Conversations with the Inspiring Christina Chavez

Today we’d like to introduce you to Christina Chavez.

So, before we jump into specific questions, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I grew up with a passion for writing and a strong love for music. I left San Diego when I was 18 to attend college at Cal State Fullerton, with little idea of what career I wanted to pursue. I became an English major because I felt like it the best fit for me at the time.

Throughout college, I constantly attended music events and made CD mixtapes for my sorority sisters. I met a DJ and became fascinated by the culture. My last year of college, I started driving to LA to learn how to mix. Before I graduated, I bought my first piece of equipment and practiced in my room as a hobby. I moved to Los Angeles after graduating.

After becoming full-time at my insurance broker job, I realized that the corporate world was not for me. The mundane routine of data entry made me unhappy, and unfulfilled. I began meditating with a close friend a mine and really tapped into my creative self. I realized that I needed to take a leap of faith and follow my passion (DJing).

In 2017, I quit my insurance job to focus on DJing. I drove as a Lyft driver to make ends meet, which was one of the toughest years for me financially and mentally. I continued to overcome my struggles through meditation and met someone who became a spiritual mentor to me, Jennifer. She taught me to create a vision board and be specific about my dreams. A few months later, I landed a job at my dream company – iHeart Radio.

Since last June, I have DJed several radio station events for REAL 92.3, and 102.7 KIIS FM – from BET Experience to Staple Center concerts.

I have my own monthly party, Missy N Friendz, in downtown Los Angeles at Broadway Bar. This past month, I played at SXSW in Austin for the first time – joining an all-female DJ line-up.

Quitting my 9-5 has been one of the greatest decisions of my life.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
The road has been far from easy.

One of the toughest challenges was balancing a 9-5, and finding the energy to pursue something creative after a long, draining day of work,

I quit my day job to force myself out of my comfort zone – I knew it would push me to make a career in the music industry happen. However, after I lost my stable income and benefits, the road became harder than ever.

Driving for Lyft was extremely challenging, and draining on me physically and financially. I wiped out all of my savings to keep up with the car maintenance and expenses that came with being a rideshare driver.

I felt like giving up countless times, but once I tapped into meditation and my spirituality again, I really began to believe in myself more than ever.

Please tell us more about your work, what you are currently focused on and most proud of. What sets you apart from others?
What sets me apart is my strong work ethic, dedication to my craft, and my strong knowledge of music.

I make mixes for REAL 92.3, La’s New Hope for Hip-Hop, and am working towards being an on-air DJ.

My project that I am most proud of is the monthly party that I host – Missy N Friendz. Missy N Friendz is a Missy Elliott tribute party that plays throwback hits from the queen of hip-hop and music from the 2000s. We have blown up heads from Missy Elliott, Aaliyah, Ciara and more – and we do champagne giveaways.

A few weeks ago, I attended a DJ conference in Black Hawk, CO, where I connected with like-minded DJs and became inspired by this trip. I plan to start DJing out of state this year.

Next month, I will be DJing a female entrepreneur event, called Femme N’ Fortune, which will be covered by Forbes.

For good reason, society often focuses more on the problems rather than the opportunities that exist, because the problems need to be solved. However, we’d probably also benefit from looking for and recognizing the opportunities that women are better positioned to capitalize on. Have you discovered such opportunities?
I believe there are more opportunities for women than ever before – especially for female DJs.

When I first started in 2013, I felt like there were hardly any female DJs to connect with or learn from. Today, there are several female hosted DJ workshops throughout Los Angeles, and events catered to women.

I’ve had the pleasure of DJing several women empowerment events, which connect female entrepreneurs throughout the city.

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: instagram.com/iamcclove
• Facebook: facebook.com/iamcclove
• Twitter: twitter.com/iamcclove

Image Credit:
Noe Ramirez

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