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Anti-Racist Reading List

 

Consider ordering books from a black-owned bookstore. Find one here

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Women, Race, & Class

by Angela Davis is a powerful read of the women’s liberation movement in the US that demonstrates how it has always been hampered by the racist and classist biases of its leaders.

Abolition Democracy: Beyond Empire, Prisons, and Torture

by Angela Davis Revelations about US policies and practices of torture and abuse have captured headlines ever since the breaking of the Abu Graib prison story in April 2004. It is within this context that African-American intellectual Angela Davis gave a series of interviews to discuss resistance and law, institutional sexual coercion, politics, and prison. She talks about her own incarceration as well as her experience as an ‘enemy of the state’ and about having been put on the FBI’s most-wanted list. Davis returns to her critique of a democracy that has been compromised by its racist origins.

Are Prisons Obsolete?

by Angela Y. Davis Since the 1980s prison construction and incarceration rates in the U.S. have been rising exponentially, evoking huge public concern about their proliferation, their recent privatization, and their promise of enormous profits. But these prisons house hugely disproportionate numbers of people of color, betraying the racism embedded in the system, while studies show that increasing prison sentences has had no effect on crime. Here, esteemed civil rights activist Angela Davis lays bare the situation and argues for a radical rethinking of our rehabilitation programs.

Freedom Is a Constant Struggle: Ferguson, Palestine, and the Foundations of a Movement

In these newly collected essays, interviews, and speeches, world-renowned activist and scholar Angela Y. Davis illuminates the connections between struggles against state violence and oppression throughout history and around the world. Reflecting on the importance of black feminism, intersectionality, and prison abolitionism for today’s struggles, Davis discusses the legacies of previous liberation struggles, from the Black Freedom Movement to the South African anti-Apartheid movement. She highlights connections and analyzes today’s struggles against state terror, from Ferguson to Palestine. Facing a world of outrageous injustice, Davis challenges us to imagine and build the movement for human liberation. And in doing so, she reminds us that “Freedom is a constant struggle.”

The New Jim Crow

Michelle Alexander a stunning account of the rebirth of a caste-like system in the United States, one that has resulted in millions of African Americans locked behind bars and then relegated to a permanent second-class status—denied the very rights supposedly won in the Civil Rights Movement.

When They Call You a Terrorist: Book Tour – Patrisse Cullors

Patrisse Khan-Cullors and asha bandele as they tell their story. When They Call You a Terrorist: A Black Lives Matter Memoir.

Have Black Lives Ever Mattered?

Mumia Abu-Jamal This collection of short meditations, written from a prison cell, captures the past two decades of police violence that gave rise to Black Lives Matter while digging deeply into the history of the United States. This is the book we need right now to find our bearings in the chaos.”

A People’s History of the United States

Howard Zinn A People’s History of the United States is a 1980 non-fiction book by American historian and political scientist Howard Zinn. In the book, Zinn presented what he considered to be a different side of history from the more traditional “fundamental nationalist glorification of country”

Haymarket Books Against Policing & Mass Incarceration

Haymarket Books stands in solidarity with all those resisting police violence, mass incarceration, and the racist carceral system. Haymarket Books Against Policing & Mass Incarceration reading list is currently 30% off. Get a free Ebook (where available) and free shipping on orders over $25 inside the US.

Sister Outsider

by Audre Lorde is a collection of essays and speeches that discuss sexism, racism, ageism, homophobia, and class.

The Classroom and the Cell: Conversations on Black Life in America

Mumia Abu-Jamal, Marc Lamont Hill This collection of conversations between celebrity intellectual Marc Lamont Hill and famed political prisoner Mumia Abu-Jamal is a shining example of African American men speaking for themselves about the many forces impacting their lives. Covering topics such as race, politics, hip-hop culture, education, mass incarceration, and love, their discussions shine a spotlight on some of the most pressing issues in 21st century African American life.

Uprooting Racism 4th Edition 

Paul Kivel It provides practical tools and advice on how white people can work as allies for racial justice, directly engaging the reader through questions, exercises.

Witnessing Whiteness

Witnessing Whiteness invites readers to consider what it means to be white, describes and critiques strategies used to avoid race issues, and identifies the detrimental effect of avoiding race on cross-race collaborations

Stamped from the Beginning

Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America is a 2016 non-fiction book about race in the United States by Ibram X. Kendi that won the National Book Award for Nonfiction.

Towards the “other America”: Anti‑racist Resources for White People Taking Action

Chris Crass calls on all of us to join our values to the power of love and act with courage for a world where Black lives truly matter. A world where the death culture of white supremacy no longer devours the lives of Black people and no longer deforms the hearts and souls of white people.

Towards Collective Liberation: Anti-Racist Organizing, Feminist Praxis, and Movement Building Strategy

for activists engaging with dynamic questions of how to create and support effective movements for visionary systemic change. Chris Crass’s collection of essays and interviews presents us with powerful lessons for transformative organizing through offering a firsthand look at the challenges and the opportunities of anti-racist work in white communities, feminist work with men, and bringing women of color feminism into the heart of social movements. Drawing on two decades of personal activist experience and case studies of anti-racist social justice organizations, Crass insightfully explores ways of transforming divisions of race, class, and gender into catalysts for powerful vision, strategy, and movement building in the United States today.

Rise of the Warrior Cop: The Militarization of America’s Police Forces

Featuring Radley Balko, Author, Rise of the Warrior Cop: The Militarization of America’s Police Forces, Senior Writer, Huffington Post; and Mark Lomax, Executive Director, National Association of Tactical Officers; moderated by Laura Odato, Director of Government Affairs, Cato Institute.

The Meaning of Freedom 

by Angela Y. Davis; Robin D. G. Kelley (Introduction by)
In this collection of twelve searing, previously unpublished speeches, Davis confronts the interconnected issues of power, race, gender, class, incarceration, conservatism, and the ongoing need for social change in the United States. With her characteristic brilliance, historical insight, and penetrating analysis, Davis addresses examples of institutional injustice and explores the radical notion of freedom as a collective striving for real democracy—not a thing granted by the state, law, proclamation, or policy, but a participatory social process, rooted in difficult dialogues, that demands new ways of thinking and being.

Violence Against Women and the Ongoing Challenge to Racism

Angela Y. Davis I want to suggest to you that rape bears a direct relationship to all of the exiting power structures in a given society. This relationship is not a simple mechanical one, but rather involves complex structures reflecting the complex interconnectedness of race, gender, and class oppression which characterizes that society.–Angela Davis

Women, Culture and Politics 

Angela Y. Davis A collection of her speeches and writings which address the political and social changes of the past decade as they are concerned with the struggle for racial, sexual, and economic equality.

If They Come in the Morning

The trial of Angela Yvonne Davis in connection with the prisoner revolt by three black prisoners on August 7, 1970 at the Marin County Courthouse will be remembered as one of America’s most historic political trials, and no one can tell the story better than Miss Davis herself. This book is also perhaps the most comprehensive and thorough analysis of that increasingly important symbol — the political prisoner.

Black and Asian-American Feminist Solidarities: A Reading List       

Me and White Supremacy

by Layla F. Saad originally started as an Instagram challenge, and was officially published as a book this year. Me and White Supremacy “leads readers through a journey of understanding their white privilege and participation in white supremacy, so that they can stop (often unconsciously) inflicting damage on black, indigenous and people of color, and in turn, help other white people do better, too.”

Ella Baker: A Leader Behind the Scenes by Shyrlee Dallard was posted on the Instagram feed of Lexx Valdez.

Between the World and Me

by Ta-Nehisi Coates is written as a letter to the author’s son about being a Black man in America.

White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard For White People To Talk About Racism

by Robin DiAngelo deftly illuminates the phenomenon of white fragility and “allows us to understand racism as a practice not restricted to ‘bad people’” (Claudia Rankine).

How to Be an Antiracist 

by Ibram X. Kendi Ibram X. Kendi’s concept of antiracism reenergizes and reshapes the conversation about racial justice in America–but even more fundamentally, points us toward liberating new ways of thinking about ourselves and each other. Instead of working with the policies and system we have in place, Kendi asks us to think about what an antiracist society might look like, and how we can play an active role in building it.

So You Want to Talk About Race 

by Ijeoma Oluo In this New York Times bestseller, Ijeoma Oluo offers a hard-hitting but user-friendly examination of race in America

How To Be Less Stupid About Race: On Racism, White Supremacy, and the Racial Divide 

by Crystal M. Fleming A unique and irreverent take on everything that’s wrong with our “national conversation about race”—and what to do about it

Beyond the Frame: Women of Color and Visual Representations by Neferti X. M. Tadiar (Editor); Angela Davis

This book explores the importance of visual images in the identities and material conditions of women of color as they relate to social power, oppression, and resistance. The goal of the collection is to rethink the category of visual theory through women of color. It also explores the political and social ramifications of visual imagery for women of color, and the political consciousness that can emerge alongside a critical understanding of the impact of visual imagery. The book begins with a general exploration of what it means to develop a women of color criticism (rather than an analysis of women of color), and goes on to look specifically at topics such as 90s fashion advertisements, the politics of cosmetic surgery, and female fans of East LA rock bands.

Blues Legacies and Black Feminism by Angela Y. Davis

“Jazz, it is widely accepted, is the signal original American contribution to world culture. Angela Davis shows us how the roots of that form in the blues must be viewed not only as a musical tradition but as a life-sustaining vehicle for an alternative black working-class collective memory and social consciousness profoundly at odds with mainstream American middle-class values. And she explains how the tradition of black women blues singers – represented by Gertrude “Ma” Rainey, Bessie Smith, and Billie Holiday – embodies not only an artistic triumph and aesthetic dominance over a hostile popular music industry but an unacknowledged proto-feminist consciousness within working-class black communities. Through a close and riveting analysis of these artists’ performances, words, and lives, Davis uncovers the unmistakable assertion and uncompromising celebration of non-middle-class, non-heterosexual social, moral, and sexual values.”

The Angela Y. Davis Reader by Joy James (Editor)

The Angela Y. Davis Reader presents eighteen essays from her writings and interviews which have appeared in If They Come in the Morning, Women, Race, and Class, Women, Culture, and Politics, and Black Women and the Blues as well as articles published in women’s, ethnic/black studies and communist journals, and cultural studies anthologies. In four parts – “Prisons, Repression, and Resistance”, “Marxism, Anti-Racism, and Feminism”, “Aesthetics and Culture”, and recent interviews – Davis examines revolutionary politics and intellectualism.

Other recommended authors: Audre Lorde, bell hooks, Angela Y. Davis, Maya Angelou or Toni Morrison.

Black-Owned Bookstores

Marcus Books Historic independent Oakland bookshop, opened in the ’60s, specializing in titles by & about black people.

Eso Won Books Veteran bookshop spotlighting a range of titles about & written by African American people. Eso Won Books Ignites a Love of Reading in LA

Uncle Bobbies is offering customers the chance to shop for books and audiobooks through their IndieLite and Libro.fm accounts. The bookstore has also set up a GoFundMe to provide financial relief for their staff as they remain closed.

