Join Us

Empowering the Next Generation of Women in Audio

Join Us

Limited Free Passes for SoundGirls Members to Attend USITT

We’re excited to share that USITT 2026 will take place March 18–21, 2026 in Long Beach, California, at the Long Beach Convention Center.

USITT is one of the leading gatherings for professionals and students in theatre design and technology, covering live sound, lighting, stage management, scenic design, production, and emerging technologies. It’s a great opportunity to connect, learn, and build community across disciplines.

Thanks to the generous support of JBL, we’ve received a limited number of passes for SoundGirls members to attend USITT free of charge. This is a wonderful opportunity to explore the expo floor, attend panels and workshops, connect with industry professionals, and represent SoundGirls within the theatre and live production community.

If you’re interested in attending using one of the member passes, please apply here. Quantities are limited and will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis.

A huge thank you again to JBL for making this possible. We hope to see many of you in Long Beach.

SoundGirls Online Mentoring for Live Sound

Now Offering Online Mentoring with Rebecca Huston

SoundGirls is excited to offer three online mentoring sessions with Rebecca Huston, to be held via Zoom as part of our mentoring program. These sessions will take place once per month over three months and will focus on recording arts with space for questions, discussion, and career guidance in a small-group setting.

How it works: This first mentoring session will include six participants. If space fills quickly, please don’t hesitate to sign up — this is an ongoing program, and as mentors and availability increase, we’ll continue adding new sessions.

Apply Here

Rebecca Huston is a Los Angeles–based mastering engineer, live FOH engineer, producer, and artist with over 20 years of experience in audio. She works independently from her studio, The Forest Mastering and Restoration, where she mixes and masters music while also creating her own work under the project name Romantic Thriller.

SoundGirls Online Mentoring for Recording Arts

Now Offering Online Mentoring with Jasmine Mills

SoundGirls is excited to offer three online mentoring sessions with Jasmine Mills, to be held via Zoom as part of our mentoring program. These sessions will take place once per month over three months and will focus on recording arts with space for questions, discussion, and career guidance in a small-group setting.

How it works: This first mentoring session will include six participants. If space fills quickly, please don’t hesitate to sign up — this is an ongoing program, and as mentors and availability increase, we’ll continue adding new sessions.

Apply Here

Mentor Spotlight: Jasmine Mills

Originally from Western New York State, Jasmine Mills has been based in Los Angeles since May 2018, building a career that bridges music, technology, and storytelling across recording, broadcast, and film & television.

Knowing early on that she wanted a career combining music and science, Jasmine enrolled in the Sound Recording Technology program at SUNY Fredonia’s School of Music, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in December 2018. Prior to college, her musical foundation included violin performance in school orchestras, solo festivals, recitals, private lessons, pit orchestras for musicals, and summers at Chautauqua Institution music camp.

While at SUNY Fredonia, Jasmine was deeply involved in hands-on audio work. She was a member of the Tönmeisters Association, the student- and faculty-run Sound Recording Technology organization, as well as Fredonia Sound Services, the student-run live sound organization. Her projects ranged from recording full bands to analog tape to engineering live streams of concerts and recitals.

Before her senior year, Jasmine interned at 4th Street Recording in Los Angeles, owned by industry veteran Kathleen Wirt. Through that experience, she built strong professional relationships and ultimately chose to remain in LA, completing her degree virtually while continuing to work in the industry.

Her studio engineering credits include assistant engineering on High Road (2020) by Kesha, the John Lennon Songwriting Contest 2020 Grand Prize song Alindahaw by Alfa Garcia, and Van Weezer (2021) by Weezer, produced by Suzy Shinn. She is also serving as a recording engineer on the upcoming album by Experiment (feat. Eddie Wass).

In film and television scoring, Jasmine has worked extensively as a score mixing assistant with Eva Reistad, contributing to projects including The Devil Conspiracy (2022), Netflix’s Afterlife of the Party (2021) and The Independent (2022), BBC’s Planet Earth III (2023), and Amazon Prime’s Canary Black (2024). She has also collaborated with scoring engineer Forest Christenson on projects such as The Blue Angels (2024), The Tattooist of Auschwitz (2024), Ghosts of Ruin: The Animated Series (2024), and BBC & NBC’s The Americas (2025).

