Diversity + Parity Fund: Sisters in Sound host micro-festival amplifying FLINTA and POC voices

Over March 6th and 8th, Sisters in Sound hosted Soundscape Microfestival during Women’s History Month in New York City, bringing together local collectives, advocates, and creatives to leverage community connections and resilience to build equity and celebrate diversity in music.

The event highlighted the cultural richness and diversity in music, celebrating the contributions of eclectic artists, industry leaders, and community groups. Through networking, mentorship, and shared experiences, individuals of all identities and abilities were heard and empowered to foster understanding and collaboration.

Soundscape Microfest featured three activations that amplified FLINTA and POC individuals through networking opportunities (Connect), thought-provoking panels and workshops (Elevate), and performances (Celebrate).

“Everything was conceived by and for the very same communities we wanted to showcase and inspire,” says Sisters in Sound founder, Fátima (pictured below). “Shout out to our hardworking planning team that has been hustling since the holidays to perfect every detail of this event: Baby-G, Branqueeno, Daniela, J.N.R., Electrocute, VYNX.”

The event directly confronted systemic challenges like pay equity and representation while bolstering socially driven organizations to create actionable solutions. Additionally, the entire planning team, along with most panelists, facilitators, and contractors, were women or people of color.

The conference opened with a grounding session of Qi Gong, sound healing, and embodied dance, sponsored by Collective BAE. Sisters in Sound founder Fátima, alongside branqueeno and Beatport’s Yasemin Kosereisoglu, welcomed attendees. The keynote, moderated by Rimarkable (DJ, producer, and NYU Tisch professor), explored “Music as a Means for Social Justice” with AIDA (Rinse.fm resident DJ) and Alsarah (musician and ethnomusicologist). Workshops included Narcan training from branqueeno and Deanna Dune, and panels on safer spaces and self-expression with Honey Bun, Stephanie Almache, and Zoë Beery.

Attendees chose between breakout sessions on social wellness (Maria Bastasch), music production (Ruchi), and a demo feedback session (MerlinBerlin). A wellness session on “Energy Hygiene for DJs” led into a panel on industry success with AQUTIE, Bebe Howell, and Tay Allen, moderated by Ana Yglesias. The day closed with more breakout sessions on sound design (Ana Roman), branding with ChatGPT (Sam Liss), and a second demo feedback round (MerlinBerlin). Femme House co-sponsored the final networking session.

All were welcome at the official afterparty, Celebrate, held at Onyx Room, where diverse femme talent took center stage. Attendees were encouraged to arrive early and stay late, with a no-phone policy ensuring everyone was fully present and tuned into the music.

The lineup featured headliner AIDA, an Iranian-American based in San Francisco, alongside warm-up duo Riva + Bianca from Philadelphia, of Filipino and Peruvian heritage. JSMN, based in New York, closed out the night. Each artist brought their own unique style and energy to the stage, while also serving as advocates in their communities.

RAW CUTS co-sponsored the afterparty, aligning with Sisters in Sound's values of championing community, breaking down barriers between fans and artists, and storytelling from a grassroots perspective. 

Founder Fátima shared, “Sharing authentic space with people from different backgrounds, cultures, and life experiences can not only change us as individuals but accelerate artistic innovation. We want our sisters to impact each other as well as painters, writers, visual artists, and others - Soundscape Microfest is an important step in this journey.”

Soundscape Microfest was made possible through funding from Beatport’s Diversity + Parity Fund. Sisters in Sound’s $15,000 grant allocation allowed them to scale their multifaceted event and expand the breadth of their offerings.

The long-term vision is to continue building bridges between artistic communities, especially on a global scale. The goal is to facilitate connections between DJs, live performers, singers, and producers from different creative ecosystems, enabling them to collaborate and inspire audiences who may not have encountered them otherwise. 

Fátima went on to say that “the explosion and over-saturation of new artists and new music and the dominance of social media culture has left people a bit alienated and questioning where they fit and how to express themselves authentically. We all feel a little bit at a loss of how and where to find or build our communities. Social connections are integral to basic human flourishing, and this is no different in any artistic endeavor.”

Sisters in Sound understands that the world is ripe for new ideas and inspiration, and as artists responsible for every aspect of their work and brand, they can be in control of their message and be advocates and role models for others.

Music, like most industries, is dominated by the companies that control the greatest share of money and power in the world. So for a grassroots group of tenacious women to successfully organize such a unique, ambitious event one of the world’s greatest cities, will hopefully inspire other collectives to do the same.

Photos by Sicoli from RAW CUTS