The Key Bookstore offers a fully interactive bookstore experience for consumers engaging them through connection, interaction, events, and savings. Key Bookstore puts its focus on readers following their motto of “divine liberation one page at a time.”

Mahogany Books’ The D.C. -based bookstore is an independent business that fully supports social entrepreneurship. Their mission is dedicated to meeting the needs of readers “in search of books written for, by, or about people of the African Diaspora.”

Semicolon Bookstore Chicago’s only Black woman-owned independent bookstore and gallery space aims to create a welcoming space for all readers.

Hakim’s Bookstore a Philadelphia-based business extending its online services to readers during this time. The bookstore specializes in African-American history stressing the importance of Black people understanding and establishing their cultural identities. They encourage people to support all Black businesses during this time any way they can.

Harriet’s Bookshop is an independent bookstore and creative space dedicated to celebrating women writers, artists, and activists. The newly-opened bookstore is adjusting to being a temporary online business, but their store is offering an extensive collection of female authors.

Ashay At The Bay serves as the Bay Area’s #1 Black children’s bookstore specializing in African American and multicultural books. Their online collection features tons of diverse books and stories for children.

The Lit Bar is the only bookstore serving the Bronx community creating a haven for reading, social interaction, and intellectual visibility.

AfriWare Books has been serving the community for almost 20 years providing a platform to highlight authors, artists, and activists who inspire a sense of cultural pride.

DTR 360 Books is an online bookstore for both books and other forms of knowledge of every genre appealing to all customers. Their company philosophy is built on information, communication, and education catering to Black readers everywhere.

Anti-Racist Resources

This has been a tough week in the United States. SoundGirls is deeply saddened and outraged over the murders of our black citizens, Ahmaud Arbery, Brionna Taylor, George Floyd added to a long list. And we mourn and protest, while rebellions and uprisings happen across the nation. We have been here before

Watts 1965, Detroit 1967, LA 1992, Ferguson 2014.

How many Black lives have to be taken before something is done? We call for an END to the systemic and institutionalized racism that exists in all aspects of the United States.

The Music Industry organized a “Music Industry Blackout” as a response to George Floyd’s murder. It is easy for us to remove ourselves from a story, one that we are all implicated in. You have to choose what side you are going to be on. SoundGirls did not participate in “The Blackout”. Instead, we used the day to share information for protesters, Anti-Racist resources, reading materials, and organizations that are doing the hard work. We hope those working in the music industry will use their platforms every single day, not just one to support Black Artists.

Be safe everyone.

 

“In a racist society, it is not enough to be non-racist,

we must be anti-racist.”

Angela Y. Davis

Anti-Racism Resources

Music Industry

POC in Audio Directory

The directory features over 500 people of color who work in audio around the world. You’ll find editors, hosts, writers, producers, sound designers, engineers, project managers, musicians, reporters, and content strategists with varied experience from within the industry and in related fields.

While recruiting diverse candidates is a great first step, it’s not going to be enough if we want the industry to look and sound meaningfully different in the future. Let us be clear: this isn’t about numbers alone. This is about getting the respect that people of color—and people of different faiths, abilities, ages, socioeconomic statuses, educational backgrounds, gender identities, and sexual orientation—deserve.

50+ All-women and feminist sound/music tech collectives, co-ops, non-profits

WOMEN/ NON-BINARY DJS/PRODUCERS

South America – Productores por país – Podcasteros

She Shreds – Compilation of Anti-Racism Resources For White & Non-Black Musicians

She Shreds 100 Historic Black Women Guitarists and Bassists You Need To Know

Gear Companies Donating to Anti-Racism Organizations

Alice Bag’s Women in L.A. Punk Archives

Resources and Organizations

Black Lives Matter

The official #BlackLivesMatter Global Network builds power to bring justice, healing, and freedom to Black people across the globe.

Critical Resistance is a national, member-based grassroots organization that works to build a mass movement to dismantle the prison-industrial complex. Critical Resistance’s national office is in Oakland, California, with three additional chapters in New York City, Los Angeles, and Portland, Oregon.

Patrisse Cullors is an American artist and activist. Cullors is an advocate for prison abolition in Los Angeles and a co-founder of the Black Lives Matter movement. She also identifies as a queer activist.

Reclaim the Block began in 2018 and organizes Minneapolis community and city council members to move money from the police department into other areas

Showing Up for Racial Justice Showing Up for Racial Justice (SURJ) believes in collective liberation — and that none of us can be free until we end white supremacy.

Black Visions Collective Healing Justice and Transformative Justice at the Center. As an organization dedicated to Black liberation and to collective liberation,

ColorofChange.org ColorofChange.org’s goal is to empower members – Black Americans and allies – to make government more responsive to the concerns of Black Americans and to bring about positive political and social change for everyone.

California Newsreel is a non-profit social justice film distribution and production company dedicated to producing and distributing social justice films that inspire, educate and engage audiences.

Active Voice uses film, television and multimedia to spark social change from grassroots to grasstops.

The Strategy Center a multiracial “think tank/act tank” committed to building democratic, internationalist, left-wing social movements and challenging the ideological, economic and political domination of transnational capitalism.

Dolores Huerta Foundation operates programs in community organizing and community organizer training, policy research and advocacy, and the maintenance of archives and historical materials in order to teach organizing and empowerment through multi-media workshops across the country.

The Anti-Racist Alliance is a movement for racial equity. It is organizing a collective of human service practitioners and educators whose vision is to bring a clear and deliberate anti-racist structural power analysis to social service education and practice.

The People’s Institute for Survival and Beyond is a national and international collective of anti-racist, multicultural community organizers and educators dedicated to building an effective movement for social transformation.

Racial Equity Resource Guide This guide has an extensive list of organizations working within the field of racial equity and on a variety of issues and topics. These organizations range from grassroots organizations to academic institutions, to national advocacy organizations, and more.

Teaching Tolerance Teaching About Race, Racism and Police Violence

Assata’s Daughters Assata’s Daughters is a grassroots intergenerational collective of radical Black women located in the city of Chicago.

MPD150 “works towards a police free Minneapolis. MPD150 is a participatory, horizontally-organized effort by local organizers, researchers, artists, and activists. It is not the project of any organization.

 

Bail Funds/Legal Help

Bail Funds/Legal Help by City

National Bail Out – #FreeBlackMamas

The 2020 Bail Outs are happening now! In response to the coronavirus outbreak, we’ve been bailing Black mamas and caregivers out of jail since late March …

The Bail Project | Freedom should be free.

Because bail is returned at the end of a case, donations to The Bail Project can be … Inc. combats mass incarceration through our National Revolving Bail Fund.

Anti-Racism Resources for White People

Anti-racism resources for white people

For Our White Friends Desiring to Be Allies Being an ally requires you to educate yourself about systemic racism in this country.

75 Things White People Can Do for Racial Justice

Anti-Racism Resources was created by Sarah Sophie Flicker and Alyssa Klein for “white people and parents to deepen our anti-racism work. If you haven’t engaged in anti-racism work in the past, start now. Feel free to circulate this document on social media.”

White People 4 Black Lives (WP4BL) is a white anti-racist collective and activist project. We operate within a national network of white anti-racists called Showing Up for Racial Justice (SURJ)

Guide to Allyship An evolving open-source guide to help you become a more thoughtful and effective ally.

Infographic guide on white privilege

Your Guide to Bystander Intervention

The Intersectionality Wars

 A guide to white privilege

Funds, petitions, and collectives

George Floyd Memorial Fund

Donate to the Minnesota Freedom Fund

Sign the Color of Change Petition

Sign the Change.org Petition

Sign the NAACP Petition

Mental health resources

Talk Space infographic: How To Cope With Traumatic Racial Events

Liberate Meditation– Meditation for Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour

Therapy For Black Girls Podcast

Self Care Tops For Black People Struggling From A Painful Week [Vice article]

Books

Consider ordering books from a black-owned bookstore. Find one here

Women, Race, & Class

by Angela Davis is a powerful read of the women’s liberation movement in the US that demonstrates how it has always been hampered by the racist and classist biases of its leaders.

Abolition Democracy: Beyond Empire, Prisons, and Torture

by Angela Davis Revelations about US policies and practices of torture and abuse have captured headlines ever since the breaking of the Abu Graib prison story in April 2004. It is within this context that African-American intellectual Angela Davis gave a series of interviews to discuss resistance and law, institutional sexual coercion, politics, and prison. She talks about her own incarceration as well as her experience as an ‘enemy of the state’ and about having been put on the FBI’s most-wanted list. Davis returns to her critique of a democracy that has been compromised by its racist origins.

Are Prisons Obsolete?

by Angela Y. Davis Since the 1980s prison construction and incarceration rates in the U.S. have been rising exponentially, evoking huge public concern about their proliferation, their recent privatization, and their promise of enormous profits. But these prisons house hugely disproportionate numbers of people of color, betraying the racism embedded in the system, while studies show that increasing prison sentences has had no effect on crime. Here, esteemed civil rights activist Angela Davis lays bare the situation and argues for a radical rethinking of our rehabilitation programs.

Freedom Is a Constant Struggle: Ferguson, Palestine, and the Foundations of a Movement

In these newly collected essays, interviews, and speeches, world-renowned activist and scholar Angela Y. Davis illuminates the connections between struggles against state violence and oppression throughout history and around the world. Reflecting on the importance of black feminism, intersectionality, and prison abolitionism for today’s struggles, Davis discusses the legacies of previous liberation struggles, from the Black Freedom Movement to the South African anti-Apartheid movement. She highlights connections and analyzes today’s struggles against state terror, from Ferguson to Palestine. Facing a world of outrageous injustice, Davis challenges us to imagine and build the movement for human liberation. And in doing so, she reminds us that “Freedom is a constant struggle.”

The New Jim Crow

Michelle Alexander a stunning account of the rebirth of a caste-like system in the United States, one that has resulted in millions of African Americans locked behind bars and then relegated to a permanent second-class status—denied the very rights supposedly won in the Civil Rights Movement.

When They Call You a Terrorist: Book Tour – Patrisse Cullors

Patrisse Khan-Cullors and asha bandele as they tell their story. When They Call You a Terrorist: A Black Lives Matter Memoir.

Have Black Lives Ever Mattered?

Mumia Abu-Jamal This collection of short meditations, written from a prison cell, captures the past two decades of police violence that gave rise to Black Lives Matter while digging deeply into the history of the United States. This is the book we need right now to find our bearings in the chaos.”

Haymarket Books Against Policing & Mass Incarceration

Haymarket Books stands in solidarity with all those resisting police violence, mass incarceration, and the racist carceral system. Haymarket Books Against Policing & Mass Incarceration reading list is currently 30% off. Get a free Ebook (where available) and free shipping on orders over $25 inside the US.

Sister Outsider

by Audre Lorde is a collection of essays and speeches that discuss sexism, racism, ageism, homophobia, and class.