Alongside her engineering work, Jasmine is the assistant to company president Tom Hilbe at T.H.E. Company (Tom Hilbe Equipment Company), where she works closely with vintage audio equipment while wearing many hats — including secretary, audio engineer, and salesperson. Previously, she served as Head Engineer at Beets & Produce, Inc., owned by Black Eyed Peas producer Printz Board.

Jasmine is an active member of the audio community and currently participates in Women in Music LA, SoundGirls, Women’s Audio Mission LA, We Are Moving the Needle, and serves on the Executive Committee of the Audio Engineering Society’s Los Angeles Section. She also became a member of the Hollywood Sapphire Group in November 2024.

When she’s not in the studio or on a session, Jasmine takes on occasional live sound gigs, connects with fellow engineers and musicians, and enjoys reading vintage audio equipment manuals. Outside of work, she loves learning fun facts, watching film video essays, listening to music, finding movies and series guaranteed to make her cry, doing crossword and jigsaw puzzles, and singing — exclusively in her car.

Jasmine Mills
Audio Engineer
🌐 jasminemillsaudio.com

Call for Mentors: SoundGirls Online Mentoring Program

SoundGirls is launching a new online mentoring program starting  March- April, 2026, and we’re looking for mentors across a wide range of audio disciplines to support our community.

We’re seeking experienced professionals working in (but not limited to):

Live Sound (FOH, Monitors, Systems, Touring)

Recording & Studio Engineering

Post Production

Film & TV / Broadcast Audio

Sound Design & Game Audio

Music Technology & Engineering

Mastering

Production Management & Technical Leadership

Theatre

Program Format

Small-group mentoring (1 mentor with 4–6 mentees)

3-month commitment

One 75–90 minute Zoom session per month

Focus on career development, sustainability, and real-world insight (not job placement)

What Mentors Do

Guide conversations

Share experience and perspective

Help mentees navigate career paths, challenges, and growth

We can provide prompts and support

Who Should Apply

Mid-career or senior professionals

People interested in supporting women and gender-diverse audio professionals

Those able to commit a few hours over three months

SoundGirls is a largely volunteer-run organization, and this program is designed to be sustainable and respectful of everyone’s time.

If you’re interested in mentoring — or would like to learn more — please fill out the mentor interest form below.

Mentor Application

Thank you for helping us build a more connected, supportive, and inclusive audio community 💙

Rebecca Huston Mastering and FOH engineer, Producer and Artist

Rebecca Huston is a Los Angeles–based mastering engineer, live FOH engineer, producer, and artist with over 20 years of experience in audio. She works independently from her studio, The Forest Mastering and Restoration, where she mixes and masters music while also creating her own work under the project name Romantic Thriller.

Rebecca’s path into audio was shaped by hands-on learning and long-term apprenticeships rather than formal schooling. Her early foundation came from building and running a vintage recording studio in Philadelphia with her band in her twenties, where she immersed herself in analog recording, gear repair, and sound history—working with reel-to-reel tape machines, classic consoles, plate reverbs, tape echoes, vintage keyboards, and early synthesizers. This period became her first apprenticeship and a deep education in recording and mixing.

Her second apprenticeship began in Brooklyn at the venue Sunnyvale, where she learned live sound through one-on-one mentorship. After training, she was hired by the venue and went on to become head engineer within a year. In 2018, Rebecca completed a year-long intensive mastering apprenticeship at Timeless Mastering with Adrian Morgan and Heba Kadry. Following that experience, she was encouraged to build her own mastering studio and client base—advice that led directly to the launch of The Forest Mastering and Restoration.

In addition to her mastering work, Rebecca is an active live FOH engineer. She has spent the past three years mixing for Dart Collective’s wedding bands at events across the United States and internationally, and she also works as a FOH engineer at Lodge Room in Highland Park, Los Angeles.

Rebecca’s musical background began early, studying violin in elementary school, oboe in junior high, and singing in school chorus. As a musician, her interest in sound grew naturally from songwriting, layering, and production—long before audio became her primary career. While she did not see many women represented in audio early on, she has built her career through confidence, preparation, and steady mentorship, often navigating environments where she was underestimated and ultimately respected for her skill and professionalism.

