Creative Pathways: Chaka Mahone, Founder of Black Live Music Fund, DAWA
Known as a creative catalyst, Jonathan ‘Chaka’ Mahone has a strong background in event production, curriculum development, multimedia content creation, visual art, songwriting, music production, and youth empowerment through arts. For 10 years, Mahone has been a part of E4 Youth’s development as a Program Director and Instructor. As a performing artist, he has traveled the world as one-half of the award-winning hip hop duo, Riders Against the Storm (RAS). As co-founder of Divine and Conjure Enterprises, LLC, a production company with a focus on empowering audiences through creative events, films, music, and more, he applies his creative talents for uplift. After years of service in the Austin community, his work was recognized by SXSW via their 2020 Dewey Winburne Community Service Award. Always an advocate for musicians and artists, Mahone founded DAWA, Diversity Awareness and Wellness in Action, in 2019 to provide a safety net for People of Color that are experiencing short term life crisis. More specifically, people of color who are: musicians, artists, social workers, teachers, healing practitioners, and service industry workers.