Meet Garth Trinidad | DJ, Curator

We had the good fortune of connecting with Garth Trinidad and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Garth, how has your perspective on work-life balance evolved over time?
By my late 20’s I was married with children and had established a fantastic career trajectory as a creative. There was no balance and I wasn’t thinking about the balance. If the phrase work life balance was spoken around the campfire back then, I didn’t pay it any mind. I was young, healthy, hungry to create something special, and above all responsible for taking care of a family. By my late 30’s, the nonstop grind took its toll. My body conspired to get my attention. Stress of work and a tumultuous marriage, compounded with a handful of bad habits and lack of work life balance culminated in a spectacular near death experience. Unofficially, I suffered a deadly panic attack. Fortunately, my then wife was present and dialed 911, Otherwise I most likely wouldn’t still be among the living. Doctors ran every test and found no serious health issues, but they detected dehydration, poor diet, lack of exercise, and exausti0n.

Although I knew work life balance was important by then, it wasn’t a priority. I took my health for granted. The near death experience and doctors’ warnings were all I needed to begin prioritizing balance. Since then, the balance has been paramount. My desire to achieve balance forced me to reconsider my entire life path and uncover things I was choosing to ignore. At a certain point I decided drastic measures were necessary for change and proceeded to blow up my life. I walked away from a toxic marriage, exited my radio tenure, and pressed pause on my DJ / music career. In short, I cannonballed into the depths of identity detachment. It was beautiful.

Now, balance is about taking time and not rushing to any result, letting go of any and all expectations, retiring the gloves that I used to thoroughly beat myself up, and deconstructing my past for lessons rather than attachment. It’s also about being ok with uncertainty, even leaning into it. I’ve evolved, I’m evolving, and I love it.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Can a DJ be an artist? I believe any good DJ is an artist at their core. My favorite deejays create works of art. Some of their works are recorded and archived, while others exist solely in memories of those who were listening, dancing, watching in the moment. From my perch as DJ and radio host at KCRW in Los Angeles, I worked tirelessly to create an ecosystem that uncovered a world of music in general and black music specifically, that transcended the boundaries of the profit-oriented mainstream apparatus. I was operating during an exciting, extraordinary time for music in L.A. and the world. I curated and hosted events at iconic venues across the city, taught and spoke at colleges and universities, worked as a music journalist and editor, produced music – artists, soundtracks, compilations, contributed to film, TV, and ad campaigns as music supervisor, and rocked parties, clubs, and festivals around the world and around the corner. All of it rooted in a reputation garnered by weaving deeply soulful sonic tapestries and engaging listeners as if we were in my living room during my radio tenure. I was most excited about bringing people together. The energy behind my art and its intention was love, plain and simple.

Was it easy? Naw. Overcoming challenges had much to do with paying attention and learning as I went, learning from mistakes. While earning a degree from Otis College of Art & Design, I worked odd jobs and volunteered at KCRW – front office, fund drives, events, and eventually as a Production Assistant in the studio. Along the way I’ve learned that ego can be identified, tamed, and used for good, that overthinking will keep you at the starting line, that preparation, organization, and self-care are your friends, that without risk there is seldom reward, and that if you’re fortunate enough to have them, to cherish your real friends.

If there’s anything I want the world to know about me or my brand story, it’s that I love what I did and I’m still doing it, albeit at a moderate tempo, exploring new endeavors. I love traveling to DJ, I’m writing a couple of books, slowly returning to visual art, dabbling in on camera acting, and cofounding a new curatorial agency with my dear friend Oscar Merino, who’s been working with me since 2006 – Chocolate City activations, early Kiss n’ Grind, MojaMoja series etc.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Favorite spots in the city? This is a tough one. Some variables – the friend, the season, etc. If I could plot a week long trip, the itinerary would look something like this…

Hike down Santa Monica Canyon and explore the old, escaped Nazi encampment, then grab a snack and cool out at Palisades Bluffs.

Take a DJ course at Beat Junkie Institute of Sound in Glendale.

Hit Highland Park for brunch at Amara Kitchen, live show at The Lodge Room, drinks at Gold Line vinyl bar.

Happily, spend too much money at Black Market Flea.

Grab coffee at Harun, then hit Nappy Naturals Apothecary in Leimert Park.

Volunteer with Tree People and plant a tree.

Dance at Jeremy Sole’s Le Frique Sonique party at Moroccan Lounge DTLA.

Peruse Cheech Marin’s sick collection of Latin and Chicano art at his museum in Riverside.

Feast at Michelin-Star Yucatan style seafood at Holbox inside Mercado La Paloma.

Breeze through Hollywood and get lost in Amoeba Music, then hit a concert at The Ford.

Wind down with the plant life and hang with the peacocks at the Arboretum in Arcadia.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My shoutout list is miles long so I’ll stick to peers and mentors whose love, encouragement, and guidance have helped me tremendously through recent dark times – Oscar Merino, Art Marin, Marcus Guillory, Gregg Lewis, Malakhi Simmons, Farren Jackson, Luz Emma Cañas, Sarah Todd, Eve Fouche, and Brad Neal.

Website: https://afrolatino.world

Instagram: @garthtrinidad

Twitter: @garthtrinidad

Image Credits
Cary Sullivan, Noavi, Allen Sovory, Otim Olaya, Simone Lael, G Marq Roswell, Malakhi Simmons, Neecole Cockerham, Garth Trinidad