Rebecca believes deeply in apprenticeship-based learning and community knowledge-sharing, and she continues to balance technical precision with creative expression across mastering, live sound, and music production.

Career Beginnings  

How did you get your start in audio? 

I was so fascinated with the idea of writing a song. It seemed like the hardest and most illusive thing to create. Probably because, artistically, I am mostly a visual person so imagining audio just seemed so mysterious and intangible. Not only did writing a song sound like a great challenge but also, I knew I needed to record it and hear it back. So from the minute I knew how to strum two chords I was recording and adding effects and layers. And learning to make beats. And definitely writing lyrics and narrative. For me the song is nothing if it doesn’t tell a story. So yeah, right away I needed to learn recording software and anything computers came easily to me.

What were your first jobs, gigs, or internships like? 

So much to learn! The Dunning–Kruger effect is real. Audio seems way easier until you start doing it. The more you do it, the more you realize there is much more to learn.

What skills or lessons did you learn early on that still serve you today?

 A big lesson I will always remember is that mixing is mostly subtractive. In the beginning I did the foolish thing probably everyone does which is turning UP everything I want to hear in a track. But there is a limitation on how much can fit in that box and in any frequency range. Mixing and mastering is all about making choices on what needs to be taken away not added in.

Did you have a mentor or someone who significantly supported your growth? 

Yes. All the people I have mentioned so far. Plus Jon Jurow, Alexandra Lukens and John Weingarten at Sunnyvale.

What barriers did you encounter early in your career, if any? 

Money. As we know audio gear is expensive. The studio we built in Philadelphia sent me deep into debt. We were young and foolishly confident that our band and recording studio was going to pay the bills and my band mates were difficult people to run a business with.

Your Career Today  

What does a typical workday look like for you now? 

I catch up on email correspondences with clients, discussing their vision for the tracks or changes they want me to make to their masters and then I get to work. I think mastering is a little like staring at a Magic Eye illusion. The more you listen, the more the picture starts to reveal itself to you. So there is plenty of that. Focused listening. Listening to see their artistic intent and get clarity on the needs of a track, then making the adjustments.

How do you stay organized and manage the demands of your work? 

I am naturally a pretty organized person.

What do you enjoy most about what you do? 

The more you listen to a song the more you really get into the head of the client which is super interesting and something that isn’t always easy to do with passive listening. Because I also write and produce, I love to get inspiration from other people.

What aspects of the job are the most challenging or least enjoyable? 

Sitting still! I am a fidgety, high energy person. Luckily live sound work serves that energy well so there is balance.

What do you enjoy most about touring? 

I have done a bunch of touring! Romantic Thriller did a tour to SXSW in March of 2025 and a EU tour in 2024. I love traveling to new places! And honestly, I thought I would hate living out of a suitcase but I actually love it.

What do you find most difficult? 

If the car is too packed full, that’s no fun. I’ve been walled in by suitcases and guitars inside of a minivan more than I would like.

What is your favorite way to spend a day off or time away from work? 

Going to shows or goth dance parties with friends. My mom lives nearby so I will go visit her, have lunch and go shopping.

Challenges, Growth & Perspective  

What obstacles or systemic barriers have you faced in the industry? 

I wouldn’t say I have met any systematic barriers. I would say I have mostly been lifted up and praised for entering a challenging space. I have been really lucky in that way. One obstacle that comes up and I imagine it does in a ton of other industries as well is ego. Mostly your own. But audio engineers are notoriously arrogant and ego forward. I avoid the worst of those people when I can because there are plenty of kind, friendly and helpful people in the biz as well.

How have you navigated or pushed through those challenges?

Don’t allow arrogant jerks to rule your world. Those people are just masking their insecurities anyway or upholding some sort of imaginary gate keeping they think is supposed to be part of it. I have quit venues because the prevailing energy at the place was snobby. I have no space in my universe for that attitude.

Have you seen the industry change during your career? If so, how? 

