The DJ Takeover is a program for listeners to discover their favorite artist's favorite artists, working to foster connection to the music and makers inside and outside our city. For the entire hour, we go down the rabbit hole of stories from their past, experiences of the present and goals for the future.
When comrades Nick Berkley, Yante Turner and Jakayla (Jay) Bridges of Sun-Seeker MKE walked into Studio A, love walked into the room with them
As they sat down before we went on air for our DJ Takeover, I could see the care each individual had for one another. They eased each other's nerves through positive affirmations, and — even more powerfully — through action.
They helped others prepare for what to say on air, delegated who would cover certain topics and didn’t question when someone was uncomfortable doing something. Instead, they accepted and recognized that each of their strengths lie in different areas. All of this was done with joy, humor and perspective.
Mind you, this was all before the Takeover even began.
The sort of camaraderie, support and organization I witnessed speaks to the nature of Sun-Seeker MKE, a Black trans abolitionist collective. Turner, a longtime member, shared that people often believe taking action requires them to be in a position of power. But, just as the three abolitionists delegated their roles during the on-air interview, Sun-Seeker recognizes how important it is for people in their own communities to have the tools to carry out all facets of care for themselves.
“When we talk about community, we’re often talking about the people outside of ourselves,” Turner explained. “But we’re talking about ourselves, and that feels super important to name — that we represent and are the people that we are serving.”
After listening to “Ancestor’s Watching” by Black Youth Project 100, we talked about what safety looks like for trans folks in Milwaukee.
“It looks like not having to bury trans folks because someone didn’t consider them as human,” Bridges said. “It looks like not allowing ignorance or misinformation to be justification for harm. It looks like overall safety that encompasses protection from violence and oppression, as well as access to resources that promote joy in our communities.”
Then, I asked what safety looks like for Black trans folks.
“Part of what Black Youth Project is talking about is that our access to happiness — to worlds that aren’t oppressive, that aren’t anti-Black — have to be reimagined,” Turner answered. “They have to be dreamed about because they’ve never happened on U.S. soil. … A lot of dreaming keeps Black people safe because we’ve had to reimagine and imagine systems that have not cared for us to be different.”
One of the ways Sun-Seeker makes these dreams a reality is through fundraising for a mobile crisis care unit in Milwaukee. In addition to offering mental-health support, this community-driven initiative would be stocked with harm-reduction tools and rapid response care from skilled, trained community operators.
You can hear our conversation and all the songs Sun-Seeker MKE’s Nick, Yonte and Jay picked for this DJ Takeover using the player at the top of the page. For more information on the organization, their mission and their care unit fundraiser, find Sun-Seeker MKE on Instagram and at the Pride Kickoff event we’re holding at Radio Milwaukee on June 4 hosted by Coco Monet and featuring Femme Noir, auntie and Roxie Beane.
DJ Takeover: Sun-Seeker MKE playlist
- “Chronic Sunshine,” Cosmo Pyke
- “Ancestor’s Watching,” Black Youth Project 100 Choir
- “Get Free,” Mereba
- “Still Sun,” Obongjayar
- “Talkin’ ‘Bout a Revolution,” Tracy Chapman
- “War,” Caleb Gordon
- “Yearning (12:54am),” Bdwthr
