I have also grown as an event producer, supporting or producing over 100 events in 2024 alone. Alongside that, I have further expanded my slew of DJ babies that make me cry every time I get to go see them play. Our team at Bay Area DJ Calendar (shout out to Raquel and Fhay) has also continued to grow our IG, where we uplift the events of local DJs across the Bay. I love showing up for my people, and they love showing upf to me, so WE LOCKED IN BABY!!
…and I was outside DJING! It’s kind of nuts that I was doing all this and still carrying behind the decks most weekends 💀. That being said, I had a slew of bookings that I got this year that had me staring at my email and DMs like “damn, a nigga really made it”. Some of my favs include
Kicking off my year playing a nearly 6-hour set on a rooftop for Elements
The Stud SF Fundraiser at Public Works in April (recorded mix here!)
Speaking on a panel with KQED on SF’s disco roots and modern impact, and then DJing a Disco set after (it was very cute, watch it here!)
Playing my friends’ and mentors’ events, including being a resident for Soulovely (see you NYE!), SEEN SF with Algin and Joq, with my girl Renaissance for Sweet Tooth with the Makeroom Collective, SXTPS with DJ Kidd, and as many B2Bs as possible with Kel aka Mnemonics
With my DJ brother DJ Kidd at SXTPS Dore 2025
So What’s 2025 Giving?
I’m not trying to say tooooo much of what I have planned because I don’t want to join myself. Below are some things I’m ready to roll out, alongside some hopes and dreams
Five Finger Disco goes Monthly - We’ve found our home! Starting in March, FFD will be every 2nd Saturday at the White Horse. I’m so excited to bring some consistency to this event and watch how the dancefloor flourishes.
Starting my 30s off strong - After a perfect 30th birthday party, I’m excited to keep the energy going! I’m planning to focus on caring for my body and mind, leaning into my financial management, and really developing relationships I see feeding me 5, 15, and 50 years down the road.
Bringing my day skills to the nightlife - WORKSHOPS! PANELS! TOOLKITS! PROFESSIONAL COACHING! BOUNDARIES! These are all things I’ve gotten a TON of experience in from my daytime work as a harm reduction facilitator and consultant. I think I have a lot to offer the nightlife space with these, and I want to bring them forward! Starting with my first offering, a workshop on De-escalation Skills for Immersive Performance in partnership with Detour Productions on January 7th!
Growing as an artist—I am excited to continue exploring new music genres as a DJ and playing for different scenes and spaces. I love being able to match the vibe and bring myself into it, and that takes practice. I’m also looking forward to developing as a music producer, writer, performer, curator, and visual artist. I’m also doing The Artist’s Way right now: Julia Cameron Hive Stand Up!
Mama Celeste, who convinced me to do the Artist’s Way, in my home with said book
📅 Events Coming Up
Tue Dec 31, 8pm-2am | Mighty Real x Juanita More! NYE at Pheonix Hotel (SF) - This is my 2nd year DJing for Pheonix NYE, and it a perfect event if you wanna get dressed up a little and have a nice cocktail, but still listen to banging music! Me, David Harness, and Lunchboxx on the poolside decks all night!
Wed Jan 1, 2:30-7:30pm | Soulovely Presents: A Prayer for Liberation at 7th West (Oak) - I’m back with my fam and kicking off the year with a banging dancefloor alongside powerhouse DJs Lexapeel and DJ Ahmed! Call in all the right energy to kick your year off RIGHT.
(Workshop) Tue Jan 7, 5-9pm | Tuning In To Tension: De-escalation for Immersive Performance - Part of Detour Productions Winter 2025 intensive Series on devised theatre, I’m going to borrow and bend my de-escalation training and practice skills to support immersive theatre performers with navigating escalated situations during performances
Sun Jan 19, 3-8pm | TBA (SF) - This one is coming to you soon, but trust me, SAVE THE DATE!
Wed Jan 22, 8pm-Midnight | Bodywork at White Horse (Oak) - I’m working with my friends Joey Trip and Bay B Sol at I Hope You Feel Better Now to bring a bi-weekly soulful house music dance night to the White Horse. This is our kick-off, so show up so we know how badly you really want this!!
Fri Jan 31, 9pm-2am | CLUB YEARN at The Stud (SF) - I’ve been sitting on this concept fro a year, it’s time to breath some life into it! Sexy house, club, and UKG for the real YEARNERS with FEELINGS and DESIRES! I’m on the decks with my number 1 emotional body double Mnemonics, so pull up ready for your feet to move and mascara to run, we’re gonna get into it!
Fri Feb 14, 9pm-2am | Problematic Bae: An All Break-up Song Valentine’s Day Party at White Horse (Oak) - I’m partnering with my dear friend DJ Juicy Juice to bring you another year of dancefloor heartbreak that somehow brings us all closer together. For real, though, this party was a BANGER last year. We will be joined by the legend herself and my DJ God mom, Carrie-On-Disco. I’m single now, so my heart is really in it. Don’t miss out!
🪩✨Sat Mar 8, 9pm-2am | FIVE FINGER DISCO RETURNS! at White Horse (Oak) - Join us as we kick off our *new* monthly at the historic White Horse in Oakland. Stay tuned for updates, but just know I will be there and ready for a year of slaying under the mirror ball. Start thrifting those fits NOW bb!