The Classroom and the Cell: Conversations on Black Life in America

Mumia Abu-Jamal, Marc Lamont Hill This collection of conversations between celebrity intellectual Marc Lamont Hill and famed political prisoner Mumia Abu-Jamal is a shining example of African American men speaking for themselves about the many forces impacting their lives. Covering topics such as race, politics, hip-hop culture, education, mass incarceration, and love, their discussions shine a spotlight on some of the most pressing issues in 21st century African American life.

Uprooting Racism 4th Edition 

Paul Kivel It provides practical tools and advice on how white people can work as allies for racial justice, directly engaging the reader through questions, exercises.

Witnessing Whiteness

Witnessing Whiteness invites readers to consider what it means to be white, describes and critiques strategies used to avoid race issues, and identifies the detrimental effect of avoiding race on cross-race collaborations

Towards the “other America”: Anti‑racist Resources for White People Taking Action

Chris Crass calls on all of us to join our values to the power of love and act with courage for a world where Black lives truly matter. A world where the death culture of white supremacy no longer devours the lives of Black people and no longer deforms the hearts and souls of white people.

Towards Collective Liberation: Anti-Racist Organizing, Feminist Praxis, and Movement Building Strategy

for activists engaging with dynamic questions of how to create and support effective movements for visionary systemic change. Chris Crass’s collection of essays and interviews presents us with powerful lessons for transformative organizing through offering a firsthand look at the challenges and the opportunities of anti-racist work in white communities, feminist work with men, and bringing women of color feminism into the heart of social movements. Drawing on two decades of personal activist experience and case studies of anti-racist social justice organizations, Crass insightfully explores ways of transforming divisions of race, class, and gender into catalysts for powerful vision, strategy, and movement building in the United States today.

Rise of the Warrior Cop: The Militarization of America’s Police Forces

Featuring Radley Balko, Author, Rise of the Warrior Cop: The Militarization of America’s Police Forces, Senior Writer, Huffington Post; and Mark Lomax, Executive Director, National Association of Tactical Officers; moderated by Laura Odato, Director of Government Affairs, Cato Institute.

The Meaning of Freedom 

by Angela Y. Davis; Robin D. G. Kelley (Introduction by)
In this collection of twelve searing, previously unpublished speeches, Davis confronts the interconnected issues of power, race, gender, class, incarceration, conservatism, and the ongoing need for social change in the United States. With her characteristic brilliance, historical insight, and penetrating analysis, Davis addresses examples of institutional injustice and explores the radical notion of freedom as a collective striving for real democracy—not a thing granted by the state, law, proclamation, or policy, but a participatory social process, rooted in difficult dialogues, that demands new ways of thinking and being.

Violence Against Women and the Ongoing Challenge to Racism

Angela Y. Davis I want to suggest to you that rape bears a direct relationship to all of the exiting power structures in a given society. This relationship is not a simple mechanical one, but rather involves complex structures reflecting the complex interconnectedness of race, gender, and class oppression which characterizes that society.–Angela Davis

Women, Culture and Politics 

Angela Y. Davis A collection of her speeches and writings which address the political and social changes of the past decade as they are concerned with the struggle for racial, sexual, and economic equality.

If They Come in the Morning

The trial of Angela Yvonne Davis in connection with the prisoner revolt by three black prisoners on August 7, 1970 at the Marin County Courthouse will be remembered as one of America’s most historic political trials, and no one can tell the story better than Miss Davis herself. This book is also perhaps the most comprehensive and thorough analysis of that increasingly important symbol — the political prisoner.

Black and Asian-American Feminist Solidarities: A Reading List       

Me and White Supremacy

by Layla F. Saad originally started as an Instagram challenge, and was officially published as a book this year. Me and White Supremacy “leads readers through a journey of understanding their white privilege and participation in white supremacy, so that they can stop (often unconsciously) inflicting damage on black, indigenous and people of color, and in turn, help other white people do better, too.”

Ella Baker: A Leader Behind the Scenes by Shyrlee Dallard was posted on the Instagram feed of Lexx Valdez.

Between the World and Me

by Ta-Nehisi Coates is written as a letter to the author’s son about being a Black man in America.

How to Be an Antiracist 

by Ibram X. Kendi Ibram X. Kendi’s concept of antiracism reenergizes and reshapes the conversation about racial justice in America–but even more fundamentally, points us toward liberating new ways of thinking about ourselves and each other. Instead of working with the policies and system we have in place, Kendi asks us to think about what an antiracist society might look like, and how we can play an active role in building it.

So You Want to Talk About Race 

by Ijeoma Oluo In this New York Times bestseller, Ijeoma Oluo offers a hard-hitting but user-friendly examination of race in America

How To Be Less Stupid About Race: On Racism, White Supremacy, and the Racial Divide 

by Crystal M. Fleming A unique and irreverent take on everything that’s wrong with our “national conversation about race”—and what to do about it

Beyond the Frame: Women of Color and Visual Representations by Neferti X. M. Tadiar (Editor); Angela Davis

This book explores the importance of visual images in the identities and material conditions of women of color as they relate to social power, oppression, and resistance. The goal of the collection is to rethink the category of visual theory through women of color. It also explores the political and social ramifications of visual imagery for women of color, and the political consciousness that can emerge alongside a critical understanding of the impact of visual imagery. The book begins with a general exploration of what it means to develop a women of color criticism (rather than an analysis of women of color), and goes on to look specifically at topics such as 90s fashion advertisements, the politics of cosmetic surgery, and female fans of East LA rock bands.

Blues Legacies and Black Feminism by Angela Y. Davis

“Jazz, it is widely accepted, is the signal original American contribution to world culture. Angela Davis shows us how the roots of that form in the blues must be viewed not only as a musical tradition but as a life-sustaining vehicle for an alternative black working-class collective memory and social consciousness profoundly at odds with mainstream American middle-class values. And she explains how the tradition of black women blues singers – represented by Gertrude “Ma” Rainey, Bessie Smith, and Billie Holiday – embodies not only an artistic triumph and aesthetic dominance over a hostile popular music industry but an unacknowledged proto-feminist consciousness within working-class black communities. Through a close and riveting analysis of these artists’ performances, words, and lives, Davis uncovers the unmistakable assertion and uncompromising celebration of non-middle-class, non-heterosexual social, moral, and sexual values.”

The Angela Y. Davis Reader by Joy James (Editor)

The Angela Y. Davis Reader presents eighteen essays from her writings and interviews which have appeared in If They Come in the Morning, Women, Race, and Class, Women, Culture, and Politics, and Black Women and the Blues as well as articles published in women’s, ethnic/black studies and communist journals, and cultural studies anthologies. In four parts – “Prisons, Repression, and Resistance”, “Marxism, Anti-Racism, and Feminism”, “Aesthetics and Culture”, and recent interviews – Davis examines revolutionary politics and intellectualism.

Other recommended authors: Audre Lorde, bell hooks, Angela Y. Davis, Maya Angelou or Toni Morrison.

Podcasts

All My Relations

An interview-based podcast about the Indigenous experience that is hosted by two Native women, Matika Wilbur and Adrienne Keene, who describe the show as a place to “discuss our relationships as Native peoples—relationships to land, to ancestors, and to each other.” On each episode, Wilbur and Keene talk with their guest(s) about issues that affect Indigenous communities. Launched in February, the show has covered indigenous feminism, food sovereignty, and DNA tests, among other topics. As of this writing, there are eight episodes, so the hosts are just getting started, and I’m excited to see where they go.

The Nod

Uplifts Black experiences in the U.S. and abroad. I like this one because the hosts Brittany Luse and Eric Eddings truly do tell the type of stories that are not told elsewhere. For example, in episodes over the last couple years, the hosts have told stories about everything from Josephine Baker’s “rainbow tribe” to an oral history of the song “Knuck If You Buck.” Where else have you heard or read those stories? Probably nowhere.

The Stoop

Highlights Blackness by digging deeper into stories that we don’t hear enough about. Hosts Leila Day and Hana Baba discuss what it means to be Black and how we talk about our Black experiences through conversations between the two, as well as experts and Black people across the diaspora. A recent episode examined the word “hotep,”—its meaning and how its use has changed over the years.

Identity Politics

In this show, co-hosts Ikhlas Saleem and Makkah Ali talk about race, gender, and Muslim life in the United States. They cover topics ranging from politics to pop culture, inviting guests to discuss issues that affect their lives as Muslims, along with the multiple other identities that intersect with their religion. On pop culture, the hosts recently had filmmaker Nijla Mu’min on as a guest. They discussed Mu’min’s debut feature film Jinn, which is a coming-of-age story about a Black Muslim girl. And more recently, they interviewed Malika Hook Muhammad, a D.C.-based doula who talked about how the medical system fails women of color and what she and others are doing to make better outcomes.

AAPF and Kimberle Crenshaw present: Intersectionality matters!

The podcast that brings intersectionality to life

Latinos Who Lunch 

Hosts FavyFav and Babelito discuss issues related to the intersectionality between queer, Latinx, and Spanglish voices. They approach topics that include identity, food, family, and history in a responsible and humorous way. In a recent episode, the hosts talk with Edgar Villanueva (who we’ve also interviewed) about decolonizing wealth, the topic of his book of the same name. In another episode, they discuss fat representation in the media with hosts of the podcast Cabronas y Chingonas.

Long Distance Radio: Stories from the Filipino Diaspora

Long Distance Radio explores what it means to be Filipino outside of the Philippines— if you lived there and left, or if you’ve never been there. Its creator Paola Mardo and co-producer Patrick Epino aim for each episode to “[move] beyond typical immigrant narratives to share thoughtful tales of love, loss, history, and humor.” In its first season, episodes have covered what it means to be unapologetically Filipino American and the history and future of Little Manila in Stockton, California.

Self Evident: Asian America’s Stories

Look out for Self Evident, a show that is in the works. Its creators already started reporting and recently wrapped a crowdfunding campaign to support its production. Self-Evident will to tell stories about “what it means to be American, by telling stories by and about Asian Americans.” On the podcast’s Instagram page, the team has been posting episode sneak peeks. They plan to explore the complexity of “Asian American” identity, internalized racism, and the American dream.

CODE SWITCH

Code Switch is a podcast that tackles issues of race head-on. Race and pop culture. Race and sports. Race and politics. Whatever the intersection, hosts Shereen Marisol Meraji and Gene Demby dive into difficult conversations, bringing honesty and nuance to subjects including confronting racism among friends, “mixed-status” families who face deportation, the ban on cockfighting in Puerto Rico, xenophobia against Asian Americans, and a plan for reparations.

Listen: “What Does ‘Hood Feminism’ Mean for a Pandemic?,” a conversation with author Mikki Kendall about what feminism practiced by women of color can teach the mainstream feminist movement.

SMALL DOSES WITH AMANDA SEALES 

Amanda Seales tackles serious issues of racism, sexism, police brutality, and addiction, infusing thorny conversations with humanity and wit. Balancing such fare with humor is no easy feat, but Seales, who has a master’s in African American studies from Columbia, does it deftly.

