TURN UP THE STREETS with TYNACITY [THAT DJ]

UPDATE: On Sunday August 2nd, my tire blew, causing my truck to roll into a ditch

Myself and my roommate were en route to Milwaukee (with negative covid tests in hand) with the goal of donating a sound system to local protest organizers in order to amplify black voices and keep energy up on the streets. I grew up in Milwaukee, rated the worst place to be black in America, but is close to my heart. I knew I had to bring my mission to my hometown.

On our second day of travel my rear passenger side tire blew outside of Cedar City, UT. The truck lost control and swerved over the lanes of I-15 before plummeting into a ditch and rolling over. I crawled out of the drivers side window without injury.  My truck was transporting all the sound system equipment. It is now totaled.  I am safe, and so is my roommate, who was ahead of me in her own truck. As of right now the sound system is with my truck located in the yard of a towing company in Cedar City. Tomorrow morning we will find out the fate of the truck, there's a lot to be answered with the towing company and insurance company being closed on Sundays.

We are not giving up -  we discussed our options. We are motivated to follow through. The mission is important enough to keep going, so as of right now we are planning to acquire a new truck in our next stop, Denver. The intention is to continue on to Milwaukee and possibly beyond, despite the present and future obstacles. However, this incident has set us back. We do not know as of yet if the sound equipment works, we have the cost of the tow from the interstate to the tow yard, a new truck, insurance, hotel rooms, etc. that we now have to take out of our budget. We also have to navigate the bureaucracy of the DMVs in multiple states (which actually may be the more difficult than surviving a rollover on the interstate, especially given limited availability due to Covid-19) and the complications and fees that come with that. 

If we are not able to get a new truck in Denver, we will go back to California and find a vehicle there with the intention of heading back to Milwaukee as soon as possible. We will continue to update as frequently as we can as this is a complicated and ever-evolving matter. Thank you all for the supporting me in my mission. I am so grateful to be able to have the opportunity to turn up the streets nationally. If you haven't seen it yet, I am very proud to share this Buzzfeed article about my mission (the pink truck mentioned in the article is not the totaled truck).

Now For Some Good News!
Turn Up The Streets caught the attention of Buzzfeed and they wrote an article about the movement!
Check out the article here.

Background:

The velocity of collective action taken in response to the murder of George Floyd and many other Black people since [AND BEFORE] by the hands of law enforcement has brought on the largest and longest wave of protests this nation has ever seen. This energy has also reawakened folks that children at the US-Mexico border are still encaged in one of the most heinous national atrocities in modern history! We absolutely cannot let up in this uprising!

I began the Safe & Sound livestream as a platform to feature social justice content and an uplifting narrative within open-format DJ mixes in response to the COVID-19 quarantine in March 2020. Once a nightly show, Safe & Sound is currently being reformatted to offer in-depth stories and tips related to this country’s movement along with great music.

I am also a part of a community of artists that have been supporting actions across Los Angeles County since May 26th. Since then, we have been using all of our resources to keep people safe, engaged, and hopeful in these crucial events. We initiated the use of mobile sound systems on the ground to keep up this momentum. There have been no less than 3-5 demonstrations going on around the county daily and there has been an ever longing need for extended support for demonstrations in Orange County, where counter-protesters in their various hues of white supremacy have shown out widely. In addition, concerned activists and artists from the Midwest and East Coast have reached out in need of sound systems to assist with their actions.

Livestreams have proven vital in providing news and art happening in real-time, with a raw lens that cannot be coiled in by a corporate news spin.

Mobile sound systems have shown to be effective on the ground in keeping marching groups united in motion and in chants. With them present, it is quicker to inform attendees of any unexpected happenings in the street, keeping them from harm’s way. It also serves an accessible platform for artists and speakers to touch the people’s hearts in this much-needed wave of change.

Though our efforts thus far have received a tremendous response from organizers and the public-at-large, in order to keep going, we must involve each person that comes across the movement and let them know they can do something to help as well! This fundraiser for $70,000 is based on careful budgeting, factoring in what it has taken to make the sound systems possible initially and what it would take to BEGIN the expansion toward making this a consistent, everyday occurrence until America does right by us. Imagine if each group and organizing individual had access to a sound system - there would be no way they could be drowned out, and they could in turn provide a platform to even many more oppressed voices!

Goals:

To acquire equipment, supplies and space needed to create and distribute mobile sound systems to be used by organizations, communities, and individuals supporting human and civil rights in LA , Milwaukee, NYC and beyond.

To acquire equipment, supplies and space needed to continue the Safe & Sound Livestream Show.

The aim is to use these resources as a way to establish a widespread connection between social justice movements and artists. The aim is to also provide more autonomy to each group through amplification. The aim is to ensure independent, factual content is created on a consistent basis for the public to engage in through live streaming. The aim is to incorporate song and dance into the revolution through both livestream DJ mixes and sound systems in demonstrations and rallies.

Allocation Purposes:

Speakers, mixers/controllers, microphones, portable cameras, computer parts, generators, bike trailers, cables, accessories all new & used; studio maintenance; storage space to hold for transferring of units; auto/bike expenses & gas/travel.

Additional Donation Methods:

Venmo: @MerryTynacious

CashApp: $MerryTynacious

For checks, please e-mail turnupthestreets  @gmail.com to receive a mailing address.

If you have any of the following in fully-functioning condition:

Speakers /PA System (larger/more powerful than a small preferably [phone redacted]W+ for the non-subs speakers) (car stereos okay too for bikes, no wattage minimum recommendation)
Mixers
DJ Controllers (Digital CDJs/Standalone Mixers/2-4 deck controllers)
Beatpads/Drumpads/Keyboards.
Microphones
Cameras (HD Webcams, Portable Cams like Zoom Q2n or GoPro, DSLRs)
Generators
Bike trailers
Cables (XLRs of all genders, 1/4", 1/8", 1/8"-Apple Lightning Converter, RCA, HDMI, USBs A/B/C, Power)
A/V accessories
Computer Monitors
Pick-up Truck / Truck w/ Flatbed (Qty: 1)
Gas Cards
Bikes
Power Tools
Ratchet Straps

Please e-mail turnupthestreets  @gmail.com to arrange pickup / delivery.

As an encouragement and an expression of urgency in these times:

Your contribution impacts the direction we go in as a people, the longevity of this movement. 

Thank you for your time, consideration, and contribution! 

Please go to www.tynacity.com to learn more about the organizing artist.