Weeeeeell, the threat of AI is looming. AI mastering has been around for a good number of years now and so I have been aware of its shadowy presence. But I will say though, I have heard a few AI mastered tracks and I even paid for a couple myself just a few weeks ago and they weren’t good. I breathe a sign of relief…for the moment… I do think there will always be space for real people mixing and mastering and I am going to continue forward while keeping an eye on my periphery for The Machine.

What still needs to change to better support women and marginalized genders in audio?

I think organizations like SoundGirls are just the thing to highlight women’s presence in the field. Young people need to see other women out there in the venues and studios, doing the work, in order to make them feel welcome in the space. Organizations that highlight and showcase this, encourage the next generation. Also! Mentorship is essential. I can’t say that enough.

Advice & Looking Forward  

What advice would you give to women or young people interested in entering audio? 

Reach out to engineers you would like to learn from and just ask them if they will train you or allow you an internship or apprenticeship. This kind of one-on-one training is everything to build skill and confidence. And make sure to take thorough notes on everything they teach you! It’s dense work and you will forget details. I was a good student and my hard work led to being hired, and just like that I was getting paid.

What long-term goals or aspirations do you have? 

I would love to continue to build Romantic Thriller into a success. The project is vast, in my mind, and includes epic music videos and a theatre production I am currently working on. I will always be most inspired by creating my own music. So that is the dream.

Is there something you wish you had known earlier in your career? 

I wish I had the confidence sooner for sure. I think women are taught, through culture and society, to be small and quiet and so confidence doesn’t come as easily to them as compared to men. I started every step of my musical and engineering journey almost 10 years later than pretty much all men I have known. This reality has me behind them in my skills. And so I have to work twice as hard to catch up.

Favorite or most-used gear (and why)

 In my mastering chain I have the Crane Song STC-8 and it’s the very best. Such clean gain and compression.

A piece of gear you can’t live without

For my own project, Romantic Thriller, I create in Ableton and I love it. Shout out to Ableton for being so good at integrating beat making, recording and mixing.

A moment in your career that made you feel proud or affirmed

This one was fresh in my mind: I was mixing a band just a few months ago called Los Wizards and they told me I was the best engineer and that their IEMs were perfect. And then they asked me if I would mix them again the next time they are in LA in January. This kind of praise is so incredible to hear.

Learning to Trust My Ears (and Gut)

I Didn’t Plan on Working in Sound

I was a quiet kid for the most part, and up until I was eight, I thought country music was the only music out there. You could say other genres felt like a drug once I found them. I cherished the afternoons scrambling through my friends’ Green Day CDs. I was an avid watcher of shows like Hannah Montana and Victorious, even though I was always “too shy” to sing or play guitar in front of other people. I didn’t grow up believing the stage was a place I belonged. I never thought I was good enough to be on it, yet I still found myself heading towards it.

When it came time for college, I didn’t have the clearest plan. I loved theater in high school, so I gravitated toward stage management. This felt like a way to stay close to music without needing to be in the spotlight. Stage management gave me structure, responsibility, and taught me the value of communication. Over time, that closeness I felt turned into curiosity, and sound became less of a mystery and more of a language I wanted to learn. If I could manage casts of fifty+ people, surely I could manage myself as a musician too… right? I worked in theater for eight years, constantly asking myself these questions. I knew I felt my best surrounded by music.

Any second I could, I got my hands on the soundboard, jumped at every chance to sound design, and even began singing lessons. For some reason, something still felt like it was missing. Why didn’t I believe in myself? And why was it so serious to me?

Showing Up Without All the Answers

Once I started to spend more time working in audio, I realized how quickly self-doubt can surface when your responsibility increases. Mixing a show requires you to move fast, and there isn’t always time to second guess yourself. I was often learning workflows, terminology, and expectations in real time (sometimes while already being asked to execute them.)

Imposter syndrome became my best friend. It showed up when I was trusted with more, not less. When I was behind the board making decisions that affected an entire room, I learned quickly that confidence doesn’t arrive before experience, but lags behind it. There were moments when I questioned whether I belonged in the room at all, even as I was actively doing the work.

What helped was realizing that uncertainty and incompetence are not the same thing. Not knowing everything didn’t mean I wasn’t capable; it meant I was still building trust. There was no reason to “fake it till you make it,” when I needed to “face it till you make it.” Each show, new recording session, every small win added to a growing sense of trust, not just from others, but within myself.