IT’S BEEN A MINUTE

It’s Been a Minute describes itself as “a talk show with a heart”—but it’s a show that also has brains and courage. Hosted by the wildly charismatic Sam Sanders, It’s Been a Minute features lively conversations with celebrities, writers, and other public figures including Samin Nosrat, Nicole Byer, Regina King, Maya Erskine, and Jeremy O. Harris. Sanders also hosts weekly wraps of the news with other journalists, reporting on coronavirus, Capitol Hill, the U.S. census, and more.

WHAT A DAY 

Akilah Hughes breaks down the biggest news stories of the day with precision and humor. The hosts of What a Day know that listeners are busy (or just have short attention spans), so they pack reportage, analysis, and often a healthy amount of jokes into 15-minute episodes.

Listen: “Racism Cont’d,” a serious episode that addresses the murder of George Floyd and the confrontation of Christian Cooper this week. It’s an urgent listen that should be followed with a read of Hughes’s accompanying Instagram post.

STILL PROCESSING 

Wesley Morris and Jenna Wortham—a critic-at-large for the New York Times and a culture writer for the New York Times Magazine, respectively—discuss all things culture, each episode providing a smart exploration of current trends and events. There’s a particular focus on television and film, which will please pop-culture fans who crave dedicated analyses of all their favorites: one episode compares the T.V. show Watchmen to the movie Parasite, while another examines the portrayal of masculinity as mental illness in Joker, Succession, and Fight Club.

JEMELE HILL IS UNBOTHERED 

Jemele Hill, a former ESPN reporter and SportsCenter anchor, made waves in 2017 when she called President Donald Trump a “white supremacist” on Twitter and was subsequently suspended from her post at the sports network. She brings this same tenacity to her podcast, which is about to launch its second season. Unbothered was born out of Hill’s desire to “have interesting conversations with compelling people,” and the first season’s guests included notable figures such as Stacey Abrams, Soledad O’Brien, Lakeith Stanfield, Trina, Snoop Dogg, Cory Booker, and Larry Wilmore. Honest and unfiltered, Hill applies her interviewing expertise to the realms of news, pop culture, and politics.

1619 

Nikole Hannah-Jones recently won a Pulitzer Prize for creating this ongoing initiative, which reexamines the legacy of slavery in the United States (the title refers to the year, 401 years ago, that the first enslaved Africans arrived in America). Rigorously researched, well-written, and artfully produced, the show lays bare the often-overlooked history of black America.

Listen: “The Economy That Slavery Built,” which reveals how the institution of slavery turned America into a financial powerhouse.

HEAR TO SLAY

Best-selling authors Roxane Gay (Bad Feminist) and Tressie McMillan Cottom (Thick) team up with executive producer Keisha Dutes to bring their incisive cultural commentary to audio, hosting guests who have included Nobel Peace Prize winners, comedians, journalists, politicians, and showrunners alike. The podcast also benefits from the fact that both hosts are college professors, meaning they are experts at facilitating conversations that are directed, yet still feel candid and off the cuff. Listeners should note that this podcast is only available through a subscription to Luminary—however, they can sign up for a seven-day free trial.

Racist Sandwich 

focuses on race, gender, and class within the food industry.

Ear Hustle

shares the daily realities of life inside prison shared by those living it, and stories from the outside, post-incarceration.

 

 

 

 

 

Alexandria Perryman – Audio Engineer for the Astronauts

Alexandria Perryman is a live broadcast engineer and Emmy winner working at NASA’s Johnson Space Center, where one of her jobs is to run audio for the astronauts on the International Space Station. Every “Mission” is different for her. One day she might be working a spacewalk, making sure the astronauts have a clear connection to mission control the next she might be mixing audio for a video that’s going up on the NASA YouTube channel.

Lately, she’s been working to provide Skype links between astronauts and students. The effort is part of NASA’s “Year of Education on Station” – a program where ISS crew members and teacher Ricky Arnold Skypes in via satellite and performs real-time experiments for kids in classrooms around the country.

Alexandria discovered audio when she was in her high school’s marching band and was put in charge of the on-field sound mixer. This is where she started to fall in love with the idea of live audio mixing. She always had a passion for music and sound and as she got older she became intrigued by how music and sound are created. She remembers seeing Blue Man Group perform when she was in elementary school and being in awe with how they used everyday items to create music.  Alexandria would enroll at Full Sail University and study audio engineering and graduate in 2015 with an Associates Degree of Science.  

She got her start in audio volunteering at her church, mixing their online broadcast and working part-time as an AV Tech. Early on she learned how important troubleshooting quickly is and learned how to work in fast-paced and high-stress situations. She says “I made many mistakes in those early gigs but I was in an environment where if I could troubleshoot my mistakes quickly then it was not harmful to my career.”

She has been at NASA working as an Audio Engineer and Chief Engineer and Producer of Podcast for the last 2 ½ years. Alexandria says there is no typical day at NASA.

“The workday starts for me an hour before my first show which sometimes could be at 3 am. Then there is the podcast that I produce weekly and studio shoots. It is common for me to go day by day.”  Staying focused and organized is difficult Alexandria says “I may have a live event then an hour later I am recording a podcast, two different mindsets. Staying focused on the task I am doing at that time is super important.”

Some of Alexandria’s job duties are coordinating Skype signals in space and she is proud that during her time at NASA her team has never lost a Skype signal in space. Mission Planning and Operations works with her team to find optimal windows between satellites and schedule sessions accordingly.

Alexandria also works on archiving and preserving audio for the historical record and the U.S. National Archives. The crew of the ISS rotates every six months and NASA will use this audio for training new crew members and for reference on repeat problems. Alexandria with other engineers monitors the day to day operation recordings and are often the first line of communication between station and NASA. She often works with the astronauts before missions, she is the one mic-ing them up for interviews and trains them on using the audio equipment.

In addition to all of her official duties, Alexandria also serves as the producer of NASA’s official podcast Houston We Have a Podcast.  The podcast talks with and interviews astronauts, scientists, and engineers working on furthering space exploration.

Alexandria says she loves that her job allows her to be part of something bigger than herself, but is not a fan of how politics come into play with what she does as a creative. She is awaiting NASA’s return to the moon and hopes to be able to mix the audio. Her long term goals are to mix audio for the Grammys.

On Challenging Projects

One challenge that sticks out the most was the Space X Demo-1 mission. It was challenging because it was the first time we ever merged our NASA shows with SpaceX. Learning how to coordinate a show between multiple locations and have it flow easily was definitely difficult. The audio setup was new and extremely complicated but as a team, we managed to put out great shows for that mission. It’s also the same mission I won my first Emmy for.

On Failure

For me looking back the biggest failure, I had happened in college. I had become lazy with class and my grades quickly fell, to the point that I was put on academic probation. That was a big wake up call for me, because if I had failed another class I would have failed out of college. In the next couple of months, I kicked it in gear and studied more, went to my instructors during office hours for extra help, and surrounded myself with positive people. I learned from that experience to never slack off and always do my best. Most importantly I learned that even when the odds are against me that I can overcome anything as long as I never stop trying.

What if any obstacles or barriers have you faced?

I have been fortunate to not have faced many obstacles or barriers in my career. The only thing that was an obstacle was having such an age gap between my coworkers and them being able to trust that I’m mentally capable of the job regardless of my age.

How have you dealt with them?

Earning trust takes time especially in this industry. I was able to do it by constantly giving them my best work and attitude and showing up in big situations.

Advice you have for other women and young women who wish to enter the field?

Don’t be afraid to make mistakes, that’s the only way you can really learn. Some of the biggest mistakes in my career offered me the most valuable lessons.

What is your favorite day off activity? 

While I work in live television and not the music industry, I still love creating music in my free time as a way to express my emotions.

Must have skills?

Must be able and willing to be teachable at any level. Also for anything-audio understanding signal flow is key.

Favorite gear?

My favorite gear would have to be my Zoom F8N recorder, it’s perfect for in the fieldwork.

Check out Alexandria on The SoundGirls Podcast

More Profiles on The Five Percent – Profiles of Women in Audio

 

Handling Trauma – COVID-19 Webinar

SoundGirls Presents Handling Trauma Caused By COVID-19 Webinar

June 22 at 3:30 -5:00 PM EST

This Webinar will be recorded and streamed on Facebook Live. We encourage you to register for this and submit questions you have.

Register Here

The social, mental, and cultural impact of going through a global pandemic is also causing a psychological trauma pandemic. The stress and fear that have come from this pandemic, along with the global loss and isolation required to combat this are the perfect ingredients for psychological trauma and even Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

When the dust settles from this crisis, almost everyone will be impacted and many in the Live Event Industry are experiencing trauma due to the loss of employment, income, and loss of doing a job we love.

The good news is that there are a lot of therapists out there who are trained in trauma who can help.

Kaprece Stallings, MS is a Registered Mental Health Counselor and will be joining SoundGirls to offer tips, advice, and how to navigate through the trauma our industry is experiencing.

Kaprece Stallings, MS is a Registered Mental Health Counselor (psychotherapist), IMH 17304, in the state of Florida. She has a Master’s Degree in Professional Counseling and a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Palm Beach Atlantic University. She is a member of the American Counseling Association. Kaprece She specializes in trauma-informed therapy.  She has worked with adults, teens, and children with physical, emotional, and sexual abuse issues along with first-responders with PTSD issues. She also has experience working with adults and teens with depression, anxiety, substance abuse, self-esteem issues, broken relationships, and spiritual issues. Kaprece is certified in Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART) and trained in Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR), and Trust-Based Relational Interventions (TBRI). She is also certified to assess temperament/personality through the Arno Profile System.

Making the Transition from Wedges to In-Ear Monitors

 

When you work in live sound, at some point you will find yourself in a similar position to me: mixing monitors in mid-to-large sized venues. You will begin encountering bands that have their own front-of-house engineers but no monitor engineer and manage in-ear monitors in many forms, ranging from tour-ready packages to a hodgepodge of cheap receivers to crappy gaming headphones used with an adapter (yes, that happened). And you will need to adapt your mixing style to the monitor combination of the day. This strange territory in the transition between mixing wedges and mixing IEMs can be tricky to navigate, so I thought I would share a few of the strategies I’ve developed.

Manage expectations. This might be the most important. Chat with the band while you’re setting up – introduce yourself, point out the monitor location, and try to get a feel for mix needs. After testing mix connections with pink noise I like to make an announcement restating my name and explaining that I’ll do my best to get them what they need as quickly as possible. If it’s a rushed soundcheck, I’ll explain that I’ll focus on levels and basic EQ first, to get through the line check quickly, and make higher-level tweaks as they check songs.

Use headphones. Relying on headphones or using a cheap pair of IEMs as your cue mix makes your listening experience much closer to that of the artists on stage. Headphones are especially useful with bands that are only on IEMs, since in this case listening to anything in the cue wedge may affect the mix you’re building onstage.

Ask questions. Don’t be afraid to ask for information you need or double-check things you aren’t sure of. Asking the musicians where they want something in their mix – ears, wedges, side fills – or if they have panning preferences is also useful, as some bands have a template they prefer their mixes to follow. I also like to confirm that everyone has what they need of a certain channel before moving on during soundcheck.

