When Youth on Record became co-owner of the Underground Music Showcase, people thought we were out of our minds. A nonprofit youth organization stepping into festival co-ownership? I heard every version of “Are you sure?”.

But I believed deeply in what we were stepping into—and why.

I believed Youth on Record could make an impact at UMS—not by replacing what was there, but by deepening it. And for four years, we worked to weave in purpose into the experience at the festival.

We didn’t come in with a playbook. We came in with vision.

And we’ve stayed true to that. UMS became a space where music and mission met—and together with our team, and our partners at Two Parts and Symbiotic, we shaped one of the most values-aligned independent festivals in the country.

It didn’t happen by accident. UMS is what it is today because we leaned into the hard conversations. We asked: What if music could do more than entertain?

I’m reflecting not just on what we accomplished—but on what’s possible when we lead with courage. I’m also showing up while grieving. This announcement has hit hard for so many in our community. I’ve seen the heartbreak, the disbelief, and the deep sense of loss. That’s because UMS has come to mean something powerful to people: a place of belonging. I feel that too. And I want to honor the weight of that. This isn’t just an operational shift. It’s an emotional one.

For twenty years, my work has led me to the intersections of culture, systems, and the power of the human spirit. It shows up in the festivals we've built, the third places we've created, the policies we influence, the youth we champion. And underneath it all is a question that guides everything I do: What kind of world should young people inherit?

The work isn’t just about music. It’s about creating spaces where young people, artists, and communities can expand their ideas about what's possible, and express their inner artist. It’s about using culture as a force for transformation.

I’m not sure what the future holds. But I know this: Youth on Record is still here, still building, still imagining. And I’m still here—committed, on your side, and wide open to what’s next.

The future of discovery music in the American West can’t rest on UMS alone. Every artist, venue owner, manager, producer, policymaker—everyone in this ecosystem—has to come to the table knowing that no one’s going to solve this for us. We have to solve it together.

If we believe values-driven festivals matter, then we need a new financial model—one where philanthropists, benefactors, business coalitions, and the public sector step up. This isn’t about walking away from the mission. It’s about telling the truth. Festivals that prioritize accessibility, fair artist pay, and inclusive infrastructure cost real money—and they should. Mission has a price tag. And there’s enough money out there to do this right, if we choose it.

So, this is my invitation to you to join me in building a coalition. Let’s make this final UMS one for the books. And then let’s get to work on the next era of our creative community—together.

#UMS25 #YouthOnRecord #CreativeEcosystem #MissionDrivenLeadership #ArtsAndJustice #NoRegretsAllEncores