Over time, I stopped waiting to feel ready and focused instead on staying present. I learned that showing up, listening closely, and doing the work consistently mattered more than projecting confidence. The answers came slowly, through repetition, responsibility, and learning to trust my ears even when my self-belief hadn’t caught up yet.

I Was More Prepared Than I Thought

The longer I worked as an audio engineer, the more I recognized how much my background had already prepared me for it. Stage management taught me how to communicate, anticipate problems, and stay calm when things didn’t go as planned. Those skills translated directly to audio work, where timing, collaboration, and decision making matter just as much.

I began to understand that listening is truly a learned skill. Hearing balance, space, and intention doesn’t happen instantly, it develops through repetition and attention. Confidence followed slowly, not as a sudden shift, but through small moments where things worked because I had prepared and trusted my judgment. Every new production technique, every clean vocal take, reinforced the idea that I was capable of doing this work, even if I didn’t always feel certain while doing it. And slowly but surely, I felt my eight-year-old self reflecting back to me in the music and art I was beginning to create for myself.

Imposter Syndrome

I don’t think imposter syndrome ever fully disappears. It honestly felt debilitating for a long time. What changes is how much power you give it. For me, the most effective way to manage has been through practice, showing up, doing the work, and letting results speak louder than internal doubt.

There have been moments during soundchecks and sessions where I had to make a call based on what I was hearing (or feeling,) even when I couldn’t fully articulate the reasoning yet. Over time, I realized those decisions weren’t guesses. They were built on accumulated experience, taste, pattern recognition, and careful listening. Intuition, especially in sound, is often the body responding faster than the mind can explain…trust your ears!

Not every decision I’ve made has been right. Some have missed the mark. But each one sharpened my ears and strengthened my ability to respond with confidence the next time.

Things I Wish Someone Had Told Me Sooner

Some of the most meaningful growth as a technician and artist happens quietly, without validation.

Watching Other Women Do the Thing

A significant amount of my learning has come from watching other women navigate with confidence and clarity, both in person and online. Seeing how they communicate, advocate for their choices, and lead sessions has been just as impactful as any formal training. Seeing women hold authority in technical and creative roles made it easier to imagine myself doing the same.

In this video of Lizzy McAlpine, you can see her struggle with imposter syndrome throughout the entire process, openly questioning her decisions and abilities even as she demonstrates a high level of skill and professionalism. Watching her work through that uncertainty with herself and her band was reassuring, as it highlighted that confidence and self-doubt often coexist as a creative. Seeing Lizzy articulate her fears while continuing to create only reinforced the idea that feeling unsure does not mean you are unqualified; it means you are human.

Always Learning, Still Listening

I’m still early in my career, and it’s okay to not have everything figured out. Imposter syndrome is a constant battle. What I can claim is a growing trust in my ears and a better understanding of how to move forward alongside doubt instead of waiting for it to disappear. If you’re early in your journey and waiting to feel ready before taking up space, you’re not alone. Readiness often comes after you learn to step out of your comfort zone. Remember, practice makes progress! And most importantly, have fun.

Upcoming Webinar – How to Stay Calm, Focused, and Effective on Any Gig

Calm Is a Competitive Tool: How to Build a Nervous System That Can Handle Any Gig

Free – and Online – Register Here

In collaboration with SoundGirls, this workshop is for people who love working in entertainment… and are sick of feeling fried, foggy, or on edge just to prove they can handle it.

If your job requires you to think fast, communicate clearly, and stay composed in loud, high pressure environments, stress isn’t just uncomfortable, it’s costing you. Brain fog, second guessing, snapping on the radio, freezing under pressure, or replaying mistakes for hours aren’t personal flaws. They’re nervous system overload.

SoundGirls has built a powerful mission around empowering women in audio through education, advocacy, and community. This workshop takes that mission into the body, where pressure actually lives.

Calm Is a Competitive Tool teaches you how to train your nervous system the same way you train your technical skills. You’ll learn MicroMoments – fast, practical tools that take under 90 seconds and can be used in real time… mid-gig, mid-cue, mid-chaos. No quiet rooms. No lifestyle overhaul. No pretending stress doesn’t exist.