Set vocals first. This includes talkbacks! Ideally, you can set the talkback and vocals at a healthy level and bring the rest of the mix up around that. Keeping the levels at a comfortable volume matters even more now, with the mix going directly into someone’s ears. And from a practical standpoint, setting vocals first is a must so that you can communicate effectively with the band. Don’t forget to put a little of both talkbacks into the side fills so that you can communicate with front-of-house easily.

Watch your levels. Sound going directly to your ears is a much different experience than sound coming at you from a nearby speaker, so be extremely careful when setting and adjusting mix levels (especially if you do not have headphones or your own IEMS available for use). Whenever I adjust the levels of an IEM mix, I take care to go much slower and be extra aware of what dB level I am at.

Befriend front-of-house (if there is one).  It’s important to have a good working relationship with the front-of-house engineer. Make sure it is clear who will lead soundcheck, when you’re ready to move on within the soundcheck, etc. Generally, a touring engineer will also be able to give you some tips about the monitor mixes and the general preferences of the artist.

 

 

Find a Side Hustle

 

The weeks may be dragging, the weeks may be absolutely flying by. Everything is the same yet everything is different. For everyone! One day it’s all fun and games, others it can seem too overwhelming to stay on top of anything. My plan every weekend for the past few weeks (months) has been to do email outreach for my podcast but life easily finds a way to get in the way!

I find that keeping a diary/agenda, as well as a daily journal and reminders on my phone calendar really makes a difference. Taking each week, one week at a time is also a good way to get through a to-do list that has always seemed never-ending and provides no motivational pull whatsoever. I have also planned to read two books a month, which I am top of at the moment by literally putting in calendar reminders to read! It is so easy to watch TV or be on my phone instead, but I am trying my best to read even just a little bit every night. In general, doing one tiny thing a day that leads towards making something out of your potential side hustle can make a difference.

On another note, I have become obsessed with a songwriting podcast called ‘And The Writer Is…’. It had been on my list for so long due to the Instagram shout-out from Alice Levine at BBC Radio 1, but it has been well worth the wait! I am currently still bingeing the 2017 episodes and have decided that songwriting will be my new venture. My Dad is an unexpected poet, perhaps I can make a move into songwriting? It is a fascinating industry, there is so much to know and learn and I feel like it is such an undercover movement that you wouldn’t know about it unless you were in it.

My plan is to first binge this podcast, then get writing, one song a day is what they recommend, then start on the cold call email reach outs and then see what happens! I will keep you updated. Who knows what could happen.

Best of luck to all your side hustles. Keep going, stay invested, and always try out new ideas! Creativity is the future.

SoundGirls Online Mentoring

Mentoring the Next Generation of Women in Audio.

How it Works:

SoundGirls Members are invited to sign-up for online mentoring and will be grouped with six to eight SoundGirls for two online sessions with a mentor.  Mentors volunteering their time are professionals working in audio in a wider range of fields from Recording Arts, Live Sound, Post-Production Audio, Audio Manufacturing, and more.

Mentees will be grouped on a first-come basis. This is an on-going program and most mentors are willing to provide a few sessions throughout 2021.

If you would like to volunteer to be a mentor please email us at soundgirls@soundgirls.org

Apply Here

Mentees should prepare for their mentoring sessions by answering these questions.

List of Mentors

Recording/Studio/Mastering Mentors

Kerry Pompeo is a NYC based recording engineer and music producer, who describes her role in the studio as “being the liaison between artist and machine.” Since 2004, Kerry has been harnessing audio for studio, stage, and screen with a diverse array of artists & genres.

As chief engineer for Concord Music’s NYC studio, she provided recording, mixing, and writing sessions for label projects- including Elvis Costello, Jacob Collier, Michael Stipe, Esperanza Spaulding, Jazzmeia Horn, Teddy Sinclair, Injury Reserve, and Oynx Collective. She also works with independent artists who seek her out for her unique approach and creative studio techniques. Recently, Kerry stepped into the world of public art & systems design, creating an immersive sound experience with high-resolution playback in City Hall Park for “Out of Thin Air,”  curated by More Art & The City of New York. An audio professional committed to honing her craft and pushing the industry forward, there are many exciting projects to listen out for coming from Kerry Pompeo. more info/music can be found on my site: www.kerrypompeo.com or linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kerrypompeo/

Audrey Martinovich: In 2012, Audrey started her professional recording career at Audio for the Arts, a Wisconsin-based recording studio specializing in acoustic music. She quickly became a trusted engineer for artists and companies in the Midwest and beyond. From recording live stand-up albums for Comedy Central to recording concerts on a stage floating in the middle of a lake for Reebok, Audrey has done a bit of everything. Intrigued by unusual acoustic environments, she especially loves recording musicians anywhere from silos to cavernous basements. Now, Audrey is part owner of Audio for the Arts and is one of the chief engineers.

In 2017, she became the first woman to contribute to Pro Tools Expert, with articles focusing on tips for recording live performances and acoustic instruments. In 2018, Audrey was a finalist to receive the award for Breakthrough Studio Engineer from Pro Sound Europe. She has given public talks and been on panels at Between the Waves Music Conferences, Empowering Women in Audio Clinics, and E Women’s Network. Audrey is a member of SoundGirls and AES and is a Warm Audio Artist

Mary Mazurek is a GRAMMY-nominated recording engineer. Her nomination was awarded by the Recording Academy in 2018 in the category of Best Engineered Album, Classical. She is also a broadcaster, and radio producer. Her work is regularly featured on WFMT Radio and WFMT.com. She is also a sought after educator and speaker who enjoys contributing in the classroom and on panels and committees within her industry and beyond. She serves as a role model and advocate for women in the recording industry, which presently is less than 5% of women. Additionally, she loves sharing her sonic insights across disciplines.

Virginia Haladyna is a musician, songwriter, performer, and freelance recording engineer based out of Austin, Texas. Upon graduating from The Recording Conservatory of Austin, she went on to intern and work out of the world-class Orb Recording Studios. She has recorded three full-length albums, EPs, and multiple singles for local Austin bands. As well as recording other artists, Virginia records and mixes her band Happy, Hollow. She’s assisted sessions alongside established musicians, producers, and engineers the last five years and plans to continue honing her craft for many more.

Piper Payne is a mastering engineer based out of Oakland, CA and Nashville, TN, where she works on albums for independent artists and major labels. In Spring of 2019 Piper joined the famed Infrasonic Mastering team, merging her successful studio, Neato Mastering, with the Nashville based company, owned by Pete Lyman.

Piper is a Trustee of the Recording Academy (GRAMMYs) and she serves on the P&E Wing Steering Committee and the Advisory Council. She is a Governor of the Audio Engineering Society and she is the Co-Founder and Co-Chair of the AES’s Diversity & Inclusion Committee as well as an active member of Women’s Audio Mission and she serves on the Board of SoundGirls.

In addition, Piper is the keeper of Vinyl Quality Control and a consultant for vinyl record pressing plants and is opening her own manufacturing plant in Nashville in Spring 2020. She is an audio professor and guest lectures often about mastering and recording.

 Piper began her career with a BFA in Audio from The University of Michigan, continuing her graduate education in Audio at the University of Stavanger in Norway.

Piper has a diverse background in musical styles. As a drummer, she knows that the best outcome of every project is that it has to feel good. As an engineer, Piper is focused on technical quality and correctness. But, at the end of the day, mastering is about format conversion and quality control so the project gets just what it needs.

Piper has mastered a wide variety of music including nationally renowned artists Third Eye Blind, The Go-Go’s, Madame Gandhi, Geographer, The Steven Universe Soundtrack composers Aivi and Steven, Basement, Hundredth, Elettrodomestico (Jane Wiedlin/Go-Go’s), Blithe, ANIIML, Shamir, Betsy, Between You & Me, and Fritz Montana as well as many Bay Area greats. See her discography at infrasonicsound.com/piper

Angie Dickinson Mickle started her recording career in 1983 as an assistant engineer at Pierce Arrow Recorders in Evanston Illinois after studying Sound Engineering at Columbia College Chicago under legendary engineer Malcolm Chisholm. Angie worked as an announcer at several radio stations before starting Avocado Productions in 1986. The company was moved to a new studio in Colorado in 2002 where it continues today. Over the years, through Avocado Productions, Angie has offered audio services from Music Production and tracking, Audio Transfer and Restoration (specializing in Wire Recordings), Studio and Location recording, and more recently as a Stage Tech and Live FOH engineer for Naropa University, Colorado Chautauqua Auditorium. She has consulted for several churches and is a guest artist at The Denver School of the Arts. Angie is a member of the Association for Recorded Sound Collections and SoundGirls. She was named among the 10 Best Engineers in Denver by publication, Westword.

Anna Frick is a mastering engineer and the restoration center manager at Airshow Mastering in Boulder, Colorado. Her work encompasses studio albums, live recordings, reissues, and compilations across an array of formats, old and new, and a wide variety of genres and styles, from bluegrass and folk-influenced acts to rock and New Age projects. Legends like Ralph Stanley and Doc Watson, exciting contemporaries such as Billy Strings and GRAMMY-nominated Wood & Wire, and important blues and jazz archival recordings (such as the GRAMMY-winning Rise & Fall of Paramount Records Volumes 1 &2) have all benefited from her uncanny ear and deft touch. She balances her strong instincts and intuition with her technical experience and each client’s goals to finesse every project she tackles. Anna holds a degree in Music Industry Studies from the University of Colorado at Denver. She is a graduate of the International Bluegrass Music Association’s Leadership Bluegrass program, Vice Chair of the Colorado AES Chapter, board governor of the Recording Academy – San Francisco Chapter, and chapter head for Colorado’s branch of SoundGirls.org.

Vanessa Silberman is an international touring singer, guitarist, and songwriter from Brooklyn, NY (via Los Angeles, CA). She is also a record producer, engineer, an independent A&R and runs an artist development Label called A Diamond Heart Production. Widely known for having a very strong DIY ethic and wearing many different hats in the music business —Vanessa has worked for heavy hitters in the music business such as Producer / Songwriter Dr.Luke as well as for many companies and places ranging from the Foo Fighter’s Studio 606 to Epitaph Records.

Jenn D’Eugenio is the sales and marketing manager at Furnace Record Pressing and vinyl enthusiast for over 20 years. She is the founder and curator of ‘Women In Vinyl’; and is dedicated to the art and creation of vinyl.

Her background spans that of designing textiles for Fortune 500 fashion companies to career advising for one of the top art colleges in the country; however, Jenn’s passion for vinyl has lead her to a career in helping to manufacture the physical product for bands, and both major to independent record labels. In launching Women in Vinyl a site, online community, and future non-profit she hopes to empower women working in the vinyl industry and to help young women who may be interested in this career path achieve their goals.

Post-Production

Kelly Kramarik is a post-production audio mixer for Starz, a Lionsgate Company. In her free time, she also works as a recording engineer, production sound mixer, and podcast editor. Mentoring on post-production for film and television, I can also do production sound mixing and podcast editing.

