Our names are Juneth and Toni. We are the sisters of a Teri Joaquin, an amazingly talented dancer and choreographer who worked throughout San Diego. Some of you may have seen him perform once or twice. Some of you may have even taken his [heels] class at some point. If you have ever met him, we are sure you'd remember him.

On January 16, 2022, Teri was found unresponsive in his Chula Vista home, lost to drugs. Our world has been shattered, but seeing the dance community come together to honor Teri, seeing the outpouring of love from all his friends and fellow dancers has inspired us to try and continue his legacy.

We will be working with the San Diego dance community, the schools and artists that Teri worked with, to honor his memory and work. Teri had initially founded The DREAMers Project, and it is in that same passion and spirit that we would like, in some small way, to give back to a community that has given our beloved Teri so much.

Any money you donate here will go towards honoring Teri's memory. Our hope is (with the collaboration of the dance community) to create more access for dancers and dance instructors in need, specifically interested and talented individuals who are part of the LGBTQ and/or BIPOC communities. A specific plan will soon be decided and announced. Our hope is that Teri's Dream Fund Project will take effect in early February 2023, on what would have been his 38th birthday. Please continue to check back regularly here and on social media for regular updates.

Teri was unique. He was talented. He fought against prejudice and bias. He broke the rules, carved his own path, and lit the stage with his kindness and talent. We hope this small gesture will inspire others to be brave and passionate like Teri.