ME x SET DE FLO
I recently had my first and second opportunity to be interviewed in New Orleans for the work I do with Cav and Chill on Set De Flo.
I've enjoyed the forced reflection and the opportunity to speak on my life experience, what I do, and who I do it for.
I'll share an annotated introduction to that convo here.
I was raised in South Central Los Angeles and the South Bay by a Mexican man, a Black man, an Irish American woman, and my community rich in diversity and culture. I was activated young -- my mission in life is to always move with care, share my light w the world through art, and fight with & for oppressed people toward the goal of liberation.
I do not come from money but I have been blessed throughout my life by relationships that helped me eventually find footing as a Creative Director in the Entertainment industry for large global studios. (HBO, Disney, Netflix etc.)
I developed good and bad habits around my work. I've often been so afraid of returning to a place of having little financially and that's pushed me (at times) to be unhealthy with my approach to work. The logic I came up with as a 15 yr old entering the workforce was -- "If I work hard as fuck I will never be broke again... right?!".
LMAO if only she knew then.
I've always been proud of my work ethic but there have been many occasions where the sacrifice was myself.
In the pandemic I had time to reflect on all this. Was my work directly reflecting my life mission or was I so focused on not being for want that I wasn't putting my work where my whole heart was?
When I think of liberation I think of freedom of mind, freedom of body, and freedom of spirit. Autonomy with responsibility and care for others.
So I ask myself, where have I felt the most liberated in my life?
This brings me to another core belief and that is that dancing (or even just moving and feeling good in your body) is one of the most liberating and anti-capitalist things that you can do. Everyday we are sold a lie that our bodies aren't good enough but if we purchase X item we can make it better. Health is important but never gauranteed in life. Some people are born ill. It is important to always love yourself and feel free in the body you're in RIGHT NOW even as it changes -- and it will, as everything does.
So where do I feel most liberated in my mind, body and spirit, unattached to external expectations?
The dancefloor.
Feeling the groove.
Moving without care of being percived and truly focusing on how I'm FEELING in this body.
SHAKING IT FEELS GOOD.
Enter code Lil Jodeci (now KILOBAUUD) aka Cav.
We met in the pandemic right at the time I was reflecting on this and he introduced me to his brain child, Set De Flo, shortly after its 3 year anniversary.
It felt like divine intervention. Is this where I could tap in creatively to support something that could have far greater impact in the direction of my heart's mission? To use my skills in a direction toward grass roots community building and uplifting?
I have had the opportunity to work on Set De Flo since then and it has been the most spiritually fulfilling work I've done to date. And it has humbled me.
One of the questions I was posed in one of these interviews was "How do you market the party?".
In my 15 years of marketing experience, the main take away I can give you is that marketing is simple when the quality of what you are trying to sell is undeniably good, connects to you personally, and is rooted in providing JOY to your audience.
In short, be a loving nerd about it.
So that is where I spend my time on SDF. Cav and I make the IG "content" together but our main focus is how we produce the party. That is attention to detail and insane nerdiness about every aspect of what we are creating. Starting with the line ups -- our intention is greatest there. We use our line ups to reflect and respect the Black and Queer artists that developed this craft long before us AND to show those creating legacy IN THE SOUTH, our home -- a very overlooked region on a national and international scale.
The details continue with the importance of sound, the importance of lighting, the importance of design, the importance of the human experience in spacial organization, the importance of smell, when to be maximalist, when to be minimalist, when to lead and when to follow. We have tons of ideas on how to "use the algorithm to get us more followers" but were not really focused on that -- nothing beats our community showing up AND speaking on our behalf with joy in their hearts from what they experience with us.
Set De Flo's sustainability is fully dependent on it's community.
And who is our community?
To me, our community is those who seek to reveal Black & Queer history, honor and support Black and Queer legacy, and those from all walks of life that share the mindset of protection, care, and liberation on the dance floor.
ALL IN THE DEEPEST SOUTH YOU CAN GET.
The concept of community is founded on the idea of giving and receiving help, support, and love to and from others with similar goals. The latter of which is the lesson I continue to learn.
I need to receive.
It reminds me of this bumper sticker I bought at a James Turrell and Jim Hodges exhibit in LA. It reads "GIVE MORE THAN YOU TAKE." This was my life motto for the longest but I've relized it's missing a second part.
Taking is one thing but receiving is different because receiving means it was offered to you.
To be in true community you must receive. You must ask for support when it's needed.
I've acquired many things in my time on this planet and what I'm most grateful for are relationships and knowledge.
Many of the ideas that Chill, Cav, and I have for expanding the party simply comes down to a resource or time issue. We need some new equipment to keep this thing alive and not burn ourselves out. The main thing sustaining us is YOU, our community, coming to the party and enjoying the hard work we pour into this while celebrating Black and Queer legacy with us. We need you, and we hope you feel seen, supported, protected, and appreciated by us. And if you don't, we hope you'll tell us because we want to listen and we want to build with YOU.
I hope you feel the earnest desire and vibrance in my words as I ask you to come dance with me at Set De Flo tonight -- @ Poorboys in New Orleans as we celebrate Black & Queer legacy in House music with @djshanli_ @shaunross @calvind @lordchilla and @KILOBAUUD.
10pm-4am.🌹✨❤️🔥
*Title image of me captured by the fabulous Gabriela Maj.