how it all started
Our History
Our History
Our History
Dj Stagez started over a decade ago as a professional stage name for me as a local music artiste in Pincher Creek, Alberta. In a small wintry town of just about 3600 people, struggling with mental health was a constant reality. But then I found a ray of hope. In a makeshift recording studio, in the basement of my home, I determined to dea
Dj Stagez started over a decade ago as a professional stage name for me as a local music artiste in Pincher Creek, Alberta. In a small wintry town of just about 3600 people, struggling with mental health was a constant reality. But then I found a ray of hope. In a makeshift recording studio, in the basement of my home, I determined to deal with mental health in a proactive way. That is when the idea of making music emerged.
Looking to cope better with mental challenges I realized that life is a series of many stages. There were times when I was down and there were times when I felt strong. Darkness may last for a while but then comes joy through hope.
Because hip hop offers more flexible tools to express oneself I chose it as my main genre of music.
And to align with the hip hop culture I substituted "s" with "z" and Dj Stagez was born.
Since then Dj Stagez has evolved into a global brand name for a collaborative group of diverse artists who come together for a cause with the aim to create what is glowingly becoming a catchy concept of meaningful music.
Dj Stagez has also been registered as a Canadian non-for-profit organization based in Calgary,Alberta.
Our Mission
Our History
Our History
Our mission is to provide a vibrant and inclusive music community where our most marginalized can express themselves and connect with others meaningfully. At Dj Stagez, we believe that through music a person has the power to bring the best out of themselves and experience mental health in music .
Our Vision
Our History
Our Vision
To create music that continues to inspire, motivate and change the way we see things. By this we provide avenues for people to experience mental well-being through music
Why Hip hop
PIONEERING APPROACH
PIONEERING APPROACH
Creative organic music provides flexibility, creativity and personal expression. It has also been viewed as challenging the norm. However Hip Hop music has often been associated with negativity. So we worked hard to create a better image as well better message of the hip hop music that we make. This is why we call our music meaningful music.
The Reasoning
Meaningful music is an idea built on the belief that music with its many advantages can also be used to bring change, highlight pressing mental challenges as well as celebrate strides achieved in making people's lives better.
PIONEERING APPROACH
PIONEERING APPROACH
PIONEERING APPROACH
The challenge of our day is enjoying consistent mental well-being. All of us have at one time, or we know someone somewhere who is struggling with one of the forms of mental health issues such as worry, anxiety, unhappiness, sleep deprivation, feelings of emptiness and some sort substance abuse.
At Dj Stagez, we use our lived experiences of mental challenges as motivation to create hip hop music for mental health. The ups and downs of feeling alone, or trying to make sense out of life in a complex world system, are some of the incentives that we use to create music that is not only meaningful but also shares the pains of others. We work to help make living better through our music.
The Strategy
At Dj Stagez we aim to demystify the idea that music is for the naturally gifted and that its ultimate goal is fame and fortune. We believe that making music provides better mental health than just consuming it. We use our individual uniqueness as an inspiration that makes us want to share our differences and celebrate our commonalities through music.
WHAT WE DO
HOW WE DO WHAT WE DO
HOW WE DO WHAT WE DO
We have pioneered the process of making and sharing music a positive community-based experience with the intent to create space for mental health. The following are some of the ways we make this happen:
- Music making evenings at seniors homes in and around Calgary
- After School music making programs.
- Free individual and community hand-drumming classes
- Our annual Uganda tour supporting Ugandans with our diverse resources. We spend over a month touring Uganda, learning, teaching, creating music for mental well-being
HOW WE DO WHAT WE DO
HOW WE DO WHAT WE DO
HOW WE DO WHAT WE DO
In collaboration with partners locally and internationally we
- Provide space for people of all ages to find a way to express themselves through music.
- Provide music training to those who do not have easy access to making music.
- To provide ways to experience mental health in music through our special drumming therapy sessions
We make all this happen with free music making classes online and in person
Board of Directors
Li Zhou
Dr Jerome Bamugaya
Dr Jerome Bamugaya
Zhou enjoys hiking and loves music. Her love for music started while she was in High School where she played in a band. She calls Calgary, Alberta home and her dedicated social engagements create a positive impact on people's life's and making meaningful music the preferred choice music.
Dr Jerome Bamugaya
Dr Jerome Bamugaya
Dr Jerome Bamugaya
With over two decades of Development research
experience in the East African Region, Dr Bamugaya brings an in-depth outlook to Dj Stagez with seasoned expertise and oversight. His work in the East African region makes it possible for us to continue supporting Uganda with our annual Uganda tour
Rina Wood
Dr Jerome Bamugaya
Samuel Ojiambo
Rina Wood is one of the most sought after social worker experts in the world. Based in London,UK, her extensive background and work experience with non-profit-organizations brings useful contributions to Dj Stagez.
Samuel Ojiambo
Lincoln Alexander
Samuel Ojiambo
With over a decade of legal practice as an attorney supporting Ugandans across the country and with his boundless love for marine adventures, Mr Ojaimbo brings a conscientious commitment to our mission. He is based in Kampala Uganda where he continues to offer invaluable oversight to our mission at Dj Stagez.
Lincoln Alexander
Lincoln Alexander
Lincoln Alexander
Lincoln Alexander
Lincoln Alexander
Lincoln Alexander's youthfulness and positive attitude brings a renewing contribution to Dj Stagez. He maybe hiking somewhere in Alberta or Saskatchewan on any given day but his heart to help people goes with him everywhere.
Our Staff
Tarrence Evans/ Executive Director
Tarrence Evans/ Executive Director
Tarrence Evans/ Executive Director
Mr Evans is a visionary man. His sense of simple approach to the complex world of music makes Mr Evans able to steer this organization into the right direction of making mental health in music a reality .
Taylor Blanc/Marketing
Tarrence Evans/ Executive Director
Tarrence Evans/ Executive Director
With over five years of marketing experience Ms Blanc heads our marketing department as well as supporting Uganda volunteer teams
Volunteers
Tarrence Evans/ Executive Director
Volunteers
We are proud to have the support of many individuals and organizations in our community who share our commitment to meaningful music. The organization relies heavily on the kindness of volunteers who make it possible everyday
Our team of volunteers engages with individuals, community groups, schools, charities and other organizations who h
We are proud to have the support of many individuals and organizations in our community who share our commitment to meaningful music. The organization relies heavily on the kindness of volunteers who make it possible everyday
Our team of volunteers engages with individuals, community groups, schools, charities and other organizations who have ideas, interests, causes and we work with them to find ways to turn these concepts into music. Our work is done both in person and online.