The DJ Mike D Foundation: Teaching Kids to DJ And More
DJ Mike D (Michael D Adachi) passed away unexpectedly in his sleep. He was an incredible DJ, producer, and human being. If you were a DJ worth a damn, you had Mike D in your crates. Everyone has a favorite DJ Mike D track. His music touched this industry in ways that will be felt for a long time.
But Mike had a dream beyond the decks.
For years, Mike talked about starting a non-profit to teach kids how to DJ. He wanted to give young people access to music, creativity, and something real that could change the direction of their lives. This wasn’t a passing idea. His girlfriend Katie told me he was talking about it just days before he passed. His family knew about it. Friends who grew up with him knew about it. People I’ve never met have reached out to tell me Mike shared this same dream with them. It was that important to him.
We’re making it happen.
My name is Drew Golub. I’m an attorney based in Columbus, Ohio, and Mike was one of my closest friends. I’m handling all of the legal work to establish this as a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Mike’s brother Chris, a music educator, has agreed to sit on the board. We’ve secured a commitment for donated creative space in the heart of downtown Columbus to serve as the foundation’s home base and a creative space for people in the arts, named in Mike’s honor.
We have the vision. We have the team forming. We have the space. Now we need the community behind it.
Funds raised here will go directly toward building this program. Equipment. Space buildout. Curriculum development. Getting this off the ground the right way so it lasts and grows into something Mike would be proud of.
This is being built from the ground up. It won’t happen overnight. But it’s happening.
If you knew Mike, you know this is exactly who he was. He wanted kids to have what music gave all of us. Let’s make sure that idea doesn’t stay just an idea.
Any amount helps. And if you can’t donate, sharing this goes a long way.
Let’s build what Mike wanted to build.
Please note: The DJ Mike D Memorial Project is in the process of being established as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Donations made at this time may not be tax-deductible. We will update donors as our tax-exempt status progresses.
