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'Everybody can do better' | Local businesses join forces to diversify the local music industry

Four well-known DJs will perform at a benefit show Saturday night at Royal Foundry Craft Spirits in Minneapolis.

MINNEAPOLIS — On Saturday, March 11, music, dancing, and fun will fill Royal Foundry Craft Spirits in Minneapolis.

Four well-known DJs will get the crowd going with electronic music during a benefit show.

"The electronic scene in Minneapolis is renowned throughout the Midwest," said Megan Mann, marketing director at Low & High, one of the event organizers.

Mann says even though the scene is renowned, many people want to make the scene better.

"The statistics for women in production and DJing are really staggering, where probably around 3% of producers in our field are women," said Mann.

That's why they're doing something rarely done: a diverse, all-female lineup. NotLo (Colorado), Woven Thorns (California), Yoko (Colorado) & Eylxr (Minnesota) are scheduled to take the stage.

"This is just the start of something much bigger," said Mann.

Doing better doesn't just start with one person.

"Everybody can do better. We can do better. We're going to show you how it's done," said Alycia Grace, co-founder of This is Perfect Harmony, a women-owned online press and radio show.

Organizers like Alycia Grace say why stop with an all-female lineup? There will also be female and nonbinary vendors.

"They're doing everything from tie-dye to festy clips, hair clips, painting and things like that," said Grace.

And the safety plans include an all-woman security team.

"They're all trained in Narcan. They're all trained in bystander intervention. They're going to have someone with first aid experience on the team," said Grace. "It's about having security that knows how to interact with people and to make people feel safe when they may already not be feeling safe."

These steps to be better — and do better — help to create space for something different to wow the Twin Cities.

"Women and women-identifying and nonbinary people can do this, and we are here," said Grace.

These changes create a moment that leaves the electronic music scene a little better than it was before.

"This is a good thing we got going here, and we just need more people to know about it and to feel welcome when they do step into this space and keep returning," said Grace.

The show also doubles as a job fair for those interested in working within the music industry.

Saturday's event starts at 9 p.m. and is for those 21 and older.

Click here to buy tickets.

All profits go toward a scholarship so women can attend Slam Academy and learn music production.

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