Today we’d like to introduce you to Jennifer Girma.
Hi Jennifer, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today.
Looking back at 2014, I’m lucky to have been conflicted as a teenager. I was taking my first steps into adulthood pursuing a medical degree in college but also spending the summer to work at my first Vans Warped Tour. Despite the rigor and intensity of taking steps toward what I thought would be my future as a doctor, I experienced a series of changes and failures that only led me closer to what I was deeply passionate about — music.
I look back at my time in Orlando, grateful that I was able to graze through my college years and graduate with my degree in hand, but also have 4 years of experience in touring and marketing in the music industry. Orlando brought me some of the best years of my life so far and also brought me home to Park Ave CDs. At Park Ave CDs, I was able to join a family of a very talented and passionate pool of individuals. We all have our “thing” – whether it is Harry Styles, The Clash, Prince, or even BTS (can you guess which one is mine?). Though this might mean little in the grand scheme of things, I learned that the audience brought into Park Ave CDs — whether it be as a customer or an employee — made for a whole new sense of community through music and potential.
It was at Park Ave CDs where I learned who I really wanted to be, in music and in my community, and how I wanted to use my motivation (alongside the internet) to uplift myself and those with similar passions to let their voices be heard! Three years later, I’ve been able to work with the team at Park Ave CDs as a social media coordinator and creative to share new music to the Orlando community, and use the online world to welcome newcomers to a safe space to love who they are, what they like, and how they want to express these things. I’ve been able to work towards co-hosting new events for young people and aspiring professionals in music, as well as create community that sees fan engagement in a positive light. This is where I learned the power of fandom in music and the professional opportunity than can be driven by fans for fans.
Today, though I have since moved forward from my time in Orlando and have relocated to Los Angeles to further pursue my career in the entertainment industry, I can’t look back without remembering the place that made me who I am today.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Objectively speaking, I think I am fortunate to have had a smoother road than others. However, this is not without minor setbacks along the way. There is no major success without failure.
Thanks – so, what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I’ve previously touched on fandom and fan engagement, and continuing to speak for fans is something that I really see myself continuing. I have a strong background in digital creations and marketing that started at a young age, nearly unbeknownst to me, until I started looking at my hobbies through career-centric eyes — I’m a HUGE K-pop fan. I fell into a deep rabbit hole of K-pop during some time in my journey through the music industry and haven’t looked back since. I was astonished at the rise of K-pop in the western music market but saw how little accessible information there was backing the industry.
Thus, as a fan, I wanted to create every avenue possible that provided a diverse and inclusive sense of what the K-pop industry was made of and how it has the impact of globalizing new voices from the East in western culture. I approached this from both a personal level and professional level. As I’ve said before, the audience within Park Ave CDs has a huge impact on what the community is exposed to upon their visits. Throughout the last two years, my team encouraged me to dive deeper into K-pop by welcoming it into our shop at full capacity. We’ve since garnered a roster of artists around the globe that are now accessible to the Orlando community, as well as the AAPI/APAC community at large. This last June, I was lucky enough to host our first listening party for an official K-pop release (for BTS’ album “Proof”), which brought over 200 attendees from all over the country. One attendee drove 13 hours to our event, letting me know that “events like these don’t happen where [she’s] from.”
I’ve also been able to involve myself with a publicity firm that provides a press platform for up-and-coming K-pop and other APAC performers to be heard. All of these experiences, atop my personal interest, make for the bigger picture of what I aspire to fuel: diversity and inclusion in the music industry. Whether it is making room for fans in the industry, creating opportunities for young women and people of color, or providing a platform that artists can be heard, I want to be a part of those leading the way to make these things happen.
Are there any apps, books, podcasts, blogs, or other resources you think our readers should check out?
One app I really enjoy is “Balance” — it’s a great meditation app. One thing about music and entertainment is that it is an all-consuming avenue to experience as a user or a professional. Sometimes it’s great to quite literally tune out the noise.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/jennygirma
- Other: www.instagram.com/parkavecds