Veronica Toledo is currently the Assistant Music & Sound Editor at Pixar Animation Studios. She formerly interned at both Fantasy Recording Studios and Women’s Audio Mission. She has been involved as a production sound assistant for projects including “Toy Story 4”, “Onward”, and “Soul”. Veronica holds a BA in Economics from Mills College and is the co-chair for the Bay Area Chapter of Soundgirls.

Theatre Sound Production

Becca Stoll is a theatrical audio engineer.  She specializes in mixing musicals and is especially passionate about mixing new works.  Current gig: Head of Audio on Rock of Ages (Off-Broadway at New World Stages). New York: Two’s A Crowd (59E59), A Strange Loop (Playwrights Horizons), Antigone in Ferguson (St. Ann’s Church); We Are The Tigers (Theatre 80).  Tours: Million Dollar Quartet (A2).  Selected Regional: The Donkey Show (OBERON), Caucasian Chalk Circle (A2, Yale Rep), 3 seasons as Production Audio Engineer for the Goodspeed Opera House.  Education: Carnegie Mellon School of Drama, NHSI “Theatre Cherubs”.  Member: TSDCA, USITT, SoundGirls.

Heather Augustine is an audio engineer currently touring around the US with Broadway-style shows. She graduated from Penn State University with a BFA in Theatrical Design and Technology, with an emphasis on Sound Design, and has been on the road for the past 8 years. During her touring career she worked on a variety of shows including Billy Elliot, Dirty Dancing, Phantom of the Opera, Les Misérables, and Miss Saigon. Currently she is the A1 for the first national tour of Mean Girls.

Elisabeth Weidner is a freelance Sound Designer/Composer and Audio/Video Technician based on the Central Coast of California. She holds a degree in Commercial Music from Florida State University and has been working professionally in the live sound industry for over 15 years.

Prior to being a full time freelancer, she served as Sound Director/Resident Sound Designer/Composer for PCPA-Pacific Conservatory Theatre from 2009-2019. While in residency, she also served as Faculty for PCPA’s Technical Theatre Conservatory. Elisabeth sits on the USITT Sound Commission jury for Current Practices and Research in Sound paper/article submissions and is a proud member of ASCAP and the TSDCA. www.elisabethanneweidner.com

Read Elisabeth’s Blog

Live Sound

Samantha Potter is an audio engineer and an editorial director for ProSoundWeb, Live Sound Magazine, and Church Sound. A self-described renaissance woman, Samantha studies a broad range of audio topics to stay informed and well versatile. With eight years of experience in pro audio, Samantha has held a multitude of jobs but is currently pursuing education expansion and journalistic accuracy in the field. Her favorite position is at front of house, but she doesn’t shy away from monitor world or even producing.

Read Samantha’s Blog

Lisa Affenzeller is an independent FOH sound engineer with over ten years of experience in the live music industry, based in Hamburg; Germany, and touring all around the globe. She is a seasoned production manager and is specialized in the hard rock & metal music genre. She is well versed with a variety of mixing consoles, digital plugins & analogue outboard, stage micing, and PA setups.

Maxime Brunet is a freelance FOH engineer & tour manager. She has toured intentionally with artists such as Wolf Parade & Operators, amongst others. She has also worked as both a monitor engineer & FOH engineer in venues both in Ottawa & Toronto.

What mentoring will cover: Maxime can mentor in French & English. She will mentor on live sound, how to use different consoles (would have to be over offline editor for now, but I can do Avid, Yamaha, Behringer..). Can mentor on being a tour manager (North America and Europe). Mixing FOH. Mixing monitors, putting a band on in-ears, and teaching an intro to live sound class & how to set up a workshop.

Read Maxx’s Blog

Daniela Seggewiss: Dani currently works as a freelance monitor engineer for the bands The Sweet and Opeth. Her year fills up quickly between the two groups. She fills in the gaps with festivals and local gigs in Leeds.

In the end, it all comes down to the ability to make it happen, which in my opinion is one of the main characteristics of the live sound / live concert industry. There is no second chance. We have the one chance to get it right so if something goes wrong we look around and use whatever we can find around us to make it happen!

Erica D’Angelo: Erica began her musical career as a professional clarinet player, graduating with a Bachelor of Music (Performance) from the University of South Australia. She spent the early years teaching and playing with the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra. After traveling to work in London during her 20s, she discovered she had a passion for electronic music and music production. Embarking upon a new career, she completed a Diploma of Audio Engineering at the SAE and gained valuable experience working in live music, studio recording, and film recording.

Returning to Australia in 1997 and based in Sydney, her career continued to grow in the field of live sound, particularly large scale event production. A pinnacle in her career was the position of Audio Director for the Team Welcoming Ceremonies, as part of the Sydney Olympic Games Organising Committee.

Erica moved to Melbourne in 2003 to pursue her own music production goals, working under the name of Mind’s Eye Entertainment. She continued working freelance in technical production, with events such as the Commonwealth Games Opening Ceremony, Adelaide International Arts Festival, the Deaf Olympic Games Opening Ceremony, AFL Grand Finals, Melbourne Fashion Week, and the Logies.

Joining Haileybury in 2011 to teach the Certificate III in Sound Production, she continues to utilise her skills and experience in large scale events by being part of the production team that delivers the Tattoo, musical, and multiple concerts over the academic year.

Barbara Adams is an audio engineer and educator with twenty-five years of experience in the music industry. She specializes in live sound and production management. Her strong and varied experience also includes recording engineer, stage management, and artist management.

Barbara is Lecturer Professor at Rowan University teaching Sound Reinforcement and Audio Recording in their Music Industry Program. She also is the booking manager for Rowan Music Group, the program’s record label, and artist management services. By night she is busy engineer and production manager at The Locks at Sona, Philadelphia’s premier listening room. She occasionally works as a freelance Engineer/System Tech for several production companies and does freelance work mixing FOH for regional bands touring the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States.

As the Soundgirls Philadelphia chapter president, she is always looking for ways to help mentor and guide new engineers in the field of live sound and bring together the Philadelphia community of SoundGirls. And as if this wasn’t enough, she is the mom to a very busy pre-teen son who enjoys helping mom at gigs if he isn’t playing hockey, playing music, or in school.

Grace Royse is a 17-year concert audio engineer and veteran of the touring music industry with a concentration in production management. Her experiences span thousands of festivals, tours, and live broadcasted performances worldwide, including the US Open, Good Morning America, Ellen, LA & NYC Pride, and the Super bowl. “I’ve been on both sides of the event experience; touring with headlining A-level artists globally, as well as hosting artists as the on-site Production Lead at world-renowned festivals. Understanding the needs of both gives me an exceptional operational vantage point.” Grace credits her network of top-performing colleagues, along with a strong sense of purpose, for making every successful event possible.

Michelle Sabochick Pettinato: Michelle’s mixing experience includes everything from the tiniest clubs to the world’s largest stadiums, TV shows from the Grammy’s to Billboard Music Awards, from SNL to Jimmy Kimmel and others, as well as National and International festivals including Coachella, SXSW, Japan’s Summersonic, The UK’s Download, Germany’s Wacken.

Along with appearing as a panelist for industry events including the Pro Production and AES conferences, Michelle has been a guest lecturer and speaker at Full Sail and Capital University.  She was inducted into the Full Sail Hall of Fame in 2015 and appeared as the Keynote Speaker for Capital University’s Creative Arts Weekend in 2018.

Michelle is the Creator/Owner of MixingMusicLive.com an online course for live sound and mixing.  She is offering mentoring in Live Sound and Mixing, Life on tour including touring etiquette, how to prepare for your first tour, how to balance work/life and the business of being an independent/freelance engineer, career development, and anything related to making a living as a touring sound engineer.  If you are considering a career in this industry there are some specific questions you need to ask yourself and you need to make sure you have realistic expectations.

Karrie Keyes – Monitor Engineer for Pearl Jam and Eddie Vedder for 30 years. Instrumental in building Rat Sound Systems from a system in a van to an international touring company (20 years). Working in Live Sound since 1986. Co-Founder and Executive Director of SoundGirls

Christina Moon has been working in audio for over twenty years. Primarily known as a touring monitor engineer but has had her hands in a little bit of everything in order to get my foot in the door. Some artists I’ve worked for include Sleater Kinney, Beach House, LCD Soundsystem, Yeah Yeah Yeah’s, Death Cab For Cutie and Interpol.

Luana Moreno has been a Sound Engineer for over 10 years. She has worked with all aspects of audio, from recording independent bands to major events. She is most experienced in Live Sound,  but also did quite a lot of Recording, Mixing, Mastering and Sound for Film. Originally from Brazil, she is a founding member of the collective of Women in Audio from Brazil (https://www.facebook.com/MulheresDoAudio/). Luana moved to Australia to pursue higher education in 2017 and started a SoundGirls chapter in Melbourne. Now based in Adelaide, she’s recently been part of Adelaide Fringe and works at the Adelaide Convention Center, as well as at her own home studio.

Gabi Lima is an audio engineer, producer, songwriter, musician, singer, and candy eater. She is based in São Paulo, Brasil

What mentoring will cover: how to be a good assistant and get called back for more sessions, signal flow, signal flow, signal flow, intro to live sound

Mary Broadbent is a Tour Manager, Production Manager, and Guitar-Backline Tech who’s been in the music touring industry for 16+ years. She’s tour managed for artists such as The Mowglis, The Staves, Loote, Wrabel, Plain White T’s, and production managed/stage-managed the festival Girlschool and She Rocks Awards 2018 & 2020. In 2015 she added Guitar-Backline teching to her skillset working for Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, The Mowglis, The Staves, Plain White T’s, and Tegan and Sara. She serves as a TM/PM mainly but pulls double duty Tour Managing & Teching when tours require it. She finished off 2019 Tour Managing for Clairo on her Immunity Tour in the US & Europe and started off 2020 Guitar Teching for Against Me!  when the industry was put on pause by Covid-19. She lives in Los Angeles and is using this ‘ pause ‘ in the touring world to take a Mixing Live Sound Course and advancing her on-going guitar lessons.

Beckie Campbell: Beckie is the successful owner of B4Media Production LLC. As a business owner of a growing production company, she manages crews, trains employees, and books festivals all over the United States. She freelances as an A1 for several corporate organizations such as the City of Orlando and PennellChing Development. As a PM, Monitor, and FOH Engineer her expertise is in audio, but she has also taught at Audio Visual Technologies/Sports Broadcasting, and several other courses around Florida for various companies and schools. As an accomplished Production Manager, FOH, and Monitor engineer she has helped train and grow crews for several theaters, live events, and houses of worship. All while touring as a FOH Engineer for major acts.

Beckie is passionate about live events and making sure the next generation learns the proper way to make an event excellent. In her leisure time she can be found cooking, relaxing at the beach with an ice-cold beverage, watching a live performance, or kayaking. She loves to hang with her nieces and nephews and teach them fun crafts, the difference between stage left and stage right, and how to make goofy faces.

