Community - Then & Now

The idea of Pops & Buzzes was born while I was working at the Grammy Awards. Because the Grammys is connected to all aspects of the recording industry from the creative side to the business side, my position required that I connect with the whole ecosystem. I kept meeting such smart, focused, and incredibly supportive women in various facets of the industry, and was perplexed to find that they were rarely aware of each other. Women at touring agencies might know other women in venue management, but maybe not those working in ticketing, or in music non-profits, or in local bands, etc etc. The Bay Area music community, and more specifically, the number of women working in said industry, is just so small. To me it was a no-brainer that that we needed a home to connect, share, and support one another. 

This community project began in 2013, started by myself and Amy Bauer, with monthly events occurring throughout the year. The events got shelved for a variety of reasons, and firing it back up in 2016 gave me pause. Is this something women in our industry still want? Is there a need? And the most common question event planners asks themselves, will people come?

The answer to all of those questions is a resounding YES; The biggest OF COURSE one could muster. This group is powerful, impactful, very much needed, and growing.

The theme for our April brunch was Community. On a macro level, I've been ruminating on what community means in the area we live in today. When everything we pass these days is new - new buildings, new businesses, new people streaming into the Bay Area by the thousands - I've been overcome with the lack of familiarity. The city feels brand new, and there seems to be a deep need for connectedness. With yesterday's Pops & Buzzes brunch, we found a familiar group of people, a familiar space, and a familiar segment within the music industry. While for some it was a reunion, for others it was a much needed introduction to a larger community of women. A big thank you to Jocelyn Kane, Executive Director of the Entertainment Commission of San Francisco, for leading the discussion, and for providing a 'state of the union' on where we stand, industry-wise. I couldn't be happier with the group we are building and am excited to see what becomes of it.