Portland activist and DJ gets active behind the decks

Portland-based artist C Powers, also known as Cecilia Powers, is not only a skilled producer and DJ but also a dedicated tenants’ rights activist. Her work straddles both passions and reflects her commitment to community organising and intersectionality, embodying the essence of a “community in motion”. Whether she’s taking on unethical landlords or throwing solidarity benefit parties, Cecilia is all about making a positive impact.

Cecilia’s impressive musical journey includes releases on renowned labels such as Sorry Records, Sweat Equity, CGI Records, Proper Trax, and Niche N Bump and her latest EP, released on Oklahoma City’s Fixed Rhythms label, is a testament to her musical talent and activism. So we were delighted when she offered to get behind the decks and whip up an hour of moves and grooves for Juno Daily’s In The Mix series.

Tracklisting:

Where Were You When The Lights Went Out (Tiefschwarz Licht Aus Dub) – Freaks
Yuropa – Palermo
T09 Criminal (Drumpella) – Regal86
Unplugged – Jeremdan Jeremdan
It’s a Boy – Cari Lekebusch & Jesper Dahlback
Untitled 2 – Player One
Untitled A2 – Adrian Forciniti
TOOTY – Oak City Slums
808 Acid Inferno – DJ ARG
Easy Filter Part X (DJ Zank Remix) – FLR
Who U Callin A UHHH – DJ Trajic
Badunk’ – TAH
There Goes The Boom (Tf-1 Mix) – Mental Blox
Mouse Hole – Kaval & Qant
Sky Hammer – C Powers
Bobosqueak – Pump Media Unlimited
Glitch (Krypsis Remix) – D-Nite
So What  – DAVE N.A.
Burst DJ – Double Oh!
Stealth Flow – BLACK GIRL / WHITE GIRL
Signal 23 – Teakup
Untitled C1 – Adrian Forciniti
Candyman (DJ Frank Remix) – Da Boy Tommy
Blue Twister – Sneaky Alien / Skidlet – C Powers

Hello Cecilia, hope you’re well.  Where are you as you type this?  Had a good day so far? Off anywhere exciting later or been anywhere nice earlier?

Hi there. Today has been chaotic even though I worked from home today.  I was off for 7 weeks while recovering from Gender Reassignment Surgery up until mid January. During that time my brain was able to return to a more relaxed state… I could hear the birds again so to speak. I needed it so much and it was so worth it. Now I am back in the grind of life 🙂 🙁

Tell us who you are, where you’re from, where you’re based… and all that.

I currently live on land stolen from the Chinook people in so-called Portland, Oregon. I am a 30+ and sexy trans woman. I was born in Florida and grew up in Atlanta for most of my life. I also lived in Chicago for 5 years, London UK for 2 years, Savannah Georgia for 7 years and LA for 1 year before moving to Portland on the day that the Black Lives Matter Rebellions began. 

Give us a rundown of the releases you’ve had to date.

Though some of my output has deviated considerably from dance music, I’d say that the bulk of my discography is located in the spaces of dance music. Ive been fortunate enough to work with esteemed labels like Sweat Equity, Sorry Records, Niche N Bump, CGI Records, and most recently Fixed Rhythms. I also collaborate with CH-Rom on a small label-like project called Mom Radio USA. 

How would you describe your sound?  It seems to skirt between several different genres.

It has always been important to me to be conscious about what many producers before me have said that the music has great potential for: to investigate newness and deviate from established norms. It’s really hard work but I do think I have trained myself over the years to try and think hard about establishing my own language of musical practice. At the end of the day it’s always going to be a combination of joyously intuitive music-making and whatever ideas my brain needs to interrogate.

Tells us about the name of your EP ‘Sheer Sky’…  What does it signify and what inspired it?

I feel like my music has become very air-inspired over the last two years. It is possible that it could be only me who hears this? I like this name because it seems like all these play with the notion of “sky” in different ways. Across the four tracks I find elements of ascension, descending and crashing-down sounds, floating movements, and even some weird sounds that gently waft in and out.

As well as being a producer you’re also a tenants rights activist – what’s the situation like in Portland? 

Portland has had some of the fastest rising rent averages in the last two years across the country. The result has been the second highest rate of homelessness in the country. I am a co-founding member of an abolitionist organization focusing on building tenant power and resisting the violence of evictions. Being a trans person, my community is highly-impacted by unethical rent and bigoted landlord harassment. As trans people flee the so-called “red states” across the so-called “USA”, many are arriving in Portland. Like many other trans women I am proud to know, resistance is built into my life practice: housing is a space in which my comrades and I have found ways to build resistance. 

You also stage events to bring communities together – is being a techno producer similar to being an activist?

Based on the recent decades of examples it seems being a “techno producer” inevitably leads one into certain aspects of commodification that activism probably should not. On the other hand, one would also be an absolute fool to ignore the militant and grassroots origins of Black Techno in Detroit. 

The “Trainwreck” events I organized with my friend Papri Chaat were free parties that were kind of like a club-friendly version of rent parties. The parties were free and DJ’s donated their fees to the cause. The cause: raising money for local tenants who were fighting eviction alongside members of my org. There was no “entry” fee but we usually had a big table by the door that was pretty hard to get around without making a donation hehe! It turns out that many people love giving money to someone who is going to use it to fight their evil landlord!

And finally, what’s in the pipeline for the rest of 2024 for C Powers?

I am delighted to say I am finalizing a new Pump Media Unlimited record (collaboration with CH-Rom), a new PowerPlay ep (collaboration with PlayPlay), and also I’m currently finishing the artwork for my first full-length album in a very long time. I’ve got a remix or two coming up as well. 

To buy your copy of C Powers’ ‘Sheer Sky’ EP here