Gil Eva Craig is an independent Audio Engineer and Music Producer working in professional audio for the last 18 years. Gil got her start as a recording engineer in 1996 and still owns and operates her own mixing and production studio.

Claudia Englehart – Claudia has been a professional live-sound engineer for 38 years. In 1982 she began her career working in the historic San Francisco jazz club Keystone Korner. In 1983 she moved to New York City and continued mixing live sound in clubs such as CBGB’s, The Bitter End, and S.O.B.’s, and then in 1985 began touring full time as a front of house engineer. Since 1989 Claudia has been working full time as sound engineer and tour manager for guitarist Bill Frisell.

She has recorded two live albums for Frisell, “East/West” and “Bill Frisell Live”. She has also mixed and recorded just about all of his live concerts over the past 30 years, which has resulted in a “Live Download Series”, concert recordings available for download on Frisell’s website.

When not on tour with Frisell, Claudia has toured extensively with many other renowned artists including Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, Laurie Anderson, Lou Reed, Ron Carter, Michael Brecker, Grover Washington Jr., Dave Holland, John Scofield, Charles Lloyd, Lee Konitz, Marianne Faithfull, Rosanne Cash, Ryuichi Sakamoto, David Sylvian, Medeski Martin & Wood, John Zorn, The Kronos Quartet, Don Cherry, Cecil Taylor, Eddie Palmieri, Willie Colon, and many others.’

Tana Douglas:  Throughout the music industry, Tana Douglas is acknowledged as rock’n’roll’s first female roadie. Her journey started in 1973 in Australia within a year she was working for AC/DC, first doing backline then F.O.H. Sound for the band. She then moved to lighting working for a Major Australian Promoter and completed in quick succession several tours with International acts such as: Santana, Suzi Quatro, Neil Diamond, David Essex, and Leo Sayer and Status Quo all before she turned 18. After getting her Father to sign her passport so she could travel Internationally she ventured to London to start 3 years with Status Quo running their lighting rig. She then brought that rig to TASCO a major Production company in London that until that time had only supplied Sound for tours. A relationship developed there that would last several years and include working for such artists as Status Quo, The WHO, Ozzy Osbourne, Whitesnake, The Police, Elton John, Iggy Pop, and Johnny Halliday the French megastar.

Her relationship continued with TASCO enabling her to transfer to USA after they opened a Los Angeles division. After becoming a resident of the USA she broadened her working relationships to also include both Delicate Productions and Light & Sound Designs. The tours that followed were Elton John, INXS, Men at Work, before being once again called back to Paris to manage the largest lighting rig ever built for a 7-month residency for her old friend Johnny Halliday, for Light & Sound Design (LSD).

After successfully completing that task it was time for a change. Los Angeles had offered Tana new passions and she gradually left lighting, stage/production to focus her skills on logistics which meant if a tour had to be somewhere, she was the person to make sure it happened – for everyone including Lenny Kravitz, Pearl Jam, Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Luther Vandross, Ice-T, and Ice Cube to name a few. Tana’s career spanned 30+ years and has seen her work alongside some of rock’s biggest names and personalities. As the music industry grew to become a worldwide cultural phenomenon, she was there, in the thick of it, a girl.

Tana and her unique position in the music industry have been included in several other people’s books – most recently a chapter in Stuart Coupe’s book, Roadies, which confirmed her as the first female roadie. But now it’s time for Tana to tell her story, in her own words. Her Memoir is being published through HarperCollins Australia and tells of the joys and struggles faced as a girl out on the road on her own in the wild and woolly days that created this industry of music. It is due to be released in April 2020.

Tana currently resides in Los Angeles, California. Due to COVID 19 Tana’s book, LOUD has been held back from release by her publisher with a tentative release

Lisa Fahrenberger: I would be interested in helping newbies of any age and supporting them. I’m happy to work with non-binary, trans- and cis women. Living in Auckland, New Zealand. With almost 20 years of experience, I’ve seen a lot and held a variety of positions. Currently, I trying to establish myself as a monitor engineer, as well as pushing for more large-scale RF coordination. I can mentor for live audio, general signal flow, fault finding, problem-solving, patch, many standard consoles, concerts, festivals, corporate, theater, warehouse roles – and radio frequency management.

Rebekah Lee McGee experienced in live sound reinforcement. I tech a D&B V rig here in Atlanta, I do repairs for multiple venues, rode around with a band for the past six years or so mixing. I also have lots of experience in the studio doing pre-pro, tracking, and post for music as well as film industries. I also have a handful of IMDb credits for my location audio work for film.

Lighting Design

Jenny Bass began her career as a lighting technician in Seattle after receiving her BA in Technical Theatre from Guildhall.  She then started touring with PRG for artists such as Madonna, Scorpions, and Nicki Minaj. She then worked her way up to a programmer, lighting director, and Lighting Designer. The Artists that she designed, directed and programmed for include Lea Michele, Avalanches, Earth Wind and Fire, Mary Mack, Rae Sremmurd, and Tinashe, among others.

Before this she toured as a technician. She received her MBA and started working as a technical director for a startup. From there she worked as a production manager at the Music Center. Some of the companies she worked with as a production manager include Alvin Alley, Circa, and the Royal Opera House. Her most recent role was as a technical designer at PRG.

Tiffany Keys comes from an unconventional background of musical theater and dance to entertainment’s technical industry, Tiffany has developed a unique set of skills and views that she draws upon to give her a fresh outlook on lighting.

In 2014 Tiffany started Key Lighting, Inc., establishing herself as a lighting director and programming for television, film, live concerts, and corporate events. Navigating through an industry that is predominately men she is now leading her field as one of the most sought out programmers, lighting some of the world’s biggest stages. Please visit Key Lighting’s website to see the latest projects: www.KeyLightingInc.com

Lauren Sego is a lighting designer and programmer based in Los Angeles. During her years at California Institute of the Arts, she worked in film and television, programming, and operating for various shows with heavy involvement in E-Sports streams. After graduating in 2016, she began her career as a touring lighting designer and programmer and has worked with artists such as Janelle Monáe, Jidenna, Jennifer Hudson, Ingrid Michaelson, Tegan and Sara, and Mat Kearney.

Career Development

Sarah Martinico was born in St. Pete, Florida where she grew up as a multi-instrumentalist and songwriter. She went on to study at Berklee College of Music and graduated with a Bachelors in Music Production and Engineering. She started her professional career in Los Angeles in marketing at BMG where she founded and created the first-ever royalty-bearing stems for sale from a major publisher’s catalogue via Avid Pro Tools. She went on to work for Native Instruments developing sound packages and marketing content with clients.  She then opened her own company in 2019 called SL Music & Marketing. She has worked for numerous Grammy-winning producers, songwriters, and artists from the pop, urban and Latin worlds in marketing, branding, music publishing, partnerships, management, and consulting.

Spanish Speaking Mentors

Ximena Montenegro

Mentoring area: Live Sound

Nationality: Chile

Sound technician and audio engineer, for more than 15 years he has been dedicated to sound reinforcement, either as a technical assistant for FOH, monitors of different companies. He has mixed for various artists such as: Marisela, Lucero, Erick barrios, Denise Rosenthal, among others, she has participated in festivals such as Viña del Mar.

Técnico de sonido e ingeniera de audio, por mas de 15 años se ha dedicado ado al refuerzo sonoro, ya sea como asistente técnico para sala, monitores de diferentes empresas. Ha mezclado para diversos artistas como : Marisela, Lucero, Erick barrios, Denise Rosenthal, entre otros ademas ha participado activamente en festivales como Viña del Mar.

Roberta Siviero

Mentoring area: Live Sound

Nationality : Brazilian

Roberta Sivero Brazilian, it’s been like 20 years that I work in live sound (I started in sound companies, nowadays I dedicate myself to mix more), but I also have experience in TV, theater and sound studio (including audiovisual post-production) because in Brazil we have to do a little bit of everything.

Robertta Severo brasileña, hace como que 20 años que trabajo en sonido en vivo (empecé en compañias de sonido, actualmente me dedico a mezclar mas), pero también tengo experiencia en TV, teatro y estudio de sonido (incluida la postproducción en audiovisuales) porque aquí tuvo que hacer un poco de todo.

En 2012, comenzamos un grupo de mujeres sonidistas en São Paulo (donde vivo hace casi 15 años), lo que ha hecho una gran diferencia y nos ayudó a estar más visibles en la industria.

Claudia Nader

Mentoring area: Sound pre-production.

Nationality : Mexican

Clau Nader

Mentoring area: Sound Postproduction, Sound Design, Location Sound, Psychoacoustics

Nationality : Mexican

Clau Nader is an audio engineer specialised in binaural and immersive sound design for film, TV, audio-visual media, advertising and sonic art installations. Her work in film has been featured in numerous festivals in Europe, the USA, and Latin America. Clau is currently working as a Graduate Teaching Assistant and Social Media Content Producer and is a current PhD researcher at the Department of Theatre, Film, Television and Interactive Media of the University of York, in the UK. Her research, funded by CONACyT and the AES Educational Foundation, explores sound formats found in ASMR-inducing media and their use as potential psychosocial interventions for mental health and wellbeing in adolescents.

Clau Nader es una ingeniera de audio especializada en diseño sonoro binaural e inmersivo para cine, TV, medios audio-visuales, publicidad e instalaciones de arte sonoro. Su trabajo en cine ha sido parte de numerosos festivales en Europa, EUA y Latinoamérica. Actualmente, Clau trabaja como Profesora Adjunta y Productora de Contenido para redes sociales y realiza una investigación doctoral en el Departamento de Teatro, Cine, Television y Medios Interactivos de la Universidad de York, en el Reino Unido. Sus investigación, patrocinada por CONACyT y la AES Educational Foundation, explora formatos de sonido en medios inductores de ASMR y su uso como posible intervención psicosocial para la salud mental y bienestar en adolescentes.

Cristina Abaroa 

Mentoring Area: PRODUCER | MANAGER | ENTREPRENEURSINGER-SONGWRITER | ARRANGER | COMPOSER

Link for more information about Cristina : https://www.dropbox.com/sh/b4mf4zv7eiggb7f/AAA4wkAMWZfJ0MwZ15-c8raCa?dl=0

Nationality : Mexican

Born in Mexico Cristina Abaroa began her career in Los Angeles, California in ‘91 participating with the renowned producers Juan Carlos Calderón, Humberto Gatica, Draco Rosa, Armando Manzanero, Rafael Pérez Botija, etc. She has participated in countless productions with some artist like: Ringo Starr, Lady Gaga, Luis Miguel, Celine Dion, Enrique Iglesias, Ricky Martin, Luz Casal, Maná, Thalía, Barry Manilow, Ricardo Arjona, Mijares, Cristian Castro, Alejandro Fernández, Armando Manzanero , Ofelia Medina, Los Tigres del Norte, Guadalupe Pineda, Marco Antonio Solís and Lupita D’Alessio among others. Awarded with the Berklee Alumni Achievement Award 2018 and graduated with Magna Cum Laude honors at Berklee College of Music. Cristina Abaroa is founder and CEO of Moon Moosic.

