Five years ago, Jonathan “Chaka” Mahone – music commissioner and one-half of the husband/wife hip-hop duo Riders Against the Storm – launched Diversity and Wellness in Action, an emergency financial assistance program for local creatives of color. Though it arrived like a pre-pandemic premonition, DAWA has done more than lend monetary support; a first-of-its-kind week of BIPOC-led SXSW programming, a free-to-use studio space, and the creation of a Black Live Music Fund are among the ways Chaka has become a game-changing community organizer. The org taps comedian Tommy Davidson for a performance at its anniversary celebration – a well-deserved break from all this hard work. – Carys Anderson