This is what we’ll fix:

Brain fog that makes simple decisions feel hard

Freezing, fawning, or snapping when challenged

Rushing, overexplaining, or losing your voice under pressure

Staying dysregulated long after the moment has passed

Carrying work stress home and into the next gig

In this 60-minute live Zoom workshop, you’ll learn how to:

Stay clear and confident when pressure spikes

Recover fast when something throws you off

Communicate with authority without adrenaline running the show

Break fight, flight, freeze, or fawn responses in real time

Support a coworker who’s overwhelmed without escalating the moment

MicroMoments are powerful because they fit into the reality of this industry. They don’t ask you to slow your life down. They teach your nervous system how to keep up without burning you out.

This workshop is hosted in collaboration with SoundGirls and is open to anyone working in or around the entertainment industry. All registered participants receive access to the full replay on YouTube, so you can watch anytime.

You don’t need to toughen up. You need better tools.

Calm isn’t soft. Calm is how you stay sharp, trusted, and employed when the pressure is on. Calm is how you stop surviving gigs and start shaping your career!

Can’t attend live? Register anyway.
You’ll receive lifetime access to the replay on YouTube!

The Crash After the Climb

How to Rebuild Dopamine After the Gig Life High

Whether you’re just off the road or coming down from a stretch of intense local shows, the post gig crash hits hard. The pressure, the stimulation, the adrenaline it all disappears. And in its place? Silence. Uncertainty. Maybe even sadness. It’s not in your head. It’s dopamine withdrawal.

Why Does It Happen?

During a tour or gig heavy season, your nervous system is cranked to full volume. You’re solving problems on the fly, navigating long hours, loud environments, and intense interpersonal dynamics. Your brain adapts by pumping out dopamine to keep you going. It’s the brain chemical associated with motivation, reward, and drive. That constant rush becomes your baseline.

But once the noise dies down, your dopamine supply doesn’t instantly adjust. The sudden drop in stimulation can leave you feeling flat, restless, disconnected, or even depressed. This is what many in the entertainment industry experience as the “post tour blues” or “gig comedown.” And it’s more than just emotional it’s physiological.

The good news? You can support your system through it. Here are ways to gently rebuild dopamine and find your footing again:

Change Your Scenery

Your environment matters more than you think. Dopamine thrives on novelty, and even a small change can shift your internal state. Rearrange your room, work from a coffee shop, visit a new park, or take a different route on your walk. If you can’t change your location, change the lighting or the music. These subtle shifts help your brain reengage.

Reach Out to a Friend

Connection is medicine. Whether it’s a quick voice note, a FaceTime call, chatting in a group text, or even just texting someone who gets it reaching out can soothe your nervous system. Human interaction, especially with people who make you feel seen, boosts oxytocin and dopamine. It’s one of the most accessible tools we have.

Move Your Body

You don’t need to train for a marathon. A 10 minute walk, a few stretches, or a short dance session in your living room can be enough to release endorphins and reset your system. Movement also helps metabolize adrenaline that may still be circulating after a tour or run of shows. Bonus points for getting outside and moving in sunlight.

Curate a “Just for You” Playlist

You’ve been immersed in production cues, show tracks, and sound checks. Now it’s time to come back to the music that nourishes you. Create a playlist with zero work related intention just songs you love, songs that move you, or songs you haven’t heard in years. Music stimulates emotion, memory, and reward pathways that all help regulate dopamine.

Pick One Tiny Task

Burnout makes everything feel heavy. But you don’t need to overhaul your life, just pick one small thing you can complete. Fold some laundry. Water your plants. Check off one line on your to do list. That feeling of progress, no matter how minor, gives your brain the dopamine hit it craves and builds momentum for the next right thing.

Let the Light In & Feed Your Brain

Sunlight isn’t just about vitamin D it helps regulate your circadian rhythm and mood. Open the blinds. Step outside for five minutes. Let your nervous system register that it’s a new day. Pair this with dopamine supporting foods like bananas, lean meats, eggs, and almonds. These are rich in tyrosine, a building block of dopamine production.

