Story
I was born at Mad River Hospital during a cold November rain. I grew up in Sunny Brae, attended Jacoby Creek Elementary, Arcata High and went on to Humboldt State University, where I achieved an Interdisciplinary Studies degree in Music As A Cultural Metaphor. Since graduating, I’ve been fortunate that my enthusiasm for language, history and anthropology has been put to good use. My studies, and career in music & film, have allowed for extended stays in Cuba, Czechia, Senegal, Peru, Turkey, Sicily and Eastern Europe. An evolving worldview, shaped by considerable time beyond US borders, has provided me with a broader understanding of global affairs, national identity, socio-political structures, class & race relations, ethnocentric bias and cultural nuance.
My enthusiasm for community outreach began in high school. At 16, I was voted onto the Arcata Skate Park Committee Board of Directors as the Booking Coordinator for Arcata Skate Park Benefit Concerts. Working closely alongside Carol Heaslip of Tiffany’s Garden for Children and Arcata City Council Member Jason Kirkpatrick, my efforts (with endless gratitude towards Humboldt's golden era of punk,) raised thousands of dollars that went towards construction of the park. This was my first experience volunteering for a non-profit. Many more would follow. My high school band, which performed at those benefit concerts, was inspired by the activist community and yelled passion-fueled songs about deforestation and war. I was young, but even then, motivated to speak out against injustice.
Some folks may also remember me from the annual (recurring) DREAMS film scoring event at The Sanctuary, my former music column in the Arcata Eye, as a KRFH veteran, mischievous Marching Lumberjack, or most recently, the proud recipient of North Coast Journal's Best of Humboldt 2020 Best Artist.
I had a decade-long love affair with Portland, with stints in Austin, Seattle and Prague, before returning to my hometown in 2016.