Nacida en México Cristina Abaroa inició su carrera en Los Ángeles, California en el año ‘91 participando con los reconocidos productores Juan Carlos Calderón, Humberto Gatica, Draco Rosa, Armando Manzanero, Rafael Pérez Botija, etc

Ha participado en innumerables producciones de artistas: Ringo Starr, Lady Gaga, Luis Miguel, Celine Dion, Enrique Iglesias, Ricky Martin, Luz Casal, Maná, Thalía, Barry Manilow, Ricardo Arjona, Mijares, Cristian Castro, Alejandro Fernández, Armando Manzanero, Ofelia Medina, Los Tigres del Norte, Guadalupe Pineda, Marco Antonio Solís y Lupita D’Alessio entre otros.

Premiada con el Berklee Alumni Achievement Award 2018 y graduada con honores Magna Cum Laude en Berklee College of Music. Cristina Abaroa es fundadora y CEO de Moon Moosic.

Salomé Limon

Mentoring Area: Studio Mixing

Nationality : Spain

Producer and sound engineer, president of PIAudio (Iberoamerican Association of Audio Producers and Engineers), and an active member of the Grammy Academy, the Latin Grammy Academy, and the CPI (Circle of Producers and Engineers) of the Latin Grammy.

She began her career in Madrid in 2004. Her first project was Andrés Calamaro’s album “El Cantante”. He has also worked with artists such as Paco de Lucía, Anoushka Shankar, Chick Corea, John Legend, Vampire Weekend, Enrique and Estrella Morente, among many others.

Winner of 4 Latin Grammys and nominated for Best Sound Engineer 5 years in a row by the Latin Grammy Academy.

Today Salomé continues her career as a producer, engineer, and composer while collaborating as a speaker and teacher, sharing her knowledge through various talks and masterclasses at Berklee College of Music, Maxsine School in China, IE University, Fest Portugal, etc.

Productora e ingeniera de sonido, presidenta de PIAudio (Asociación Iberoamericana de Productoras e Ingenieras de Audio) y miembro activo de la Grammy Academy, la Latin Grammy Academy y del CPI (Circulo de Productores e Ingenieros) de los Latin Grammy.

Comenzó su carrera en el Madrid en 2004. Su primer proyecto fue el disco de Andrés Calamaro “ El cantante”. También ha trabajado con artistas de la talla de Paco de Lucía, Anoushka Shankar, Chick Corea, John Legend, Vampire Weekend, Enrique y Estrella Morente, entre otros muchos.

Ganadora de 4 Latin Grammys y nominada como mejor ingeniero de sonido 5 años consecutivos por la Academia de los Latin Grammy.

A día de hoy Salomé continúa su carrera como productora, ingeniera y compositora a la vez que colabora como ponente y profesora compartiendo sus conocimientos a través de diversas charlas y masterclass en Berklee College of Music, Maxsine School en China, IE University, Fest Portugal, etc.

Carolina Antón 

Mentoring Area: Live Sound Mixing & System optimization

Nationality : Mexican

Carolina Anton. Sound Engineer –  FOH / Mon & Sound system engineer, with more than fifteen years of experience, has collaborated with distinguished artists and productions in more than twenty tours nationally and internationally; She has mixed for artists like Kool & The Gang, Gloria Gaynor, Natalia Lafourcade, Mon Laferte and Leon Larregui and working with some sound companies like 2hands production Services and Eighth Day Sound.

Carolina, is currently mixing in immersive sound formats. She is the co-founder of the company 3BH, which develops technological integration projects for post-production and music studios in Mexico and Latin America, and from 2016 began to represent the organization SoundGirls in Mexico, supporting women to become professional in the industry of live shows.

Carolina Anton Ingeniera de Sonido – Sistemas/FOH y Mon con más de quince años de experiencia, ha colaborado con artistas y producciones distinguidos en más de veinte tours a nivel nacional e internacional; Ha mezclado para artistas como Kool & The Gang, Gloria Gaynor, Natalia Lafourcade, Mon Laferte y Leon Larregui, ademas trabaja para compañías como 2hands production services y Eight Day Sound. Actualmente se encuentra realizando mezclas en formatos de sonido inmersivo.

Carolina es cofundadora de la empresa 3BH, que desarrolla proyectos de integración tecnológica para estudios de post-producción y música en México y Latinoamérica y a partir del 2016 comenzó a representar a la organización Soundgirls.org en México, apoyando a las mujeres a profesionalizarse en la industria del espectáculo.

Gabriella Galán

Mentoring Area: Sound reinforcement design

Nationality : Mexican

Gabriella Galán: She completed academic audio studies as a Telecommunications Engineer with a specialty in audio and video at the Polytechnic University of Madrid. She has been involved in professional audio for the past 12 years with a special emphasis on sound reinforcement design. She has participated in various sound reinforcement designs for the most important venues in various countries, such as theaters, churches, live shows, special events, sports venues, to name a few.

Gabriella Galán realizó estudios académicos de audio como Ingeniera en telecomunicaciones con la especialidad de audio y video en la Universidad Politécnica de Madrid. Ha estado involucrada en el audio profesional dentro de los últimos 12 años con un énfasis especial en el diseño de refuerzo sonoro. ella Ha participado en diversos diseños de refuerzo sonoro de los recintos más importantes de diversos países, tales como teatros, iglesias, shows en vivo, eventos especiales, recintos deportivos, por mencionar algunos.

Proof in Music

Anyone Who Says They Can’t Find Women to Work With Hasn’t Bothered Looking

Proof in Music a project of Jess Fenton a music producer, mix and recording engineer,  launches today. A year and a half in the making, Proof in Music is another important platform to increase the visibility of women who are paving their own career paths behind the boards. The first season of 12 episodes shines a spotlight on women audio, mastering, mix engineers, and producers.

Jess says “there’s a lingering perception that women don’t do this kind of work or aren’t interested or that there’s so few of us  – that’s simply not true. This series is proof that not only are there a ton of women paving their own career paths behind the boards, but they are all over the country and all at various stages in their careers.” Each episode features interviews, in-studio demonstrations, approach to their jobs, favorite production techniques, share their philosophies, and production choices. Jess says “It’s very technically-driven.”

Jess Fenton and Vira Byramji

The first season features

Jess and Kia Shavon

Jess would like to point out how easy it was to find women to feature. “ I used The EQUAL Directory, posted to the SoundGirls Facebook group, searched hashtags on Instragram, and received so many referrals from other women in the business.  Anyone who says they can’t find women to work with hasn’t bothered looking.” SoundGirls would like to thank Jess for utilizing our resources and hiring SoundGirls to work on this project and of course a huge congratulations to Jess.

Jess Fenton Interview

In just five short years Jess has made a huge impact in the audio world for women and herself.  She works as a freelance mix and recording engineer and producer. She also records and edits podcasts, voice-overs, and audio advertisements.  SoundGirls would like to thank Jess for this interview.

When did you discover audio as a career path?

Honestly, I didn’t know it was a career path that a woman could take. I spent a lot of time in recording studios as a teenager and throughout college (played in a bunch of bands), throughout all those visits I only came across one woman working in the studios.  However, about five years ago, when my corporate 9-5 job was eliminated, I decided to turn my audio/music hobby into a full-time job.

How did you get interested in audio?

When I was 15, my guitar teacher suggested I get a 4-track to start recording at home. Somehow she knew I was going to love it.  So I turned around and taught guitar for $5 a lesson for an entire year to save up to buy one.  I’ve been hooked ever since.

Did music and audio interest you while you were growing up?

My mom is a guitar player and artist, she raised four musicians! So music was always present in the house. After she caught me sneaking her pristine 1970’s Yamaha acoustic guitar to teach myself chords, she gave me my first acoustic. After I bought my Fostex 4-track as a teen, it all came together, my love for music production was born.

Did you attend a University/College/Trade School

Yes, Virginia Commonwealth University and studied business. I graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree.

How did you get your start?

Craigslist.  I put out an ad to mix songs for free so I could build my portfolio.  I lucked out with an amazing female rapper who was so excited to work with a female mix engineer, she ended up hiring me to mix several of her songs.  Building that portfolio plus a ton of networking helped jumpstart my freelancing in music and audio.

How did your early internships or jobs help build a foundation for where you are now?

Working in the corporate 9-5 world taught me how to navigate bullshit. After I left the 9-5 sector, I applied for a lot of internships but was rejected by all of them, mostly because I was an “older” woman not seeking college credit. I wasn’t what they wanted.

I did manage to land an informal “internship” though. When I lived in Berkeley CA, I contacted a bunch of smaller, local studios to see if I could sit on sessions, help, learn, etc. One (out of 6) said yes and let me re-rack their whole control room.  I learned that instead of waiting for an opportunity to come to me, I needed to go out and create it.  And that concept is very much a part of my everyday foundation.

What did you learn interning or on your early gigs?

When I re-racked the control room at the Berkeley studio, it was the first time I put my hands on the real deal, actual gear – UA1176 compressors, Neve preamps, Pultec EQs, and so much more. That moment was huge for me. The art of the signal chain suddenly made sense. Recording clicked.

Did you have a mentor or someone that really helped you?

I didn’t. Although I feel like I have 13 mentors after filming the Proof In Music series.

Career Now:

What is a typical day like?

I usually start my day recording or mixing a podcast. Then I move on to music projects, which could be composing original music for a podcast, or tracking guitars for a local artist I’m working with.  Some days I’ll record, voice and edit audio ads (which is the most amusing gig!) Once the client work is done, I allow myself to work on something personal – for a long time it was the Proof videos.

How do you stay organized and focused?

I have a notebook for every client/project.  That keeps it pretty organized. It’s easy for me to stay focused because I love what I do. However, when I lose motivation, I take a break and watch an episode of Gilmore Girls to reset my brain.

What do you enjoy the most about your job?

I love taking ideas, raw audio, sounds, voices, and turning them into a complete, polished, finished product. Every product is different so it never gets boring.

What do you like least?

When clients don’t want to invest in the absolute best audio quality. That kills me.

What is your favorite day off activity?

Baking! I love to bake bread, pizza dough, cinnamon rolls, dinner rolls…and more!

What are your long term goals

To continue working for myself. I’d like to continue the Proof series for as long as I can.

What if any obstacles or barriers have you faced?

It’s always an obstacle when people don’t believe that I’m the audio engineer in the room. Always have to work hard to overcome that initial perception and gain the trust of the client/guest/artists team.

How have you dealt with them?

I just stay professional, stay firm. I don’t let them see me sweat.

The advice you have for women and young women who wish to enter the field?

Create your own opportunities.  Don’t wait for anyone, just go do what you want to do. If you find the path you took isn’t what you thought it was, don’t dwell on it, just go take another path. And never hesitate to ask for help.

Must have skills?

Thick skin.

Favorite gear?

I really love my Moog Subphatty right now along with my WA73+EQ preamp.

The SoundGirls Podcast – Jess Fenton: Proof in Music, Fostex 4 TRK, and Coffee

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