Name It, Don’t Shame It

A lot of people feel guilty for not being grateful when the gigs stop. But the post gig crash isn’t about entitlement, it’s about chemistry. Recognizing what’s happening inside your body and brain helps take the shame out of the experience. You’re not lazy or broken. You’re recalibrating.

Structure Your Downtime

After high output seasons, many professionals feel aimless. Give your day just a little scaffolding time to rest, time to eat, maybe a walk or creative project. You don’t need a full schedule, but a loose rhythm helps your brain feel secure, especially when dopamine is low.

Reintroduce Pleasure Guilt Free

The rush of tour life comes with constant goals and rewards. When that ends, find small, healthy pleasures to help fill the gap. A long shower. A nostalgic movie. Cooking your favorite meal. These simple joys activate the brain’s reward system and remind you that pleasure doesn’t have to come from performance.

Let’s Make the Crash Less Brutal

Stress management isn’t just about avoiding burnout, it’s about navigating your mind and body with clarity and care. Working with a mentor gives you space to process the crash, rebuild your routine, and develop long term tools to support your health mentally, emotionally, and physically. You deserve that kind of support, especially after giving so much of yourself to this career.

Together, we can come up with realistic stress management strategies that fit into your lifestyle and career to support your well being. Let’s set up a Meet N Greet to chat about how having a long standing career in the Entertainment industry should be exhilarating, not exhausting.

You’re meant to enjoy this life not just survive it and together we can keep it real and keep it YOU!

Review of Rebel Speak: A Justice Movement Mixtape

These days it is rough to look at the news, the headlines broadcasting disappearing neighbors and destruction of human rights.  It is a privilege to ignore what is happening, and it is a privilege to be uninformed.  One way to become informed is by reading, and I have a heavyweight recommendation for today.  Rebel Speak: A Justice Movement Mixtape by Byronn Rolly Bain is all about incarceration and those who have been touched by this unjust system.  Bain, himself, was wrongly imprisoned in his second year of law school, but even before then he had set his sights on civil rights.  Then later, as a faculty member of UCLA he created college level courses for students incarcerated in California’s prisons.  These experiences are the backbone of Rebel Speak assembled with a variety of voices in true mixtape fashion.

Mixtapes were created from the birth of hip-hop, by way of quick recordings of club performances by early DJs.  Spoken word, collections of music samples, and the accessibility of the cassette tape allowed for personalized samples and small scale distribution.  Mixtapes are the zines of the audio world.  Bain sets up his mixtape as a series of dialogs with activists and community members whose lives have been impacted by incarceration.  While there are no songs or music samples directly in the text, there are the voices of musical artists included in the dialogs.  Cultural icons Chuck D and Harry Belafonte are among those represented mixed in with Dolores Huerta, and a few formerly incarcerated community members.  Instead of chapters, the sections are labelled as “Tracks” and come with an introduction (ala liner notes) to introduce those who are participating in the dialogs.

Rebel Speak has a strong lineage of activism, and its keystone is the introduction by Angela Davis.  Davis, Huerta, and Belafonte are the elders that are sharing the torch with the other voices that Bain brings forward.  Mass incarceration, and its harm to the community are not new, but it takes new ideas and new leaders to face this injustice.  Each track immerses me in a panel in a fictitious conference.  Bain covers topics from ‘the school to prison pipeline’, solitary confinement, to the transition from prison to the general population.  For every step in the system, he also highlights the activists and community leaders.  Bain uses his academic and outreach connections to bring essential voices to the fold.  He has worked with each person directly and the rapport is tangible.  He is able to guide the discussions to the key arguments.  He highlights their activism, their struggles, and the next steps.  There are people doing the work, there are people creating the theories, the infrastructure exists for change.

So where does that put me, the reader?  I am the missing puzzle piece, and so are you.  We have to educate ourselves on the work that is being done and support it.  Support means phone calls, volunteering, and donations.  It means seeing the incarcerated as human beings, and just as diverse as every other person.  It also means that Rebel Speak is a step to becoming informed, but it does not end with this book.  Luckily Bain includes a great collection of further reading in his footnotes at the end of every chapter.  If we want to protect our neighbors, then we need to also protect those who have found themselves imprisoned.  Pass that mixtape along to the next person who needs it, inspire them to grow their community.

X