Our beloved Cristina Ortiz, aka DJ Mz ArtIz, is facing the greatest health crisis of her life, and needs our help. Throughout the pandemic, Cristina had been struggling financially due to having her hours/income cut in half at her public sector job, along with an absence of paying DJ gigs due to the stay-at-home order and phased reopening in Washington state. When she was diagnosed with stage 2b cervical cancer in August 2021, we knew we must mobilize her friends and communities to help her cover medical and other expenses, so that she could get through the next months of intense treatments and recovery.

 

While Cristina thankfully has insurance coverage, she will be undergoing very difficult radiation and chemotherapy treatments five times a week for two months, and then further months of appointments and recovery. The good news is that treatments have a very high chance of success for those who can complete them. The less good news is that they are very expensive, and very difficult to tolerate for the women who receive them. She will need substantial help to pay for uncovered portions of her treatment, as well as love and support to get through these tough treatments. The treatments work but are so intense that many women decide to drop out halfway, rather than deal with the pain and physical damage required to eradicate the cancer. So we need to keep our Cristina’s spirits up to get through this marathon of treatments!

 

In addition to her day job in the public sector, Cristina is a veteran visual artist/painter and resident DJ of Burning Man Camp Conception. She one half of the Queer Latina DJ duo the Wonder Twins with Julie Herrera, and participant in more arts and music events than can be easily named here. Cristina is one of the most upbeat, positive, humble, creative, and compassionate people you could ever meet, and has consistently been one of the first to volunteer to help arts organizations and people in need through fundraisers and donating her music and art. Cristina has headlined multiple DJ events and burner dance parties, rocking stages from Camp Conception, BAAAHS and Trifucta at Burning Man, to headlining Queer Burners Gathering in San Francisco, and playing every major club and warehouse party in Seattle. She is one of the most beloved DJs on the Seattle dance music scene, as well as a recognized visual artist in the city. We want her to be able to survive this treatment with the affection and support of her community, and go on to continue being the loving and creative force that she is in the world.

 

We are setting an initial fundraising goal of $20,000 to help cover the large number of medical treatments she will undergo as well as living and other expenses to get through this tough time. Please donate what you can and share Cristina’s story and work with your friends. Additionally, there may be other ways to participate in helping keep Cristina’s spirits up during the punishing treatments ahead.

 

Thank you so much for helping our Cristina get through this health crisis!

 

Scott Burdette, Christie Villa, spaceotter, and Burning Man camp Conception